My name is Stephanie Ritchie, I am 30 years old and this is my birth story:
'My first baby was due on January 20th, 2007. For most of the later stages of my pregnancy I had felt the baby constantly - it was very, very active. However on Saturday 13th January everything was unusually quiet.
My mum was my midwife and I went up to the local maternity hospital for a check-up. The heartbeat could be heard and everything was fine which was a relief.
On the Sunday I had quite a lot of strong twinges, but busied myself with preparing for my husband's belated 30th birthday party that afternoon. He has just returned a few days previously from working in Oman.
During the party I often had to stop and catch my breath, but I didn't tell anyone as I thought it was too early for any activity! I didn't sleep much that night as the pains in my stomach were becoming stronger.
On Monday morning I was up early and went to my stable to muck out my horse. I had to stop a few times and hold onto the stable door!
Once I was all washed, I went up to the maternity to see my mum and she examined me and said I was around 1cm dilated. I was really excited about the prospect of my baby coming sooner rather than later. I went home and rested on the sofa with my tens machine.
At tea time, the pain was becoming unbearable so my mum (having just finished her shift) took my husband Martin and I back up to the hospital and I went straight into the bath. It was an old fashioned sunken one with a seat to sit on.
I found it so relaxing that I stayed there for a couple of hours. I had a pain-relieving injection and rested on the bed in my room at the hospital for an hour before going into the labour ward at around 9.45pm.
It felt like I only had to push a couple of times and my baby girl was born at 10.25pm weighing 7lbs 6oz.
In the labour ward encouraging me was my husband and also my twin sister Sarah. My mum Linda delivered our baby and she was assisted by another midwife, Anna whom I've known since I was a little girl.
We named our little girl Claudia Luna. I was so pleased that my mum had delivered our baby. She had looked after me throughout my pregnancy and was so calm and encouraging whilst I was in labour. She is a mum in a million!'
