She has two daughters, Holly (18) and Katie (15) and recently became a new mum to twins, Daniel and Joe. iVillager, Zofia Coulton (dino), who describes herself as an 'old hand' at giving birth, shares how pregnancy and birth have changed in 20 years

When I found out I was pregnant at the grand old age of 44, I thought there wasn't much new information to learn. I was an old hand, after all. I'd had two children in my twenties. Surely nothing had changed - or had it?

Well, some things hadn't. A pregnancy still lasted around nine months and morning sickness was an unpleasant part of the experience. But the advice given to pregnant ladies had definitely changed over the years.

Back in the 1980s, the midwife told me to eat lots of liver. 'It's full of iron and very good for you,' she said. Nobody was concerned about the possible harmful effects of vitamin B then or seemed aware that liver had high levels. The midwife also told me to drink beer for the same reason. In fact I was never told to steer clear of alcohol. These days most women give up alcohol completely, or at least limit their intake to the odd drink. In the 1980s, drinking just didn't seem to be an issue.

Things like salmonella and listeria were talked about, but they were not perceived as a danger to unborn babies, so I could eat soft-boiled eggs, seafood, soft cheese and pate to my heart's content. And I did.

Maybe my attitude was different in those days. I took my pregnancies very much for granted. They were simply events that happened to most women, so I didn't read around the subject that much.

I had many long, hot baths to help me relax. Now I know that very hot water can lead to a miscarriage. I even went skiing when I was six months pregnant - both times - with the full approval of my doctor too. I didn't go skiing this time. I'd already suffered a miscarriage and endured fertility problems, so I didn't want to take any risks. This pregnancy was far too precious.

This time around because of my age, my miscarriage, and the fact that I was expecting twins, I received special care. I had my first scan at six weeks, but I know that in some areas most women don't get a scan until around 20 weeks, as I did in my last two pregnancies. Back then the scanners weren't that good, I wasn't told the sex as it wasn't clear. In fact very few women knew the sex of their baby in advance.

Today we have Nuchal transluscency scans, though unfortunately they are not available on the NHS in all areas, to test for Down's Syndrome and other disorders. These are much more sophisticated than the test for amniocentesis, which was all that was available then.

However, in the 1980s I saw a midwife more regularly. My first appointment was booked almost as soon as I found out I was pregnant. Today, the first appointment does not generally take place until after 12 weeks.

When I had my babies in the 1980s protocol was a little different in the labour wards. I can't really compare the birth experiences too much as this time I had a C-section and my babies were in the special care unit, but it all seems much more hectic today. The midwives are too busy to spend much time with the mothers and babies and most mums are sent home the day after their baby is born. When I had my first baby I stayed in hospital for six days.

I feel that the main change in the last 20 years has been in the area of cot death prevention. The number of cot deaths has decreased dramatically since I had my first babies, largely due to the advice given these days. In the 1980s we were told to put new babies to sleep on their tummies or sides - never on their backs - as it was thought that babies could choke on any milk they bring up.

Back then, babies were to be put in their cots with their heads at the top of the cot. A baby's room was to be kept warm, at least 25 degrees. Today we are told to always put babies on their backs, never on their tummies, foot to foot in the cot (that means their feet are at the bottom of the cot) and the room temperature should be between 16 and 20 degrees. This is completely opposed to what I was advised in the 1980s.

In the 1980s mothers also started weaning at 12 weeks, and introduced cows milk at six months. Now it's 24 weeks and 12 months respectively. Oh, and soft boiled eggs were an ideal first food - I sometimes wonder how my children survived.

On a more personal note, having babies in my 40s has been a wonderful experience. I might not have the same energy as I had once, and my parents are elderly now and can't help as much as they did with my daughters. But I feel much more relaxed about parenting now. I'm more patient. I've gained rich, life experiences, I've two beautiful teenage daughters and I've learned about bringing up children from people around me.

Today, I'm happy to stay at home. I don't have a career to build up now and my partner, Martin, and I are financially secure. I see my babies as the most wonderful gift and I look forward to the future more than I ever thought I could.

Are you aged over 40 and hoping to have a baby? Why not take your questions and concerns to the