Like the baby this post is later than planned.
My partner Sally gave birth to our fourth child, Elsa, at
4.33 on 6th May this year.
As ever the Midwives of Portsmouth excelled themselves with their level of care and understanding. They dealt with Sally and me with care, understanding and respect for our wishes. Sally had very specific ideas for the birth and had birth plans for pretty much any eventuality, from the preferred home birth all the way through to an emergency caesarean section.
As with the previous births we have not been straightforward or ordinary in our approach, but after some initial eyebrow raising, and a bit of pushing and talking to the right people on our part, our ideas were honoured and respected.
99% of the people we dealt with were behind us 100%.
Thumbs
up for that!Labour was all over the place during the weekend, with contractions coming and going at random intervals and intensities and, with three other children around, ridiculously exhausting. The decision was made by Sally that she couldn’t continue. She was physically and mentally drained and felt she needed a caesarean section.
We contacted the midwives who immediately agreed for her to go in to Queen Alexandra Hospital.
We dropped our other children off at their grandmother’s house and went on to the hospital.
We found she was in a queue for surgery and had several hours to wait before the doctors could get to her. During this time she was in the care of Lisa and (I think) Merida. They respectfully did their job, not getting in the way or bothering us unnecessarily.
Finally the anaesthetist arrived to discuss the operation with Sally. Our daughter decided this was the moment she would begin to put in some serious effort into being born naturally.
The next hour was the most amazing feat of human endurance I have ever witnessed. With gentle but firm coaching to my exhausted partner from Lisa and Merida Sally delivered Elsa safely and naturally, to much joy in the room.
A big thumbs up to Lisa and Merida for their amazing care
and incredible professionalism.
to Lisa and Merida for their amazing care
and incredible professionalism. 
Elsa was welcomed home by her brother Seth and her sisters Freya and Astrid.
With the cutbacks on staff and resources within the NHS this is a valuable reminder of the kindness, compassion and humanity of the staff who have contact everyday with the people they signed up to help.
~~~~
Also, Everdayfolk would like to make an apology; this post is even later than Kevin intended due to a "hiccup" our end.
Kevin Bampton - Portsmouth
@Hoodedman_art
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