Elly and I have been best friends since birth and we grew up together in Nottingham, living our earliest years on the same street in Hyson Green. Our Mums have been close friends and we would all spend lots of time together. We both went to university but stayed in contact over the years. I trained as a Primary School Teacher and Elly went to train as a Midwife. We used to play fun games where we would pretend to be teachers and look after babies and children, so we were always destined for the careers we are in now.

When I received a positive pregnancy test, I immediately thought of Elly. I reached out to her and she immediately got back to me and gave me lots of fantastic advice to support me with the early symptoms of pregnancy, such as morning sickness. She also kept in contact with me during my pregnancy to see how I was getting on. Towards the end of my pregnancy, Elly went the extra mile and provided me with websites full of videos of amazing and natural births to help prepare me for what was to come. She would bring me things she knew would help me prepare for the birth, such as aromatherapy diffusers, sprays, books, and other reading resources, and she was always on the end of the phone when I needed her.

Prior to the birth, Elly and I discussed her being my midwife. We weighed the pros and cons and I ultimately decided that I wanted her to be the one to deliver my baby. She contacted her managers and the relevant people and set it up so she could be my midwife. On the day of the birth, I went over to Elly for moral support and she stayed with me the whole day. She walked me back to my house so I was comfortable and provided me with drinks and food when I needed it. She helped me and my partner stay calm and talked us through everything that was happening and provided us with so much reassurance. She took us to the hospital and made all the relevant calls just so they knew we were coming.

Once at the hospital, Elly switched into midwife mode; listening to me and gently talking me through everything. I wanted a pool birth and she provided me with this. When things began to get closer to the birth, she sat with me and talked me through the contractions. She examined me and noticed that the baby was breech, so she gently called in the doctors and she made sure I knew what my options were. With her support, I was able to go ahead with the decision for a vaginal birth rather than a C-section, which was offered on several occasions. During the pushing stage, she verbally supported me and my partner, even when things went from calm to scary. Baby H came into the world and it was the most amazing experience to have my best friend hand me my baby and smile at me. She not only supported me and my partner in the first few hours with H, whilst we were both in such shock, but she even brought us home and made sure we were settled in and felt okay.

Elly was such a calming figure during this period. Without Elly, I feel the birth would have ended in a C-section, which I wanted to avoid. She provided me with the birth I wanted and made a terrifying experience magical. She empowered me to do things naturally and she not only supported me, but my partner too, all the way from the birth until now.

Elly’s care did not stop there. Since my H's birth, Elly has come to visit every day. After her long shifts, she would come to provide us with breakfast, moral support, and answered our mountain of daily questions about breastfeeding and early baby care. I feel so privileged to have not only had my best friend with me during this experience, but I can now see the importance of a midwife’s work during birth and how their care can heavily impact the outcomes of birth. I just wanted to tell the world how amazing midwives are, especially Elly. I want to thank Nottingham City Hospital for letting me give birth the way I wanted and giving me the chance to do it my way. Thank you so much for everything.