A Christmas Surprise.

From the beginning, I was quite open in saying that our baby girl would come early. Never in my wildest dreams, however, did I imagine that we'd welcome her into the world in 2011. She obviously had other plans.

On Friday 23rd of December, some period like cramps woke me at 5.15am. I thought 'ouch' to myself, checked the clock to see how much longer we had before Billy woke us up, and dozed back off to sleep. Twenty minutes later, I had more pains. Glancing at the time, I made a mental note of them being 20 mins apart, and pushed them to the back of my mind, thinking that I mustn't have had enough rest the day before.

The cramps continued on and off all morning, but I had no time to rest. Nug was home for a few hours before heading off to Nagoya for 2 days, and it was my chance to go out and about, sans Billy, and grab some last minute Christmas presents, and treats, before hosting our fellow rugby Aussies for lunch on Christmas Day. I complained to Nug a couple of times as the pains continued to hit me every 15 - 20 minutes, but rugged up, wrote my list, and headed off on my bike into town.

I did straight away notice that I felt a bit uncomfortable on the bike, but at almost 35 weeks pregnant, this was bound to happen at some stage. There's a hill on the way into our local shops, and while the incline is not particularly high, it is relatively long. This was the first time I have ever walked up that hill. It just didn't feel right, and the thought of labour crossed my mind, seriously, for the first time. (It was now 10.30am and I'd been having these pains for 5 hours.)

As I walked around the shops, the pains continued, on and off. I got the things I needed, and scrapped a couple of things from my list that could 'wait til tomorrow when I was feeling better'. The other thing was, that I kept needing to go to the toilet. I have read before that when you start going into labour, the body begins to prepare itself by emptying the bowels.

As my last stop in town, I went to the bakery and grabbed some things for lunch. I absoloutely did not feel like eating (very unusual for me), but bought myself a sandwich regardless, assuming I would be hungry by the time I got home.

Nug was leaving at 12.15pm and as I got home, I braced myself over the bed with a bad 'cramp' as he tied his tie and finished packing his suitcase. I said that I thought I might need to go and be checked out by the doctor, but, being the Emperor's birthday, it was a national holiday, and I wasn't sure if I could be bothered with all the fuss. After all, I had a check up the following morning at 9am, and an appointment with the English speaking midwife to discuss my birth plan. We half seriously toyed with the idea of him staying, and catching a later shinkansen to meet the team that night, but I didn't want to make a big deal for a false alarm (these things spread through the team like wildfire). We kissed good-bye and I lay down on the couch, googling 'Braxton Hicks contractions' on my phone. Billy ate his lunch and watched cartoons.

I decided to text Kaoru, the foreigner's Japanese teacher and much loved friend to all, and ask her what the deal was with the hospital on public holidays, and if she could please find out what the procedure was if I decided I needed to go in. I knew that Nug's train didn't leave til 1.50pm, so I had til just before then to call him back if required. After a few calls and texts back and forth with Kaoru, the outcome was that that the hospital wanted to know details like whether my water had broken (no), whether I had any blood (no), what the pains were like (severe period pains every 10 or so minutes), and finally, yes, I was able to go in. Kaoru said she could meet me at the hospital at 2.30pm if I liked, and this sounded good to me. It was now 1.15pm and I was just putting Billy down for his sleep.

Kelli was texting me at the same time, asking what plans I had for the day, and I told her that I was uncomfortable, and having pains, and thought I better go in to be checked. Oh, and could she please come and hang out in my apartment while Billy slept! She very kindly obliged.

I calmly put away my Christmas groceries, put some washing on, and tidied up the apartment thinking to myself that if this isn't labour, what the hell is it, cause it is seriously painful! Can Braxton Hicks hurt this much?! And be this constant?!

At 2pm, Kelli and Hadley arrived, and I called a taxi. I realised my husband was now on a bullet train to Nagoya, and that I'd missed my opportunity to call him back. We chatted, and I explained to her how I was feeling. She asked whether I was sure I didn't need to pack a bag. I said no, and that I'd see her in an hour, hopefully before Billy woke up.

The taxi driver was very careful and made a note of telling me that he was avoiding the bumps in the road. When we stopped at the train tracks to let the passing trains through, he edged right up to the barriers, ready to go straight through as soon as they lifted, rather than waiting at the stop point a few metres back. Did he know something I didn't?

