Grace Ann Davter
Daughter of Claire and Matt Davter
Born on the 5th September 2011, in Watford,
Weighing 7lb 14½oz
t was a mixture of excitement and shock – I’d had it in my head that we would be trying for six months to a year, not three weeks!”
Shortly after meeting each other, five years ago, Hertfordshire couple, Claire and Matt Davter, had planned to have a family together one day. So they were surprised, but delighted, when Claire became pregnant as soon as they decided to start trying for a baby.
Claire and Matt decided not to find out the sex of their baby before the birth, but secretly Claire was longing for a daughter. “Matt wasn’t fussed either way, but deep down I was desperate for a little girl. We had our girl’s name from week two of the pregnancy, but we didn’t have a boy’s name until I was about seven months. When I showed Matt the pictures of the twelve week scan, the first thing he said was ‘it’s a girl!’”
Apart from some tiredness, Claire was lucky enough not to experience any of the less pleasant possible side effects of pregnancy. “I had no sickness at all, no real cravings, no skin outbreaks, nothing. I really relaxed into the pregnancy, I loved feeling the baby kick and I can still remember the first time I felt her move – I still miss that kicking sometimes, it was so reassuring.”
As a senior press officer for Mothercare, Claire was well placed to make sure that she had everything she needed for her new baby. “Grace was so late by the time she came that I felt totally ready, both emotionally and physically; though I left the nursery totally neutral so that I could indulge in pink or blue when the baby was born.”
As Grace was overdue, Claire went into hospital for an induction. “I was given a pessary, and then it was a long wait. I was very teary, and I did everything I could not to burst into tears when Matt had to leave in the evening.” By the following morning, Claire was 3cm dilated and was taken to the delivery room. “They broke my waters and then there was more waiting. Eventually, it was decided that I needed to have a drip to speed things up.” Claire was advised to have an epidural at the same time as the drip and, as it was a Sunday, had a further wait for the anaesthetist to become available. “Once the epidural was in and the drip was being given, things started to move. A few hours later I had the urge to push and when I was examined the doctor was shocked to see that I was 9cm. I was so excited, because I knew that soon we would have a baby!”
With some help from a ventouse, Grace was born shortly afterwards. “We were amazed, and relieved that she was crying. Also, we were filled with pure delight that she was a girl! She had a full head of hair and she was just beautiful.”
Claire is also full of praise for husband Matt’s role throughout the birth. “Matt was amazing. A few times during the labour Grace’s heartbeat dropped and I was so scared – but he was calm and reassuring, totally brilliant!”
A few days later Claire and Grace were welcomed home by Claire’s parents and brother, and the family had celebratory fish, chips and champagne before Claire, Matt and Grace’s precious first night together in their own house. “Matt and I just sat and stared at Grace for ages, feeling very emotional and incredibly lucky. I always knew I wanted to be a mum and, now I am, it truly is the best thing ever.”
