Freya Ruby Minneta Overy, 10th July 2007

Friday 6th July

I had convinced myself that the baby was going to be late, so 6 days before the 'official' due date, imagine my surprise when, after coming home from the hair dressers to find our new oak floor finished, I bent over to put something in the bin and felt a warm gush in my nether regions! To be fair, I thought I had wet my pants because I was en-route to the loo when it happened. I waddled as fast as my elephant-sized ankles would carry me up to the loo and when I discovered that my bladder was still full I was relieved not to have lost control of my pelvic floor quite yet!

It suddenly dawned on me that my waters had broken so I called to Al that I thought they had gone and he leapt out of his chair and looked really excited! After a quick celebratory dance I asked him to make a start on cleaning up the new floor as we hadn't done that yet or put up our pool!

I had had a show that morning but as I had had one the week before I thought nothing of it. I think I was in shock. I went into our room and just sat on the bed breathing for about 15 minutes. Then I rang our midwife, Lynn. There was no answer so I left a message and went to help Al clean up. Unfortunately, due to the leak I had sprung, I was creating more mess than I was getting rid of so Al sent me to have a lie down. I rang my sister Zanna to tell someone and she was very excited and offered a host of useful ideas to get things going and keep us both calm. After a second call to Lynn's pager, she rang me back and was her usual, calm self and said she would come over after the rush hour.

I decided that a curry was in order for dinner to help stimulate the baby to come out. Lynn arrived to find us tucking in and with me bouncing on my birth ball. She was very excited and asked to check me over. The baby had moved into a different position than normal - I confirmed that the baby had been very squiggly all day anyway. Baby's heart rate was higher than usual but we were happy to reassess in the morning and see if anything developed overnight.

We got the pool out and discovered it had really useless instructions but Al persisted and eventually got it inflated. I started filling it up, feeling full of anticipation and excitement. I couldn't believe I was finally going to actually give birth and have my own baby! I set the pool heater going and went to bed about 1am.

Saturday 7th July

I was too excited and uncomfortable to sleep much and woke up hourly until I got fed up and went to have breakfast at about 6.30am, after which I snoozed on the sofa with the Squittens.

Lynn came at 8am to check us over and the baby's heart rate had settled back to normal so we concluded that the baby was just over-excited about the new floor and meeting us! We took blood and did swabs just in case though and arranged for a courier to collect them later in the day.

Zanna rang to give a list of suggestions for the day, one of which was sorting out any mess I was twitchy about!

We still had minimal furniture in the lounge and Al's brother Kendal was due to come round to help us move stuff back in so we (well me) decided to go to B&Q to get some fuzzy feet for the shelves so they didn't scratch the new floor. I was getting some mild contractions every 15 minutes or so and the baby was still wriggly. I was feeling slightly irked that nothing much was happening and thinking of all the things I wanted to do before the baby arrived, like make up the crib which we had hurriedly brought in from the garage and fixed the night before, move wardrobes and paint the skirting boards!

Kendal arrived and we settled on reinstating the bookshelves and putting the DVDs into genre order! I remember over-hearing Al say to Kendal 'I'm going to be a Daddy!' and it brought such a lump to my throat. There really are very few things as wonderful as hearing the excitement in the voice of the man you love as he waits for the arrival of your first child.

We moved my wardrobes into the baby's room and made up the crib with blankets and a selection of soft toys. Al and I stood hugging over it for ages and both felt overwhelmed with happiness and excitement that we were going to be parents soon. Then we had to evict Beastly and Rio as they decided it looked like a rather nice squitten bed!

We also informed my parents and my other sister Becca about the situation. They were all very excited too and being used to long labours, didn't ring every 5 minutes for updates!

Al's parents popped by to pick up Kendal later on, wish us luck and look at the pool.

We ate dinner, had a go in the pool together then went to bed hoping something would develop once the sun had gone down.

Sunday 8th July

No such luck. Another night of wriggly and not much else. Zanna rang to give her now regular morning advice (which we both found very useful).

The day passed quite slowly and I was getting more fed up and just wanted to see my baby! Al and I discussed more baby names and I checked and rechecked that everything was ready. Al even knew where the first outfit was located!

