I WANTED to comment on a story that I read in the paper to back up the fact that a maternity unit in the Forest of Dean would be a great idea.

I read that a mother had given birth on the main road to Gloucester and another had given birth very quickly at home and – even though she had planned to have a home birth – the fact that she would have to travel to Gloucester having already had two quick labours had made her decision to have a home birth an easy one.

I gave birth to my son on December 26 2011 at my parents' house on their bed with a fast response paramedic as I went in to labour at 4.25am and gave birth at 5.25am.

It was impossible to even contemplate going to the hospital which I had planned to do as I really didn't want a home birth. So as you can see if there was some kind of maternity unit in the Forest I would have probably made it there. It was a daunting thought travelling all the way to Gloucester after having just given birth if things had gone wrong.

Natalie Porter

Via email