"Delivery of my first child"

I was pregnant with my first child and at 40+4 weeks I went into labour. I had planned to give birth at the Bracken Birth Centre and luckily I met the criteria. After 12 hours of labour on Bracken and at 10cm, for various reasons I wasn’t having the positive experience I had hoped for so I asked to be transferred to the Labour Ward.

Considering a clinical, medicalised birth was the last thing I had planned I felt immediate relief when walking into the delivery room. A large reason for this was our wonderful midwife, Emma, who we cannot speak highly enough of. She put myself and my husband at ease with her professional but friendly manner. It didn’t take me long to feel I could trust her. Nothing was too much for her and I only realised later that she delayed her lunch break until after our daughter was born to ensure she was with us as things progressed, which I am hugely thankful for.

Due to my daughters position, forceps were needed, for this we were taken to theatre in case an emergency c-section was required. I have a history of being slightly terrified of hospitals but it was a hugely positive experience. EVERY SINGLE member of staff on Labour Ward was brilliant, again all very friendly and I particularly liked how they all introduced themselves and explained what their role was in my treatment. They treated me like with respect and I felt fully informed about what was happening. They were all phenomenal and I have been in complete awe since, particularly with a pandemic going on.