Went to baby clinic for the first time today, which wasnt nearly as much of a palava as I have feared. In fact, we were ready to go in plenty of time and timed it all perfectly. Didnt have to queue when we got there, just went straight in.
Willow did a huge wee as I put her on the scales though, which was very funny. Luckily she only got herself and the scales, both myself, Oren and the HV managed to miss being hit!
Willow weighs 11lbs 4.5oz - so still sitting perfectly on the 50th percentile. Im really happy, because it was at this point last year that I had supply problems with Oren, and clearly I dont have any with Willow. Well done to us both!
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Monday, 10 August 2009
Six week check
Today Willow is 6 weeks old, so she had her 6week pre check with the HV.
Willow is 10lbs 7oz today, on her 6 week birthday. She is sitting firmly on the 50th percentile which I am delighted about. Am feeling a lot more confident in my ability to produce what she requires. I think eating and drinking enough is making a big difference – I really do seem to have more milk on the days when I have remembered to drink lots of water.
Willow’s thrush seems to have reoccured but the HV wasnt that concerned, as it was just patches on her cheeks but her tongue was clear. Hopefully we will be able to clear it up before it spreads to my nipples again, as I just cant take the awful pain with accompanies it!
When the HV put Willow on her tummy, we were both amazed at how she totally lifted her head up and had a look around, holding it perfectly. I knew her head was strong, and I had seen her lift it before, but this was really something. Oren was 9 weeks when he lifted his head like this, and the HV comfirmed that she didnt normally see a baby with such strong head control until they were 12 weeks! Our little girl is so strong and clever!!
Willow is really starting to coo a lot now and gives lovely smiles – I just havent managed to catch them on camera yet which is very frustrating!
Willow is 10lbs 7oz today, on her 6 week birthday. She is sitting firmly on the 50th percentile which I am delighted about. Am feeling a lot more confident in my ability to produce what she requires. I think eating and drinking enough is making a big difference – I really do seem to have more milk on the days when I have remembered to drink lots of water.
Willow’s thrush seems to have reoccured but the HV wasnt that concerned, as it was just patches on her cheeks but her tongue was clear. Hopefully we will be able to clear it up before it spreads to my nipples again, as I just cant take the awful pain with accompanies it!
When the HV put Willow on her tummy, we were both amazed at how she totally lifted her head up and had a look around, holding it perfectly. I knew her head was strong, and I had seen her lift it before, but this was really something. Oren was 9 weeks when he lifted his head like this, and the HV comfirmed that she didnt normally see a baby with such strong head control until they were 12 weeks! Our little girl is so strong and clever!!
Willow is really starting to coo a lot now and gives lovely smiles – I just havent managed to catch them on camera yet which is very frustrating!
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Baby's first swimming lesson!
Well Willow attended her first swimming lesson today, at the grand old age of 5 weeks and 5 days old!
Oren has been going to lessons for months now, but it was Willows first time and she looked so tiny in the pool! Funnily, Willow seemed to enjoy the class more than Oren did, as Oren was definitely having a grumpy day. Was a great way to spend a Saturday morning, and next week Willow's boyfriend Oscar will be coming to class too - so something to look forward to!
Oren has been going to lessons for months now, but it was Willows first time and she looked so tiny in the pool! Funnily, Willow seemed to enjoy the class more than Oren did, as Oren was definitely having a grumpy day. Was a great way to spend a Saturday morning, and next week Willow's boyfriend Oscar will be coming to class too - so something to look forward to!
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Daddys Birth Story
Well little lady you have finally joined us and daddy wants to tell his story of your days up to and including day you joined the family.
This pregnancy was quite a bit different for daddy having been through Oren’s. Daddy had a number of things he wanted to do better mainly being much better support for mummy. I was also very determined that this time around mummy was not going to suffer anymore than she had to.
The early days of the pregnancy were of concern with mummy’s hyper emesis and the development of spd meant mummy was in a lot of pain through out pregnancy. I was feeling quite calm and apart from doing extra reading felt this time around I would be able to support mummy through out.So due date came and went and apart from the occasional twinges mummy was getting you weren’t showing yourself in any hurry to join us. An appointment was booked for a sweep to hopefully start things off.
Friday saw us get to the hospital for what we expected to be a couple of hours maximum but this turned out to be all day. The hospital decided you heartbeat was running to fast and mummy ended up hooked up to monitors as they wouldn’t do sweep until it had settled down. The good news was mummy was already dilated 2” which I think cheered her up no end when she thought back to how much pain she had gone through with your brother to reach that stage.
We spent a few hours waiting for a consultant to see mummy and daddy did get a little upset with the staff for allowing mummy to suffer worry and Oren to be cooped up for hours. Oren was amazing looking back on it how well behaved he was whilst we spent the whole day at the hospital. Eventually the sweep was done but a trip to a ward was required for them to make sure they were happy for us to go home. Finally you heartbeat settled back down to a level which meant we could go home. One bit of information that later on proved invaluable was the fact a new midwife led unit had been opened and we were to ask for that when we rung through to say labour was advanced and we were on our way in.
Saturday proved to be an anti climax full of hope and expectation you decided you were going to keep us waiting a bit longer. Contractions kept staring and then stopping if mummy moved.Sunday saw mummy wake with contractions but we tried to not get to excited in case they proved to be nothing. Keeping mummy moving was the name of the game for the day so off we went for a trip to Peterborough. Coffee was name of the game see if caffeine would help kick start the process (any excuse for a starbucks really) When we got there a festival was on so a nice walk round there and a coffee was lovely way for day to be going. Oren tried cream of my coffee and I ended up getting him his own plate of just cream, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
By now the contractions were definitely picking up and I was now getting excited as I felt certain it wasn’t going to be long before we met you. We decided to go to mothercare contractions were picking up but mummy refused to make fuss or get excited so we ignored them for now and headed home.
I persuaded mummy to have a lie down (previously whenever she did this contractions stopped) when they didn’t I think mummy started to also think you were on your way.So now things went up a gear a little and mummy started bouncing on her repaired birthing ball and then a walk round the village. When we got back we decided to put mummy in the bath. This time we knew that if we did this they would either get stronger or stop and that would give us a good idea. Amazingly mummy was still playing the contractions down and wouldn’t let me time them!!!
It was now about 8pm Oren was settled down and I went to check on mummy in the bath when I saw the strength of contractions and I knew this was it. Mummy was till trying to tell me that they didn’t hurt that much and she was sure she had ages to go yet. I finally timed them and as with your brother although irregular they were still coming approximately every 4 minutes and lasting nearly a minute. I would take no for an answer and rung the delivery suite.
This is a lesson for anybody going through labour, contractions are not always regular when true labour has started. I spoke to midwife and im sure she just dismissed me as panicking father and then spoke to mummy. She was also not helping by being overly brave and almost saying she wasn’t ready yet. I think at this stage midwife was quite confused. When they realised we had quite a journey to hospital it was finally decided we should go in, we did state we wanted the midwife led unit. I remembered to do this whilst giving midwife all our details as now she was suddenly concerned we may give birth in the car on the way!!!
We had arranged cover through three sets of friends to take Oren for us so we rang Alison and Barry who were designated on call couple that day.
We knew we would get to the hospital at around 10.30pm so arranged to hand Oren over in the car park to Barry. On the drive there it was obvious the contractions were getting very strong. Mummy was still in amazing control looking back and realising how close she was to giving birth.
We met Barry and handed Oren over this actually felt quite strange and was quite emotional to be handing him over but we then made our way up to the unit. We were met and taken into the new unit which was quite frankly amazing.
Our midwife Wei was there to meet us and we had the whole place to ourselves.Wei checked mummy and found she was dilated enough to get straight into the pool I cant remember how much that was but I did feel a huge sense of relief that I had called it right and so glad I had pushed for us to get to the hospital. If mummy had had her way I’m sure we would still have been at home.Mummy got into the pool at about 11 and almost immediately the contractions really stepped up a gear. Mummy was for some reason trying to hold off on the gas and air and I think she got quite frustrated with me. She was getting upset and I was trying to get some drink into her but this wasn’t the last time this night she was going to tell me off!!
