Hire a doula! According to research, having a doula to support you throughout labour and birth results in: # 50% reduction in caesarean rates # 25% shorter labour # 60% reduction in epidural requests # 40% reduction in oxytocin use # 30% reduction in analgesia use # 40% reduction in forceps delivery You can find a doula near you by visiting doula.org.uk Hope that helps! Antonia

I was left traumatised and with post natal depression following a horrendous second delivery. My first daughters arrival int0 this world was just wonderful. For any expectant mother out there - I would say that it was the best, most powerful, embracing experience of my life. I was so in tune with my body, I had no pain relief other than a tens machine and i practiced Yoga throughout. My second labour couldn't have been more different. My labour and delivery only lasted for 2 hours from start of contractions to delivery - however, my babys heart rate dropped to dangerously low as she became distressed and entangled in her cord. She was delivered quickly by the registrar Gynecologist with foreceps. All was fine, until I reached the recovery room. My bleeding was excessive, I bleeding through two maternity pads. The midwives were stretched due to the amount of mums on the ward. No one noticed that I was haemhorraging (hmmmm spelling??!!) I was whisked to theatre where I had a spinal block and was "sorted" out. It took nearly two hours, two hours that I needed to be with my new baby. Following this, I had a 5 pint blood transfusion, was on morphine for 3 days and left with such severe scarring that I have recently undergone surgery to refashion my perinium... I don't believe that myself or my daughter would be here if it wasn't for the fantastic staff - although, I do believe that my problems should have raised concerns before I raised them myself. I do know now that my case was rare