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Tracy Cook, 32, from Wiltshire is married to Andrew and mum to Sam, seven, Olly, five, and William, two. She reckoned she was going to have a New Year birth, and never imagined waking up with a new baby on Christmas Day.
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Baby's name | William Henry
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Weight | 7lb 5oz
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Length of labour | Under three hours
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Pain relief | Gas and air
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Worst bit | Panicking that Andrew might not be there for the birth
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Best bit | The elation after he was born; he was so beautiful
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All my boys were born close to Christmas, but William decided to go one better. Third time round my due date was 22 December, but since the other two had been over a week late I thought we¹d be spending Christmas with just two boys, and was convinced I was going to have a New Year baby. We even joked about Andrew not being able to have a drink on New Year's Eve.
I've always loved Christmas Eve, more so even than Christmas Day itself I love all the excitement of the build-up. So there I was, the day before Christmas, picking up the turkey from the supermarket. Standing in the queue, I didn't feel quite comfortable and I remember thinking: What if this is going to be a Christmas baby after all? Once back at home, I was rolling out pastry for the mince pies when I felt my waters break.
My two previous labours had been pretty short, and at seven hours and three hours they were getting quicker each time, so when I felt my waters go I knew I didn't have long to go. However, I still didn¹t have any contractions, so when Andrew called my in-laws (who live over an hour-and-a-half away) to come and get the boys he told them not to hurry.
But, the minute he put the phone down the first contraction hit and he had to ring straight back, telling them to put their foot down. This baby was coming and soon!
Fortunately I'd been super-efficient and all the presents were wrapped, sacks filled ready for the next day. I never did finish those mince pies, though! We all bundled in the car and went straight over to the hospital because I really didn't want to give birth at home.
The whole family squeezed into the birthing room. I was busy contracting while the boys sat on the sofa, watching Shrek! The maternity ward was decorated with bunting and they had a little tree, and I remember them coming in to give us Christmas biscuits. I was in cloud cuckoo land from puffing on the gas and air, so it all seemed really surreal.
I knew there would come a point when the boys would have to leave because I didn't want them to see me in a tizz. Things progressed really rapidly, and my in-laws still hadn't arrived. The baby was about to come and Andrew was so upset, convinced he was going to miss the birth.
Meanwhile, I was panicking about having to do it on my own. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer. Andrew was just taking the boys out when my in-laws came rushing in and took over. So, in the end, the proud dad was able to be present for the birth of his youngest son after all.
Just 20 minutes later, the older boys came in to meet their new baby brother. It was really special. Sam wrote later that his little brother was the best Christmas present he¹d ever had!
Later that evening we all went home. Perhaps I should have stayed in and rested, but I couldn't bear the idea of waking up on Christmas Day without my family around me. It was lovely to be able to spend Christmas with my three boys, William only hours old.
Andrew's parents did all the cooking and then took the boys out in the afternoon so I could get some sleep. Not that I got much I was still running on adrenaline and William was really windy so he didn¹t sleep well.
It was all like a big dream. I kept jumping up and checking him, hardly able to believe he was really there.
It felt really special that he was born on Christmas Eve. It has always been a really special day, and now it will be even more so!
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This story first appeared in the January 2008 issue of our magazine, Pregnancy, Baby and You.