Eventually mummy decided she would go on gas and air, it clearly did help although mummy is always convinced it doesn’t work. Soon mummy wanted to push and was told she couldn’t as she wasn’t dilated enough. I was trying to encourage her and keep her focused on breathing. I was surprised that her waters hadn’t broken and was a little confused as with Oren they had broken by now or so I thought. I was started to get concerned as mummy was obviously getting very tired and in a lot of pain ( later this became clear the pain was magnified because her waters hadn’t broken I kept trying to get her to drink and eat which again I think annoyed her.. I remember looking at Wei and she seemed to be paying a lot of attention and to me she started to look a little concerned. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to worry mummy and I focused on just trying to help her. It was at this point mummy really got angry with daddy for telling her not to push and and encouraging her.
At some point my concern was obviously picked up by mummy and I was paying to much attention to Wei trying to work out what was happening. Again I was adamantmummy was going to get best care and it was my duty to make sure she did. Mummy snapped at me to stop looking at Wei and look at her and I realised I had been focused on Wei not mummy in my concern.All of a sudden we told me to pull help chord and I suddenly felt huge panic but then as Wei spoke to Mummy I realised it was to get the second midwife for the delivery. Water births need to have two midwives present.
Very quickly another midwife appeared obviously quite a senior one and also a trainee. Mummy was relived because for the first time she was being told to push. Mummy was still in a lot of pain but Wei was encouraging her along. Mummy did decide to argue with us all that she wasn’t going to do it and daddy got snapped at again for saying she could. Mummy then calmed down and started to push again. It felt like forever but I was surprised later to find this part only took about 20minutes.
Mummy even touched your head whilst you were almost out I think this helped her get even more determined and very shortly after you entered the world with you mop of what looked like black hair ( or so it seemed at the time) The time was 1.16am. During the talks we had found out that since unit had been opened only two other women had used the pool but none delivered in it. So little lady you have the right to claim you were the first baby to be born in the pool at hinchingbrooke hospital..
I wanted to be sure mummy was happy with your name and when she said she was you were Willow Rose Beaumont. I got quite emotional at this point and had a lump in my throat. Rose is after my Nan who played a large part of my childhood and means a lot to me. Mummy was holding you and I then got the privilege for the second time to cut my babies umbilical chord. This for me is a very very special moment in you entering the world.
We got mummy out of the pool and Wei checked her over. I got to have some cuddles with you at this point. I think mummy was quite nervous about what Wei would tell her but was relieved to find out that she only ( not sure only is the right word) had minor tears.Mummy was then taken into a recovery room and Wei then was stitching mummy up and her relief was obvious because she was even joking and at one point asked if they would give me the snip whilst they were at it. Mummy had been amazing again during labour and afterwards ( I am staggered at the woman’s ability to go through pain I can’t even begin to imagine and yet be happy) after stitches were completed mummy went to have a shower. A brand new shower room was faulty and it proceeded to flood the whole recovery room. I am then on my hands and knees with Wei trying to mop all the water up and move the electrical equipment.
It was at this point you were weighed and you were a very healthy 8lb 5ozs. Mummy then fed you and again daddy was all emotional because this hadn’t been able to happen with Oren and it was lovely to see.It was then decided I would go home and try and get some rest, by now it was after 4am. A very slow drive home followed and when I got home I couldn’t sleep for sheer excitement and elation that you had joined us and mummy had had a much better experience.
I dropped off to sleep at about 7.30am and was then woken with text from mummy saying you could come home. I was shocked at how quick it seemed but rushed around and got things ready and went back to get you. Again on getting to the hospital I was amazed at the ward and mummy and you were now in a different room again. I joked that mummy was trying out all the rooms. We got you dressed and in car seat to go home said our thank you’s and took you home
Overall for me you birth was a very satisfying and emotional journey. I feel quite proud of my role as mummy’s birth partner I am also very proud of mummy’s strength and determination in having had two births just using gas and air, her inner strength is quite something to behold. I also feel we are very very fortunate to have had two beautiful children born by water births by some very lovely midwives.
This pregnancy was quite a bit different for daddy having been through Oren’s. Daddy had a number of things he wanted to do better mainly being much better support for mummy. I was also very determined that this time around mummy was not going to suffer anymore than she had to.
The early days of the pregnancy were of concern with mummy’s hyper emesis and the development of spd meant mummy was in a lot of pain through out pregnancy. I was feeling quite calm and apart from doing extra reading felt this time around I would be able to support mummy through out.So due date came and went and apart from the occasional twinges mummy was getting you weren’t showing yourself in any hurry to join us. An appointment was booked for a sweep to hopefully start things off.
Friday saw us get to the hospital for what we expected to be a couple of hours maximum but this turned out to be all day. The hospital decided you heartbeat was running to fast and mummy ended up hooked up to monitors as they wouldn’t do sweep until it had settled down. The good news was mummy was already dilated 2” which I think cheered her up no end when she thought back to how much pain she had gone through with your brother to reach that stage.
We spent a few hours waiting for a consultant to see mummy and daddy did get a little upset with the staff for allowing mummy to suffer worry and Oren to be cooped up for hours. Oren was amazing looking back on it how well behaved he was whilst we spent the whole day at the hospital. Eventually the sweep was done but a trip to a ward was required for them to make sure they were happy for us to go home. Finally you heartbeat settled back down to a level which meant we could go home. One bit of information that later on proved invaluable was the fact a new midwife led unit had been opened and we were to ask for that when we rung through to say labour was advanced and we were on our way in.
Saturday proved to be an anti climax full of hope and expectation you decided you were going to keep us waiting a bit longer. Contractions kept staring and then stopping if mummy moved.Sunday saw mummy wake with contractions but we tried to not get to excited in case they proved to be nothing. Keeping mummy moving was the name of the game for the day so off we went for a trip to Peterborough. Coffee was name of the game see if caffeine would help kick start the process (any excuse for a starbucks really) When we got there a festival was on so a nice walk round there and a coffee was lovely way for day to be going. Oren tried cream of my coffee and I ended up getting him his own plate of just cream, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
By now the contractions were definitely picking up and I was now getting excited as I felt certain it wasn’t going to be long before we met you. We decided to go to mothercare contractions were picking up but mummy refused to make fuss or get excited so we ignored them for now and headed home.
I persuaded mummy to have a lie down (previously whenever she did this contractions stopped) when they didn’t I think mummy started to also think you were on your way.So now things went up a gear a little and mummy started bouncing on her repaired birthing ball and then a walk round the village. When we got back we decided to put mummy in the bath. This time we knew that if we did this they would either get stronger or stop and that would give us a good idea. Amazingly mummy was still playing the contractions down and wouldn’t let me time them!!!
It was now about 8pm Oren was settled down and I went to check on mummy in the bath when I saw the strength of contractions and I knew this was it. Mummy was till trying to tell me that they didn’t hurt that much and she was sure she had ages to go yet. I finally timed them and as with your brother although irregular they were still coming approximately every 4 minutes and lasting nearly a minute. I would take no for an answer and rung the delivery suite.
This is a lesson for anybody going through labour, contractions are not always regular when true labour has started. I spoke to midwife and im sure she just dismissed me as panicking father and then spoke to mummy. She was also not helping by being overly brave and almost saying she wasn’t ready yet. I think at this stage midwife was quite confused. When they realised we had quite a journey to hospital it was finally decided we should go in, we did state we wanted the midwife led unit. I remembered to do this whilst giving midwife all our details as now she was suddenly concerned we may give birth in the car on the way!!!
We had arranged cover through three sets of friends to take Oren for us so we rang Alison and Barry who were designated on call couple that day.
