So, the birth story

Thanks first of all for all the great comments on my last post - it means a lot to me.

I actually sent my husband a text message to ask him to bring the laptop to the hospital so I could "blog for therapy". And it's worked!

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No one was more surprised about having the babies early than I was - trust me!

I'd had a really normal Monday. Still working half days and on Mondays I make sure I'm out of there on time (2pm) because I have a coaching client appointment (it is no stress because it's on the phone - I'm sitting and relaxing and simply talking) at home at 3pm.

Anyway, we had a sandwich before we had to leave at 5:30 for our ante-natal class at 6pm. At the class, the midwife told us that one of our couples wouldn't be back because they'd had a stillbirth the previous week. That was a big shock. We were also told that another couple was going into the hospital that night to have their baby the next day.

Since the classes are held at the hospital, when we finished early (for a change), I decided to pop down to maternity to see her. Well, it turned out she wasn't there so we left.

Went home, watched Survivor, ate supper and went to bed.

Normal, normal stuff. No excitement - just straight to bed, read and fell asleep.

Then I had two uncomfortable contractions that woke me so I thought I needed a pee to take the pressure off...

Went to the loo and back to bed.

Turned around to get more comfortable and started falling asleep. I'd become very good at falling to sleep straight away even if I had to get up to pee.

The next thing I had another one of those contractions and suddenly my legs (and the bed) were all wet.

I said something like, "oh my WORD. My waters just broke" and D jumped awake.

We both looked at our watches immediately, not because we're weird but because the antenatal class lady told us we need to know what time it happens and what colour it all is.

Yes, I know - gross!

Anyway, it was exactly 12:00 midnight. The waters were clear with a bit of blood.

After that, I think it hit me that I'm only 32 weeks pregnant and I started panicking.

I literally started shaking - I didn't think this happened in real life but now I know it does because my knees were knocking together and my teeth were chattering so much I couldn't speak.

My poor D was a star as always. He hugged me tight and told me to calm down and relax. Everything was going to be fine, etc, etc.

I didn't want to mess on the bed or carpet in our bedroom so went to sit on the toilet in our en-suite bathroom.

I'm nothing if not practical :)

D paged the doctor who phoned back within minutes and after a few questions, told D to bring me in, with clothes, because "she'll be here for a few days".

Thank goodness we're only minutes away from the hospital. I was petrified - didn't even bother to change. Kept the pajamas top on and put on tracksuit bottoms.

Got there around 12:30 and the same nurse from earlier says to me, "weren't you here earlier this evening?"

I said, "yes, but now i'm here for me. My waters have broken"

Anyway, they got me strapped onto those machines where they can monitor the babies' heartbeats and check contractions.

Then the nurse did an internal (with long nails - horrible horrible!!!!) and went to phone the doctor.

Meanwhile, I'm feeling these contractions and with each one, there's a new gush of water which was freaking me out.

At least I was calm and able to speak again. I think it was because I was at the hospital where there are trained people to deal with any situation!

The nurse arrives back to say they need to give me a steroid shot to mature the babies' lungs and some pills to slow down the contractions.

No problem.

I asked her about the contractions and she says "oh they're mild" but I'm thinking "mild or not, they're frequent!!!" because we'd started timing them and they were 5 minutes apart.

The doctor arrives about 30 minutes later, does another internal and apparently I've now dilated 6cm, which is no surprise to me but made the hospital staff move their butts.

The doctor then tells the nurses to phone the anaethetist and paediatrician on call because I need to be prepped for surgery NOW. Something about being worried about the girl (the one whose sack had ruptured).

Oh my word!!!!

So I get formally admitted and had to complete and sign some forms, get into those gorgeous, backless hospital gowns and into my bed.

Eventually everyone arrives, and a very grumpy anaethetist did the spinal block at 2:30am. I am a BIG baby with needles but honestly, this was no big deal. It really just felt like a tiny prick. It was more painful getting into position with that big bump in the way.

I was worried in case they started cutting before the anaesthetic took effect but I must say I hardly felt a thing. I did feel the bed move a couple of times but no actual tugging feelings.

We had the camera with us but honestly, that was the last thing on my mind - I just wanted D next to me, holding my hand. Which he did brilliantly :)

Then the doctor takes out the girl who was blue and quiet, and then the boy who was pink and started screaming straight away. Just like they were in utero actually.

Later found their APGAR scores were 5 & 8 (for Kendra) and 9 & 10 (for Connor).

The doc asked if we had names and we said yes, and told them to all who were there in theatre (doc, paed, anaethetist, and 4 nurses).

The paediatrician remembered and has been calling them by their names ever since. I love it!

She comes to update me daily (while I'm still here in the hospital) and says things like "Kendra just didn't like how cold it was in theatre because the minute we took her to ICU, she went pink straight away".

So that was it. K was born at 2:50 and C at 2:51.

I was then stitched up and taken back to the room. No drama with nausea, pain, etc.

And just like that, our lives changed. We are now parents of live babies!