The Birth of Taylor Jayne

Although my pregnancy was quite straight forward with you, I didn't really know what to expect with the labour - although people kept saying if you have a trouble free pregnancy, you'll have a trouble free birth. I didn't know that even though it would be hard work, it would be one of the best days of my life, welcoming you into the world. I've written this account of that day before my memories start to fade too much and so you can recall on my experience when/if you decide to have a child of your own.

24 February 2004 - your due date

Your dad had gone out to play football with his mates and when he came back we both thought - ah well your due date had come and gone and no sign so we settled down for the night - it was 11.30pm. We were having a cuddle in bed and I felt a strange pop in my tummy. I said, 'I didn't like that!' and went downstairs to the toilet. Anyway when I wiped there was a bit of pink on the paper and I shouted up to your dad (half jokingly/half seriously) 'It's started!'. He said, 'Don't be silly, come back to bed!' He thought I was winding him up but as I was sat there I could feel little gushes - which were my waters slowly leaking. I went upstairs and said, 'It's really happening!'. We both stood there looking at each other, both said, 'S**t!' and both started shaking like mad. It must have been nerves and the adrenalin but we were both shaking whilst we got dressed and made our way downstairs. Your dad rang the maternity ward and explained what was happening, and they said if it was my waters, I should probably make my way into hospital.

25 February 2004 - your birthday

I think it was around 2.30am by the time we got in your dads car after making sure Lea (the cat, my baby up until now) was okay and my bag was packed for hospital and we'd showered etc. We got to the hospital and the midwife examined me and I had a 'show' (sign of labour) and she monitored your heartbeat. When she went out of the room, you turned around in my tummy and so the monitor wasn't on your heart anymore so when she came back and saw that there was no reading for a long time they said that I should stay in under observation to keep a check on your heartbeat and she also said that she saw on the monitor a small contraction, which I had only just started to notice. Anyway your dad was sent home and I was sent up to the ward.

I tried to sleep but I couldn't. Firstly this was because of all the excitement of becoming a mummy soon, but then I couldn't sleep because of the contractions that were now a lot more noticeable and were becoming stronger. I walked around a lot and when the pain became unbearable, the midwives gave me some paracetemol (that did absolutely nothin!). They also suggested I have a soak in the bath as it might take the edge off the pain - but it took me ages to get into it and then I didn't like being in it so tried to climb out and it took me forever to try and maneouvre out of the thing! (So that experience put me off the thought of a waterbirth even though I had fancied trying that!). Anyway the pains got worse and worse and by about 7.30am I was holding onto the windowsill breathing through my contractions, looking out of the window willing your dad to come back. I was glad that morning had come and the ward was coming to life and the midwife suggested that I have some breakfast to help me through the long labour ahead - she said I would need all the energy I could get. She also gave me some great advice as I was standing at the window - to sway my hips round and round to help the baby's head down - this was really good advice and I used this all through the labour.

Finally your dad walked into the room as I was holding onto that windowsill with my waters pouring all over my new slippers! All the women in the ward I was on had been induced the previous night and had managed to sleep and were still not having contractions and there was me in labour, puffing and panting and probably scaring them half to death! Finally the midwife said she would take me down to the labour ward. She asked if I wanted to go in a wheelchair or walk - I said I would walk and it took us forever with me having to stop every few steps to hold onto the handrail and breath through a contraction.

We finally got down stairs and went into our room. It was quite a nice room but did't have an en-suite bathroom which I was hoping for. I was examined and they told me how far dilated I was and we met our midwife who delivered you, Jane. I was advised to move around and lean on your dad's shoulders when the contractions came, which I did. I was also asked if I would be wanting an epidural which I said I would NOT! I didn't want an injection in my spine. But I was offered gas and air which at first I refused because I was breathing through the contractions myself and i knocked it out of your dad's hand when he tried to put it near my mouth! Finally though when the pain did start to get bad I took the gas and air and it was fantastic! It made my voice go really deep and funny and made me feel high as a kite and made me talk loadsa rubbish!!! When the midwife left the room I told your dad to have some and he tried it and enjoyed it! Although he didn't take enough on the first go so I had to tell him to have more!

