Welcome to the human race!

We are pleased to announce the safe arrival of Josiah Gallagher born at 00:53am on Friday 7th September.  He's currently asleep on daddy's chest so thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you how it went.

Well, it's been an eventful couple of weeks and things certainly didn't go as we had planned but we know God had it all planned out for us.  Day one of maternity leave I started to feel a bit funny and got sent to hospital to have my high blood pressure checked out.  After a full MOT on me and the baby I was told we were fine and sent home. Later I got a call to say when they got my blood tests back my liver function test was a little high and they wanted me to come back for another blood test to make sure it was just a random blip and not increasing.  Unfortunately it wasn't just a blip, it was increasing, and so began two weeks of almost daily trips to hospital for repeat blood tests (the majority of which were a waste of time as the lab kept screwing up the results). Instead of spending my maternity leave relaxing I spent it sat in stuffy hospital waiting rooms and being used as a pin cushion. I found it very frustrating but felt sure there was a reason God was allowing me to go through it and just prayed he would give me patience.

On Thursday I went to see the consultant to get a verdict on all the tests and to review our plans for home birth.  She said they couldn't work out why my liver function was still increasing as tests had ruled out all the obvious things. As a result we were recommended to not have a home birth and to consider being induced at 40 weeks.  It was not the news we'd hoped for but God gave me reassurance that there was a reason behind it.

The though of having to decide about being induced was quite daunting and I was really hoping and praying labour would start on its own before a decision had to be made.  I sent an email to a few friends asking them to pray (thanks guys!!) and within an hour I began having stomach cramps which I assumed were just Braxton Hicks.  After a couple of hours of having these cramps consistently about 4 mins apart I decided to Google "how to tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and real contractions".....

Braxton Hicks contractions: 

• are infrequent, usually happening no more than once or twice an hour, a few times a day
• often stop if you change activity
• are usually irregular, and if they are regular they only stay that way for a short spell
• do not last long, usually less than a minute
• continue to be unpredictable and non-rhythmic
• do not increase in intensity

Compared to Braxton Hicks contractions, labour contractions are usually: 

• noticeably longer
• more regular
• more frequent
• more painful
• keep on going, increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity as time goes on

Oops, so they were the real deal all along.  Once I knew the contractions were real I figured it was no longer too soon/too wussy to use the TENS machine so I strapped it on to take the edge off.  I started doing a few chores, hung out and watched TV and generally tried to ignore what was happening.  When my mum called that evening for her usual weekly catch up the conversation was interupted every 3 mins by me breathing through a contraction.  Mum soon told me to get off the phone and call the midwife.  When I spoke to the labour ward they said it was my call as to whether I wanted to come in then or wait at home.  I'd spent enough time in Derriford already that week so decided to stay home as long as possible. By the time I did cave in and decide to head to the hospital for better pain relief I was 8cm dilated!

The next few hours after that are all a bit hazy.  I remember lying on my side sucking away on the gas and air while different people walked in and out of the room to examine me, do blood tests and coach me through it.  I was so focused on breathing through the pain that it wasn't until my husband told me afterwards that I discovered I'd had three different midwives come and go during my labour. After a couple of hours of contractions the midwife decided it was time to check again how far along I was.  She was shocked to see that not only was I fully dilated but the amniotic sack was bulging out of me as the baby's head pressed down on it.  She broke my waters for me and announced it was time to put down the gas and air and get ready to push!

As I knelt down and leaned over the back of the bed I tried my best to follow the midwifes instructions to take a deep breath and push long and hard.  It sounded pretty straight forward but I wasn't doing that great a job - I wasted far too much energy screaming instead of pushing haha!  Despite that it only took 23 minutes of pushing to deliver the baby.  As I got near to the final push the midwife offered to give me a quick cut to help.  Before labour I was scared at the thought of an episotomy but at that point I figured I had nothing to lose.  The cut was so small and quick it just felt like when you cut yourself shaving. One final push and it was all over! Unfortunately I pushed a little too hard and tore my episiotomy quite badly so after a quick snuggle with our son I had to be taken in to theatre to have a thorough repair job done.  Now it all made sense why God guided us towards a hospital birth - a major tear like that at home could have had a much worse ending!

Now after a short hospital stay we're all home and enjoying hanging out and getting to know each other.  We look forward to introducing you all to Josiah soon.