Kaoru was ready and waiting for me (in Japan, if you're on time, you're late), so up we went to Level 2, and I held my breath as pains shot through my stomach and back. They were starting to get hard to talk through. The nurse was very kind and softly spoken, and lead me into a nice room with a bed, where they hooked me up to a monitor to follow the baby's heart beat, and check/measure whether I was having contractions, and if so, how far apart and how severe.

Kaoru put on some classical music that was in the CD player, and the nurse made general chit chat, in Japanese. I desperately wanted an obstetrician to just come and have a look, and see if I was dilating. Almost on cue, howls, wails and blood curdling screams started coming from the delivery room next door, and I knew I wouldn't be seeing an obstetrician for a while. I have never heard sounds like this before in my life, and I started to remember how hard and painful delivery is. In Japan, birthing is meant to be quiet, and you are supposed to conserve your energy. The nurse rolled her eyes and said the girl was young.

The machine showed that my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart, and reaching the peak of the pain scale. I must have disguised this well, as the nurse informed me they were going to keep me on this machine for atleast 40 minutes. As bub's heart continued to beat normally, the nurse's lack of rush or panic made me question my being there (it must be Braxton Hicks). For a little while, the screams from next door distracted me from my own 'situation' (let's face it, I still didn't think I was in labour?).

After an hour, the doctor was still with the girl screaming 'ITAIIII!' (this means pain/ouch), and the nurse came in with a tiny pill for me to take. Apparently, it was going to stop my contractions. The language barrier prevented my questions from getting through - What is it? What is the success rate? What happens to my baby if I am already, for example, 4cm dilated? - so I just took it and hoped for the best. The pain was so intense that I hoped it was a magic pill that stopped my labour instantly!

After another 30 minutes, the contractions were coming harder and fasted than ever, through my back and abdomen, and I started to feel hot and distressed. We'd heard the first cries of a newborn about 15 minutes prior, so I knew the doctor couldn't be too far away. Kaoru continued to rub my back and watch the monitor, saying 'itai' every time she saw the pain level increase. This was now every 2 minutes. Dad sent me a routine text, asking if I was feeling ok. My layers of clothing were starting to irritate me (it was about 3 degrees outside) and I wanted them off, despite Kaoru and the nurses continuing to tell me it was cold and that I should have a blanket. Nug called, and I told him that they were trying to stop my labour, but that I didn't think it was working. I said that it might start to work soon, but that he should maybe turn around and come back (they had just arrived in Nagoya). I hung up on him in exhaustion. My phone flashed '10% battery remaining'. Typical!

Atlast, Dr Nakai was free to see me at about 4.10pm, and they told me to put my shoes on and go to her room to be checked. There was no way I was putting more warmth on, so off we went, barefoot, with me tugging at my layers of tops and cargo pants, and the nurse modestly pulling them back down. I didn't think my legs were going to work, but I wanted to see that doctor so badly, I somehow managed.

I don't remember the walk, but they showed me to her room, and directed me to 'the chair'. And I froze.

I told them I needed to go to the toilet. I felt like I needed to wee, or that something needed to come out of me, and if I sat in that chair, that lifted me off the ground with my legs apart, something was going to go flying everywhere. I was acting crazy, and I knew it, but I made it to back to the room, to the toilet and back. Nothing came out, and I thought about running away. I knew in my head that the baby was there and ready, and that the doctor was going to get the shock of her life when I sat in that chair.

To have caught the next 5 minutes on camera would be priceless. I remember taking my pants off behind the curtain and sitting in the chair, while they tried to conceal my modesty with a towel, and I came face to face with the only obstetrician at the hospital that I hadn't met before. The chair went up, my legs went apart..... and then everything moved very quickly.

The chair went down, and Kaoru was called back in to quickly explain that the baby's head was showing and it was 'birth' time. An explanation that really wasn't necessary to me at this stage! There was a flurry of about 6 people undressing me, helping me to a bed, redressing me in a pink nightgown, inserting a drip, taking my blood pressure, all while I was being wheeled to the delivery room. Would you believe that I chuckled? It was all so surreal.

I lifted myself over to the delivery table, and kept trying to pull the blood pressure band off my arm. It was so tight and I thought my arm was going to drop off. They put my legs into loose, thigh high surgical leggings and put my feet in stirrups. I was relieved, but was so scared for the next stage. And then everyone stopped. I was in so much pain that I had forgotten that she was less than 35 weeks gestation. The commotion stopped, Dr Nakai turned serious, and, through the help of Kaoru, told me that when the baby came out, she would be taken to a separate hospital with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I didn't really care at this stage, I just needed her out. They told me that I couldn't start to push until the 'baby doctor' was here. I was in quite a state and very distressed, and this confused me. I thought Dr Nakai was the baby doctor!!