We knew we would get to the hospital at around 10.30pm so arranged to hand Oren over in the car park to Barry. On the drive there it was obvious the contractions were getting very strong. Mummy was still in amazing control looking back and realising how close she was to giving birth.
We met Barry and handed Oren over this actually felt quite strange and was quite emotional to be handing him over but we then made our way up to the unit. We were met and taken into the new unit which was quite frankly amazing.
Our midwife Wei was there to meet us and we had the whole place to ourselves.Wei checked mummy and found she was dilated enough to get straight into the pool I cant remember how much that was but I did feel a huge sense of relief that I had called it right and so glad I had pushed for us to get to the hospital. If mummy had had her way I’m sure we would still have been at home.Mummy got into the pool at about 11 and almost immediately the contractions really stepped up a gear. Mummy was for some reason trying to hold off on the gas and air and I think she got quite frustrated with me. She was getting upset and I was trying to get some drink into her but this wasn’t the last time this night she was going to tell me off!!
Eventually mummy decided she would go on gas and air, it clearly did help although mummy is always convinced it doesn’t work. Soon mummy wanted to push and was told she couldn’t as she wasn’t dilated enough. I was trying to encourage her and keep her focused on breathing. I was surprised that her waters hadn’t broken and was a little confused as with Oren they had broken by now or so I thought. I was started to get concerned as mummy was obviously getting very tired and in a lot of pain ( later this became clear the pain was magnified because her waters hadn’t broken I kept trying to get her to drink and eat which again I think annoyed her.. I remember looking at Wei and she seemed to be paying a lot of attention and to me she started to look a little concerned. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to worry mummy and I focused on just trying to help her. It was at this point mummy really got angry with daddy for telling her not to push and and encouraging her.
At some point my concern was obviously picked up by mummy and I was paying to much attention to Wei trying to work out what was happening. Again I was adamantmummy was going to get best care and it was my duty to make sure she did. Mummy snapped at me to stop looking at Wei and look at her and I realised I had been focused on Wei not mummy in my concern.All of a sudden we told me to pull help chord and I suddenly felt huge panic but then as Wei spoke to Mummy I realised it was to get the second midwife for the delivery. Water births need to have two midwives present.
Very quickly another midwife appeared obviously quite a senior one and also a trainee. Mummy was relived because for the first time she was being told to push. Mummy was still in a lot of pain but Wei was encouraging her along. Mummy did decide to argue with us all that she wasn’t going to do it and daddy got snapped at again for saying she could. Mummy then calmed down and started to push again. It felt like forever but I was surprised later to find this part only took about 20minutes.
Mummy even touched your head whilst you were almost out I think this helped her get even more determined and very shortly after you entered the world with you mop of what looked like black hair ( or so it seemed at the time) The time was 1.16am. During the talks we had found out that since unit had been opened only two other women had used the pool but none delivered in it. So little lady you have the right to claim you were the first baby to be born in the pool at hinchingbrooke hospital..
I wanted to be sure mummy was happy with your name and when she said she was you were Willow Rose Beaumont. I got quite emotional at this point and had a lump in my throat. Rose is after my Nan who played a large part of my childhood and means a lot to me. Mummy was holding you and I then got the privilege for the second time to cut my babies umbilical chord. This for me is a very very special moment in you entering the world.
We got mummy out of the pool and Wei checked her over. I got to have some cuddles with you at this point. I think mummy was quite nervous about what Wei would tell her but was relieved to find out that she only ( not sure only is the right word) had minor tears.Mummy was then taken into a recovery room and Wei then was stitching mummy up and her relief was obvious because she was even joking and at one point asked if they would give me the snip whilst they were at it. Mummy had been amazing again during labour and afterwards ( I am staggered at the woman’s ability to go through pain I can’t even begin to imagine and yet be happy) after stitches were completed mummy went to have a shower. A brand new shower room was faulty and it proceeded to flood the whole recovery room. I am then on my hands and knees with Wei trying to mop all the water up and move the electrical equipment.
It was at this point you were weighed and you were a very healthy 8lb 5ozs. Mummy then fed you and again daddy was all emotional because this hadn’t been able to happen with Oren and it was lovely to see.It was then decided I would go home and try and get some rest, by now it was after 4am. A very slow drive home followed and when I got home I couldn’t sleep for sheer excitement and elation that you had joined us and mummy had had a much better experience.
I dropped off to sleep at about 7.30am and was then woken with text from mummy saying you could come home. I was shocked at how quick it seemed but rushed around and got things ready and went back to get you. Again on getting to the hospital I was amazed at the ward and mummy and you were now in a different room again. I joked that mummy was trying out all the rooms. We got you dressed and in car seat to go home said our thank you’s and took you home
Overall for me you birth was a very satisfying and emotional journey. I feel quite proud of my role as mummy’s birth partner I am also very proud of mummy’s strength and determination in having had two births just using gas and air, her inner strength is quite something to behold. I also feel we are very very fortunate to have had two beautiful children born by water births by some very lovely midwives.
The Arrival of Willow Rose
Well, I had gone overdue again and on Friday went to the hospital for a sweep. What should have been an hours appointment, turned out to be an all day hospital marathon as I spent the day hooked up the monitors as they were not happy with baby’s heartbeat. I was having some minor contractions all day, though nothing that different from what I had been experiencing for a few days. The midwife said I was already 2 cm dilated, which I was pretty pleased about, as I had been in painful labour for about 8 hours with Oren before I was 2 cm!
On Saturday morning I had a very little show, and we spent the day in anticipation of something happening! I got some much stronger contractions, but again they kept stopping, and basically nothing happened.
On Sunday 28th, I woke up and the contractions started again, but given this had been happening for days, I wasn’t that convinced anything would happen. We decided to keep me on my feet to try and get them going. So we went into the city to have a coffee and pick up a couple of things from the shop. It turned out there was a festival happening, so we had a walk around that, went to the shop and then had a lovely coffee in Starbucks. Oren ate some cream from Daddy’s frappacino, and liked it so much we had to get him a little squirt of cream on a plate for him to eat himself!
The contractions were picking up a little bit, and we went to have a look around Mothercare, at which point Dean wanted to start timing them as he thought they were quite close together! I put him off though, and we drove home.
When we got home I had a nap and started getting quite excited as the contractions didn’t go away!! Usually they went away when I had a lie down, so I was beginning to wonder if it was the real thing now too... I was too excited to sleep so I started roughly timing them and they were about 6-7 minutes apart.
I got up, told Dean what was happening and then had a bounce on my birthing ball which Dean had just fixed. Then in a bid to get things really going we went for another long walk around Blatherwycke, and when we got back I jumped in the bath. I sat in the bath for about half an hour and they definitely started to pick up a bit. Dean came up and was shocked to see how frequent they seemed to be, even though I was trying to tell him they didn’t hurt that much and I was sure I had ages to go yet!! Dean timed them and when he saw they were 4 mins apart, he insisted on calling the hospital delivery ward for advice.
The midwife at the hospital seemed quite confused herself, as she agreed that I didn’t sound like I was in full blown labour, but she knew we had an hours drive to the hospital, and she said if my waters were to break that things might suddenly happen very quickly. So she advised us to go in the hospital to be checked over - and then she talked to Dean to get his details because she was suddenly concerned I might deliver in the car and need an ambulance to pick us up!!!
Dean rang our friends Alison & Barry to ask them to meet us at the hospital as they were babysitting Oren. The contractions were fairly strong on the drive, but I felt really in control and they felt manageable, totally different to how I remember the journey for my first labour!
When we got to the hospital we walked up to delivery and were met at the door to be taken to the brand new midwife-led unit on the next ward. Dean had said that we would like to use the birth pool when he initially rang in for advice, and they had done an amazing job getting ready for us!
There was a midwife waiting for us in the unit, and she had already run the birth pool ready for us. The unit was AMAZING, it had only been open for a fortnight and that night we were the only people on it.
