.  So, just this once Victoria is having a momentary lapse in the euphoric haze she's been radiating since giving birth to baby Harper. We've all been there. Keep your chin up VictoriaRead more on:New mum? How to manage in those early weeksEasy ways to get

Emma Holmes, 27, from West Sussex is married to Alan and mum to Faith, who will celebrate her first birthday on Christmas Eve. She says last Christmas was the best ever ­ but also the weirdest! Birth factsBaby's nameFaith Elizabeth Weight 6lb 6

pressure but the only proper cure for pre-eclampsia is the birth of the baby, so depending on how serious the condition is for mum and baby, an early delivery in the last weeks of pregnancy by induction or by caesarean section is quite likely. In a few

, after all, someone has to carry him and give birth! At the very minimum the pregnancy will involve some amount of compromise and negotiation at work and all mums need some time off to give birth and physically recover, no matter how important their job

to the bathroom for a pain relieving dunk in the bath.(One of the many appealing aspects of a birth pool, of course.)Some doctors may advise you to keep to showers if your waters have broken or you have passed your mucous plug (which keeps everything in place

completely and leaves the way through into the birth canal, the vagina, free for your baby. When this happens you are said to be fully dilated.This first part of this stage, known as early or latent labour, usually happens gradually over a number of weeks

to squeeze through the birth canal, and because of this your baby's head might seem a little squashed! This is not anything to worry about, as the midwife (and the consultant pediatrician who examines your child a few hours after birth) will check to ensure

risk of excessive bleeding during a vaginal delivery. In the case of marginal placenta praevia, where the placenta lies very close to the cervix, a vaginal birth may be possible. If you have been diagnosed with placenta praevia early in pregnancy

to change once you become a parent.Career - Unless you’re adopting or using a surrogate mother, having a child will necessarily impact on the mother’s career, after all, someone has to carry him and give birth! At the very minimum the pregnancy will involve

is ready to make his or her big entrance the sac will break, and the fluid will be released – and that’s what’s happening when your waters break.The causes of low amniotic fluidYour waters breaking If your waters break early, you are at risk of infection