IT was Sunday, May 15 and I was 39 weeks and six days pregnant. The next morning I woke at 3.30am with pains and contractions – about eight minutes apart – and decided to ring the hospital at 4.30am to arrange going down (this was my second pregnancy, the first labour taking 26 hours.) My waters suddenly then broke and I informed my husband that I was having the baby now.

He phoned 999 to arrange an ambulance to take me to hospital, but the paramedics arrived (response car and then ambulance – three paramedics in total) and after being checked by them, I was informed I was crowning and there was no time for hospital.

The paramedics were wonderful and reassuring and it was a great support to have them there so fast.

At 5.35am on May 16 (the due date), my son was born on my bathroom floor weighing 8lb 3oz – the paramedics delivering him.

I would love to thank the paramedics for the wonderful help and the midwife who arrived also, and having a home birth was not in my plans, but all went very well and no trip to hospital needed.

LOUISE CLARK, Barns Road, Ferndown