Lynn came to check us again and we were both fine. She advised me to rest, eat plenty and try to lean forwards to get the baby into a better position. I spent a good hour on the bed with my bum in the air after she had left, thank goodness I'm not shy!

We watched Road Trip which made me laugh hysterically (hurrah for extra oxytocin and endorphins) and then I ate a whole fresh pineapple - I was determined to get this baby out!

I felt worried though that if nothing happened by Monday we would have to go into hospital and be induced so the baby wasn't put in danger. We discussed the pros (we would actually be doing something and might actually see our baby this month) and cons (well, so many it nearly made me cry). I went to bed and felt a huge mix of emotions. Al was amazingly calm and supportive and said he would support want I felt I wanted to do.

Monday 9th July

I woke up after another uncomfortable night, still feeling a little anxious and now more cross that this naughty baby had popped its bag without packing properly first!

I didn't bother getting dressed but I went in the pool for a while to relax and do some crocodile rolls to try and get the baby into a better position. It seemed to work a bit as baby wiggled in a more cooperative fashion and my contractions picked up a bit more.

My friend Luisa came round about 2pm and gave me a lovely massage with me sitting on my ball leaning on the pool.

Lynn came again to check me over and reassured me that baby was fine and as there were no indications of infection I could relax a little more about that.

After a dinner of meatballs, I started to get a bit more uncomfortable with the contractions so I went into the pool and Al timed them to be about 6 minutes apart. We rang Lynn at about 8.30pm to say that things were picking up. I was in a bit of a quandary as to whether I wanted her there and remember just lying in the pool going 'I don't know, I don't know!' so Al said we were OK for the time being but we'd probably call her later. She was excited and said she'd get an early night.

We went to bed at about 10.30pm, Al in the baby's room so he could get some sleep. I snoozed between contractions while lying on my left hand side. At about midnight I was woken by very strong contractions which made my teeth chatter and me shake uncontrollably.

Tuesday 10th July

I woke Al and did a wee and we rang Lynn who arrived at about 1.30am. I hadn't realised I was tense but the moment Lynn padded softly into our bedroom I felt so much better and I think a mental switch flipped and my body went, 'Right, we can have the baby now!'. She asked to feel my tummy and listen to the baby's heart which was fine but I remember saying to hurry up because lying on my back was absolute agony and no wonder women in hospital need epidurals! We had a cup of herbal tea and sent Al back to bed while we giggled over Viz's Profanesaurus and moles at the counter. I decided to try to get more sleep so she just perched on a stool and let me get on with it. I think I asked her if her bum had gone numb after a while and she could sit on the bed with me if she wanted to be more comfortable, but she was happy where she was.

The pain was getting stronger by this point and I was rubbing my lower belly with each contraction for a while, then needed to roll onto all fours. At about 4.30am Al came to investigate as my shouting had woken him up. I felt very hot suddenly and like I was about to faint but decided to throw up instead. I cried and moaned about how unfair it was that I was having contractions and puking too! I was pretty tired by now and had some juice and grapes I think. I lent on the banister at the top of the stairs and noticed how dusty the little shelf was below me and how I must remember to clean it later!

My contractions stopped every time I stood up which Lynn commented on as being a little odd but she wasn't worried. At around 5.30am she asked if I might like to go in the pool. I had completely forgotten about it 'til then but I was very keen. We decamped downstairs and Al helped me into the pool which was so lovely. I relaxed even more with the water supporting me in any position I wanted. The sky was just turning pale blue, orange and yellow as the sun was rising. I can remember lying with my head on the edge of the pool just staring into the sky and garden and thinking that by the time I would be able to see stars in the sky, I would be holding my baby.

Lynn sat in the lounge quietly and Al sat next to the pool. I was in a sort of trance state. I had no idea of time passing and just faced each contraction as it hit me, breathing and shouting if I needed to. Lynn came and listened to the heart beat and took my blood pressure every now and then, sometimes seeming to be every 5 minutes but more like 20. I was getting quite tired by then and thinking in my head that if the baby wasn't here in 10 minutes I'd make them take me to hospital for drugs etc!. I cried and said it was 'too hurty' at some point and Alan said afterwards that he had nearly cried to see me so vulnerable and in pain when he couldn't do anything to help me.

