Twenty hours to parenting…
Table of Contents
Our Birth Story
Natalie returns from a long term at work ready for a half term rest, a week before the Munchkin or Munchkiness is due to arrive. We didn’t know what we were due to have as we wanted the surprise.
Whilst I’m still at work, Natalie has a week off to prepare, pack the hospital essentials and get mentally prepared for pregnancy. Most babies go either full term or are a little late right?…
A normal Friday night…
We returned from work to a normal Friday night (well, a normal Friday night with a wife pregnant at full term, that is) stayed up a little late (as it was the start of half term) and we went to bed like any other weekend.
Saturday morning arrived. Natalie woke with some uncomfort, but then again when was pregnancy ever comfy…? We migrated downstairs, had brekky and relaxed on the sofa. The relatively NEW sofa I must add.
I look to Natalie. ‘Being a new sofa, do you reckon we should grab a towel just incase’. ‘Nah, I’m sure nothing with happen today’ she replied. We resume with whatever Netflix series we were engrossed in at the time.
30 minutes later – 10 AM
30 minutes later Natalie looks to me. It’s 10 am on the first day of half term. ‘Oh no!’….It’s too late to get a towel now as the sofa gets the full effect of her waters breaking. ‘This can’t start today! It’s too soon!’.
Let the madness begin. A quiet morning coffee turns into a tirade of panic packing, quick decisions and gathering the last few bits for the birth bag.
10:15 AM
Natalie moves to the bathroom. From what we had seen on TV, waters breaking looked like you’d spilt water down yourself or, at worst, wet yourself. This looked more like the Niagara Falls for a full hour. The first surprise of the day.
At the same time Natalie rings the hospital. We get told this could be the start of a two day process and we should call back when the contractions begin.
Only an hour later – 11:15 AM
The waters stop and the contractions begin. We ring back. We are told its still early days and to ‘Call back when they are 5 minutes apart’.
11:30 AM
The contractions are 5 apart. ‘We understand you want to leave now but relax and call back when the contractions are 2 minutes apart.
I probably should have just stayed on the line.
11:39 AM
Natalie can no longer speak because of the contractions. I ring but they insist to speak to her. She wants to push and just about gets that across in limited speech. Get in the car NOW!!
12:00 PM
We grab everything we can think of and jump in the car. Usually the commute to the hospital would take 30 minutes maximum. But not today. Today they are cutting some bushes so there are traffic lights. Today it takes over 50 minutes.
12:50 PM
We arrive at the hospital and begin a slow walk up to the sauna, sorry, delivery suite. We wait then get taken to the triage ward. The nurse gets Natalie on the bed and then the phone rings and she pops off. We made it, we can relax. The bags are still in the car but ill collect them in a bit. Natalie’s still in nice clothes, but we’ve got hours right?
Natalie asks me to take a look as something feels different.
I crouch to have a look. Shocked, I can already see Munchkin’s little head popping out. I jump out of the curtains.
The nurse is still on the phone. I begin the ‘I really need you to see this’ dance until she gets the message and finishes the call.
The nurse follows me back in. The alarms go off and the team rush in.
One push, the head is out, push two. You’ve had a boy!
13:22
On the first day of half term, one week early, Munchkin arrives. In the triage ward, to two totally shocked and mentally unprepared new parents.
And that, was the fastest morning of my life.
Thanks for reading,
Daddy and Munchkin.
