Noah's Birth story

My next baby was Noah. My pregnancy with him was ok up until 12 weeks. After my 12 week scan I was rang to go back into hospital to discuss my test results from the scans. I was so scared as this was Sunday and she wanted me in with in the next 2 hours (which isn't know to happen very much at the hospital I was in)! I really thought it was something serious! When we got there we where asked into a scan room and the consultant explained to me that I had a low PAPP-A, this was a new test performed at the downs blood test (At 12 weeks). It meant that my placenta may not work properly further in pregnancy and baby could have growth problems, be born early or I could develop pre-eclampsia. I had to be placed under consultant care and have growth scans every 4 weeks after 24 weeks! I got home and did what we all do "google" the hell out of Papp-A - I had never heard of it!The consultant at hospital said it was a new test and had only started testing women in the last 3 years ((in the UK)) hence I never knew/heard about PAPP-A.
Reading google and doing lots of research on the web didn't help! I developed anxiety by 16 weeks. I kept thinking what if baby was born early,who would look after Rowan and Alex while I was tending to baby in SCBU. I was so stressed and so scared! I've never been a anxious person before. I bought tiny baby cloths, tried to put different plans in place in-case he was born early or I developed PE and ended up in hospital. I worked myself up into a complete frenzy and ended up having a bleed and been signed off work on the sick for 8 weeks. Due to pregnancy related issues.
After those 8 weeks passed I decided to leave to work for good - which in its own way made the anxiety worse as I was at home most days while Rowan was at nursery pondering on it and again over thinking! Apart from the anxiety and my bleed at 18 weeks cleared up and I had a straight forward pregnancy. But the anxiety was still there and played a massive part of me feeling down/low - those who have experienced it will understand where I'm coming from.
 Every extra scan went well for us baby was strong! And I never showed signs of PE. I reached 35 weeks and really thought Noah was going to follow in Rowan's footsteps - but he didn't! I made it to 38 weeks when Noah was born.

With Noah's labour my waters went at around 3am while I was in bed, I had turned over and felt a click! They seems to trickle not gush as they had before. I rang the L&D ward and they told me to come in straight away. I called my mum to come to stay with the boys while we left to see what was going on. I got there and was seen straight away! Checked and I was 5cm Dilated at 4.45am! I was then asked what pain relief I wanted! I asked for a water birth! It took around 35 mins to fill the birthing pool up for me to use. It also had to be at a right temperature plus filled quite deep as the water had to completely covers your bump. I was shown the room and helped to change and get into the pool. The lighting was low and it was so relaxing! The midwife's watched me and kept a eye from the adjoining room.Checking his heart beat once. I wasn't in the pool for very long as the water seemed to speed things up for me! I had a few puffs on the gas and air and Baby Noah was born at 6am! Healthy and happy (despite all the concerns in the pregnancy.)

I must say I would 100% recommend  a water birth! It was so much better then being on "dry land." They just seemed to let me get on with it. And watch from a distance. There was none of this regular checking down there to see how dilated I was. I wish I was more prepared for my water birth - I hadn't looked much into it and was more of a last minute thing for me. I didn't know that Daddy T could of joined me in the pool and also if you want a water birth when you call hospital let them know your intentions and the will start filling the pool for your arrival!