At about 8.30am, I remember looking across to Lynn between contractions and thinking it funny that she was reading the National Geographic and munching on some fudge! It was very reassuring that she was so relaxed and I relaxed a bit more.

I started to get fed up shortly after this and asked Lynn what we were waiting for. She said she thought that there was a bit of anterior cervical lip waiting to get out of the way so the head could start to come down and it wouldn't be long. I think I said she was telling me lies but I claim diminished responsibility and she put it down to being transitional!

I felt like pushing at about 9am and went from feeling a bit pathetic to thinking right, let's get this baby out! Lynn got the torch and mirror out so she could check out the action end without me having to get out of the pool.

My back really started hurting so Al had to push my back during each contraction. There was a lot of 'No not there, THERE!' until he got it right! I could feel the head coming down further and further and Lynn asked me if I wanted to feel it for myself as she could see it now. It was very strange feeling a hard, hairy head!

Al was sent up to grab the camera and while he was doing that I managed to fire the baby out to the waist with one push! Lynn had to encourage me to push again gently so the cord wasn't squashed for too long and with the next push, the baby popped out and Lynn gentle ushered her through my legs so I could scoop her out of the water onto my chest.

I couldn't believe I was finally holding our baby! I just stared at the baby for ages and Al took some photos while I sat back into the pool to keep the baby warm. Lynn asked what we had as I was too overwhelmed to have even thought about it and to my utter amazement 'Mini Maff' turned out to be a girl! I believe the words 'Bloody hell! It's a girl!' were uttered!. Al and I both cried with joy as we realised we had a daughter.

She was very purple and so relaxed she couldn't be bothered to breathe so Lynn asked us to get out of the pool so she could give her a poke, no mean feat when you have been in labour for so long and are still attached to the baby! Still, I managed to get out and onto a chair and even while I was settling into a comfortable position, Lynn had rubbed her with a towel and she had given a tiny cough and started breathing and turning pinker.

I held her to my chest and she had a sniff and lick of a nipple and we just started into each other's eyes.

Then I demanded food! I was so hungry after all that work and throwing up. Al fed me a banana and a honey sandwich which I just couldn't chew fast enough. We went through our list of girl's names rejecting most of them straight away and Al proposed Hayley but I wasn't convinced so we decided to think some more.

After about 20 minutes, my back started to ache from sitting in a funny position so I asked if we could move into the lounge. As I stood up I involuntarily pushed and a tickle of blood escaped. Lynn asked me to stay still for a moment and said that my placenta was just waiting to come out and if I could cough it would hopefully come straight out. Now, trying to cough when you have just totally knackered your pelvic floor and stomach muscles is really quite a challenge but I managed one cough and the placenta plopped into Lynn's waiting hands and a second cough released the remaining membranes.

I then went over to the sofa with Lynn carrying the placenta which was still attached to the baby. She then cut the cord and the baby was finally a separate individual.

Al had a skin to skin cuddle and then she was weighed (3.42kg or 7lb8oz) which was a surprise. We had thought at least 8lb! We then dressed her in the first outfit which was yellow and white striped with a giraffe on the front. Very appropriate as I had said the baby had very long legs and she did!

I rang Zanna to tell her and she was very sweet even though it must have been hard. Then the parents, Becca, Al's parents and my best friend Hilary who was at school so everyone in the staffroom got to hear too.

We went upstairs and Al changed the bedding to the lovely soft pink ones I had picked out while I was kept hostage on the loo by Lynn until I had done a wee. I think I had to drink about a litre of water until we heard the faintest trickle! Once that was heard, she helped me into the shower and out again, checked that my lady garden was 'all present and correct' (it was) and then tucked me up in bed with the baby and Al. After giving us all a huge hug and a kiss she said goodbye and see you tomorrow.

I felt amazing. I just couldn't keep my eyes off the baby and everything just kept flashing through my mind. We talked again about a name and decided that she was to be called Freya Ruby Minneta Overy.

I have never been so happy in my life, snuggled up in my own bed with my gorgeous new baby daughter, my wonderful husband and the fuzzy Squittens around me. Giving birth naturally at home and becoming a mother is the most powerful, moving experience of my life.