My birth plan was a simple one.

Water birth in my local hospital, nice relaxing music playing, my husband stroking my hair and as natural as possible. That was it! Straight forward, simple, perfect.

Unfortunately as I now know not everything goes to plan.

A week prior to my due date I was asked to go to my local hospital for a growth scan. I was measuring larger than average so my midwife thought it best to get everything checked properly.

I didn’t think much of it to be honest and I was secretly just excited to get another chance to see my little baba on the screen!

After the scan I was told that my baby could weigh anywhere between 8lbs and 12lbs (!) Now, I don’t know about you but I remember thinking ‘That’s a pretty big difference?!?!’

There and then I was offered a planned cesarean for a weeks time. But, that’s not part of my plan? I’ve been dreaming about this day for nine months! I want the birthing pool with the relaxing music, the hair stroking and the natural birth! No thank you I said, I’ll give the natural route a shot. I mean there’s no way I’ll have a 12lb baby!!…….

One week later at 8pm I went in to the hospital to be induced.

Beyond excited I didn’t get much sleep.

Unfortunately due to me being induced and measuring larger than average I needed to be monitored during labour so I couldn’t use the birthing pool, phase one of my perfect plan was out the window.

It was ok though, l could still get my hair stroked, the music was playing and I was doing it naturally! Thumbs up to me!

Fast forward eighteen long hours.

Two cannula diamorphine drips, three or so ‘sweeps’ (ouch!), copious amounts of gas and air, waters manually broken, a lot of ball bouncing, zero hair stroking as I refused to be touched and an irritating repeating relaxing cd later I was only 5cm dilated.

The doctors arrived for one last check up and told me it wasn’t going as they’d planned and I needed to have an emergency cesarean section.

I felt so defeated by this point that I was more than happy to agree.

My birthing plan was now in the bin.

My baby needs to come out safe and that’s all that matters!

By this point I was exhausted. The nerves started kicking in big time. I’ve never had any kind of surgery before, I’ve never even broken a bone, in fact it was my first ever stay in a hospital! I was terrified!

Still contracting the nurses administered the injection to numb my bottom half. It must have been pretty tricky for them but they didn’t waver.

The doctors and nurses were fantastic, I can’t ever thank them enough for making me feel so safe at such a scary time.

I honestly don’t remember how long we were in there for. It felt like seconds but I’m assuming it was longer.

‘Mr and Mrs Ramsey here’s your baby! Wow! It’s a big one!!’

These are the first words we heard, all the doctors and nurses were amazed.

‘What is it??’ We said.

‘It’s a boy! A BIG boy!’

Our ‘little’ Robin weighed 10lbs 11ozs. Huge and healthy. Perfect.

I may not have had my ‘planned’ birth but my baby arrived safe and sound and that’s all that matters.

Even if he was a little on the chunky side. ;)