Layla

I woke at 4 a.m. on your due date, no pains or niggles, I just couldn't sleep. I watched TV till 6:30 and suddenly got really tired again, so I jumped back into bed and was woken by my 1-year-old for some cuddles at 7:30. This was when some small period-style cramps started; I wasn't even sure what they were. I didn't believe you were coming on your due date and knew we had plans at 9:30 and wanted you to hold off so I could see your cousins from Tasmania today.

We packed the hospital stuff in the car just in case and headed off to Nanna and Nonno's to meet them, arriving at around 8:30. I messaged Elle to let her know I was feeling niggles. As we sat at their house, the cramps progressively got worse, and we began to time them. They were going for 1 minute every 5 minutes, so we called the hospital, and they said to come in and check the progress. We had one last goodbye cuddle with our 1-year-old, and off we went.

The drive took us an hour, and we arrived at 10:30. They checked me out and weren't sure how fast you would progress, so they held off putting in my antibiotic IV till 11:30 (it was very uncomfortable). I was using a comb to help me through the contractions. We filled up the bath, but the midwife said it might slow down the contractions, so I didn't, which I regret now.

I sent Joel to get himself some lunch at around 12:30, and I got into the shower for pain relief. The pain increased a lot at around 1:30, and I asked for the gas and wanted to lie in the bed.

I labored in the bed till 2:30 when it was suggested I get onto a mattress on the floor instead. The gravity helped, and my waters broke 3 minutes after getting onto the ground. Less than 10 minutes later, you were here being passed to me for first cuddles.

The cord was cut, but the placenta wouldn't come even after 2 Synto injections, and the senior midwife had to come help remove it at 3:30.

We stayed in the room and cuddled skin to skin until 5:30 when you were weighed and measured, and Dad had his first cuddle while I showered, and we headed to the ward at 6:30.