Baby Leo tips scales at 12lb 4oz!

Leo was born by natural delivery to Davinia and James Swanston, both 37, on September 28.

The couple, of Greens Norton, had been ‘on radar’ since the 28th week of pregnancy after it was confirmed the baby was measuring large for gestational age. They were sent for regular growth scans to investigate further and the baby was predicted to weigh 8lbs 3oz at eight months.

Their eldest child, Noah, was 9lb 4oz at birth.

Davinia has always believed in her body’s natural ability to birth and attended an antenatal hypnobirthing course with Emma-Jane Cunningham of Beautiful Beginning, based in Bugbrooke, to support her further.

She said: “The Wise Hippo Birthing Programme taught me to feel calm, confident and in control no matter what direction my birth went.”

It was suggested that they should be induced close to their estimated due date considering the baby’s predicted size.

They declined the original induction to give him the chance to come on his own.

Having been induced with their first, Davinia desperately wanted to experience a natural labour.

They were eight days overdue when they finally consented to the induction.

The couple said they received amazing care every step of the way.

Davinia always maintained that her body would not grow a baby she couldn’t birth, so even in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary she never thought she couldn’t do it. She said: “I slept through most of the labour thanks to the hypnobirthing and the skills Emma-Jane taught me.

“I used paracetamol and gas and air as pain relief.”

Leo’s birth is extra special for Davinia, as he arrived on her late mother’s birthday. She died when Davinia was 25 weeks pregnant with their first born.