Fareham couple, Dan and Sarah, met through dancing – at a jive class where Dan was coaching. A year later they moved in together and in 2007 they got married. “After having been married for a couple of years we decided to start a family.” Says Sarah. “We both felt it was what we wanted, and were ready for. We were pleased when I found out I was pregnant, and pleasantly surprised, because it happened so soon after we'd started trying for a baby.”

Sarah sailed through her pregnancy with no complications, aside from the usual morning sickness. “I think that whoever coined the term 'morning sickness' must have been a man, though, because I had it all day! It lasted for the first couple of months, and after that I was fine – apart from heartburn and feeling like a life-sized weeble!”

Dan and Sarah decided not to find out the sex of their baby. “We wanted to retain the element of surprise – though everybody we knew was convinced I was going to have a boy.”

Everyone also told Sarah that first babies are always late – something she disproved by going into labour a week early. “I sat through my last antenatal class attached to a tens machine. My contractions had started the night before, but I hadn't been sure whether they were practice ones or not, and didn't want to start an unnecessary panic. I hadn't had any kind of show and my waters hadn't broken, so I wasn't sure what was actually happening. As it was, the midwife at the antenatal class said that practice ones shouldn't hurt as much as mine were, examined me, and suggested getting to the hospital. She was right!”

“The birth didn't go without a few complications, but having the support of Dan and all the midwives certainly helped.” Sarah progressed from gas and air to an epidural, when, after 12 hours, the pain became too much. However, things started to get really tricky when Tess moved into a spine-to-spine position. “Despite being fully dilated, any attempts at pushing proved fruitless. I couldn't believe it when I was told they needed to take me into theatre, but I was keen for the ordeal to be brought to an end so was happy for the doctors to do whatever was best for me and the baby.”

“Dan was visibly distressed and worried at what was happening, but the midwives did what they could to reassure him. We soon discovered there was no hope of ventouse or forceps working either, because Tess had tilted her head backwards, and I was told I would have to have a caesarean.”

“The surgeon whipped her out of me in about five minutes – she was apparently fine throughout everything, and experienced no distress, which was very good to hear.”

Dan and Sarah were told that they had a baby daughter and Dan was able to cut the cord. “It was the only thing on my birthing plan the went as it should have! Dan then brought Tess over to me because I wasn't able to hold her, and I looked over at her while I was being sewn up. I felt so happy and relieved that she was okay, after everything we'd gone through. Dan was smiling and we even agreed to a photo in our scrubs!”

The proud parents were delighted to get their new baby home. “We felt like a proper little family – we were where we wanted to be, and we felt so happy.” Though, despite this, Sarah still found the first weeks of motherhood hard going. “I struggled emotionally at first, frequently worrying and bursting into tears, and just feeling very down in general. I put it all down to my hormones and chronic lack of energy. We were finally finding out all the things that the books and the classes can't prepare you for, and everything was upside-down for a while, but we had lots of help from family, for which we were extremely thankful. Being a new parent is so hard, but so rewarding in the end.”

“Now we’re happier than ever. I've recovered enough from the c-section to be able to do everything I did before, Dan has come into his own as a dad and absolutely loves it. Tess is a beautiful and extremely contented baby, and we would do it all again tomorrow.”