Kate Middleton opts for natural childbirth: Royal aides
London: Kate Middleton, pregnant with her first child, has decided to give birth naturally rather than opting for a Caesarian section and Prince William will be by her side throughout the delivery, according to Royal aides.
The future king or queen will be born in the private Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, where the Duke of Cambridge, who was also born there, will be with his wife throughout the delivery expected next month.
St James's Palace has also moved to end speculation over the gender of the baby by insisting the Duke and Duchess do not know the sex of their baby and have chosen not to be told until it is born. As details about the arrangements for the birth were released to the media, aides confirmed that Marcus Setchell, the Queen's former gynaecologist, will deliver the baby, aided by the Queen's current gynaecologist Alan Farthing, The Telegraph reported.
Asked whether the Duchess had opted for an elective Caesarian birth, an option which has led to some mothers being dubbed 'too posh to push', palace sources said she intended to give birth naturally. They also confirmed that the Duke will only take two weeks statutory paternity leave before he returns to flying duties with his RAF Search and Rescue squadron in Wales.
The Duke does not plan to take any time off before the birth, meaning he could face a race against time to be present when the baby is born. He works a four days on, four days off shift pattern at RAF Valley on Anglesey, meaning he could be nearly 500 kilometres away when the Duchess goes into labour. It is understood that the Duchess will not spend any time in Wales between now and the birth, due in mid-July, dividing her time instead between Kensington Palace and her parents' home in Berkshire.
Contingency plans have been put in place with the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading in case the Duchess goes into labour unexpectedly early while visiting her parents. The first indication that the Duchess has given birth will come when an aide leaves the hospital carrying a piece of paper with details of the baby's sex, weight and time of birth, which they will hand to a driver to be taken to Buckingham Palace.
The notice will then be placed on an easel on the forecourt of the Palace for the waiting world to be given its first information about the future king or queen. Shortly afterwards, the news will be put out on the Palace's official Twitter feed, though aides stressed that no electronic communication would be made until the public had had a chance to see the official notice, as 'it's important that this is done with a degree of dignity and with half an eye on the historical significance' of the occasion.
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