ella Butler has given birth to both of her children at The Grange Maternity Centre, and it’s a place about which she feels passionate. “I just want to get across how brilliant the midwife team is at The Grange, and how important it is to keep it going for Hampshire mums.”
Together with husband Will, Bella runs the Smiley Rainbows nursery school in Alton. The couple have a two year old son, Rory, and were pleased when they discovered that Bella was pregnant with Eliza, although the timing could have been slightly better. “I was just about to begin my Early Years Professional Status course at the University of Portsmouth. I suffered from terrible morning, noon, and night sickness, I was working full time at the nursery, looking after 30 children, and doing the equivalent of a masters work-wise – it was exhausting!”
Bella admits that she had secretly hoped for another boy, but, of course, when the scan revealed that she and Will were expecting a daughter she changed her mind. “I soon came round to the world of pink – the clothes are far better!”
Bella was at her parents’ house in Empshott when she had her first contraction. “My father nearly had a heart attack when I told him what was happening, and he made my mum drive me home!”
Will and Bella rang The Grange, and Bella’s midwife told them to come in. “I arrived at 6.35pm and I was given a cup of tea and sent to the sitting room. The midwife told me to relax, and not to worry. By the end of Emmerdale, I was in terrible pain and by the end of Eastenders I was thinking that I was going to need more assistance than the birthing pool or gas and air.”
“I talked to the midwife and nurse about going to hospital. They both laughed at me and reminded me that I'd had one baby naturally in The Grange so I could definitely do it again.”
The staff at the Grange were well-placed to support Bella in this decision, because they both knew her from her first birth. “I had the same lovely nurse, Sarah, that I had with Rory, so she'd known me through both antenatal programmes and my first labour experience – I felt that I was in ridiculously safe hands. And I had met Sue, the midwife who was there, soon after giving birth to Rory and during my antenatal care.”
Sarah and Sue examined Bella again, and discovered that she had progressed more quickly than expected. “They filled the pool, and I got in and relaxed immediately. I don't remember much, because the contractions then came very quickly and heavily; however, I do remember Will and the midwife having a good conversation and me trying to join in with that. My waters broke at 10pm, and Eliza was born very shortly afterwards.”
Bella and Eliza were able to stay in The Grange for two nights, resting and recovering. “I was on my own there, so I had excellent care from all the staff. Everyone I met was so kind, patient and willing to chat, which was great because Will had to stay at home with Rory a lot of the time.”
As she runs her own business, Bella wasn’t able to take much time off work, but fortunately Eliza slotted right in to her mum’s busy life. “Within a week I’d taken her into the nursery to meet the children and staff – who immediately cuddled her lots and lots. Eliza is very relaxed, and lets me work from home, or at Smiley Rainbows when I need to. I really do believe that the chilled start to life she had in The Grange has started us on a good footing.”