Later that day I started feeling a bit "off," but couldn't really pin point what was wrong. It was a bit like a sick "pain" in my tummy and some lower back pain. I decided to put my daughter (20months) down for a nap and try to get some sleep myself. I could still feel the backache even while asleep. The rest of the day was about the same. My temp was up a little, 37 point something, which was up for me, but didn't think too much of it. That night I went to sleep about 9:30/10 p.m. and I'm pretty sure that by then I was feeling ok. My partner and I were talking and decided we better buy the new baby a car seat tomorrow, since we only have two or so weeks until he's born. LOL

21 October, I woke about 12:30 a.m. with a very distinct contraction. I got a tad excited! Within about 1 to 1.5 hours I'd had another three contractions and then BAM, they were 3 to 5 minutes apart! By then I was writing them all down and trying to breath through them. My partner woke and asked what I was doing and I said timing my contractions! Well he was surprised and that was the end of sleep for him! He went and woke my mother-in-law (who was living with us at the time) to let her know what was happening as she'd be looking after our daughter. Things were really heating up so I jumped in the shower and asked my partner to call the hospital. The pain was bad, but I could handle it. I spoke to a midwife and was told to come in. By 3:30 a.m., we were in the car heading to the hospital.

Would you believe it, roadworks!! At that time!! LOL

About 4 a.m., we were in the hospital and they put me in the little room before the birth suite, but was decided in there that an examination wasn't necessary as it was obvious I was in labour and was taken to a birth suite.

The midwife checked me and I was 6 or 7 cm and she decided I should use the fit ball in the shower for pain relief. I remember sitting on the ball thinking "hmmm what should I be doing? Is sitting her bouncing enough?" Haha. By 5 a.m., I was ready to push, so came back out onto the bed.

My first or second push my waters broke and it wasn't long before my was born, only about 15 minutes. At 5:33 a.m., I met my son and he looked so tiny when he was put on my chest... just beautiful. I was expecting him to be 6 pounds or something being two weeks early, but he was a healthy 7 pounds, 5oz and 52cm long. My daughter was 10 days late and 7 pounds, 15.5oz, so I was expecting DS to be late too!

It was all just so perfect! My little man was here, earlier than anticipated, but I had done it, birthed our second miracle with only two breaths of (useless) gas. I rang my mum and woke her up. She sounded a bit cranky about that! I informed her I have a son and she was completely shocked, No-one was expecting this. I wasn't due yet plus I didn't tell anyone I was in labour! My partner went home about 7.30 a.m. to look after our daughter as my mother-in-law had to work. Everything back to normal already!

I was taken up to the ward about 8 a.m. and I was pleasantly surprised to be wheeled into a private room, yay! My son was asleep, what will I do now?! LOL

A few hours later my nightmare began...

It started with a headache and the red itchy tummy from the day before had become a rash that slowly spread to my neck, face, legs and chest. I was flushed, with a low-grade fever, flu-like symptoms, including neck stiffness, but I didn't have a runny nose which you normally do if you just have a cold or the flu. My room's air conditioning didn't work and my room was HOT. My BP was low every time it was taken and my heart rate was over 90 per minute, and quickly jumped up to 130. By Thursday, it was around 150. I could feel it beating and described to my partner that I thought it was going to beat out of my chest (he told me I said this although I have no memory of saying it!).

At some stage I had calf pain and abdominal pain. My BP continued to drop, which wasn't normal for me, so I became dizzy whenever I tried to stand up. Most of the time between 12 p.m. Wednesday and 2:30 p.m. Friday, I don't remember, I have never been able to.