Our midwife was called Wei, and she checked me over when I got there and said I was 4cm dilated so I was able to get in the pool straight away. It must have been close to 11.15pm by the time I got in the pool. The pool was lovely at first, but the water soon really stepped up my contractions. I didn’t want to use gas&air until they got unbearable as I hoped it would have more impact for me the longer I held off. I was starting to struggle after a while though, I remember being quite upset and crying and Dean trying to feed me chocolate and juice to keep my energy levels up!!
Once the contractions got too strong I went onto the gas and air. Which was pretty well timed as it was soon after this that I started getting the urge to push, but apparently I wasn’t dilated enough to be allowed to push. So for what felt like an eternity, All I could hear was the midwife telling me 'DONT PUSH, BREATHE!!!!' I cannot describe how difficult it was to not push, and a lot of the time I wasn’t successful at it. My body wanted to do it, and it was bloody impossible not too. At the same time I was terrified of tearing my cervix open, and I felt this HUGE pressure down below - because my waters still hadn’t broken. So this part of the labour was more painful than I can ever begin to describe, and as I was going through it I remembered it vividly from the first time with Oren. It really was the part of labour where I couldn’t help but make lots of noise, and I think at about this time I did tell Dean off, because I was getting so anxious, tired and bloody frustrated at being told by everyone not to push!
I also remember very clearly the point where the midwife was looking 'down there' with a rather puzzled expression on her face, and Dean was watching the midwife with a worried expression on his face. I had to ask Dean to look at me at this point because I felt quite lonely and not very much like a person!
I think this must have been about the point which my waters broke, but unlike my first labour, no one noticed them go, they were very discrete!!! Wei told me afterwards that one minute all she could see were my waters bulging out of me, and the next minute she could see the baby’s head! I remember her telling Dean at this point to pull the red cord for assistance, as for a water birth there needs to be 2 midwifes present.
A midwife and a trainee arrived, and finally I was allowed to push. However, typically now I was allowed to push I had totally lost the urge and I couldn’t tell when I was having a contraction. The pushing and feeling that sensation of the baby moving down the birth canal - and it was even more painful than I remembered from Oren!! And just like when I was pushing Oren out, I decided half way through pushing that I couldn’t do it anymore and I wasn’t going to, and had the usual discussion with the midwife and Dean that I wasn’t going to do it! (Apparently the pushing stage only lasted 17 minutes, but it felt like much longer, and if I hadn’t stopped to have this discussion goodness knows how fast it would have been!).
To encourage my pushing, they told me to feel he head, and even told me that she had hair. This time around I did touch her head between contractions, something I didn’t do during labour with Oren.
However, something which I do remember well is the sense of relief once the head had crowned (and god that really hurts!) although this time around, delivering the shoulders hurt more than I thought it would. When she arrived I was so relieved it was all over, I think I even said ‘Thank god that’s over’! It was very strange to be looking at this little person who had all this dark hair and knowing that she was mine.
Dean checked that I still thought our name for her suited her, which I did, and so we agreed then that she would be called Willow Rose. We had some photos of her taken while we were in the pool, and while she was still attached to me by the umbilical cord. Then Dean cut the chord – how lucky he has been to be able to cut both his children’s chords!
After the labour, Wei checked me for tearing and delivered the placenta. She stitched up where I had torn, but reassured me that they were only very minor tears. I was a bit distressed because of how badly I had torn last time, so I was really relieved when all that was finished. This time around I had a 1st degree tear in my perineum and a couple of labial stitches and that was it. During the stitches, through a combination of pure relief and the old gas&air, I was asking Wei if she could give Dean the snip after she had finished stitching me up, as there was no way I wanted to go through that pain again!
Following all of this, I was put onto a nice bed in my own room and then had a shower. The midwife-led unit is so new though that the shower hadn’t been used before, and it turned out there was a fault with it and I ended up flooding my recovery room! Wei and Dean mopped it all up. Willow was weighed and I couldn’t believe it when they told me she was a whopping 8lbs 5oz! She was then given to me for a feed, and it was lovely that this time around I knew what to do and was able to get her latched on straight away – it felt really special and it really helped me bond with her straight away, something which hadn’t really happened with Oren due to the post-labour complications.
Dean went home at about 4am and I was left to get some rest. There wasn’t much chance to rest though as Willow was too excited about coming into the world to sleep! Then 1t 6am, Wei came in to check some details about my discharge, and at 7am the lady arrived to do Willow’s hearing screening. I then was visited by the midwife taking over from Wei, and then was asked to move rooms, so sorted that out and got dressed etc! I texted Dean at 9am to tell him that I would be allowed to go home within the hour, and Dean came to pick us up at about 11am.
So all in all, this was a really positive birth experience. The new facilities and care at Hinchingbrook were amazing, absolutely first class and I could not recommend them more highly.
It really made me realise how badly injured I had been from Oren’s birth, as the post birth pain this time around was so minor compared to last time, and now I realise this is what most women must experience as more normal levels of postnatal pain! It also became really clear to me how important it is to be able to have that time with your baby to hold them and feed them as soon after the birth as possible. I bonded with Willow immediately because I was able to do that this time, and that was fantastic. I feel very lucky to have had two water births, it is unbelievable really.
However, I have said since (and still believe!) that having one birth without drugs was brave, having two was stupid and if I ever had three without drugs it would be clinically insane. The pain was horrendous – although a part of me really wonders if that was partly because of the massive pressure of my waters ballooning out of me. If we were to ever have another baby, I think I would ask them to break my waters for me this time to make the labour more bearable as not being allowed to push was horrendous and incredibly painful.
I shall just conclude the story by saying I feel very fortunate to have two beautiful children, a very supportive birth partner and to have such a straightforward labour this time around. I have wonderful memories and although I am now so glad the pain is over (!) I am so proud of myself for not giving up and really forcing myself to deal with the pain. It is so amazing to see the babies born and come up through the water, and it seems to have a really calming effect on the babies too, to have been born in that way.
So our family is complete, well for now at least!!
On Saturday morning I had a very little show, and we spent the day in anticipation of something happening! I got some much stronger contractions, but again they kept stopping, and basically nothing happened.
On Sunday 28th, I woke up and the contractions started again, but given this had been happening for days, I wasn’t that convinced anything would happen. We decided to keep me on my feet to try and get them going. So we went into the city to have a coffee and pick up a couple of things from the shop. It turned out there was a festival happening, so we had a walk around that, went to the shop and then had a lovely coffee in Starbucks. Oren ate some cream from Daddy’s frappacino, and liked it so much we had to get him a little squirt of cream on a plate for him to eat himself!
The contractions were picking up a little bit, and we went to have a look around Mothercare, at which point Dean wanted to start timing them as he thought they were quite close together! I put him off though, and we drove home.
When we got home I had a nap and started getting quite excited as the contractions didn’t go away!! Usually they went away when I had a lie down, so I was beginning to wonder if it was the real thing now too... I was too excited to sleep so I started roughly timing them and they were about 6-7 minutes apart.
I got up, told Dean what was happening and then had a bounce on my birthing ball which Dean had just fixed. Then in a bid to get things really going we went for another long walk around Blatherwycke, and when we got back I jumped in the bath. I sat in the bath for about half an hour and they definitely started to pick up a bit. Dean came up and was shocked to see how frequent they seemed to be, even though I was trying to tell him they didn’t hurt that much and I was sure I had ages to go yet!! Dean timed them and when he saw they were 4 mins apart, he insisted on calling the hospital delivery ward for advice.
The midwife at the hospital seemed quite confused herself, as she agreed that I didn’t sound like I was in full blown labour, but she knew we had an hours drive to the hospital, and she said if my waters were to break that things might suddenly happen very quickly. So she advised us to go in the hospital to be checked over - and then she talked to Dean to get his details because she was suddenly concerned I might deliver in the car and need an ambulance to pick us up!!!
