Just an ordinary Tuesday…I woke up with what seemed to be very mild contractions. You’d think I know the feeling by now, being it my third time and all, but I needed a little time to make sure. I told my hubbie (we’re not actually married but to refer to the father of my children as ‘boyfriend’ sounds inappropriate) he could change his suit for something more comfortable as he wouldn’t be working much today… I started getting things ready for our two kids as they would be spending a few nights at my parents’. The addresses for the birth announcements also still needed to be written, and the chocolates wrapped…that’s how it goes with a third child, nothing’s ready…

The hospital is literally down the road from where we live but for obvious reasons we took  the car anyway. The nurse, a young girl, probably never gave birth herself. She was a bit too cheerful in my mind and not really feeling my pain. “Just blow away the contractions” she kept saying, as if it were nothing. Seriously?! When I realized there was no time for an epidural, I wanted to cry, wondering how I would be able to survive. I kept thinking women give birth all the time, with and without an epidural. “If they can do it, so can I!” But I had trouble convincing myself.  I am not the type of girl who needs her hand held or needs encouraging cheers during delivery. On the contrary, I’m more the “just-leave-me-alone-and-get-this-baby-out type of girl”, without the aggressive “this-is-all-your-fault-I-hate-you” feelings. Good thing the hubbie knows me by now and how to support me best.

Finally (at least to me it seemed to take forever), *Billie* was born.

Relief was really the first thing that went through my mind, so happy it was over. I know people say that once you hold your baby in your arms you forget about all the pain. Well, it took me a few weeks and a very nice piece of jewelry to forget. Possibly I’m just a big baby…

But was it worth it!