Welcome Aleah Hope

Okay so I know she is already 5 weeks old today but I am a bit behind with the blogging.

So I was due 10th December but one snowy night............

Best go back to the beginning. From about 37 weeks I started contracting on and off and then I started to have some show since I had a midwife appointment in a week or so I didn't bother speaking to any midwife. David had a parents night on the Thursday so Kirsten came through to spend the day with me and she and the boys stayed the night. They went home on the Friday with plans to return on the Sunday afternoon, we were going to watch the boys for them on Sunday night. Monday rolled around and I had my appointment so JA and Kristen watched the kids so David and I could both go. My check up was good but after telling my midwife about the contraction, show and based on my history (early, fast labours) she gave me an internal. I was about 3-4 cms dilated and the head was VERY well down. Based on that information, JA and family stayed with us for an extra night until my mum could come up, she was going to be up on Wednesday for Thanksgiving so came a day early. My mum had planned to leave us on the Thursday or Friday but our heavy snow arrived and she ended up being stuck with us. All the time I was contracting on and off but they never got regular or intense so the week went on. We made it to Saturday night with no baby still, the snow was falling and driving was getting worse and worse but all seemed calm so we went to bed..........

Something woke me from my sleep between 3 - 3:30 am. The next thing I feel a flow of fluid, I realise either my waters broke or I wet myself. I wake David up and tell him and send him to call the hospital while I tell mum we are underway and get myself some dry clothes to wear. So far I have not felt much in the way of contractions. We head out the door and by the time we get to the car I have a a few strong contractions. With all the snow it took a minute or 2 to get the car out of our street my contractions getting worse all the way there. We make it and I get checked over, it was probably close to 4 am by the time the midwife examined me and I was about 5 cms dilated. The contractions continued and at 5 am our baby was born and David told me we had a little girl. So my 3rd labour was about 1 hour 30 mins give or take. I only used my TENS machine so had a natural labour and delivery and again I say to any and all they are fantastic certainly worth using in labour.

She was born Sunday 28th November 2010, 0500 hrs, our heaviest baby at 7lbs 4oz.

It took us several days to decide on her name and spelling but we finally agreed on Aleah Hope Chapman. She is beautiful and her sisters love her.