Dr Nakai pushed hard against me with a towel, repeating 'no push', as if she were trying to keep the baby in. I writhed in the most intense pain I have ever experienced, and kept telling them I needed to push. I pinched the skin on my thighs so much that I bruised, and clenched my fists as hard I could. They all encouraged me to take deep breaths, and Dr Nakai pushed harder against me with every contraction. Kaoru came into the room and I begged her to 'help me'. I was seriously dying. This was ridiculous. Where was the obstetrician?! Annoyed and frustrated, I obstinately demanded to know why there was no one to deliver my baby. Kaoru explained that Dr Nakai was the obstetrician, and it was the neonatologist that we had to wait for incase anything was wrong with her when she was born. They told me that for my baby's sake, I needed to be strong and keep her in, where she was safe. I didn't care, and just needed her out. Kaoru stroked my hair, and asked for a cold washer for my forehead.

After the longest 20 or so minutes of my life, everyone cheered that the 'baby doctor' had arrived. Who'd have thought I'd ever be so excited to push a baby out! Dr Nakai finally stopped pushing against me and gave me permission to go ahead. There were now 7 people in the delivery room.

I propped myself up on my elbows, and I pushed with absoloutely everything that I had in me. Dr Nakai helped by stretching the area open (ITAI!!!!). Kaoru, Dr Nakai and the midwives encouraged me, and I could feel her right there. When the contraction stopped, I rested for 10 seconds before it was time for a second big push. It was the biggest one I've ever done. Dr Nakai was getting excited, and with a big pop, my water broke as a tiny little angel came flying out, bringing new meaning to the term 'caught a baby'.

Dr Nakai handed her straight to Dr Ogata, and began to work on delivering my placenta. I collapsed back onto the bed and waited to hear that magical cry. A few seconds later, it came, and it was perfect. I asked whether she was ok. I couldn't even see her.

Like a proud mother, Kaoru was in tears, taking the first pictures, and calling Nug, who was waiting to get the next train out of Nagoya. She called Kelli and Alicia, who were looking after Billy, and let them know I wouldn't be coming home as planned.

After about 5 minutes, Dr Ogata introduced himself to me and handed me my beautiful little girl. She could breathe on her own and appeared to be fine. She looked up at me with her big eyes and I fell in love. I silently asked her why she was so eager to come into the big wide world, and told her that she had to be strong. And then ten minutes later, I signed some forms agreeing to let her go in the ambulance to the other hospital, and just like that, she took a piece of my heart, and was gone.

The nurse told me I had to stay where I was for 2 hours before I was allowed to be moved to my room. When everything was cleaned up (I had no tearing, or grazing, or anything), and I was finally alone, I spoke to Nug and neither of us could believe she had arrived. It was all so surreal. He apologised over and over again for not being there for me, but unfortunately it was just one of those things. I know we'll both always feel a little bit sad that he missed it, but she was a determined to make a grand entrance, and that she did. Who'd have ever thought that he could make it from a different country for the birth of our first child, but be hours late for the second!

Even though we knew what we were naming her, we decided to wait until Nug made it to the hospital before we shared it with everyone. In the meantime, we called our parents and let them know our crazy news. We would contact everyone else once we were ready to share her name.

It's really hard to put into words how I felt as I lay there in the tiny delivery room, watching the clock, and reflecting on the course of the day. I get all teary now thinking about it, but I actually didn't cry at the time. The girls reassured me that Billy was happy and well, and I knew that Nug was on the train having a highball to calm his nerves. I longed for my baby girl, but knew she was in the safest place she could possibly be in for now. I prayed with all my heart that she would be ok.

Nug finally arrived at about 8.45pm, and Kaoru left us to be alone. Bless her - she had stayed with me the whole time and offered the most wonderful support. I was the lonely foreign girl, and she was my family. I will always be so grateful for everything she did for me that day. Nug and I cuddled up on my hospital bed, missing our precious baby girl, and confirmed that we would call her Genevieve Victoria Byron. A grand name for our tiny little poppet.

Evie's story doesn't end there, but that is the story of her birth.

It breaks my heart leaving her every day, and we can't wait to bring her home.