I had birthed my first daughter in a hospital in country QLD.

It had entailed a two-hour trip on countryroads to the nearest hospital that would accept birthing women.

I was young, hadn't educated myself about normal birthing, just trusted that those who were looking after me had mine and my baby's best interests at heart.

My waters were broken, and during a massive contraction, when I was no longer able to communicate, I was administered pethidine. Something I didn't want, or feel the need to ask for, but I think myfearful screams were making other people uncomfortable.

Despite this I fell deeply in love with the process of pregnancy and birthing...

Well it’s taken me a few weeks (and quite a few attempts) to actually sit down and write our story so I hope I haven’t forgotten too much… first chance I’ve had when not breastfeeding my little cherub, entertaining an increasingly busy 2yo, and actually able to sit (the length of recovery surprised me).

So, it all started on the Sunday night (4th October)... the night of the full moon as predicted. I'd been having increasingly painful BH (pre-labour pains?) for 2 weeks. Ever since my blessingway... I think that was the point that I became mentally ready for the journey ahead and was just waiting for Sylar to be ready to meet us...

As a spontaneous onset of labour was not amongst my blessings, it is hard to know where to start the story of my birth. I suppose the first time I heard the words, ‘we would advise you to be induced tomorrow', might have been the moment that I first contemplated having to prepare for an earlier and not altogether normal labour that would likely not take place in my home as I had hoped....