When starting to think about planning for the birth of a baby, few soon-to-be-mums would set out an ideal of dashing to hospital in an ambulance in premature labour, having an early elective casarean section or having their newborn baby rushed away

are common in birthing centres and can be bought or hired for home use. Likewise gas and air and TENS machines, though popular, aren't necessarily available on all labour wards, although TENS machines can easily be hired if one isn't available where you

OMG, here it is. It’s time to meet your new baby after all that buildup.The type of birth you’ve had will determine how you have your first contact with your little one. If you’ve had a straightforward vaginal birth, your baby will probably

at home.The whole family squeezed into the birthing room. I was busy contracting while the boys sat on the sofa, watching Shrek! The maternity ward was decorated with bunting and they had a little tree, and I remember them coming in to give us Christmas

to using TENS.Some outlets like maternity clinics (or maternity wards in hospitals) have TENS machines to rent out or loan, though bear in mind that in our experience, these aren't quite as powerful/effective as one that is bought, once it's been used a

At full term, a baby is born at least 37 weeks after the date of the mothers' last period and a baby is considered to be premature when born before the end of week 37. The incidence of premature birth in the UK is currently around 7% (about 45

The time when your contractions are a few minutes apart obviously isn't when you want to be running around desperately flinging clothes and birth props into a bag for the hospital. But unless you're planning a caesarian you won't have any way

rollercoaster to the labour ward and I cannot get off.I sit in the surgery’s waiting room and choose a hospital. I plump for the maternity one, the one I was born in – better the devil you know I mutter under my breath. I have to wait to see if they will accept

racking cough. However, if you are running a fever then you will need to take medications to bring your temperature down as studies have shown a link between fever in the first trimester and the development of certain birth defects. Paracetemol should

- unless you want to be back on the delivery ward rather sooner than you had imagined! Returning fertility and breastfeedingIf you only partially breastfeed or bottlefeed then your periods will probably return after a couple of months, but as you don't know