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• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 04 >> Some pregnancy books set unrealistic expectations about the perfect natural birth. Women who need medical help should not feel they have failed.

Normal pregnancy. Breech presentation resolved through successful ECV. Induction at 42 weeks. Forceps delivery. Difficulty with breastfeeding. Importance of managing expectations of pregnancy and birth realistically.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 37-39 >> Interview 02 >> Ideally she wants to be able to move around during labour, but her birth plan is only a guide. The baby's health is the most important thing.

Normal first pregnancy. Additional scanning and care in specialist unit because of previous splenectomy. Mother has higher susceptibility to illness and infection.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 34-36 >> Interview 16 >> Giving birth was an awe-inspiring and emotional moment. She felt privileged to experience it.

Experienced recurrent miscarriage before entering an egg share IVF scheme. IVF was successful after one cycle and pregnancy was excellent. Vaginal birth.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 20 >> She was unsure whether to make a birth plan and would have liked more discussion with her community midwife. The hospital midwives listened to her wis

Single mother. First pregnancy miscarried. Second pregnancy was normal and straightforward. She planned to have a natural birth, but after a long labour chose to have a caesarean.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 24 >> Women in her family have long pregnancies. She was pleased there was no pressure to have an induction.

Became pregnant in a another country where care philosophy was very interventionist. Returned to UK at 7 months and had a successful home birth with an independent midwife.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 55 >> With her second baby she employed a doula. She went into labour spontaneously 15 days after her due date and the birth went well.

Persuaded to have induction in first pregnancy; felt unsupported by staff. Labour was long and painful. Second birth, refused induction, insisted on additional checks instead. A better experience, with a doula (birthing attendant). More of this interview can be seen on the DIPEX antenatal screening site as Interview 02.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 33 >> She needed to avoid getting too exhausted in labour in case it triggered an epileptic seizure. She knew she wanted an epidural.

Mother who has epilepsy, cared for during her first pregnancy by a Special Pregnancy Unit. Developed pre-eclampsia and had induction with epidural at 37 weeks.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 20 >> She was so exhausted she wanted an emergency caesarean, but wondered if labour might have been easier if she had stayed at home longer. (Read by an ac

Single mother. First pregnancy miscarried. Second pregnancy was normal and straightforward. She planned to have a natural birth, but after a long labour chose to have a caesarean.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 01 >> She did not know that having an elective caesarean might affect her milk coming in, but she was happy to change to bottle feeding (including some expr

Normal pregnancy apart from episode of severe pain (suspected ectopic) and high blood sugar. Caesarean birth. Was not able to breastfeed. Recovery from caesarean took longer than expected.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 37-39 >> Interview 06 >> The decision to have an emergency caesarean happened very quickly when the baby became distressed. She felt it was the right decision.

First pregnancy through ICSI IVF. Experienced hyper ovarian stimulation. Induced at 42 weeks with birth by emergency section. Second pregnancy occurred naturally 7 months after birth of first child.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 40 + >> Interview 09 >> After an emergency caesarean first time, she wants to try a vaginal birth next time.

First pregnancy normal, emergency caesarean after long labour. Next two pregnancies ended in early miscarriage. Now pregnant again and planning vaginal birth. (Interviewed again after vaginal birth).

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 24 >> Relaxing in a birthing pool helped her rest during labour, but she wanted to get out for the pushing stage.

Became pregnant in a another country where care philosophy was very interventionist. Returned to UK at 7 months and had a successful home birth with an independent midwife.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 22 >> Before the birth she worried about pain and the possible side effects from an epidural, but needed no pain relief on the day.

Unplanned pregnancy at age 15. Pregnancy normal. Part of placenta retained after birth resulting in heavy bleeding. Coping well with motherhood.