Dean rang our friends Alison & Barry to ask them to meet us at the hospital as they were babysitting Oren. The contractions were fairly strong on the drive, but I felt really in control and they felt manageable, totally different to how I remember the journey for my first labour!
When we got to the hospital we walked up to delivery and were met at the door to be taken to the brand new midwife-led unit on the next ward. Dean had said that we would like to use the birth pool when he initially rang in for advice, and they had done an amazing job getting ready for us!
There was a midwife waiting for us in the unit, and she had already run the birth pool ready for us. The unit was AMAZING, it had only been open for a fortnight and that night we were the only people on it.
Our midwife was called Wei, and she checked me over when I got there and said I was 4cm dilated so I was able to get in the pool straight away. It must have been close to 11.15pm by the time I got in the pool. The pool was lovely at first, but the water soon really stepped up my contractions. I didn’t want to use gas&air until they got unbearable as I hoped it would have more impact for me the longer I held off. I was starting to struggle after a while though, I remember being quite upset and crying and Dean trying to feed me chocolate and juice to keep my energy levels up!!
Once the contractions got too strong I went onto the gas and air. Which was pretty well timed as it was soon after this that I started getting the urge to push, but apparently I wasn’t dilated enough to be allowed to push. So for what felt like an eternity, All I could hear was the midwife telling me 'DONT PUSH, BREATHE!!!!' I cannot describe how difficult it was to not push, and a lot of the time I wasn’t successful at it. My body wanted to do it, and it was bloody impossible not too. At the same time I was terrified of tearing my cervix open, and I felt this HUGE pressure down below - because my waters still hadn’t broken. So this part of the labour was more painful than I can ever begin to describe, and as I was going through it I remembered it vividly from the first time with Oren. It really was the part of labour where I couldn’t help but make lots of noise, and I think at about this time I did tell Dean off, because I was getting so anxious, tired and bloody frustrated at being told by everyone not to push!
I also remember very clearly the point where the midwife was looking 'down there' with a rather puzzled expression on her face, and Dean was watching the midwife with a worried expression on his face. I had to ask Dean to look at me at this point because I felt quite lonely and not very much like a person!
I think this must have been about the point which my waters broke, but unlike my first labour, no one noticed them go, they were very discrete!!! Wei told me afterwards that one minute all she could see were my waters bulging out of me, and the next minute she could see the baby’s head! I remember her telling Dean at this point to pull the red cord for assistance, as for a water birth there needs to be 2 midwifes present.
A midwife and a trainee arrived, and finally I was allowed to push. However, typically now I was allowed to push I had totally lost the urge and I couldn’t tell when I was having a contraction. The pushing and feeling that sensation of the baby moving down the birth canal - and it was even more painful than I remembered from Oren!! And just like when I was pushing Oren out, I decided half way through pushing that I couldn’t do it anymore and I wasn’t going to, and had the usual discussion with the midwife and Dean that I wasn’t going to do it! (Apparently the pushing stage only lasted 17 minutes, but it felt like much longer, and if I hadn’t stopped to have this discussion goodness knows how fast it would have been!).
To encourage my pushing, they told me to feel he head, and even told me that she had hair. This time around I did touch her head between contractions, something I didn’t do during labour with Oren.
However, something which I do remember well is the sense of relief once the head had crowned (and god that really hurts!) although this time around, delivering the shoulders hurt more than I thought it would. When she arrived I was so relieved it was all over, I think I even said ‘Thank god that’s over’! It was very strange to be looking at this little person who had all this dark hair and knowing that she was mine.
Dean checked that I still thought our name for her suited her, which I did, and so we agreed then that she would be called Willow Rose. We had some photos of her taken while we were in the pool, and while she was still attached to me by the umbilical cord. Then Dean cut the chord – how lucky he has been to be able to cut both his children’s chords!
After the labour, Wei checked me for tearing and delivered the placenta. She stitched up where I had torn, but reassured me that they were only very minor tears. I was a bit distressed because of how badly I had torn last time, so I was really relieved when all that was finished. This time around I had a 1st degree tear in my perineum and a couple of labial stitches and that was it. During the stitches, through a combination of pure relief and the old gas&air, I was asking Wei if she could give Dean the snip after she had finished stitching me up, as there was no way I wanted to go through that pain again!
Following all of this, I was put onto a nice bed in my own room and then had a shower. The midwife-led unit is so new though that the shower hadn’t been used before, and it turned out there was a fault with it and I ended up flooding my recovery room! Wei and Dean mopped it all up. Willow was weighed and I couldn’t believe it when they told me she was a whopping 8lbs 5oz! She was then given to me for a feed, and it was lovely that this time around I knew what to do and was able to get her latched on straight away – it felt really special and it really helped me bond with her straight away, something which hadn’t really happened with Oren due to the post-labour complications.
Dean went home at about 4am and I was left to get some rest. There wasn’t much chance to rest though as Willow was too excited about coming into the world to sleep! Then 1t 6am, Wei came in to check some details about my discharge, and at 7am the lady arrived to do Willow’s hearing screening. I then was visited by the midwife taking over from Wei, and then was asked to move rooms, so sorted that out and got dressed etc! I texted Dean at 9am to tell him that I would be allowed to go home within the hour, and Dean came to pick us up at about 11am.
So all in all, this was a really positive birth experience. The new facilities and care at Hinchingbrook were amazing, absolutely first class and I could not recommend them more highly.
It really made me realise how badly injured I had been from Oren’s birth, as the post birth pain this time around was so minor compared to last time, and now I realise this is what most women must experience as more normal levels of postnatal pain! It also became really clear to me how important it is to be able to have that time with your baby to hold them and feed them as soon after the birth as possible. I bonded with Willow immediately because I was able to do that this time, and that was fantastic. I feel very lucky to have had two water births, it is unbelievable really.
However, I have said since (and still believe!) that having one birth without drugs was brave, having two was stupid and if I ever had three without drugs it would be clinically insane. The pain was horrendous – although a part of me really wonders if that was partly because of the massive pressure of my waters ballooning out of me. If we were to ever have another baby, I think I would ask them to break my waters for me this time to make the labour more bearable as not being allowed to push was horrendous and incredibly painful.
I shall just conclude the story by saying I feel very fortunate to have two beautiful children, a very supportive birth partner and to have such a straightforward labour this time around. I have wonderful memories and although I am now so glad the pain is over (!) I am so proud of myself for not giving up and really forcing myself to deal with the pain. It is so amazing to see the babies born and come up through the water, and it seems to have a really calming effect on the babies too, to have been born in that way.
So our family is complete, well for now at least!!
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
4 days overdue...
Well, it was at this point when I was pregnant with Oren that I had been in labour for 16 hours. I gave birth to Oren in the evening on my 40th week and 4th day of pregnancy. Although it isnt impossible that the same could yet happen with this baby, Im thinking that its almost certain this pregnancy will last longer than my last one did…
The last bump photo I had taken with Oren was when I was in labour at 40 weeks and 3 days, so last night we took a bump photo for comparision which is attached. The left is when I was pregnanct with Oren, the right is from last night (for some reason the captions havent worked).
Ive had some mega twinges these last few days, period pains, infrequent contractions, baby pushing so far ‘south’ that Im convinced she will pop my waters… but nothing has amounted to anything so far. Baby has started moving around inside me in a most extraordinary way though, she will literally stretch out an arm or leg so far, that it looks like she will pop out of my stomach. It really is something very similar to a scene out of Alien in a way I dont remember with Oren!
Am now just really hoping that I go naturally. I really hadnt anticipated that I might need medical help with my second labour, I had pretty much assumed that because I went naturally with Oren, I just would second time around. Particularly as it was so recent and my body should know what it needs to do this time! Cannot do anything but wait now, at least I know there is only a week of pregnancy left at most, which is both fantastic and sad.
Saturday, 20 June 2009
DUE DATE TODAY!!!
