Esmé S

We are so happy. Our little girl Esmé was born on 30 November at 5.05am weighing 7lb4oz. 2 weeks early!

The birth was such an amazing experience!

I finished work on 17 November Esmé was due 13th December and spent the first two weeks getting everything sorted putting the nursery together getting all new clothes ready. I’d been getting regular baths with the battery candles and listening to Hypnobirthing CD. On Sunday 29th November I think I felt a bit relieved that I was organised and could finally relax.

At 2.45am my waters broke and I didn’t know whether to wake Andrew or not (for some reason I thought I’d have plenty of time) but he heard me getting up and when I told him he said well let’s go back to sleep for a bit and see how we get on. But waves kicked in at 3.00am and became strong pretty fast.

I hadn’t actually packed my hospital bag which was my task for that day so In-between waves I was reading my list out to Andrew who was running round trying to find everything.

We ran a bath and I got in it but then decided I didn’t want to be in the bath just on my knees.

When the waves came I held onto Andrew’s ankles as I was on the floor on my knees and he rubbed my back telling me to breathe.

I then said I felt like I needed to push. It did feel different to the initial feelings. Andrew said lets get to hospital. I was still thinking we had loads of time not realising how close the waves were.

I had a wave upstairs then got downstairs and had another one and another when outside by the car.

When we got to hospital it was 4.30am Andrew wheeled me in on a wheel chair as I was struggling to walk far.

We were told to go to the assessment room and they told me I was 10cm so I was whizzed off to the delivery suite. Andrew started explaining that we were a hypnobirthing couple and we wanted a water birth if possible. The nurse just said there is no time to run a bath – the baby is on its way.

We started pushing and Andrew kept reminding me to breathe.

Esmé was born healthy and Andrew announced that she was a girl.

We did it without any pain relief whatsoever and it was an amazing experience.

Liz and Andrew, Leeds