Melissa's story, Darlington - relaxed birth with pool and gas and air

"1st baby - 18/09/00 - Hospital

I was just 20, had been with my boyfriend (now husband) for just 9 months when we discovered I was pregnant.

Due on the 21st September (our respective Grandmother's birthdays!) we moved out of our 1 bed rented flat on the 16th September and into my Mother in Laws until the contract was signed on the 3 bed house we had bought.

Clearly, moving house shifted things and the following day, whilst having Sunday lunch at my boyfriend's Aunt's, I felt my first contractions. I only know now, that's what they were, at the time I just thought it was a bit of stomach ache.

We went to bed that night, at this point I thought that perhaps something was happening after I had terrible diahorrea.

Woke up in quite a bit of pain in the early hours and went downstairs to watch the rowing on the Olympics! At the time, we were in the middle of a fuel crisis and so getting hold of taxis to get us to hospital was somewhat of a challenge. Luckily, my boyfriend's uncle had some fuel in his car and took us through to the hospital at about breakfast time.

As soon as I got there, I went straight into the birth pool. I knew I wanted to try this but I also went in with an open mind and would've had any drug going had I needed it.

My Mum and my (then 17yr old) sister travelled the 20 miles to the hospital to be there as soon as possible.

I'd sayed in the pool as long as possible with no other pain relief but suddenly got the urge to be on dry land. I got out and onto the bed where I was examined - I have no idea how far along I was at this point but it was pretty close to 10cm. It was at this point, when I got the urge to push, that I felt I needed a bit of gas and air.

Didn't much grasp the breathing in and out with the gas and air but the mouthpiece was great to bite down on!

Apparently the pushing part took a fair while, and at 12:55pm - just a few hours after arriving, our little boy, Alexander Regan was born just as the clouds parted and the sun came out. He weighed a very healthy 8lb 11oz and had done no damage to my nether regions!

All in all, it was a very relaxed birth."

Submit your story to marvellousmummies@live.co.uk - please state whether you would like your name and location published otherwise by default you will become 'Anon'.