I asked for some pain releif when the pain got unbearbale and I had an injection in my bum. I was also given an anti sickness drug which was good as I heard that some people were sick during labour and I hate being sick.

Throughout my labour aswell I was soooo hungry. They brought in cups of tea and biscuits and I'd been told not to eat during labour in case you need to be rushed in for an emergency caesarean - so I asked Jane if I could nibble on a biscuit and she said it was fine. I polished off the bourbons and then she brought me a packet of fruit pastilles out of her handbag for me to suck on as the gas and air made my throat really dry and there is only so much water you can drink!

Every time your dad said he would go out of the room to ring your nanna and grandma, the midwife kept saying, 'it's nearly happening, baby is nearly here!', so he never the left the room the entire time, bearing in mind there was no en-suite loo.

Time went on and I was allowed another injection in my bum.

It finally got to the point where your head crowned and your dad, who stayed at the head of the bed where my head was, had said that he didn't want to see any blood or gore. The midwife asked if he wanted to see your head crowning and he went to see. He came back and told me that you had loads of dark hair! I was kneeling up on the bed and the bed head was up at a right angle so I cud rest my head on it. Your dad was round the other side of the bed facing me and putting the gas and air pipe in my mouth as I was getting more and more tired.

Finally after what seems like an eternity of your head keeping slipping back up, your head was born. Your dad went to see your head and came back to tell me and I was just so high off the gas and air they kept asking if I was okay. They kept asking if another contraction was coming so I could push your body out but it wasn't and I didn't have the energy to open my mouth and tell them so they kept seeing if I was ok! It felt like I was drunk and was aware of what was going on around me but I couldn't answer!!! Very weird. Finally I had more contractions after a long gap and your body came out but it did seem to take a long time and not 'one more push' as they kept saying. I kept asking them how much longer it was going to take - I wanted a definite time when all this would be over and I could see you!

Then at 4.55pm you were born. What a relief to finally have you out - I felt like I was going to be walking around with you stuck there for the rest of my life (I actually said to them at one point that I wouldn't mind doing that because I really couldn't go on much longer!). My first question was, 'what is it?', they didn't answer me as I think they were cleaning you up and wanted me to see for myself, so I asked your dad what sex you were and he couldn't see and then they said you were a girl, 6lb 13oz and absolutely gorgeous.

I turned over and laid on the bed and they put you on me and you looked at my face straight away and I said,'hello you'. Then I said to the midwife, 'hasn't she got hairy shoulders!!' They said they would drop out after a few months but they haven't yet. You take after your dad!

You laid on me for a while and tried a feed, but you didn't want to bother as you were as exhausted as me I think! We rang family and let them know you were here and that we had decided on your name - Taylor Jayne Blezard. We were then given the best tea and toast ever - as we had hardly eaten all day. Then you were passed to your dad ( who had never held a baby before) and I was stitched up.

After I was stitched I had a bath and your dad came in the bathroom with me coz he hadnt had a wee all day - the midwife walked in on us - your dad in mid wee - he'd been holding it that long he couldn't stop it!!!

We got sorted then your dad left us to it and we got sent up to the ward about 10pm. I was fetched some food which I ate ravenously as I was so hungry! All the while I kept looking in your cot - I felt so excited like a kid at Christmas looking at this wondrous gift. You slept that first night all night long, and I kept trying to nod but kept one hand on your cot to remind myself that it was real and you were really here.

Althought I was sore and could hardly move I was the happiest I had ever been. I was now a mummy to this beautiful, little angel.

Although you wouldn't feed to start with and I had trouble getting breastfeeding established, I persevered to give you the best start in life that I could and I fed you for 8 months (until you bit me!)

And that Taylor Jayne is my story of the day you came into our lives.

Click here to read the birth story of Jamie Boo, Taylor's little sister