I want to share my birth story with you as my first blog post for Babira. My whole pregnancy was smooth, and I felt incredibly grateful for that. However, on the night of August 19th, 2024, everything changed.

I went to bed at 8 PM, feeling completely normal, without any signs of labor or Braxton Hicks contractions. But at 10 PM, I woke up to a sharp pain and realized my water had broken. Even though I thought it might be early labor, I decided to take a shower, wash my hair, and light some candles to calm myself, knowing it might be a few days before I could do this again.

As I was in the shower, my contractions became intense and only two minutes apart. After getting dressed, I went to the living room, and the contractions became even closer, just one minute apart. I woke my husband, and we quickly realized we needed to get to the hospital.

The drive to Campbelltown Hospital in New South Wales felt like an eternity. The contractions were so strong that I felt an overwhelming urge to push. When we arrived, I could barely move, and I ended up on my knees at the emergency entrance, overwhelmed by the pain. My husband quickly got a wheelchair, and we rushed to the birth center.

Once there, I asked for a bath, hoping it would help ease the pain. The bath was a blessing, and I focused on deep breathing to stay calm. As the contractions intensified, I knew it was time. At around 3 AM, I gave birth to my beautiful son. Although I experienced a third-degree tear due to the intensity of the contractions, the moment I held him made everything worth it.

After some time in recovery and a few stitches, I was able to do skin-to-skin with my baby. The hospital stay was three days, and the midwives were amazing, offering all the support I needed. Now, my baby is six months old, and I'm still breastfeeding.

This journey to motherhood has been the most beautiful and challenging experience of my life. I hope my story can offer some comfort and encouragement to other mothers out there.