Josa's birth story

I was so excited, my tiredness dropped away - the end was in sight, my body had done its magic thing. She guided my fingers down to the alien wrinkly lump beginning to emerge. One effect, either of the epidural or the induction, was that for the first time, I had none of that incredible urge to push. It usually feels like you need urgently to go the lavatory to pass a melon.

Carmen, Risi's assistant, had to tell me when to push. I did my best without any idea of what was happening. I was told to pant at one stage, while Carmen neatly hooked the cord over the baby's head. The whole second stage took only six minutes, and there was my little boy coated in primrose yellow vernix (the thick grease which protects the baby inside), and perfect. He was put on a towel on my chest, while Thoby cut the cord ('like slippery gristle,' he said.) I scanned his little cheesy familiar face and felt mild joy and relief. Not the rush of love I felt the first time - it comes in more slowly, like the tide.

His Apgar score was nine out of ten both times - a near perfect result

This is a test to check if the baby needs any extra help. It is done soon after birth, and then within 10 minutes. It checks for colour, alertness, respiration etc. Risi skilfully stitched up a first-degree tear and sent us home within two hours, in spite of me throwing up what seemed like gallons of acid lemon juice and passing huge clots.

It was after midnight as we went down to the car and fumbled with the car seat. At home I collapsed on the sofa, and Thoby eventually got me to bed. I stared at my tiny man all night, while he slept for three hours.

I stumbled through the first month like the most inept first-time mother, but weeks later, our little boy has added so much happiness to our family life. Maud, 12, and Archie, eight, are delighted with him. I feel a strong desire to do it all again. Not remotely practical - but now we are all set up with cots and nappies and clothes, why not?

Read about Anastasia Brien's birth story.

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