Termite is coming......,

 Sat 24th @ 10.53pm

So yesterday I had a membrane sweep as I'm a week and 1 day 'over ' it was uncomfortable and the midwife explained I was still a bit posterior but had moved forward. So I've spent today telling people I'm fine and happy but unfortunately nowhere near.

Then the (sorry I hate this....) Mucus plug  arrived which in previous pregnancies has happened a week before labour but at 9.36pm I had my third real proper hand gripping contraction, another 4 or 5 since leaves me to believe Termite is coming.

11.38pm

But seriously this is uncomfortable! I forgot how much it smarts ;-). Starting to worry about noise making and children waking. The husband is monitoring the contractions. In true engineer style he is pointing out the lack of regularity between 4.5 minutes and 7 minutes. I've threatened to use the tens machine on him!!! Anyway I'm using profanity a bit so I think I may tootle off for a while .

00.14

The midwives have been dispatched and in a fit of tears I've declared I'm scared! The husband in a random show of brilliance has just pointed out that as this is number three he's sure I'm going to be a trooper again !

Saturday 31st August 

So the above was written in real time here's the rest.

The midwives arrived at 1am and settled themselves after my initial checks,  with disappointment I listened to the words 4cms! What?! that's nothing, grumpily I carried on my wandering and at about 3am started using the gas and air and trying to rest between powerful contractions.

At 5am or thereabouts another examination filled me with dread, we were only at 5 cms. Sudden thoughts of hospital filled my head but my very supportive midwives had a conversation with me about how I felt about artificial  rupturing of my membranes, I was surprised to hear they would perform it at home and so long as all was well and clear there was no need for hospital. A rather uncomfortable attempt was unsuccessful but a second try worked perfectly.

From there it was all rather quick I have a vague memory of someone keep checking in my pants and thinking of for goodness sake I should just take them off but I was truly in the zone, no one mattered I was so focused on breathing and relaxing I didn't realise I was so close until the midwife asked if our other kids had dark hair.... 'What you can see the head ' said my husband in disbelief. A little bit of denial and hand grabbing later and at 6.59am  there she was! Wide eyed alert and happy snuffling on my chest.

My slight marr on the event is that a little trouble with mucus in termites throat and some reluctance of my body to part with the placenta meant that my husband was left holding her, after just 5 minutes of skin to skin, whilst I was otherwise occupied. This is not something I've done before, my babies have been on me for a long time before anyone has been allowed to take them so I feel like I've missed a bit but that was made up for with lots of family bonding for the rest of the day.

With the midwives gone by 8.30am all was calm in monkey towers ........ And now we are five.