The gory bits:
I thought by no. 3 I'd got it sussed... turned out she had different plans
At 9pm (4 days early) I stood up to go to the loo and with a scene that would be worthy of Hollywood, my waters went (never happened before, they've always gone at the end)... over the lounge, hall & bathroom, gallons and gallons. Called the hospital and as I wasn't contracting, they asked to see me. Called friends, pottered off to the big hospital where I was on the monitor for 40 minutes (having gone through 4 maternity pads and a whole pile of the sheets they give you - all fine, so we were sent home with various instructions as to what to do depending on when labour starts. We got home about 00:15, rearranged the lounge ('in case') and pottered off to bed. 1 am the contractions started, 1:30 I woke foo up and told him to come down pronto, called the midwife who showed up around 2. By this point the contractions *hurt* and I asked her to do an internal to see if it was worth putting the pool up (no, 8cm). I had to do a rapid recalculation about giving birth out of the water and then she was here! She spent 2 contractions crowning which was the WORST bit of all and has been nursing like a champ since.I went up to bed at 4:30, midwife left at 5, B woke up at 5:10 and J at 5:20, so anticipating a day in front of DVD's. B & J are being absolutely INCREDIBLE - they have been bringing me water, playing quietly with their colouring, chatting to Elizabeth and telling her things and are so excited to go back to school/nursery tomorrow to show her off (While DH sleeps).