But no sign of any baby... sigh! Oh I was really hoping that I wouldnt go overdue this time around! And for some reason there is a niggle in my mind that Im going to go all the way overdue and end up in induction, and this will end up being a July baby! I really hope things start by themselves soon. Im fed up, DaddyB is worrying and neither of us are getting much sleep.
We went for a 2 mile walk today, to the same place where we walked when I was about 37 weeks pregnant with Oren. We even stopped in the same place and recreated the photo I had taken when I was preg with Oren (see attached picture!) We only thought of doing this as we were walking around and we hadnt intended going that way, if I had thought of it before hand I would have attempted wearing the same clothes! I definitely look better the first time around – obviously being a full time mum and being full term has a profound effect on the appearance, lol!
Friday, 19 June 2009
Due tomorrow...
Our due date is tomorrow… so I literally feel like a bomb about to go off at any moment. Im really hoping that it will be this weekend, as the weather is meant to be lovely for next week, which would be perfect for DaddyBs first week of paternity leave.
Had a midwife appointment yesterday, everything still fine although my BP was up a little bit. I get the impression the midwives think this baby will be bigger than Oren was… hopefully not too much bigger though!
I just rested yesterday, which was nice. There is a pile of ironing to do, but I think Im going to leave it, and if Im still here and pregnant at the weekend, Ill do it then! House is looking pretty spotless, a few things need tidying up but DaddyB can help me with that tomorrow.
Every ache and pain has me wondering whether it is the start of something… I feel more obsessed this time around than I did last time, and I thought I would be more relaxed about it! However, there is a very real time limit on things now… the longest that I will be allowed to go overdue is 10 days, so in 11 days if the baby isnt here, Ill certainly be in an induced labour. It all still feels so near yet so far…
Had a midwife appointment yesterday, everything still fine although my BP was up a little bit. I get the impression the midwives think this baby will be bigger than Oren was… hopefully not too much bigger though!
I just rested yesterday, which was nice. There is a pile of ironing to do, but I think Im going to leave it, and if Im still here and pregnant at the weekend, Ill do it then! House is looking pretty spotless, a few things need tidying up but DaddyB can help me with that tomorrow.
Every ache and pain has me wondering whether it is the start of something… I feel more obsessed this time around than I did last time, and I thought I would be more relaxed about it! However, there is a very real time limit on things now… the longest that I will be allowed to go overdue is 10 days, so in 11 days if the baby isnt here, Ill certainly be in an induced labour. It all still feels so near yet so far…
Monday, 15 June 2009
39 weeks & 2 days
Well, here I am, due in 5 days…
DaddyB (and a few other people) were convinced I would give birth the weekend just gone, but as you can see, I havent! My personal feelings are that I will go into labour at some point on my due date, with the baby born the day after. But who really knows lol?!
Had some major twinges on Saturday night, but they turned out to be absolutely nothing other than baby girl having a really good rummage in my belly!
Sleeping is proving difficult at the moment – am having some major heartburn, am still very breathless as this baby is not engaged yet, am all bunged up with hayfever, still have the pelvic pain when laid down, and generally just find it hard to get comfortable at all with a belly like a beach ball! Add into this the trepidation I have about labour – given that I now know what to expect and how difficult it can be – sleeping is not that easy at all these days!
I got a fair amount of food cooked and in the freezer last week, so just have a few bits to finish off this week and Ill be happy. I was reflecting how much more relaxed I am about getting it done this time around – I remember when I was pregnant with Oren I felt it essential to have it all done by the time I was 38 weeks, while this time Im just doing it bit by bit and am still quite calm about finishing bits off this week! I cant help but think its because my subconscious knows that I have the time to do it!
DaddyB (and a few other people) were convinced I would give birth the weekend just gone, but as you can see, I havent! My personal feelings are that I will go into labour at some point on my due date, with the baby born the day after. But who really knows lol?!
Had some major twinges on Saturday night, but they turned out to be absolutely nothing other than baby girl having a really good rummage in my belly!
Sleeping is proving difficult at the moment – am having some major heartburn, am still very breathless as this baby is not engaged yet, am all bunged up with hayfever, still have the pelvic pain when laid down, and generally just find it hard to get comfortable at all with a belly like a beach ball! Add into this the trepidation I have about labour – given that I now know what to expect and how difficult it can be – sleeping is not that easy at all these days!
I got a fair amount of food cooked and in the freezer last week, so just have a few bits to finish off this week and Ill be happy. I was reflecting how much more relaxed I am about getting it done this time around – I remember when I was pregnant with Oren I felt it essential to have it all done by the time I was 38 weeks, while this time Im just doing it bit by bit and am still quite calm about finishing bits off this week! I cant help but think its because my subconscious knows that I have the time to do it!
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
37 weeks
Well Im nearly halfway into being 37 weeks pregnant… so am now classed as full term and could go into labour at any time! I still think she will be late, like her brother was, though DaddyB thinks she will be early.
The pounds seem to have found me this week (although I havent been eating more than usual) as I suddenly gained 3 pounds and am now at 9st 11lbs. So looks like I will be hitting at least that 10st mark before the end of this pregancy after all.
I was having some mild Braxton Hicks at the weekend, although yesterday I got some REALLY painful ones. They didnt turn into anything else though thankfully (I dont feel ready just yet!) With all the excitement of Sunday, I was suddenly worried that BabyB2 wasnt moving, but she started kicking around on Sunday evening, and was very active on Monday, so Ive stopped panicing about that – I was obviously just too distracted on Sunday to notice!
At the party, we took a photo of myself and my friend who is also pregnant – photo attached to entry. She is about 24 weeks, and is adamant there will be no more babies, so it is likely to be the only time we will ever both have bumps at the same time! I really had subscribed to the view (of many strangers who feel compelled to come up to me) that my bump isnt that big, however, after the reaction of people at the weekend and the many jokes about whether it was a beach ball shoved up my dress, I am changing my mind about that! Especially as I think I look ridiculously big in the bump photo!
DaddyB and I tried to spend some time in the garden yesterday and I was getting frustrated at how hard I am finding it to get around now. It is difficult because I dont want to wish this pregnancy away, as it is likely to be the last and I know I am going to miss the bump. But on the other hand, Im so uncomfortable, Im fed up of not being able to lie down without being in huge pain (SPD is much worse when Im laid down), my baby brain is REALLY bad this time around, and generally Im so easily exhasuted.
But there isnt long left now… which is exciting and scary in equal measure. I really dont want to have to go through labour again (!!!), I dont want to be apart from Oren for that long either, but I am looking forward to meeting this little lady and finding out what she looks like and what she is like.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Nursery
Well little one the weekend saw mummy and daddy working hard to make sure your nursery was all finished. We hope you like it it has been done with alot of love and care. It is your big brothers Birthday on 31st May so we are planning for his party. So if you wouldnt mind holding on until your due date before entering the world would be great.
I am really excited now and the butterflys in my stomoach are there every tme I think about you, I can wait to meet you and hold you in my arms for the first time.
We have a lovely home for us as a family and once you join us I think it will feel complete, it is just missing you at the moment :-)
I am really excited now and the butterflys in my stomoach are there every tme I think about you, I can wait to meet you and hold you in my arms for the first time.
We have a lovely home for us as a family and once you join us I think it will feel complete, it is just missing you at the moment :-)
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
36 weeks
Reached 36 weeks on Saturday, so now have less than a month to my due date! Photo shows comparision of bump between this time and last time.
Weight is about 9st 8lbs, I havent gained any in the last couple of weeks, and Im notably less than I was when pregnant with Oren. I cant remember what my exact weight was in the end, but I know I was over 10 stone. Im not trying to keep my weight down this time around, I just dont have ‘the hunger’ (as DaddyB coined it) which I had when I was pregnant with Oren. I know DaddyB is a little worried, especially as Im still (just) within my MBI range of healthy wieght, even though Im 9 months pregnant! As long as the baby is healthy thats all that really matters though, and she looks and feels good according to all my antenatal appointments.
