Meet Natalie Martinez, Gabriella and Sophie... and find out how learning to breathe made a huge difference to her second delivery.

I have participated in Fit Mama Classes during both of my pregnancies.   My first labour was a fairly quick labour for a first time, and I managed to sit a lot of it out at home with my exercise ball and following other tips that we had been given. However, I think I assumed that the breathing and pushing would come naturally and didn't really take it all in.   So I had a 2 hour pushing stage with my first daughter, Gabriela, and they were just talking about forceps or ventouse when she finally arrived.

I just didn't do it right so this time around, with Sofia, I hung on to Marie's every word when she discussed breathing and pushing, I really studied it, and I am so glad that I did!  My labour was about 5 hours and when I felt ready to push, I was really scared that it would be the same as last time - however, 4 minutes later little Sofia arrived! And no stitches either, it has all made such a difference to how I felt in the days following the birth.

I was so proud of myself and I am so thankful to Marie for all her tips. I have also made some very good friends from both my first and second pregnancies through the classes, we have so much in common having similar age babies and meet up on a regular basis and now that Gabriela is a little older it is lovely to see her playing with the children whose mummies I shared my first pregnancy with.