I decided to try for a VBAC as the consultant had told me it is better for the baby, firstly the amniotic fluid is squeezed from the lungs and also when the baby comes into contact with the mucus in the mothers vagina it helps the immune system.
I went into labour four days after my due date , my waters broke (in bed of all places!) at 05:30, I had a few contractions 15 mins apart then it all changed to between 7 and 10 mins, I telephoned the midwife at 07:30 and she told me to go straight in to hospital, I had to get my eldest daughter up, fed, dressed and to grandmas so by the time I got to hospital it was 10:00.
I was hooked up to a foetal monitor for 20 mins and then examined at 11:30 to be told I was 4 cms dilated, I had been told by my consultant that they wanted me to progress by at least 1 cm per hour or would need to do a repeat section. I managed on gas and air and a tens machine as the hospital did not have mobile epidurals and I was told that being upright helped labour progress, I was examined again at 15:30 and was told I was only 5 cms, I really didn't want to get this far and then give up so I asked if there was anything I could do and they suggested a hormone drip to improve the strength and effectiveness of contractions, I was advised to have an epidural at the same times as this procedure can be painful, the epidural was brilliant for the pain I did have a small area on my lower right side that I could still feel pain but it was bearable.
I was then examined by the midwife at 18:00 and she said I was progressing well and nearly ready to push. at 19:15 I started pushing, it was at this time I found that by having the area where could feel some pain actually helped me to know when push, I expected the pushing to take hours but within half an hour the midwifes said that they could see the head (I thought that they were just saying this to encourage me, so I said that it was okay if they couldn't really see it, I still felt as though I had plenty of energy left!)
At 20:42 my beautiful baby girl was delivered on to my stomach weighing 8lb 7oz in good health and I was so proud to be a mother again and to have managed a normal birth. I had a second degree tear and was quite bruised, but the recovery was so much quicker than that of a caesarean, I found breast feeding much easier and I was able to go home after 48 hours in hospital.