We finished the nursery for BabyB2 at the weekend, and it is gorgeous and very pink! Will post photos as soon as get chance. We also now have a changing station set up in the downstairs wc, so that will be really handy when she arrives too.
Im so pleased at how wonderful it all looks and Im finally finding sleep a little easier now that I feel more prepared for her arrival. Bags will be packed this week, as this Saturday I am officially full-term, and although I expect to go a little overdue with this baby too, I want to be totally prepared :o)
Weight is about 9st 8lbs, I havent gained any in the last couple of weeks, and Im notably less than I was when pregnant with Oren. I cant remember what my exact weight was in the end, but I know I was over 10 stone. Im not trying to keep my weight down this time around, I just dont have ‘the hunger’ (as DaddyB coined it) which I had when I was pregnant with Oren. I know DaddyB is a little worried, especially as Im still (just) within my MBI range of healthy wieght, even though Im 9 months pregnant! As long as the baby is healthy thats all that really matters though, and she looks and feels good according to all my antenatal appointments.
We finished the nursery for BabyB2 at the weekend, and it is gorgeous and very pink! Will post photos as soon as get chance. We also now have a changing station set up in the downstairs wc, so that will be really handy when she arrives too.
Im so pleased at how wonderful it all looks and Im finally finding sleep a little easier now that I feel more prepared for her arrival. Bags will be packed this week, as this Saturday I am officially full-term, and although I expect to go a little overdue with this baby too, I want to be totally prepared :o)
Monday, 11 May 2009
34 weeks
apparently the little lady should be weighing over 5lbs and she only has 40 days until her due date!
Is all very exciting. All being made the more real by the fact that some friends of ours who are pregnant with a little boy went into hospital today to be induced…
DaddyB has been working hard on getting the new nursery ready, and its getting close now to being able to put all the furniture up and start doing the finishing touches.
I have a slight nesting instict kicking in, although I say slight because Im starting to notice things which I want to do but Im not quite being overtaken with the immense motivation to get them done (yet!)
I saw the physiotheraptist (finally!!) on Thursday last week, and she confirmed that I do have SPD and has given me a huge list of exercises to do and a support belt to try and minimise the strain on my pelvis. Generally am getting along ok at the moment, get quite breathless walking upstairs (particularly when Im carrying Oren as well!) and I feel like I could have an afternoon nap every day of the week – I am sooo sleepy most of the time!
The last 6 weeks will fly by now I am sure… its 3 weeks to Oren’s 1st birthday so at the moment, thats the main countdown in my head, and then it will just be 3 weeks after that she’s due. I do have moments of wondering how on earth I will cope with 2 children at home – in some ways Im more worried about that than I was about the idea of having the first one!
Is all very exciting. All being made the more real by the fact that some friends of ours who are pregnant with a little boy went into hospital today to be induced…
DaddyB has been working hard on getting the new nursery ready, and its getting close now to being able to put all the furniture up and start doing the finishing touches.
I have a slight nesting instict kicking in, although I say slight because Im starting to notice things which I want to do but Im not quite being overtaken with the immense motivation to get them done (yet!)
I saw the physiotheraptist (finally!!) on Thursday last week, and she confirmed that I do have SPD and has given me a huge list of exercises to do and a support belt to try and minimise the strain on my pelvis. Generally am getting along ok at the moment, get quite breathless walking upstairs (particularly when Im carrying Oren as well!) and I feel like I could have an afternoon nap every day of the week – I am sooo sleepy most of the time!
The last 6 weeks will fly by now I am sure… its 3 weeks to Oren’s 1st birthday so at the moment, thats the main countdown in my head, and then it will just be 3 weeks after that she’s due. I do have moments of wondering how on earth I will cope with 2 children at home – in some ways Im more worried about that than I was about the idea of having the first one!
Monday, 27 April 2009
Hiccups!
BabyB2 has just had her first bout of hiccups! Oren used to get them all the time when I was pregnant with him, but this is the first time I have noticed our little girl with them! Awww.
Monday, 20 April 2009
We saw her!!!
DaddyB and I had a rebooked 4d scan appointment at the weekend, and Im pleased to report we got some lovely pics of our baby daughter this time around! One of them is pictured with this entry :o)
She had her hands up around her head when we first got in, but some prodding from the sonographer got her to move them so that we could see her properly. She looked very peaceful, we saw her drinking some of the amniotic fluid, looking very serious, looking happy, chewing her hands… it was lovely to see her again. When we got home we compared the scan to the 4d scan pics we had done of Oren, and we could definitley see some sibling resemblance!
She now weights just over 3lbs, so is a little lighter than average but still looks perfect. I really enjoyed the scan… the thought struck me today that it might be the last baby ultrasound I ever have, which is a bit sad!
Sickness been coming back quite strongly this last week or so, so is important that I stay on top of my meds. Hip pain is awful on the days when I spend too long on my feet – and my physio appointment was cancelled so at this rate I wont get any help with it either. Am definitely getting to the point of pregnancy where the kicks are starting to hurt, and getting around (or even off the sofa) is pretty tricky. I still dont feel huge, but bump is definitely not small.. Weighing in at 9st 6lbs now, so if I do put on the 1lb a week that the books say I will Ill end up at roughly the same weight I was at the end with Oren.
Cant believe how soon she is due now… less than 9 weeks left. I know it will fly by and there is so much we still want to do to get ready for her. Nursery will have some work done on it at the weekend, and I will be starting to think about getting the hospital bags ready soon too. Scary!
Monday, 6 April 2009
29 weeks
Well Im now 29 weeks and weighing in at roughly 9st 4lbs, which Im kind of ok with. I expect to put on another stone in the last month, and will be happy if I do as I think I can slim down from that after the birth!
We attempted to have a 4d scan at the weekend but mini-madam was not interested in posing for us at all! She had her arms wrapped around her head the first couple of times, and then stuck her feet up in front of her face as well… so we had a break for an hour to give her chance to move and when we went back we then had decided to squash her face into my placenta, and then we got a 10 second glimpse of her face before she once again wrapped her arms around her face!! I was feeling quite ill by the end of it all from all the sugary stuff they suggested I ate to get her moving, and all the walking around and rolling from side to side on the table (on my poor sore hips).
So we are booked in for a rescan on the 18th April, and I really hope she lets us have a look at her this time! In the meantime we got this normal scan pic to bring home with us, and they were able to reassure us that she is a girl and that she looks healthy. She weighs nearly 3lbs now, just a little lighter than average, but Im not complaining about that!
4D
Well Saturday saw us head of with excitement to see you again. You decided you didnt want to let us :-( but you are definately a little girl and we saw glimpses of you.
You were very comfortable with you arms up over you face, we tried to go for a walk hot drinks, chocolate and poking you but all to no avail.
It was still great to get glimpses of you and you look lovely, we will be trying again in two weeks and hopefully this time you will let us see you and get some pictures of you.
I am working on getting your nursery ready and by time you join us it should look lovely.
You were very comfortable with you arms up over you face, we tried to go for a walk hot drinks, chocolate and poking you but all to no avail.
It was still great to get glimpses of you and you look lovely, we will be trying again in two weeks and hopefully this time you will let us see you and get some pictures of you.
I am working on getting your nursery ready and by time you join us it should look lovely.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Time flying!
Our second baby is due in 78 days. 78 DAYS!
Cant believe that we will be a family of 4 then. I think we are at the point where it still feels so far yet so near. A week on Saturday though I will be 30 weeks pregnant, and its all just a countdown from then.
BabyB2 is getting stronger, some of her movements are really quite noticeable now, and I noticed last night (while Oren was teething and kept me awake a lot of the night) that she actually seems to be more active at nighttime. We have our 4D scan tomorrow – I am really looking forward to getting to see her again, although I am having the usual slight anxiety which always seems to come with a scan!
