A football fan almost missed the birth of his first child - because he wanted to make sure he got tickets to see his team in the FA Cup.

Vince Reeves, 32, a Southampton fan, was queuing up with his wife Rebecca, 26, to get tickets for the clash with Portsmouth.

But when his missis went into labour he got a mate to take her home - while he stayed in line to collect the tickets.

Rebecca's waters broke 90 minutes later while she was in the bath, but Vince stayed in the queue as he was only 50 places from the front.

Fortunately he managed to get the tickets and make it to his wife's side before she actually gave birth.

Even more fortunately, his wife appears to have been very understanding about the whole episode.

A mum from Merseyside gave birth to a baby girl while she was stuck in a blizzard on a motorway.

Maria and Kevin Hollis were on the M53 on their way to the Arrowe Park hospital in the Wirral when the traffic ground to a halt.

Snow and ice meant their car was stranded and Kevin had no option but to deliver the baby himself.

He spent 50 minutes on the phone to an ambulance operator who gave him guidance.

Kevin, a fireman, told the Liverpool Echo: "We were stuck fast in the car and Maria was saying how she felt like she needed to push.

"I pulled over on the roundabout. My wife got out in a lot of pain. I put Maria in the back, lay her down flat and propped her head up.

"Everybody was sat in their cars wondering what was going on as she started pushing and the birth started."

A woman from Cornwall has put the rest of us to shame by cooking Christmas dinner, nipping off to have a baby, and then coming back an hour later to serve the meal.

Paula Thomas, 29, started having contractions on Christmas Day but carried on basting the turkey and preparing the vegetables.

When the baby started getting imminent, she popped off to the hospital, gave birth to her daughter Lexi and then came back an hour later to serve up lunch for eight.

The baby was Paula's fourth so she clearly takes it all in her stride.

She told the Express that the birth went so smoothly she thought she might as well go home and enjoy her Christmas meal.

"I really wanted my Christmas dinner – I was starving," she said.

A woman died during childbirth on Christmas Eve and her baby was born lifeless - but then both were revived.

It's been dubbed a Christmas miracle after the amazing recovery of the pair in Colorado Springs, USA.

Tracy Hermanstorfer stopped breathing while she was giving birth and after minutes passed with no sign of life doctors decided to deliver her baby by Caesarean section.

But the baby was lifeless too and it was thought mother and baby were both dead.

However as medical staff managed to revive the baby boy, his mother incredibly started breathing again.

Doctors say she had no heartbeat for about four minutes.

Tracy and her husband Mike say the "hand of God" was at work.

You can see the couple tell their amazing story here.

Pregnant women who have low levels of the hormone thyroxine are more likely to have a difficult birth, experts say.

Low levels of the hormone have already been linked to miscarriage, premature birth and pre-eclampsia.

But now scientists say even "low to normal" levels of the hormone, which is made by the thyroid gland in the neck, can cause problems.

Babies are more likely to be positioned wrongly, facing the wrong way, back to back with the mother.

These labours are usually longer and more difficult and more likely to need forceps, ventouse or a Caesarean.

Researchers say there should be a routine test for the hormone problem as it is so common, affecting about one in 10 pregnancies.

An epidural is a very effective form of pain relief that involves injecting anaesthetic drugs into the small of your back via a very fine tube. The anaesthetic has the action of numbing the area from the waist down, which means, generally speaking, you will not feel any further pain.

An epidural can be administered at any point during labour, but it is usually given when the cervix is around 5cm dilated and the contractions are becoming stronger. The procedure is carried out by an anaesthetist but, once in place, the epidural can be topped up by either a midwife or an automatic pump that will continuously deliver the drugs into your back.

There are clear advantages to having an epidural. If administered correctly, it is a relatively quick procedure and provides excellent pain relief. While some women can still feel some sensation of a contraction, they will not feel any actual pain.

Additionally, unlike some forms of pain relief, the epidural will allow you to remain clear headed and more in control of your labour and birth.

Q:

The first thing you must do is speak to your wife about your worries, tactfully and sensitively. Make it clear that you understand her fears and apprehensions about the birth, but at the same time you are also nervous of what lies ahead, and that you don't want to let her down.

Q: It won't be long now until I give birth to my first baby, and I have been thinking about my pain relief options. Having done my research, I've narrowed my choices down to gas and air, pethidine or an epidural. Which is the best to go for?

A: When it comes to pain relief, there is no best option - so much depends on the progression of your labour, how you feel, and how your baby is coping. The main thing is to keep in mind the pros and cons of each option, so that you can make fully informed decisions both before and during labour.

Gas and air, or entonox, is the most readily available option. This is a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen, which is delivered through a facemask or mouthpiece. It provides mild pain relief and aids relaxation by making you feel a little light headed and less aware of your contractions.

It is safe for both mother and baby, and you are in total control of how much or how little you wish to consume. It is also suitable for use in a birthing pool. However, it doesn't work for everyone and some women experience nausea as a side effect.

Q: I am due to give birth in around six weeks' time so it's probably time to pack my hospital bag! But this is my first baby and I don't have a clue what to put in there. Help!

A: Packing the hospital bag really brings it home that you will soon meet your little bundle of joy! The key to this is to be fully prepared but not over equipped.

However, you will need quite a few bits and pieces, so don't be afraid to pack two bags – one for the labour ward and one for the postnatal ward. The trusty holdall is about the right size for both.

Your labour bag is likely to contain the most things as it can be a lengthy process. So you will need:

• Comfortable clothing such as a baggy t-shirt or roomy nightdress to wear during labour
• A dressing gown, socks and slippers
• Two or three pairs of big knickers – you will need these after the birth when your blood loss is heavy (you can buy disposable knickers)
• Clean night dress or pyjamas for after the birth
• Hot water bottle to help with contractions
• A flannel to help keep you cool is useful
• Toiletries - including any massage equipment that you would like your birth partner to use
• Camera
• Some women like to take a hand mirror so that they can watch the baby emerge
• Clothes and equipment for your baby – two sleep suits, two vests, a hat, nappies and cotton wool

Q: I am due to give birth to my baby girl in a few weeks. I think I would like to try a water birth. However, I am a bit worried – could my baby drown? Is it really better than a 'normal' birth?

A: Giving birth is a unique experience and what works for one woman may not be so good for the next. However, many women say that a water birth is a wonderful experience - and one that you can have at hospital, home or a birthing centre.

Water birth advocates believe the biggest benefit is the water's ability to relax tense muscles and provide support and buoyancy. All of these benefits combine to help the woman through her labour, and minimise tensions in her body that can halt the progress of contractions and birth.

As long as you and your baby are making good progress, and labour has not been induced, labouring in water is safe. Giving birth in the water is also low risk. Your baby won't take his first breath until he feels air on his body.

This is because all babies are born with a 'dive reflex', meaning that your baby will instinctively shut off his airway as soon as he leaves your body and feels water. He will not breathe until he is out of the water.

A French doctor says men in the delivery room could be making the birth more difficult for their partners.

Obstetrician Michel Odent says fathers could even be responsible for the increase in Caesarean sections.

He says the presence of a male partner in the room makes the woman tense and inhibits her production of oxytocin, the hormone which helps labour.

Odent says this makes women more likely to end up having to have a Caesarean section.

In recent years it has become far more common for the man to be at the birth - but are they doing more harm than good?