- .Duchess of Cambridge gave birth without recourse to powerful painkillers
- .Her calm demeanour is said to have moved the seven-strong medical team
Courageous: The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured with Prince William and their son Prince George, had the perfect birth she was hoping for
The Duchess of Cambridge delivered her son perfectly – without recourse to any powerful painkillers.
The Mail on Sunday has learned that Kate had a completely natural birth after arriving at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, just after 5.30am last Monday.
As four midwives monitored the as-yet unborn baby, the Queen’s former gynaecologist watched closely behind the glass of the £5,000-a-night suite.
Assisted by two other top medics, Marcus Setchell – who delayed his retirement to oversee the birth of the third in line to the Throne – made sure the birthing plan went without a hitch.
Kate’s calm demeanour once Prince George was in her arms – and the gentle support of her husband Prince William – truly moved the seven-strong medical team.
Although the Duchess was in labour for 11 hours, sources in London have told The Mail on Sunday that she opted not to have powerful painkillers.
The precise sequence of events in the delivery room will always remain a closely guarded secret for those present – and they have refused all requests for interview.
But the family of neonatologist Dr Sunit Godambe, who was on hand to check the health of the newborn Prince, have told of their pride that their treasured son helped deliver a future King.
At their home in a Mumbai suburb, Dr Godambe’s closest relatives spoke of the honour he had brought to the family. When his family phoned Dr Godambe the day after the birth, they congratulated him on his role.
His eldest brother Nitin said: ‘The first thing we told him was that we were so proud of him.’
As he spoke, Dr Godambe’s 82-year-old mother, Jyotsna Godambe, who lives in the less fashionable east side of Mumbai’s Bandra suburb, glowed with pride.
Dressed in an immaculate white sari with gold, red and pale blue details, Jyotsna smiled broadly as she explained: ‘When we spoke to Sunit on the phone, he said he just did the delivery with the other doctors and it was normal.
‘We have had so many friends and relatives calling because everyone is very happy.’
Jyotsna said that she spoke to her son, he was modesty personified.
Though her son has just helped to deliver the new Prince, she confessed that she knew little about the Royal Family.
Even so, the moment the birth was announced, her friends and neighbours started ringing to congratulate her, she said.
‘His ambition was always to be a doctor,’ said his mother. ‘He would play games of doctors and patients.
He was very clever at school and always winning competitions.’
Newborn: Kate was in labour for 11 hours before giving birth to George, pictured
Sunit, the youngest of three brothers, is married to another doctor and the couple, who live in Middlesex, have a son and a daughter.
As his family clustered around the phone at their home in Mumbai, almost 5,000 miles from the West London hospital, Dr Godambe told them of his joy at helping the delivery.
The consultant did not disclose any confidential medical details, but said he had been honoured to take part in such a historic occasion.
‘He said it was very exciting and he was so happy,’ said his brother Nitin, 54.
The medical team had been meticulously preparing for the delivery for a month.
Experts: The Duchess had a top team on hand to help her through the birth including gynaecologists Marcus Setchell (centre) and Alan Farthing (right)
It is understood from sources that there were no problems, no scares, no alarms, and everything went according to plan.
The medical team who helped Kate through the birth was overseen by Mr Setchell. The Duchess was also monitored by a team of midwives throughout her labour.
Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, professor of midwifery at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, led the team, which also featured Arona Ahmed, a married mother of two from East London, Jacqueline Venkatesh, from Harlow, Essex, and Lisa Greene, from East London.
All three had to cover shifts over a 24-hour period and had been on stand-by in case the Duchess went into premature labour.
Top facility: The Duchess was rushed to the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital where she gave birth to Prince George on Monday evening
When George was born it is believed that Ms Venkatesh was the midwife on duty, although Professor Dunkley-Bent was also in the room for the textbook delivery.
The others there to share the joyous moment were Mr Setchell, his assistant consultant obstetrician, Guy Thorpe-Beeston, and Dr Godambe.
Dr Godambe is a specialist in complex and high-risk births, and it was his job to check Prince George’s health the instant he was delivered.
Dr Godambe’s middle brother, Vinit, 52, described him as the ‘intelligent one of the family’.
‘He was always very sincere about what he was doing,’ said Vinit, who runs a car rental business.
Dr Godambe studied paediatrics in India before becoming a neonatologist.
‘He has delivered a lot of babies in his time but he was the happiest person when he did this one,’ said Vinit.
Nitin said their late father worked as a neighbourhood official for the Mumbai municipal corporation.
It was a well-respected position, he said, but his brother was the one who had really made good. ‘Sunit was a very clever student. His wife is a doctor, and their son wants to become one too,’ Vinit added.
Dr Godambe and his family moved to the UK ten years ago but return to India once a year to visit family, said Nitin.
‘Sunit likes the UK and the people are good. He is a big fan of the Royal Family and we are so proud of him for what he has done.’
One hospital insider said last night: ‘Sunit Godambe is quite brilliant but is the last person who would wish to appear on TV. That’s just not his personality. His skills in treating sick babies, however, are renowned.’
The Duke and Duchess’s spokesman declined to make any comment about ‘such a private moment’.
I Know Kate's Lindo secret says mother who gave birth in same wing
By Nina Forman
I gave birth to my sons Jake and David on the Lindo Wing and, like Kate, was under the care of obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston.
So I understand how Kate stayed so serene in the glare of all those cameras when she left
St Mary’s.
St Mary’s.
Mr Thorpe-Beeston is so calm and reassuring, and that transmits to his patients.
Safe hands: Nina Forman and her daughter Orli in the Lindo Wing with newborn David
My son Jake, whom Mr Thorpe-Beeston delivered in 2002, was by far my easiest birth – even though he was born on Bonfire Night!
It was so noisy with fireworks going off outside, but Mr Thorpeand a dedicated chef was on hand to whip up delicious meals for patients and guests.
Beeston kept me calm – even joking that Jake would be a noisy child because of the fireworks.
The Lindo has eight bedrooms, all with separate bathrooms and a separate delivery room.
The wing has recently been refurbished, but when I was there, it was quite standard: a metal bed and ordinary cotton sheets.
There was a special Lindo Wing-branded washbag filled with toiletries in the bathroom and a dedicated chef was on hand to whip up delicious meals for patients and guests.
I was shown how to breastfeed properly, how to bathe the baby and how to change a nappy. And a physiotherapist taught me pelvic floor and tummy exercises – all part of the wonderful service.
My husband Saul and I had decided to go private for safety reasons. Saul’s aunt was starved
of oxygen at birth, born disabled and died at 12.
of oxygen at birth, born disabled and died at 12.
So, yes, it cost £5,000 even back in 2002 – but what price your children’s health?
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