New years eve was great fun! We played games and had fireworks at midnight and I shared a bottle of non alcoholic bubbly with my sister in law.

No signs of Squidge arriving which was a slight relief just wanted that night over with first Next few days I felt shattered. Ached from head to toe and just wanted to sleep. My SPD was playing up at night which made sleeping very hard and I had to grab my mattress to help me to roll over.

I was now on countdown!!

Every day I woke up thinking is today the day! But nothing. On the 3rd January I was in bed when I started feeling really ill. I started getting really bad back ache and what felt like period pains!? Maybe this was it I thought? When I woke the next day everything was quiet again and I felt fine, tired but no twinges. This happened again the next night too. I decided I was going to try some natural ways of inducing labour. I went for a walk, ate a whole pineapple and had a bounce on my ball! Nothing!

On the 5th I woke up and felt full of life!! I had so much energy! I decided to get up and have a good clean up strip my bed and sort out all my xmas gifts. Was this the nesting period that I had been told about? I was due the next day?

Well 6th January! My due day?? now how was I feeling? FINE!! no!! I was supposed to be having my baby today! Again I tried all the old wives tales of walking, pineapple, raspberry leaf tea and my ball. The day came and went with no twinges or anything! I went to bed that night quite disappointed. I know that it is very rare for a woman to actually go into labour on their due date but I was so excited and I am not the most patient of people so really wanted to meet my baby! My Squidge!

The next day I had my midwife appointment and i was told by friends that sometimes they do a thing called a Stretch and sweep which can bring on labour so I was quite excited.

7th January 1.30am!! Oh my god what was this pain?? I was feeling some really unusual pains in my belly?? it kept tightening and this went on for quite some time. I felt really uncomfortable. I got up to go to the loo and felt really dizzy and sick! The last time I felt like this was when I had eaten something that Squidge didn't like? But I hadn't eaten anything that i hadn't eaten before? I got back into bed but was wide awake so lied there and just rubbed my belly and kept thinking well maybe this is it?

5.30am things were still uncomfortable but I felt ok so thought better get some sleep in just in case today was the day I was going to meet my baby I woke up at about 8.30 and NOTHING! I felt fine? So what was last night about? I got up and had a shower and told mum about the night I had! She was convinced that this was the start of things. We decided to go to tesco as things were quiet at the min and I had my midwife appointment in the afternoon. All the way round tesco I was getting twinges! My belly kept tightening again and I felt dizzy again. I kept feeling really hot!

By the time we got home my head was pounding and I was still getting pains. I sat and had some lunch but then my eyes went funny?! I couldn't see! I had flashes like i was having a migraine?

I decided to go and have a lie down before my appointment. About 20 minutes later my eyes weren't too bad so I took some paracetamol to try and ease my headache but I still felt really ill. I felt sick, dizzy and generally not right! Like I was on another planet!

Mum took me to my appointment and my midwife checked my blood pressure! Not once but three times! She looked a little concerned? She asked me questions like have i had any headaches? Swelling? Flashes? Which i said yes, yes and yes to? My blood pressure was high and she was concerned that I was showing signs of pre – eclamsia! She listened to Squidge's heartbeat and that was fine. She felt the position and said that she thought Squidge has moved and is now back to back which could cause a longer labour so I needed to start sitting forward and go on all fours to try and move it.

She then told me that she wanted me to go up the hospital to get checked up. I needed to have some blood tests for pre eclamsia.

I went home and got my hospital bag and mum and I went straight up there! It was manic! There was so many women already up there waiting to be seen! Two women were having contractions next to me! I didn't want to see this!

About 30 minutes later I was taken to a room and a midwife put me on a monitor and checked my Blood pressure. Blood pressure had gone down thank god! I was left on the monitor for about an hour and a half before I was seen again! A midwife came in and said that seeing as my blood pressure had dropped and my urine was ok that she was happy that I went home!! I was told to make an appointment with my midwife for the following week for a stretch and sweep and then go back to the hospital on the Wednesday to be booked in to be induced!

I was gutted!! I really thought that I was going to be told that they were going to do all this today!

Eventually I asked the midwife if I could have a stretch and sweep there and then as I was having pains and really wanted things started! And she said yes!! excellent!

After having my stretch and sweep I was told I could go home. Just have to wait now!

Decided i am going to relax and enjoy the last few days I have with bump. After all I have waited ten years to have this baby what difference will a few more days make x