Having been a midwife for over ten years and given birth to four of my own children (sometimes I still can’t believe I have four children), I would like to think that I have now gained enough experience and knowledge to write a whole book on being pregnant and giving birth.
In truth, this book won’t tell you absolutely everything you need to know because you’d need more than an entire pregnancy to read that. But it will tell you about the important stuff, the stuff which some people skim over, and it will also tell you about things that you may be too embarrassed to ask your midwife (although you should know that you can ask your midwife anything – rest assured, they will have heard it before). This book is written by me, your midwife, and each chapter is based around the key stages and routine antenatal appointments you will be offered. I will address how to cope in those early days before anyone else knows, what to expect when going for your 12-week scan, coping with the emotional changes you may experience during those nine months, and what you really need to pack in your hospital bag for when the big day arrives.
I’ve helped hundreds of women through their individual journeys into motherhood, whether it’s their first time or they’ve done it several times before. I’ve seen it all – from home births (planned and unplanned), water births, births in the back of a taxi, inductions and C-sections. I’ve delivered sets of twins (including my own) and seen triplets being born, and sadly helped deliver babies too premature to survive. Yet each birth, no matter how that baby is born, still fills me with the same feelings of emotion and amazement and what an honour it is, as a midwife, to be part of every single one of those life-changing moments.
I wrote this book so you can feel empowered. By giving you all the information you need to understand what options are available to you, I hope that you can go on to make informed choices about how you will experience the birth of your baby so it’s the right birth for you. You don’t have to do what your best friend did or listen to that woman from work – your birth experience should be as unique as you are. Remember that women have been giving birth since the beginning of time and so we should learn to trust our bodies and know that birth doesn’t have to be scary or stressful. Yes, pregnancy is full of ups and downs and it’s unlikely to be perfect and amazing all the way along, but that’s just part of the beauty of it – each experience is different and I hope this book can help you ride out any of those lows along with all of the highs.
Throughout the book you’ll also come across personal birth stories from real mums, each one totally different but each one full of really useful information you can take away and apply to the preparation for your own birth experience. By the time you finish reading this book I hope you will feel excited and full of confidence that whatever birth you have, it will be the most positive birth for you. Every birth I’ve attended was as beautiful and special as the others, and I want to share what I have learnt in this book to help you realise that your own birth story will be just as amazing.