"Pregnant mums know their own bodies"

My waters broke and I went to Craigavon to be assessed. I had to wait in the car for three hours before I was assessed. By that stage I was having contractions five minutes apart. The midwife that assessed me said I was only 1cm dialted and wasn't in established labour. They asked me and my husband to return home and said they'd book me in for an induction in 24 hours. I told the midwife my contraction pain was getting very intense and asked what else I should be looking for to be in established labour as I was already in alot of pain and not comfortable to go home.

The midwife wasn't clear and said more intense pain, closer contractions, that I'd be fine at home. By this stage there was a handover and another midwife took over the shift. I spoke to this midwife and said I was in alot of pain and couldn't go home. The midwife was lovely and said as I wasn't in established labour I couldn't go to the ward, but advised that my husband and I could stay close to Craigavon if I wasn't happy to go home. I stayed in the corridor of the hospital having contractions over the hall chair.

I spoke to that same midwife again about 30 minutes later and explained the pain was significant and I wasn't going anywhere. The midwife said they'd get me assessed again and try and get me a bed in the ward, but that my husband couldn't come up as I wasn't in established labour. My husband went home and I waited for a bed. By this stage I was on my own in the corridor in agonising pain. The midwife advised there was a bed and we walked to the lift and up to the ward. I barely made it and was screaming by the time I reached reception.

My baby was crowning in reception. I barely made it to the bed and my baby was born minutes later, no time for pain relief and in a panic for me and the delivery team. The midwifes and staff that delivered my baby were amazing and the midwife that helped me eventually get a bed was also great. I was assessed at roughly 7.30am and baby born just after 9am. Just a stark reminder that medical staff need to listen to the mother's, they know their own body, I knew I was in established labour and didn't go home.

Things could have been a lot different for us, thankfully my baby and I are both safe.