It took just 8 minutes after my waters broke until Phoebe was born 7.28am 24 February 2007. I was standing in the driveway waiting for the car to take me to hospital and I knew we had run out of time… I’d experienced pre-labour contractions throughout Thursday night and Friday morning, it was more annoying than painful. By late afternoon on Friday I went to the hospital but was told my cervix hadn’t even thinned and nothing was happening. The midwives gave me a sweep to speed things up and sent me home again. An hour later the contractions became stronger and I had to stop and breathe through each contraction. Luckily I had hired a Labour TENS so I put it on and immediately felt able to cope with the pain. The contractions were now between four and eleven minutes apart. We took another trip to the Hospital but it was still too early so we decided to go home and try to get some rest. I spent the night trying to sleep between contractions just using the boost button on the TENS to get me through the pain My partner was fast asleep and I didn’t want to wake him. By 4am the pain became intense and I spent the rest of the night alternating between showering and resting with the TENS on. I remained >calm and felt in control of the pain, even managing a quick dose between contractions. By 6.50am Saturday morning I felt a funny sensation low down and just knew something was happening. I had a show. When I phoned the hospital they thought I should wait about another hour before coming into hospital. As soon as I put the phone down I had a sudden urge to push. My partner by this time was rushing round getting the bags and phoning his Dad for a lift to the hospital. Suddenly things really began to speed up and just walking the short distance to the front door I had three contractions one after the other. I don’t know how I got down the flight of stairs from our unit. By this time the pain had gone and I felt calm. I’d done antenatal classes and just knew this was it. Supporting myself on the fence in the driveway I could feel my baby’s head crowning. My partner was on the phone to the hospital trying to explain the situation. “Whatever you do don’t push was the advice from the midwives”, but the urge was so overwhelming and I had no control over it. The baby’s head came out in a few contractions and I could feel it between my legs. As the car drew up and I climbed in the back seat we frantically tried to get my pants off. I pulled my pants down there she was –our beautiful perfect baby Phoebe. We found a beach towel in the back of the car and wrapped her up as we drove to the hospital. The ambulance crew and midwives were waiting for us at the entrance and Troy cut the cord whilst we were all still in the back of the car. Everyone was amazed at how quickly it all happened and how well I’d coped with the pain. It was the kind of birth you read about but never think it will happen to you –but I wouldn’t change a thing. Jessy. Sydney