When I found out I was pregnant with my first child I cried, I think this was part happiness and part reality of being responsible for another human being.  I didn’t really have any issues throughout the pregnancy, I know I was one of the lucky ones, and it was an amazing experience to go through, especially hearing that heartbeat for the first time and seeing the scan picture on screen.

I was fortunate enough to have a best friend who was pregnant at the same time as me so we kind of went through it all together, she even stole my due date! I was anxious about the birth with it being my first even though I had lots of support and advice from the people around me and my midwife was amazing. I did the usual panicky things leading up to the due date, if I felt a twinge, he was coming.

One night I really did feel that twinge and went to hospital, they sent me home as I wasn’t dilated enough, I feel asleep, woke the next day and was back in hospital ready to bring the most precious thing ever to me into the world. 24 hours later, full of pethidine and I am not too sure what else they gave me, I gave birth naturally to my son.

My second child was completely different, I was unable to eat and was admitted to hospital as there was the chance that the umbilical cord could have wrapped around his neck if I was sent home. I was told the exact time that my son would be born, again the midwife was amazing. I was so relaxed during this birth, I was walking around with the gas and air, nothing like my first, I even wanted to sleep in between contractions (I wasn’t allowed to though), this was the easiest birth I could have wished for.

With my third child I left it right until the last minute to go to hospital, I felt that I had learnt a lot about my body and knew when the time was right to be taking that car journey, I even sat in the bath for as long as I could when the contractions were coming thick and fast. I remember being lay in the bed with the same song on repeat then the next minute my son was there. The only issue (which wasn’t really an issue) was with all 3 my waters needed to be broke as I could never do it myself.

All 3 births were different, and I can honestly say the pain and anxiety you feel/felt completely disappears when that little person is placed skin on skin with you, you forget everything else, it’s just you, your baby and that overwhelming feeling of happiness and love that never ever goes away, even when they get to be able to answer you back.