I met Chris when I was 18, he was a manager at the restaurant I started working in. We started dating a year later and when we moved in together Cam (Chris' 3yr old from a previous relationship) would come and stay with us on Chris' days off from work. We got on so well and I loved spending time with him, playing games and being silly.
The night before my birthday I was with all my friends and family having drinks in the bar we worked in. I went home, went to bed then suddenly I didn't feel so well. I started being sick and put it down to having one too many drinks, so I left Chris in bed and went to sleep on the sofa. I suddenly started being sick every few minutes so I knew something was wrong. I woke Chris up and said I really wasn't well. He insisted we went to hospital, we got in a taxi and went to A&E thinking it must be food poisoning or something similar. I was never in any pain just constant vomiting. I was seen by a nurse and she asked all the usual questions - what had I eaten? Allergies? Etc. Then she asked could I be pregnant? I immediately said no, I was on the pill, I'd had periods and had never had any symptoms! She took blood and asked if I would mind if she took a pregnancy test just to rule it out, I said of course no problem.
She returned shortly and said "Ok Stacey, you're pregnant and we think you're actually in labour"
Then doctors and midwives started piling into our room poking and prodding at me. I just remember I kept saying I can't be, I can't be! Chris was crying and I was literally terrified. The doctors said the baby's heart rate was very low and the needed to get her out now. They brought me all sorts of forms to sign and asked me so many questions, my head was spinning! They asked if I wanted an epidural and I was crying saying I don't even know what that is!! I laugh about it now but at the time I was the youngest person in my family no-one had any babies so I had no clue what was going to happen.
Chris was so good, he was so calm and supportive.
3 hours later they delivered our baby girl by emergency c-section weighing 5lb 7.5oz it was the most incredible feeling in the world when they handed her to me. It was instant love we both cried hysterically, I'd never felt so happy! We decided to call her Grace. She was born on my 21st birthday she was born at 06.36 and I had been born at 06.30, pretty special I think, the best birthday present ever!
I had pre-eclampsia and had to stay on a high risk unit for 4 days but that was fine because Chris needed time to go and buy everything we needed - we didn't have a single thing! Our friends and family were amazing they all helped so much and bought us so much stuff it was truly overwhelming.
Fast forward 5 years later we found out we were pregnant again, sadly I miscarried at 14 weeks.
Another 2 years and I was pregnant again. We were delighted but scared something bad was going to happen again. I was adamant I wanted a water birth with no stress and everything was going to be perfect! I absolutely loved being pregnant, I always felt like I was robbed of having a pregnancy with Grace. I missed out on all the scans, shopping and excitement. I was huge fairly early on with this pregnancy I had extra growth scans as the baby was measuring a bit bigger than normal. We found out we were having another girl, I was so excited, I secretly always wanted 2 girls.
My due date came and went, I went to the hospital a week later and the doctor came in to see us and said because she was going to be a big baby and as I'd had a c-section before I would possibly end up having another emergency c-section if she got stuck meaning my perfect planned water birth was out of the picture now. I was absolutely gutted! She said I could wait another week and get induced if she wasn't here by then or I could get a planned c-section that next day. Panic set in I wasn't prepared for her to say I could have my baby the next day. I asked Chris what he thought and he said it was totally up to me so I decided I didn't want to wait any longer, if I was probably going to end up having a section anyway I'd rather get it done and have my baby the next day. So we had to go in the next morning and wait for my turn. I was terrified as the memories of Grace's birth came flooding back. They came for me at 10am and took me to get my epidural, I was so cold and scared I was shaking so badly it took the doctor 3 tries to get the epidural in. Chris was again by my side in his scrubs being my rock. Baby Amelia was born at 12.12 weighing 9lb 7oz, 4lb heavier than her sister!
I had to have 3 blood transfusions and was kept in hospital for a week.
Neither of my experiences were what I'd ever imagined but I wouldn't change them for anything. We'd have a house full of kids if we could afford them but we're more than happy with our 2 girly girls and my extra bonus step son. The 3 most loving, beautiful kids anyone could ask for.
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