"Another Doctor's appointment Franky, I really hope it's good news this time, I don't know how much more I can take, it's starting to hurt and I just can't get comfortable at all." I cry into Franky's shoulder as she holds me tight, I am 39 weeks pregnant and we are here yet again to see Dr Cooper, last week I had made no progress at all, the baby's head wasn't even engaged for god's sake!

"Honey, I'm sure we'll see some improvement this week, you even said yourself you think the baby has dropped down and when I feel the bottom of your bump I think so too, it's definitely lower than last week anyway – I'm sure of it."

"I hope you're right, I really to, Dr Cooper will be in soon, I better get up on the table, do you mind giving me a hand?"

"Not at all Gidge, let me just hold your arm and round your waist – there we go, you comfy enough in that position?" Franky can be so sweet and attentive, always making sure I'm in as much comfort as possible.

"Yeah this will be fine, thanks darling." Just then Dr Cooper comes in and says she will have a feel of my stomach, then will check to see if I'm dilated at all. I have all my fingers crossed that there is a change.

"Okay Bridget, well I can feel that baby's head is much further down in your pelvis than it was last week, I could move the head from side to side then quite easily but no there's no moving it at all today, very good sign! Now I'll do the internal exam and see if there's any progress." I put my legs in the stirrups as Dr Cooper has a good poke around at my cervix, not one of the most pleasurable experiences I've had.

"Oh well this is exciting ladies! Bridget you're at 2cm, so I would say it will almost definitely be this week you get to meet your baby." I'm in shock, this is definitely the news I wanted to hear, I mean the baby can't stay in there forever, however I also can't help this slight fear that Franky and I are going to be fully responsible for a tiny human in probably a matter of days.

"Oh that's great! Isn't it honey? So exciting." Franky clearly doesn't share my apprehension, mind you, she has been more or less ready for this since day one.

"It is Franky, it really is – I just can't quite believe it is so close now – I'll admit I'm a bit scared, but mostly excited." After what happened with Benjamin that night we have kept our promise and been more open with each other about feelings, especially any worries.

"It'll all be worth it baby." Franky smiles and kisses my temple.

When we get home later that night, I am exhausted, everything is really starting to catch up with me now, having said that my official due date is on Saturday so only two days away. Since I'm so tired we decide to just have a quick dinner then head to bed for an early night.

I wake up to a sharp pain travelling from my back to down low in my stomach. 'Well shit that was painful' I think as I roll over the best I can to check the time, 4.30am, still too early. Franky is asleep next to me and will need to be up for work in a few hours, I try not to wake her up, but I really need to go use the bathroom.

"Gidge, you okay? What time is it?" Franky asks me sleepily, with her eyes still closed.

"I'm okay Franky, just going to use the bathroom, go back to sleep sweetie." My wife doesn't need to be told twice, she rolls over onto her left side and is out completely again in seconds.

I make it to the bathroom and back without any more pains, it's now 4.45am and I highly doubt I'm going to be able to get comfortable enough to sleep in bed. So I make the decision to go to the nursery, where I sit in the rocking chair. After a few minutes I get another pain, exactly like the one before. If this is labour, I clearly have a while to go, as the pains are more than 25 minutes apart. At the classes Franky and I attended, they advised it's best not to go to the hospital before contractions are 10 minutes apart, or your water breaks, as there will be a lot of waiting around and most people prefer to do that in the comfort of their home.

"Gidge, you alright? I woke up and you weren't next to me." Hmm I must have fell asleep sitting here.

"I had a few pains in the middle of the night and this position was the only comfy one I could get into – I must have fallen asleep."

"Aww babe you should have woken me up, are you still having them now?" Am I? I'm not even sure, if I had any when I was sleeping I never felt it.

"I don't know Franky, I don't think so, they were almost half an hour apart last night, what's the time?"

"It's almost 8.30, I need to leave for work soon, unless you need me here, I can just give Marcus a phone and say I won't be in."

"Thanks darling, but I'm sure it's going to be a while before anything significant happens, if they get any closer, I'll let you know okay? You should go in today though, don't want you wasting any days off you could take once the baby arrives."

"Okay, I'll go to work but if anything happens at all you need to phone me – got it? Do you want me to call your parents to come sit with you just in case?"

"I'll be fine, I promise to phone or text at least once an hour with a progress update okay, now go or you'll be late." Franky kneels down between my legs, lifts up my nightshirt and kisses my huge belly.

"Now listen to me kid, try not to give your mummy too much hassle okay? I'll be back before you know it Peanut." I pull her up to my lips and kiss her before promising again to update her, before she finally leaves.

FRANKY POV

I arrive at work on-time, however right now this is the last place I want to be, it's Friday 14th November, so Bridget is technically due tomorrow and if she's been experiencing pain then that makes me think by tomorrow or Sunday the baby could be here. I have a meeting in ten minutes but first I need to find Marcus and explain the situation.

"Hey boss, you got a minute?" I ask as I stand at the entrance to his office.

"Morning Franky, sure come in and take a seat." I sit down across the desk from Marcus before I continue.

"I just wanted to let you know that I think Bridget might be in the early stages of labour – she insisted I come in today though, you know what she can be like!"

"Oh wow that's exciting, well my wife was in labour 28 hours with our first, it can be a long process, having said that, go home and be with your wife Franky, it's not every day she goes in to labour. She might not realise it right now but she needs you, or at least she will very soon."

"Are you sure Marcus? We're supposed to have that Partner meeting in less than five minutes."

"I insist, you need to be there, I'll notify everyone at the meeting what's going on." 'I really have such a great and understanding boss' I think to myself.

"Thank you so much Marcus, I definitely owe you one!"

"Good luck Franky, give Bridget our best, and let me know when your little one arrives!"

"Will do Marcus, thanks again, bye!" I run out of the office, grab my stuff from my desk and set off on my way home.

Twenty minutes later I walk through the front door and call out to Bridget.

"In the Livingroom!" I hear being called back in a voice that seems strained. I walk in to find my wife on all fours, swaying side to side.

"Hey baby, how are you?"

"Contraction Franky, ow shit – it's almost over. You're here?" Crap, now I need to think back to the classes, what is it the 'supportive partner' does again?

"Marcus sent me home when I told him – how far apart are they now sweetie?"

"They seem to be coming closer now, about every 13 minutes and they last for roughly 45 seconds."

"Shit that's progressed quickly! When do you think we should go to the hospital?" I can hear my own voice is getting slightly panicked, mostly because I hate to see Bridget in any pain.

"I think when either they're ten minutes apart or my water breaks – whatever happens first." Okay, seems reasonable I guess.

"Okay…anything I should be doing right now?"

"Just make sure you time them Franky, then we'll know when to leave, okay?"

"I can do that! I love you Bridget, you're doing great so far."

"Love you too, Franky."