I went into hospital around 3pm on the 13th February at 40 + 6 weeks to be induced and got my first dose of Prostin at 5.30pm. Mild contractions started at about midnight and got worse as the night went on. I went down to labour ward at 7am on the 14th February and was gutted to find out I hadn’t dilated at all so got a second dose of the Prostin and had to sit about and wait for another six hours.

2pm came and the doctor came to check me and seeing as I was 3cm dilated he decided to go ahead and break my waters and put me on the sintocin drip to strengthen my contractions. Because I was on the drip I was bed bound from then. Because of that and my SPD they decided I would have my first epidural at 3pm.

It didn't work!! She made a total mess of it and I was only numb right under my bust and the calves of my legs!! Although I couldn't feel the whole intensity of the contractions I could feel them right down in my pelvis where the pain was. The second anaesthetist came round and agreed that the first epidural sucked so they would re-site it. He was then called away to an emergency section that took three hours. By this time my pelvic pain was getting really unbearable an all gas and air did was make me sick. The anaesthetist eventually arrived back and started my second epidural only to be called to another emergency so I was again left - half prepared!!

The doctors came around at 6pm and checked me to find I hadn't dilated any further and they suggested that had I had no change by 10pm they'd stop and start me again in the morning! I didn’t think so!!

There was also some concern over Leona as she had been very very sleepy and her heartbeat was fluctuating.

10pm came and I had dilated another 1cm to 4cm. I finally got the second epidural at around 11pm. It totally worked for around an hour so I got some rest. During that hour they were getting increasingly worried about the baby so they came and put a foetal scalp monitor on so that they could monitor her heartbeat more effectively.

I don’t know if it was because of that examination or not but the pelvic pain came back with a vengeance - I really couldn't stand it and there was nothing at all they could do to help. I asked for a section at this point but was told that we would 'wait a while longer'. Four hours later at 2 in the morning I hadn't dilated any further at all and the babies head was still only at 4/5ths - she was totally stuck.

By this point the pain was so bad that I was being sick all over the place and drifting in and out of consciousness. I again asked for a section and they finally agreed. They didn't want to give it to me but I got so distressed they figured it was best. To me a section wasn't something I would ask for lightly and the fact that Leona’s heartbeat still was fluctuating made me even more want to go through with it.

At 2.15am they decided that they would go ahead with the c-section. We were taken through to theatre and all the prep done and she was born at 2.52am on the 15th

They showed her to me then handed her to Chris. After I was put back together again we went through to recovery where we managed some skin to skin and my clever little girl found her way to my breast and had her first feed all on her own.

Funnily enough, the following morning all the medical staff informed me that I would have ended up with a section even if I hadn't asked because there was no way at all she was going to come out of my pelvis! It just meant I would have had another 8 hours or so of futile labouring!!

So that's my birth story!! Not the best of experiences but she's more than worth it though - she is so totally perfect. They say you forget quickly and you do - the pregnancy I had seems insignificant now that she's actually with us - I don't know what we did before!!! I don't think anything could prepare you for the feeling you get. I wasn't overwhelmed initially - when I saw her after the section I was so out of it I don't think I really even realised she was mine and skin to skin wasn't THAT much better as I was still doped up. The following day I was laying in bed just looking at her though and it hit me like a ton of bricks - I can't even describe the feelings I had for her - didn't even know it was possible to love someone that intensely that quickly!!