Hi Peace, and thank you
Odd question but how are your boobs? I only ask because mastitis can have flu-like symptoms...when I had it I was throwing up and exhausted and had chills etc.

As for the long labour...well I guess it depends who you ask! I would say yes, but the hospital records disagree... My contractions started within hours of my waters breaking, and at the end of the first day they were strong enough that I couldn't possibly sleep or even lie down...but they were coming at irregular intervals and far apart, anywhere between 6 and 20 minutes, so not considered labour...I was thinking, if this isn't labour, how awful is real labour going to be?!

I asked to be admitted anyway after labouring (or not?!) at home with a TENS and a Swiss ball for a couple of days, because the pain was getting to the point where I *really* wanted to use the gas. Contractions were still averaging around ten minutes apart though. They did an exam and were shocked that I was 8cm - I cried with relief, they had given me the impression that I probably wasn't dilating at all! They put me on the oxytocin drip though to augment my labour, as apparently "it's impossible to push a baby out with contractions coming ten minutes apart". Didn't bring them any closer together though, just made them crazy painful. I was only on the drip for an hour when I ran into the bathroom because I felt this urgent need to get something 'out' of me...IYKWIM...and before I knew it was squatting against the sink and could feel the baby's head coming. She was in my arms 18 minutes later, I birthed her in only three contractions - still coming nearly ten minutes apart! So apparently it's possible after all?! Quite funny really, but according to their strict criteria, I wasn't actually in labour when I gave birth!!

You can probably tell lol but I'm a bit miffed about being put on the oxytocin. I had been determined to do things as naturally as possible, and I know she would have come eventually on her own. And maybe not have been born so very fast, I tore quite badly unfortunately.
[RANT OVER]