Does anyone else find going into hospitals daunting? Whether you’re going to visit a friend or relative or you’re going in for yourself, walking through the doors my stomach always sinks and an anxious feeling comes over me. Well, this time it was even worse, I had spent the best part of 9 months preparing for this and no matter how much I told myself I would be fine, I still got that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

We were quite lucky in that Clare had a relatively quick labour. The whole process was fairly speedy taking a total of about 7 hours from going into labour to arrival. This helps with the nerves slightly as you have less time to think about things and worry because everything seemed to happen so quickly for us.

Although there were some minor complications along the way and the birth didn’t pass without a little bit of help from the mid-wife and her team. For which we couldn’t thank them enough. I think the job that they do is a little understated and whilst at the time you think they are being slightly abrupt and rude with you, you have to remember that as the father you are not the primary concern, it’s the mother and baby that matter.

When we initially arrived at the hospital we thought we would just get checked out and sent home as Clare didn’t feel like she was in labour but after being examined and then set up in a room on the maternity ward we knew that we were in the home straight as far as it being just the two of us. Soon enough we would have a new addition to the family.

This had to be one of the most exciting and nerve racking days of my life. It is hard to describe the emotions that I went through during the day but I think I covered most of them, from nervous to excited, sad to happy, scared to relief. They were all there throughout the day in hospital from the moment we arrived to the time I finally left in the evening, the proverbial roller coaster.

So, after a slow start to the labour and after a little nudge from the mid-wife who had to break Clare’s waters, Isabelle finally arrived at 5.53pm weighing 7lbs 3oz. The day had been a draining one both physically and emotionally and that was just how I was feeling, I don’t think I’ll ever understand the emotions that Clare went through during the day.

Without a doubt though the overriding emotion of the day was that of joy, the moment that I saw my baby daughter every other thought and feeling left me. All the panic and nerves dissolved and I was stood there holding my little girl, I couldn’t believe that we had produced something so small and fragile.

I just stood holding her and staring at her for what seemed like an eternity before I was snapped out of it by the mid-wife who needed to take her off me to do some more checks. I couldn’t have been happier.

Eventually Clare and Isabelle got moved onto the maternity ward and I left the hospital for the evening. It was a strange feeling walking out of the hospital on my own to go back home for what would be my last night alone before I brought my daughter home.