As I said goodnight to my 2-year-old son and read him a story I had no idea I would be meeting my second baby that same evening.

I started to feel cramps in my belly around 8pm and went to the toilet feeling like it was an upset stomach. I went downstairs and explained how I was feeling to my husband and in laws. I took two paracetamols for the cramps. I attempted to eat our takeaway tapas when it arrived at 8.30pm but could only eat a few mouthfuls before need to go back to the toilet. Next, I felt a trickle of water release that I couldn’t control. Yes, my waters had released walking up my in laws stairs. My husband came up to check on me and I said I think this is the start of labour. We called the hospital and explained what was happening they told me to come in or call back when my contractions were 2/3 minutes apart lasting a minute. This happened very quickly and by 9.20pm we decided to travel to the hospital the drive was about 30 minutes away and I just closed my eyes and focused on staying calm with contractions coming consistently for the whole drive. Once we arrived, we had to wait in the waiting room, but I didn’t feel comfortable having strong contractions continuously in front of strangers, so I hid in the toilet next to reception. Whilst I was in the toilet, I had a strong contraction and felt my baby/belly completely move down. I came out the toilet and said I can’t stay here waiting. I was then taken through to triage, but the midwives couldn’t do any checks on me such as take my blood pressure or check how far dilated I was because my contractions just kept coming. I sat on the floor in a squat position and waited for midwives to come back. I was then helped into the birthing suite and stopped on the way to lean on the midwife and breathe into her shoulder for a strong contraction. Once I got into the room, I was told they were running the bath and the gas and air was ready, but I didn’t make it into that part of the room. I said, ‘I need to go to the toilet’, and they asked ‘why?’ I said, ‘because I need to pooh’ the midwife then said, ‘Ok that probably means your baby is coming, don’t sit on the toilet’. I then squatted down in front of the toilet and held onto the toilet as I pushed my baby out, I could feel her coming down with each push. Her head came out and then there was a pause whilst I waited for another urge to push and then the body came out. I reached below and was passed baby by the midwife with her umbilical cord still attached to placenta inside of me. I was helped into the birthing suite to have skin to skin with baby. After this I was helped to the toilet and waited for another urge to push and birthed the placenta into a bed pan. Then my husband cut the cord and we carried on enjoying our daughter and encouraged her to feed. The midwife explained I had a small tear and I had gas and air whilst she stitched my tear. They always say the second baby comes quicker and I can totally agree with this statement now with my labour lasting 2hrs 57 minutes from first contraction. Lucy Rose Grant was born at 22:57 on 5.2.21 weighed 6lb 2oz. 

Thank you Kingston Hospital and the two midwives Becky and Georgia for making me feel safe, supported and well cared for.