We are hoping to start doing a bit of work on the nursery this weekend, we need to do a bit of repainting of furniture from blue to pink, as BabyB2 will be getting Oren’s old nursery set, as it is more appropriate for a newborn than for Oren.
I sorted out all of BabyB2s clothing this week, and put it away into boxes by size. It was nice sorting it all out, although the whole time I was marvelling that I was doing exactly the same thing in preparation for Oren a year ago! I will really enjoy putting it away on hangers etc into the wardrobe etc when the room is set up – I really enjoyed doing this with DaddyB with we were preparing for Oren.
I may also try and pop into town next week and pick up some of the little items which we are still lacking for the nursery – lampshade, some more pink bedding…
Also in the next few weeks need to start thinking about prepping the hospital bags, I like to have these ready by 32 weeks, just in case. I am not arrogant enough to second guess mother nature and just assume the baby will arrive on time!
We have a couple of potential babysitters lined up for the labour, and I just need to organise us to attend a hospital tour so we can make sure we remember where everything is and check nothing major has changed in a year! I heard from a friend who is pregnant that currently the active birth room is out of service, so am a bit worried that I will have no choice but to have a labour on dry land!!
So as you can tell, my mind is starting to fill up a little with the practicalities now… Next week we are having a little Easter family holiday in Yorkshire, just a chance to enjoy our last holiday as a family of 3. We have the photographer booked for the 9th May, to get some nice faily portraits ad bump portraits. I need to buy a bump cast so I can get that done before the end of the pregnancy, and I need to plan Oren’s Birthday Party… and try to take it a bit easy in the run up to it, so the excitement doesnt push me into labour on the day itself – I dont want to miss it!
So yes, everything is gearing up, which is exciting and nerve-wracking in equal measure I think. Its funny how I am just as anxious this time around as I was last time… if not more so. I think its because of Oren, I really dont want to be worrying when labour starts that we cant get hold of someone to take him, or worrying about if he is ok wherever he is during labour itself… I really thought this would be easier the second time around!!
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Another scan booked!
I have just booked a 4D scan for BabyB2. I was umming and ahhing about it, because money is a little bit tight, but DaddyB has told me to do it. He said ‘cant wait to see her again xxxx’ bless him
So we have our scan booked for the 4th April, it will have been 9 weeks since we last saw her at a scan, and 11 weeks before her due date, so it seems a good time to do it.
She isnt very active during the day, so Im sure she will be fast asleep during the scan… will have to debate with myself whether I have a little drink of cola on the way there to wake her up a bit!
It is exciting to see her again, and it will be a nice family thing to do together. From last weekend onwards, our diary has been pretty full of seeing people and doing things, but they are all nice things to look forward too. At this rate, the weekends will all be flying by and this baby will be here before we know it!
So we have our scan booked for the 4th April, it will have been 9 weeks since we last saw her at a scan, and 11 weeks before her due date, so it seems a good time to do it.
She isnt very active during the day, so Im sure she will be fast asleep during the scan… will have to debate with myself whether I have a little drink of cola on the way there to wake her up a bit!
It is exciting to see her again, and it will be a nice family thing to do together. From last weekend onwards, our diary has been pretty full of seeing people and doing things, but they are all nice things to look forward too. At this rate, the weekends will all be flying by and this baby will be here before we know it!
Sunday, 1 March 2009
At last!
DaddyB felt BabyB2 kicking today!! (24 weeks & 1 day)
We were watching a film and BabyB2 decided to give a few hard kicks... it might also have had something to do with the Cola that mummy was drinking!!
Very pleased to have reached this milestone :o)
We were watching a film and BabyB2 decided to give a few hard kicks... it might also have had something to do with the Cola that mummy was drinking!!
Very pleased to have reached this milestone :o)
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Daddy's Thoughts
Daddy has been a bit remiss in making entries on baby2's blog so I am going to catch up now.
Daddy was over the moon when we found out we going to have another baby, although it has been worrying times through the pregnancy. Mummy's illness has had him quite worried for both mummy and baby.
Having mummy admitted to hospital because of her illness were especially scary times and with the stress that had been going on at home (caused by daddy) he was very nervous leading up to the 20 week scan.
Scans are really amazing things and i dont think the magic of seeing you unborn child on a tv screen will ever leave me. As we were having the scan I was on tenterhooks and hanging on every word of the lady doing the scan fortunately it quickly became obvious that she was very happy with how you were developing adn then she gave us the amazing news we are having a daughter.
I would have been happy whatever we were having as long as healthy but to be having a little girl to go with our gorgeous little son really feels special and right. If we could have picked the way things would turn out this would have been what we would have chosen.
So daughter of ours welcome to the family and cant wait to see you some time in June. We have already got a name picked out for you which I am sure you will like but we wont decide until we see you for the first time that it is the right name. We did the same with your little brother but it felt right with him and I m sure it will feel right with you.
Daddy was over the moon when we found out we going to have another baby, although it has been worrying times through the pregnancy. Mummy's illness has had him quite worried for both mummy and baby.
Having mummy admitted to hospital because of her illness were especially scary times and with the stress that had been going on at home (caused by daddy) he was very nervous leading up to the 20 week scan.
Scans are really amazing things and i dont think the magic of seeing you unborn child on a tv screen will ever leave me. As we were having the scan I was on tenterhooks and hanging on every word of the lady doing the scan fortunately it quickly became obvious that she was very happy with how you were developing adn then she gave us the amazing news we are having a daughter.
I would have been happy whatever we were having as long as healthy but to be having a little girl to go with our gorgeous little son really feels special and right. If we could have picked the way things would turn out this would have been what we would have chosen.
So daughter of ours welcome to the family and cant wait to see you some time in June. We have already got a name picked out for you which I am sure you will like but we wont decide until we see you for the first time that it is the right name. We did the same with your little brother but it felt right with him and I m sure it will feel right with you.
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
It's a GIRL!
Mummy & DaddyB had their 20 week scan today and were keen to find out whether Oren was getting a little brother or a little sister. The sonographer said that the whole scan was very clear and that she had no problem telling us what sex it was... it is clearly a little girl!
BabyB2 was yawning through the scan and had her hands to her face, just like her brother did!
We are all so pleased, and now the focus is on getting everything ready for her arrival in June!
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Kicking!
Well, late on the evening of the 13th January, MummyB felt BabyB2 kicking for the first time.
She was very relieved, as she had felt BabyB move much earlier in her pregnancy and she was starting to worry a little bit about BabyB2.
MummyB shall just wait now for little BabyB2 to get even stronger... within a few weeks those kicks shall not be so gentle!!
She was very relieved, as she had felt BabyB move much earlier in her pregnancy and she was starting to worry a little bit about BabyB2.
MummyB shall just wait now for little BabyB2 to get even stronger... within a few weeks those kicks shall not be so gentle!!
Monday, 12 January 2009
Here we go again!
In October 2008, Mummy, Daddy & BabyBeaumont found out that we were expecting BabyBeaumont2...
In December, we got to meet BabyB2, and we found out that they are due on the 20th June 2009. This means that Oren should be just over a year older than his little brother or sister!
MummyB has been very ill with BabyB2, with Hyperemesis. And she even ended up in hospital because she got so poorly and lost a lot of weight... although this is making her new bump look even bigger!!
Everyone is every excited about the next scan which is on the 3rd February, and where we hope to find out if BabyB2 is going to be a little brother or a little sister..
In December, we got to meet BabyB2, and we found out that they are due on the 20th June 2009. This means that Oren should be just over a year older than his little brother or sister!
MummyB has been very ill with BabyB2, with Hyperemesis. And she even ended up in hospital because she got so poorly and lost a lot of weight... although this is making her new bump look even bigger!!
Everyone is every excited about the next scan which is on the 3rd February, and where we hope to find out if BabyB2 is going to be a little brother or a little sister..
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