Chris' birth story

As a hospital orientated person, it was my husband Giles who was the drive behind organising a private midwife. Being a Tasmanian, I had my first baby 'back home' at the local hospital under the care of the NHS equivalent Medicare. The experience was just peachy and although I knew that the NHS in the UK is under funded and over subscribed, I was willing to just 'go with the flow' going NHS again when we were expecting number two.

Giles is ever more considered than I so after regular nagging from him, my technophobia was bested and I eventually typed 'Independent Midwife UK' into Google and reviewed the results.

Susan's spiel really appealed so I plucked up my courage and left a message asking her to contact me. She did (of course!) and I loved her down to earth, well informed, knowledgeable and caring approach. We booked her immediately and she was with me 'all the way' from very early on. Whilst I stressed that I am not an 'earth mother' and am comforted by the presence of professionals in white coats in antiseptic environments, she never pressed on me any opinions with respect to alternative therapies or sought to change my mind about 'going hospital'.

Providing the full range of options for any given situation in respect of the pregnancy in an unbiased manner, I felt I could talk to her about anything and everything. She was my friend as well as my midwife and I was (and still am) eternally grateful to my nagging husband for egging me to find a midwife.

There was no doubt in my mind that I had found the perfect person to entrust my baby's life to.

Gradually, under my own volition, I asked about home birth and the various things that are associated with it. Over time I came to decide that I wanted to give my second child something so special that I felt I had been unable psychologically to give my first - a home birth. Susan was quietly ecstatic when I told her of my decision but always stressed that the hospital option was there and I did not HAVE to give birth at home if I did not want it.

As my pregnancy progressed, I continued to attend NHS midwife appointments but made it clear that I had my own private midwife and that they were to co-operate fully with her should the need arise. To be fair, the NHS midwife was lovely and understood my reasoning behind going independent.

It was not until later in the pregnancy that the different levels of care really became apparent between NHS and private - I feel SO lucky that I had the option to have Susan.

My husband Giles works offshore and it was after concluding a discussion at 1.30 in the morning about what we would do if 'number two' was late that I felt what could best be described as a bad period pain. Giles, ever the 'just in case' one, decided to make a note of the time intervals of these pains despite my assertions that it did not feel like labour. Being roughly eight minutes apart and regular, I asked him to ring Susan whereupon, after a discussion where I said it was not necessary for her to come over just yet, I waited for the pains to subside as I believed it was just baby settling down into the pelvis - 'getting ready' as it were.

Just over an hour later, and a snoring husband aside, I concluded it wasn't just 'getting ready' and was definitely 'on it's way' so Susan was called in. Little did any of us know that it had been snowing heavily for that last hour both in Manchester and Ripponden so poor Susan had to get herself down a steep incline in the blinding snow on a tiny country lane just to get to us.

Unfortunately, baby was not going to wait and I did not want to do the home birth without Susan so we had to make the decision to go into hospital. Thankfully Susan had pre-warned the maternity unit so they were primed for us when the call came. Susan arrived at the hospital very shortly after I did and I felt so much better that she was there. She helped me to breathe through the contractions without an epidural and I felt so safe in her care at a time when I was so very vulnerable.

After nearly 10 hours labour, Alexandra Lillian entered the world with a caul on her face and her hand tightly grasping her cord. All through out the labour, Susan was there reassuring me, encouraging me, being my guide and from my heart, I would not have had it any other way.

Thank you so much Susan.