Woman who gave birth on Twitter

.

London -

She’d been keeping her friends up to date with her pregnancy on a daily basis.

So when Mel Wilson went into labour with her daughter, she let her Twitter followers know as a matter of course.

“I think that was a contraction - it’s got to be,” she wrote at 5.42pm on Thursday.

But if they expected her to log off for a while to concentrate on the birth, her followers were wrong.

That was just the start of the running commentary on her home birth.

She posted regular updates that evening. And then, when she woke the next day, she filled them in on how she was feeling, told them she was about to send her other two children off to school and call her mother.

She kept them informed, updating her Twitter feed using her phone, as her contractions became stronger and stronger.

Soon Wilson had become one of the site’s most popular users, as word spread and hundreds began following the progress of the labour. It became one of the most popular “trending” topics on Twitter.

Several tweets and 25 hours later, the 30-year-old finally gave birth - then announced her daughter’s name, Finley, and posted a picture.

Wilson, who lives with her husband, Dylan, 40, son Alex, 10, and six-year-old daughter, Maisie, in Darlington, said it seemed natural to her to give regular updates as she gave birth at home.

She said: “I’m always on Twitter, so it would have been weird for me to go quiet all of a sudden.

“I set up the account because I’m a keen cyclist and I thought it would be a good way to find other cyclists.

“I’ve got loads of friends and it was easier than sending texts to each of them. It also kept me occupied during the labour.

“Everyone was really supportive and they were all really interested to know how it was going.

“The midwives were oblivious to me tweeting through the birth and I got over a hundred messages of support.”

Many of her followers sent their congratulations, including the town’s MP, Jenny Chapman, who had been following the messages as they came in. She tweeted: “She’s beautiful Mel, well done both of you.”

Wilson, said that her husband is a prolific tweeter too. “Though he did wait until after the baby was born to send out messages,” she added.

THE PATTER OF TINY TWEETS

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 3

5.42pm: I think that was a contraction - it’s got to be...

6.05pm: Is it too late to change my mind??

7.35pm: I should probably call the midwife or something. I might be having her at home but I guess someone needs to be here

8.58pm: Right, gonna have a bath and see how contractions go FRIDAY FEBRUARY 4

7.01am: Morning kids!! No baby yet, contractions stopped. Had a good sleep. Picking up again now

7.57am: Christ - they are quite strong. Gonna grab a shower, get kids off to school, wait for my mum to come

11.06am: 5cm dilated - COME ON!!

1.30pm: Thick & fast - not long now!!!

2.57pm: Rocking the 8cms!! Waters still intact - COME ON!!

4.20pm: Ah I’ve wimped out a bit, gas * air for pushing - lush.

6.42pm: Flaming hell!! Smallest 1 yet! Finley Michaela Avalon Wilson 8lb 3oz after just 2 pushes.

11.15pm: Running out of gas * air at 9cm is horrible!! not doing this again - no chance! She is cute tho...

Running commentary: Mel and baby Finley - Daily Mail