At 6am on my due date, April 4th, I was awoken by the sensation of something trickling down my leg. It stopped as I sat up and I began to think I'd dreamt the whole thing... no-one actually gives birth on the day they are due. So I went back to sleep for a bit. When I awoke a couple of hours later I had the same trickling sensation - my waters had definitely broken. Tim went off to work leaving me to wait for the onset of contractions. I spent the day packing our bags, tidying the flat and doing a load of washing as the contractions slowly built in intensity. By lunchtime they were still 15 to 20 minutes apart so I went on a short walk around the cliff path to Tamarama Beach and back, which certainly got things moving. I called Tim home and we managed the contractions there until making our way to the hospital at 8pm. We'd booked into the birth centre, which has a more natural approach to childbirth and gives you the option of a water birth. They also have big double beds that you and your partner can sleep in after the birth, and this was my main motivation to make it through without an epidural which required transfer to the delivery suite.

I got in the bath soon after arriving at the hospital and when the contractions got too much for me requested gas and air to help me through the last part before I began to push. At this point I was away with the fairies and having trouble getting traction in the bath for pushing so we moved out to a mat and beanbag at the end of the bed. I had to give up the gas and air so I could co-ordinate the pushing with the contractions, and after 2 exhausting hours little Chloe Ann burst into the world at 1.30am on Saturday 5th April 2008. Weight 3.37kg (7lbs 7oz), length 53cm. Very big feet.