My pregnancy

I was in my 30s when I had my first boyfriend and we married when I was 37. I became pregnant a few months on. Of course, I knew about 'risk' of Down Syndrome at that age and I thought I knew what it was (Trisomy 21, right?) and what will be the problems (50% chance congenital heart defects, etc). I did not go for screening as I knew I will not opt for termination anyway. So after 10 months, Hannah was born, no Down Syndrome.

When I found out that I was pregnant in 2008 Christmas, I just opted out of screening as before. It was a little bit complicated but generally uneventful until I was 35 weeks when the midwife was a bit worried as my fundal height (the size of my bump) wasn't growing. She referred me to the hospital where they found that there wasn't much water around. So they monitored for a couple of weeks and one day they found that the oxygen level in the umbilical cord was low so I went for Caesarean section and Sean was born. In many ways, it was like a pretty normal 'urgent' Caesarean section. I had a spinal and my husband Simon was there by my side. The baby was delivered. I heard him crying and screaming. Everyone congratulated me, saying how much he looked like me.

We went back to the ward, elated. I felt that he was a bit floppy but I put it down to him being born three weeks early. He had some problems maintaining his sugar level and temperature so he was taken to the neonatal unit. I had to expressed milk for him and the next morning I was mobile enough to see him.