One Born Every Minute

This week two couples deal with long and difficult labours in very different ways. One dad shows how humour can lift the sprits, whilst the other prefers to deliver rousing pep talks. Julia (31) and her partner Dean (29) are expecting their first child. After meeting online they exchanged phone numbers and became Facebook friends. Dean says he thought Julia was “lush”, adding, “it was the attraction that got me, her legs.” Julia says for her the draw was Dean’s personality although he maintains that it was his Swindonian accent that “knocked her bandy.” When Julia unexpectedly fell pregnant six months later, Dean moved from Swindon to Southampton to be with her. Both knew the pregnancy was going to be challenging as Julia was born with a major heart defect, and had the first of many heart operations when she was just ten days old. Once told her heart could not cope with the stress of pregnancy, she is kept under close medical supervision. When her spirits begin to flag, Dean supplies a healthy dose of humour. “You’ve got to breathe” he says “I haven’t seen you do it once yet.” Also about to deliver are Donna (30) and Wayne (33) expecting baby number two. Donna is apprehensive, her last labour lasted for days, and she fears she might be in for a repeat experience. Wayne keeps her positive. As he drives to the hospital, he calls back cheerfully to his wife as she winces with contractions, “this is what we need to happen.”