The Second

After the trauma of my first birth I have to admit that I lied about the date of my last menstrual period when booking with my second. This was to buy me some time in case they wanted to induce me again - no way. I had researched natural births and had a pretty good idea how to make my second much more natural and hopefully less painful. I woke up with painful contractions at 01.00 Hrs. at term + 7 days. I went downstairs and started doing my relaxing as outlined in a previous post. To my amazement the contractions stopped hurting but still kept coming. I made my way to hospital alone, my husband was minding our first born. The labour ward was very busy with an emergency so I was assessed and left in my room. This suited me well cos I was able to sit in the padded chair and do my relaxing. The contractions did not hurt at all and I have never felt so relieved and happy. The midwife came back and told me that she did not think I was in labour as I was far too comfortable, but she wanted to check my cervix anyway before I went to the AN ward. I was fully dilated. She was amazed. I had no urge to push so she left me on the chair to relax. Half an hour later I wanted to push. It was a struggle as he was bigger than my first. I was put in a position I now know as McRoberts cos he was coming too slowly. The midwife passed a catheter to empty my bladder -OW - that was the most painful event of the whole labour. I eventually pushed out my gorgeous big baby boy and I felt elated, I had achieved exactly what I had set out to. A pain free labour (if you don't count the catheter). I could have skipped home the next day if I hadn't had a new born baby in my arms. I now knew that if I chose to have a third, I could look forward to a fabulous pain free labour. O dear Lord. How wrong can one person be?