....and a Paddington is Born.

Chronology Of A Birth

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012.

10:20am - Doctor appointment reveals Amanda is 3-4cm dilated. Still no contractions or pain. She opts to have her cervix 'rimmed' in the hopes of getting things started on their own. Induction scheduled for Friday.

1o:50am - Amanda is very soar walking home from the doctor's office. Can't wait to get home and rest. A full body ache is beginning to spread through abdomen. She wonders if she should still meet her girlfriends for coffee today.

12:00pm - Amanda is still achy and feeling a bit ill. Decides not to meet girlfriends.

2:30pm - Water breaks at home while resting is bed. Amanda is thankful she had decided not to meet her girl friends for coffee at Indigo at 1:30pm- 'Clean-up' in isle ten' would have taken on a whole new meaning. Warren rushes to pick-up Rhys from Daycare. Nana and Grandan are called. No contractions or pain yet.

3:30pm - Arrive at Rockyview Hospital, Labour & Delivery Triage. No contractions or pain yet.

4:30pm - While being assessed, some very mild contractions begin. Paddington's heart rate goes down for the first one, but stays strong and steady after that. Amanda is admitted to the hospital and taken to the birthing room to be assessed again.

5:30pm - Start walking the halls to bring on labour. Told if things don't progress on their own, Amanda will be induced with Oxitocin at 8:30 pm. Contractions are still relatively mild. Pain scale of 1-10, we're at a 3 (aka: heavy breathing, cramping, tightness, fear of what is to come).

6:30pm - Contractions are coming regularly and have dramatically increased in intensity. Amanda is no longerwalking the halls, and instead just pacing the room until contractions hit. On the pain scale we are at a 5 (aka: heavy breathing, groans, bent over/leaning on husband, squeezing his hand, wiggling toes, scrunching face). Nurse comments on how great Amanda's hair looks.

7:30pm - Contractions are now full blown. We're at an 8 on the pain scale (aka: hunched over on the bed on all fours, howling in agony as husband pushes his fist into Amanda's tail bone with all his strength). Nurse wants to check Amanda's progress. Amanda is terrified. Amanda is 6cms dilated. Nurse 'reassures' her that she has now transitioned to full labour, that she's 'over the hump' and things will progress very rapidly from here. Amanda silently calls 'bullshit' under her breath.

8:30pm - Pain scale 9 (aka: Laying on side in bed, howling and screaming like a tribal woman being mauled by wild animals in the jungle). She asks for 'laughing gas'. You know, 'cause that will help.

9:00pm - The time has come, and only Amanda knows it. We're at pain scale 10 - the pushing stage. AKA : Demons have entered the body and take over all muscle control to exorcise and expel all internal organs. The Demons also take over the vocal cords, and Amanda's screams no longer sound human.

9:10pm - Amanda feels the head crowning. The nurse wants to check Amanda's dilation (???!!!). Amanda uses all her strength to muster the words 'Doctor. Get...the..doctor.' Warren repeats these words to the nurse, who replies "Soon enough. These babies don't just fall out you know". Another Demon induced push ensues. Amanda silently thinks to herself, "Fall out. What the F**K have I been doing for the last three hours?".

Soon after - Doctor arrives, Demons expel the child from Amanda's womb in 2 - 3 pushes.

9:21pm - Kyle Joseph Jones Cronin is born. 8lbs, 8oz.

And Amanda feels like a Rockstar. Because she is one.

P.S. - You can't see it in the picture, but I had my 'beads of strength' on.