My Crazy Labour Story

Whenever we think back to my labour with Neve, we can’t help but let out a bit of a giggle. Over 2 years on, it all feels like a bit of a blur, and it’s only when I tell people about how Neve entered the world that I find myself laughing at just how ridiculous it all sounds, with most people exclaiming almost immediately “You DROVE YOURSELF TO THE HOSPITAL?!”

It appears that many of us have a few crazy moments during labour – moments where we say, or do things that we normally wouldn’t, and after the event, some of them are down right hilarious!

My first labour was pretty routine in comparison. My first baby, 13 days over due, and as such, an incredibly long 36 hour labour at Heartlands hospital. By the time the latter stages of labour arrived, I was pretty much exhausted, and so the only slightly amusing moments consisted of me crying in the middle of a contraction that Mike was “never going to have sex with me again” whilst my poor Mother stood right there with a nervous grin on her face; and Mike trying to distract me by playing keepy uppys with a birthing ball.

In case you missed the slightly surreal story of how Neve entered the world…

Neve’s labour was always destined to be a little bit dramatic. A breach baby, Neve had been lying oddly in my uterus for quite some time, and I had been told a few weeks earlier that I would be best to have a caesarean section. At the time I was devastated. I had always hoped to have another (hopefully quicker) natural labour, and now with a bit of an idea of what to expect, I was hoping that I’d feel a little more in control and be able to power through.

The week before my due date I visited the hospital for my C-section pre op assessment, and when I got back to my car some idiot had parked literally centimetres away from my drivers door. I had two choices, either wait for the driver to return (with parking costing a couple of quid an hour I didn’t really fancy this option much), or climbing in over the passenger seat. I opted for the latter.

In hindsight, that might not have been the best idea.

Later that evening I started to get a few tweaks and twinges. Having had a fair few Braxton hicks during my pregnancy, I didn’t think much of it. However, by the time we headed up to bed they were getting much worse, and I started to worry that something might be wrong. Despite having experienced contractions before, they felt different this time, and I honestly didn’t think I was in labour. At 2am I woke Mike up, and told him that I was a little bit concerned. I convinced him to stay in bed (as Erin was also fast asleep) and that I would head up to the hospital and get checked just to be on the safe side. I told him to keep his phone on loud just in case, but I was 99% certain that I’d be told it was a false alarm and be home within the hour…

I couldn’t have been more wrong! 

About 10 minutes in to my car journey to hospital I started to realise that I *may* have misjudged the situation.

The contractions (they were now definitely contractions!!) were coming on thick and fast, and in case anyone fancies giving it a go, I can categorically confirm that driving whilst in labour is NOT recommended.

Luckily for me, the roads at that time of night were incredibly quiet, and whilst I should apologise to the cyclist who got incredibly concerned when a slightly possessed looking pregnant women in a Golf slowed right down behind him in the early hours of the morning, I made it to the hospital and parked up relatively unflustered all things considered.

When I got into the maternity ward, I told them that I thought I was in labour. Seeing that I was alone their first question was “How did you get here?”, followed by a slightly concerned face and “YOU DROVE YOURSELF TO THE HOSPITAL?!” I was taken down to the assessment room where a consultant came in and confirmed I was 6cm dilated and that Neve was still breach, and as such, I needed to head down to the operating theatre, and soon. I headed back to ring Mike – hearing background murmers of “She DROVE HERSELF TO THE HOSPITAL!!!” and “She what?!” with lots of shocked laughter.

I rang Mike, and guess what. No answer. :/

I tried again NOTHING.

In the early hours of the morning, 6cm dilated, a wheelchair waiting to escort me to surgery and no partner to be seen, this was a little bit terrifying, so I rang Mike’s mum in a bit of a panic.

Her reaction was priceless. “Hi Lucy, is everything alright? You’re not in labour are you?” – I had to laugh “Of COURSE IM IN LABOUR Dee! I’m not just ringing at 3am for a chat!!! Mike’s fell asleep! Can you go and wake him please!”

Bless her off she went, in her slippers and dressing gown, driving round to our house where she let herself in with the spare key and ran up to our bedroom to get him out of bed.

Amazingly Mike made it to the hospital, (no doubt having drove almost as manically as a woman having contractions although somewhat quicker) and ran through the doors just as they were taking me down to theatre.

The midwife asked if he’d bought the bags (the bags that had been packed at the end of our bed for around 2 months), only to be met by a slightly blank look of panic. He’d FORGOTTEN THE HOSPITAL BAGS! Our daughter was born around 30 minutes later, wearing nothing but a little woollen hat that had been donated to the hospital – not quite the first outfit I’d had in mind!!! 🙂

For the next few days on the ward, I was known as “the one who drove herself to the hospital”, like I was some kind of medical marvel or scientific phenomenon. Neve definitely knew how to make an entrance!!!

Did you have an eventful labour? What’s the funniest thing that happened during yours?

I’d love to hear your stories!

Lucy x