The arrival of Thomas Frank Llewellyn Donovan

Tuesday 28 February 2006
After struggling to sleep for some time, I finally managed to drift off only to be woken up at 3.20am with a pain in my tummy - oh no the contractions had started again!! I was quickly moved back to the labour ward and after examination it was decided that baby D was definitely on its way. Chris arrived at 6.30am (it took me several attempts to get them to call him, they obviously thought he needed to sleep!!). By 7.30am it was decided that baby D would benefit from an emergency c-section. Yikes large needles, knives and lots of BLOOD!! Thankfully not quite that bad although the interesting roller coaster feeling was quite unusual. At 8.21am, I looked at Chris and said, is that a baby crying? He turned to the nurse who said congratulations. We looked at each other before remembering to ask what it was? It's a boy came the reply. Thomas Frank Llewellyn Donovan had arrived!

Monday 27 February 2006
We arrived at St Peter's Hospital at 1.00am and spent the next 18 hours under hourly observations and thankfully the contractions stopped. By 7.00pm it was felt safe to move me to another room for the night in the maternity ward.

Sunday 26 February 2006
There we were just about to sit down for dinner with Dad, Katherine and my brother, Luke. I only stood up to pop to the loo - being pregnant you always need to make short trips before doing anything - when a puddle appeared on the kitchen floor!!

This can't be right I thought to myself. Dad looked at me and we both looked down at the floor. I then realised that this could be something a bit more serious. Within seconds, Chris was on the phone to Frimley Park Hospital and packing my bag.

We arrived at hospital at about 7.30pm and was soon in a delivery room receiving lots of attention as baby D was not due for another 12 weeks. The doctors and midwives were brilliant and really took control and decided that it would be better if they could delay baby D's arrival for at least 48 hours. This would enable them to pump some steroids into me which would help with the development of baby D's lungs giving him a better chance.

At this time they also told us that they did not have the facilities to deal with a baby should it be delivered this prematurely and were phoning around other hospitals to find a space for both of us.

After a few hours, my contractions had really slowed down and they found us a space at St Peter's Hospital which was really handy for us particularly as it had been known to send people as far as Oxford before now!! Laurel and Hardy ambulance drivers were on hand to transfer me, keeping my spirits up.