Welcome to my Wonderful Women series featuring (yup you've guessed it) a whole lot of wonderful women. This week I'm speaking to Rebecca Schiller who is a writer, campaigner and occasional doula whose work centres around women's rights in childbirth.
She's CEO of the high-profile human rights in childbirth charity Birthrights, writes freelance for The Guardian, The Pool and others and her latest book Why Human Rights in Childbirth Matter was published in September.
Over the last few weeks, several women have asked me what it's like to have kids- and I feel I have a duty to them- and to you guys- to be honest that while raising kids can be blooming life-affirming and wondrous, it can also be incredibly tough: mentally and physically.
Pregnancy - and especially your first pregnancy - can be a daunting experience. As a self-certified hypochondriac, even the smallest ailment is enough to to send my worry-levels into overdrive, so as you can imagine, when 'with bump' this was a million times worse.
On the same day that the nation celebrates one special birth, Pampers partners with award winning director to celebrate #everybaby.
Pampers know that every beautiful baby is a prince of princess to their parents, and with 2,000 babies born every day in the UK, each deserve the same joyous celebrations to mark their birthday!
On Saturday, my eldest son, my floppy haired, bright eyed Oliver turned 5. I actually can't believe I'm typing this out-5, it sounds so, well grown up.
If there wasn't enough anxiety-filled pressure when you're pregnant (big bump, little bump, too much weight, not enough) once you pop that baby out or have him airlifted as I did twice, first an emergency, second an elective (the latter a whole other set of pressures, of which I ignored wholeheartedly) you are quickly, at least with first baby anointed with parenting pressures.
My darling little man is 4 today ( I know what you're thinking/! I look too young right?! Why thank you) Ha! But seriously now 4? 4 feels insanely grown up for a tiny little baby I had in arms, well, 4 short years ago.
I can still refer to him as my baby right? My little darling Alexander is 1 today (Happy 1st birthday baby Alexander-I'm still calling him baby!) and I really can't believe it. I feel a little emotional and might have had a little cry. It actually feels like yesterday I brought him home from hospital, all thick black hair and chubby cheeks.
Now that Alexander has turned 6 months old, I've started reflecting on my pregnancy with him..it seems so far away now and aside from missing my bump some days, what I really miss is my purpose of 'Head Foetus Grower and Protector'.
Women have C-sections for all kinds of reasons, be it emergencies or electives to help ensure mother and baby are safe as well as for example if a women feared birth greatly. We are lucky that in the UK we now have the choice to request a section. It is our right.
Baby Alexander was born on the 20th of September at 10.52am, weighing 8lbs 2. We are all truly besotted with our little man, especially big brother Oliver who utterly adores him. There are some very sweet pictures of the boys together on my FB Honest Mum page.
Now that I'm 31 weeks along, I've started to think more about the inevitable birth. I can't wait to meet my little newborn boy and dug out a few pictures of toddler Oliver's first few days with us to reminisce/prepare/freak out!
