Sarah Johns tells the birth story of her first grandchild Rhianna: 'From a gran's perspective I would love to share my amazing birth story of my grand-daughter, Rhianna.
Rhianna was 2 weeks overdue. My daughter Chloe, aged 18, had a membrane sweep 3 days before delivery on Tuesday.
Ironically, the midwife told her that she thought once she got going the baby would just pop out.
Her contractions started after lunch on Friday: 10 minutes apart. By early evening they were becoming stronger. By about 8pm they were every 5 minutes and she was in a great deal of pain.
To me she looked like she was in the throes of labour so naturally I was becoming rather worried.
Liam, Chloe's partner, phoned the midwife at the hospital, who advised that she be brought in. We live about 20 miles away from the hospital in a rural, isolated area.
They went about 9pm. I was so relieved because seeing my daughter in that amount of pain was unbearable for me. Oddly enough, I had a strange urge to wash the bathroom floor!
At about 11ish Liam phoned to say that Chloe was in a great deal of pain as her contractions were only 3 minutes apart. However, as she was only one and a half cm dilated, the midwife told her that as labour was not established she could go home or stay - but Liam would have to go. So naturally Chloe opted to come home.
Shortly after midnight they arrived home. Chloe was obviously in labour and very distressed. She looked absolutely washed out and I knew the baby would be here soon.
She wanted a hot bath but within 10minutes of her getting in, she had to get on the toilet as she said she wanted to push.
At that point I called the midwife on the ward who advised me to call an ambulance. Liam took over the phone call as she stayed on the line. I dialled 999 from a mobile, the operator also stayed on the line.
We laid towels on the floor and managed to get Chloe off the toilet whereupon she got on all fours, facing the bathroom door which was open. By this time it was about ten past 1.
I'd already alerted my son, but from the noise Chloe was making, he'd already guessed what was happening. He joined my husband outside, on probably the coldest night of the year, to direct the ambulance and midwife, while Liam and myself were doing our best to reassure Chloe.
At this point I was overcome with complete fear. However, the operator gave me lots of reassurance and instuctions, although as yet I could not see the baby's head. At about 1.40am the paramedics arrived.
Once they'd administered gas and air to Chloe she was a lot calmer and I felt less distressed. The atmosphere was so emotionally charged - knowing that any time now a baby is going to be born and hoping everything is going to be alright. It felt so unreal.
The midwife arrived at 2.05, just as she was crowning. After a great deal of pushing Rhianna was born at 2.30am, weighing 9lbs, with the family looking on.
Hearing her cry was the best thing ever. In fact, she was born with her eyes wide open and had a good look round at her audience, much to our amusement! A sense of euphoria filled our home.
Thankfully there were no problems so the midwife gave Chloe a bath and tucked her up into bed, and finally left us at 5am.
If I could pass on any advice to other grans-to-be, it would be: follow your instinct when needs be.
I kept out of the way and let them follow their birth plan but I wish in a way I'd interefered and spoken to the midwife before Chloe came home.
But then I wouldn't have seen my grand-daughter being born and I wouldn't have missed it for the world!'
