"A heartfelt thank you to wonderful Sophie"

This is probably the most heartfelt thank you I have ever written for the most amazing professional I have ever met. We couldn't have asked for someone more perfect to accompany me through the last part of my pregnancy than Sophie.

Being on my 3rd baby and an older mum, I felt under a lot of pressure from the consultant team to agree to induction at 39 weeks but felt strongly that I wanted to wait as my first baby was born at term +19 days and the second +14. I was really hoping for another natural, peaceful, hypnobirth in the water but ended up succumbing at 41 weeks and agreeing to induction which ended up in the snowball of different interventions that I had wanted to avoid.

A few days in and I agreed to the 'balloon' which was a thoroughly unpleasant procedure that I would never agree to again or recommend to anyone else. Determined to stick to my intentions of a drug free labour I pulled on every strength to tolerate its implantation and the subsequent hours of aggressive, unnatural labour. I was on my own through the worst part due to covid restrictions and can't see how I would have managed if Sophie hadn't turned up on her shift.

From the moment she accepted the invitation to sit on my bed and took the time to talk me through my options and reassure me of my own intentions, she made me feel listened to and comforted in probably one of the loneliest moments in my life. Without her there, I wouldn't have had confidence to continue to birth my baby without pain relief. She helped to minimise the fear that I had trained so hard with my Hypnobirthing preparation not to let enter into the last stage of my pregnancy.

I watched in awe as she facilitated, guided, supported and worked alongside the consultants, representing me in an assured, respectful and professional but caring manner. While still respecting, representing and validating my views, inventions and wishes, when she needed to persuade me to try something else or accept the next stage, she managed to deliver her expert opinion calmly, softly but firmly which reassured both Jon and I to trust her.

She has the most amazingly calm, peaceful and loving compassionate way of being with and speaking to people and we will never be able to thank her enough for helping me deliver our baby boy safely.

Wishing Sophie every success and happiness and sending our overwhelmingly heartfelt thanks.