Charlie wasn't supposed to make his entrance into the world until February 2013 but he had other ideas.

Just before Christmas day Carrie began to get pains across her stomach, we all thought it may be Braxton Hicks. On Christmas Day Carrie joined us for dinner and she said that the pains were definitely becoming more regular and more painful. Carrie made a couple of visits to the maternity assessment unit at St James Hospital and was eventually transferred to the LGI as they had an intensive care cot available for Charlie. On the 28th December things had settled down a little and  the staff were getting Carrie ready to be discharged home. They decided to give Carrie one last check and found that baby had other ideas, she was dilated to 8 cm.

I remember getting the phone call to say she was 8 cm and being moved to the delivery suite. I have never driven so fast along the motorway. We were living out at Oxenhope and my only thought was that I needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible. The drive seemed to take forever, and along the way I think I went through every emotion anyone could feel. Luckily there wasn't much traffic on the road.

Throughout the pregnancy I think we all put the birth to the back of our minds, I know I did, as facing the birth meant facing the fact that Charlie may not survive. Whilst he was safe inside Carrie I could almost allow myself to get excited about becoming a nanna again. Now driving along I began to cry a little and wondered if I would be strong enough to help Carrie through this. As soon as I arrived at the hospital I knew I could, If Carrie could go through all this and be so strong then I had to as well. Me and Carries mum, Sam, were to be the birth partners and I think we both helped each other through it as well as Carrie. Surprisingly the room was not filled with sad faces or tears, we all smiled and had little jokes. I think this was our way of getting through it and making it as positive an experience as was possible for Carrie.