What is your number? Mine is 10. 10 hours of labour with my firstborn. I will never forget it. The anxiety, the excitement, the fear, the unknown. It didn’t matter how much research and planning when into it, I had no real idea what I was getting myself into. I remember thinking with each contraction as they were getting closer (apart from the excruciating pain) was how am I actually going to do this? It took 10 hours from the time my first contraction started to when my daughter came into the world. Together with the support of my husband and Mum I was able to get through the birth with the good ol’ method of gas. That tube became my best friend I was never letting go of. What also got me through was squeezing the life out of my husband and Mum’s hands as they were taking turns when things were getting intense.
Over the years I’ve had many a conversation with other Mums of their birthing experience and the length of their labour. So many different stories but the one common theme with all of them is that they wouldn’t change it for anything. Being a Mum is the ultimate gift. Those 10 hours led to a moment in time that will forever be in my heart, my mind and my soul.