I was unemployed and lived at home with my dad and sisters, and I had been with my partner Lee for three and a half years. After a home pregnancy test came up positive, we went to my GP who said we had a few weeks to decide what to do.

Just a week later, I started to bleed, so rushed up to Accident & Emergency. After several visits to the hospital and several scans, I was told that the baby was fine but there was an area of blood that needed to come out. After that scare we decided to keep our baby.

I found a job as a community carer and worked full-time hours. We saved hard for five months to put a deposit down on a mortgage and, just two weeks before our baby was due, we bought a two bedroom house.

I had my labour induced as my baby was big. I went in on Sunday evening, but it took until Tuesday at 2am to be in established labour. I had to be constantly monitored and had severe back pain and then ended up having a caesarean section. I was very ill and tired and took several weeks to recover.Four weeks after giving birth I started bleeding and they found I had retained some placenta. I had to stay in hospital for five days

When my baby was four months old I was out shopping and saw a promotion for the Young Parents Peer Education Group. I went along the following week and have been going ever since. I felt that I didn’t fit in to any other groups as I felt too old to be with teenagers and too young in other baby groups.

In 2009 I found out I was pregnant again and had to turn down a place studying midwifery at London South Bank. With two children under three it would have been too far to travel.

My pregnancy was good and I did a lot of yoga and research. I stood up for myself with the midwives and told them what I wanted. I ended up with the perfect natural birth, just using yoga breathing and gas and air. However three days later I was rushed to hospital with clots and was found to be anaemic. I had a blood transfusion and another short stay in hospital.

I am now 25 and have a place at Brighton University to study the Diploma in Adult Nursing, starting in February. After this three year course I want to do an 18 month midwifery degree. I have now been with Lee for seven years and we have two beautiful children.

Donna, 25, East Sussex