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Today marks eleven years since we welcomed our daughter into the world.

I read a lot during my pregnancy about the short and long term effects of drugs used during labour on babies, and had decided that I would go for a drug free birth.

Her labour was long and hard, and I couldn’t help but wish time would speed up.

After 20 hours of hard labor (pun intended), I reluctantly decided to try some gas, which I found did little for the pain. Next was pethidine; I felt dizzy and lightheaded until it wore off, but still in incredible pain, and was so tired at this point I was having micro sleeps in between contractions. I then agreed to have an epidural. I kept saying to the nurse, ‘it isn’t working,’ and she kept looking at me funny, saying ‘it must be, its an anesthetic!’

After around an hour later, still feeling the contractions painfully, I noticed my back was very wet- more wet than it should have been, considering my waters hadn’t broken by this stage. I realised the tube had come out, and rather than going in through the spinal catheter, the anesthetic had been dripping down my back!

I told the midwife, who sheepishly apologised for treating me as if I were a ‘complainer’ and got the anaesthetist to come back for round two.

A short time later, our adorable bundle of joy, complete with a shock of white spiky hair and a pair of lungs that could rattle windows, joined our little family.

She was then, and is now such a blessing to us. We are thankful for each and every day we get to spend with her, and only wish that time would slow down so we could enjoy these years even more.

Happy Birthday, darling.

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Posted by kate_reid, 2nd November 2013