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I’m sick of depressing pregnancy stories – where’s the joy?

In 10 weeks time, I have to eject a whole human from my body. I understand this is never a picnic, but this year, giving birth feels more fraught than ever. It hasn’t been a great year for the maternity experience. In May, the all-party parliamentary group’s birth trauma report was released, identifying damning concerns from patients, midwives and doctors about the NHS’s maternity units.

Stock image. Photo: Getty Images In 10 weeks time, I have to eject a whole human from my body. I understand this is never a picnic, but this year, giving birth feels more fraught than ever.

It hasn’t been a great year for the maternity experience. In May, the all-party parliamentary group’s birth trauma report was released, identifying damning concerns from patients, midwives and doctors about the NHS’s maternity units. Social media hasn’t helped either: Instagram and TikTok are fertile ground for horror stories about everything from emergency C-sections to unwelcome inductions, tearing, episiotomies and days-long labours – neatly packaged into 30-second nightmare scenarios and served up on expectant mothers’ feeds.

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