The entire process of labour and birth went very smoothly and, except the obvious pain for Elaine, was a thrilling experience. The first sign that Poppy was beginning her journey was Saturday, the 22nd, her due date. We had walked to the National Portrait Gallery at Trafalgar Square, about four miles though with lots of rests along the way but not bad for someone due that day! When we got home (by bus :-) Elaine had her show. There was more show on Sunday and Monday and then at 1500 that day Elaine's waters broke, just a small, warm dribble. We went to the hospital where Elaine had an internal examination and blood tests and everything was fine, but, we had just 48 hours to go into labour naturally as the ruptured membranes can allow the ingress of infection and we were booked in to be induced at midday on Wednesday.

During Monday night Elaine had much stronger 'Braxton-Hicks' contractions, like the contractions that are felt regularly through the last few months of pregnancy but more intense. These died away by breakfast time on Tuesday and after lunch we went for another walk. This time the contractions really began and every ten or twenty minutes we would have to step to the side of the pavement as the now overwhelming squeeze passed. By dinnertime the contractions had become quite regular and we were definitely into the stage the books call 'pre-labour'. We watched a DVD, 'American Beauty' to pass the time, a good choice as we have seen it twice before so it mattered not that we missed three or four minutes every ten to fifteen minutes.

By 0030 on Wednesday morning Elaine was having three or four contractions every ten minutes so we were now in 'Labour', a really exciting feeling as we knew that 'it' was on it's way!! We called the hospital who told us to wait until Elaine had been in labour for two hours before calling back to check in and get a taxi. This we did and at 0230 we left the boat. 100m away is a huge Hotel with a taxi rank. It took three contractions to get there, we waited in the cockpit with all our bags on the pontoon until Elaine had just had a contraction and then made our exit. We had the first at the end of our finger pontoon. The second came 50m further, outside a Starbucks coffee shop, and the third came just outside the Hotel. I had already been round to warn the concierge that Elaine would be on her way and he was excited to be involved. As we entered the foyer he called into an ante-room, "Who would like to take a pregnant lady to St Thomas Hospital" and two drivers 'ran' forward!! The first to arrive, a young Philippino, got our business and he was brilliant. With or without the new Congestion Charge the roads are empty at 0245 and we had a smooth journey to the hospital.

The waddle-contraction-waddle began again and by 0300 we had made it up to the seventh floor and were given a Suite. Our midwife read Elaine's 'birth-plan' and commenced an internal examination, pronouncing her 4.5cm dilated and would you like to enter the birthing pool now to help with pain relief. "Yes please" replied Elaine and ten minutes later Elaine settled down into a glorified Jacuzzi. The water bath made an immediate difference. Although the contractions were just as unpleasant, in between you could see Elaine relax completely and let the water take the strain. On the boat Elaine had found it hard to relax and rest properly between contractions, despite trying every position in the book, it was difficult to find comfort.

The room we were in was painted blue and the only lighting was underwater, a very soothing atmosphere. The water was body temperature and was draining and refilling constantly to flush away the blood and mucus. We were given a jug of melting ice and I would soak a 'Jumbo-Size' sanitary towel and place it across Elaine's forehead. When each contraction came I could spray her belly with a shower-head so that the drumming of hot water droplets would distract a little from the pain while reaching in to rub her lower back. After a couple of hours the midwife offered 'Entonox' a mixture of Nitrous Oxide 50% and Oxygen 50% to help with the pain and for the next hour this made a big difference but Elaine got quite spaced out!!!! This took us up to 0600 when Elaine started to feel spontaneous 'Pushy' contractions. The midwife explained that we had to stop using the 'Entonox' now because she needed full concentration. Now things started to get really amazing. Quite soon I could see bulging with each push and finally a little segment of head slowly became half a head and then a final push wriggled Poppy out and the Midwife flipped her onto Elaine's tummy where she started to bleat softly. Wow.

The third stage, delivering the placenta, took longer than expected at 45minutes and Elaine lost 550ml of blood, nothing to worry about.

Now came the only bad experience which is all but forgotten already. When the midwifes examined Elaine they thought her tear too bad to repair without doctors and she endured two hours of examination and stitching. Elaine became very distressed by the cold bedside manner of the doctors discussing her vital bits in the manner of a butcher offering you a fillet or a rump. Meanwhile I had Poppy on my own for two hours with very little information - because the Midwifes knew little themselves. Over these two hours Poppy became a little restless and then started to cry, maybe because I too was anxious. At 1100 when Elaine returned I witnessed a beautiful scene, as Elaine entered the Suite and started to speak Poppy relaxed and went to sleep at the sound of her mother's voice.

Our new life as a family began. The Midwifes were lovely, helpful and supportive, the food was superb, the view - across the Thames to Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster - was inspiring. We had a double bed in the corner of the room so I could stay overnight too and we had a very relaxed Thursday morning with lots of help before setting off for home at 1430.