The day before Baby Bean decided to start to make herself known, we had spend our last day as 'a three'. We had decided to keep Nate off daycare that day as his anxiety during the prior day had been quite evident (lots of change happening right now) and we knew our days if being off work together were limited, so instead we went and got the baby car seat installed, took Nate to a cafe for a fluffy and a treat, and then headed to Bunnings where Nate likes the playground, and where Robin could get some tiling stuff in order to start/finish the fireplace.
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| Me at 36w1d |
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| Taking a ride.... |
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| Quick play in the playground.... |
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| Cheeky monkey! |
After noticing BH contractions in the evenings over the prior Thursday evening and again that Friday evening (all normal at that time of day and at 36weeks gestation), I was surprised when they then carried over into the very early hours of Saturday morning, and late Saturday morning. We had good friends Paul & Ashley & their kids Ruby & Oliver, around for coffee and cupcakes that morning, and I was feeling uncomfortable enough that I actually asked them to stop and pick up the cupcakes on the way, rather than head out to pick them up. As the morning progressed and we chatted and caught up over cupcakes with the kids, I became more and more suspicious that these might be more than just BH!
Around midday, I called AOC to let them know, and then Robin, Nate and I headed into L&D at Auckland Hospital. AOC said that they were likely just uterine contractions which would probably turn into nothing, and given I wasn't really in any pain (just mildly uncomfortable), I didn't even take my hospital bag with me. Once there, I was put on a monitor, and after a few false starts with their machine over the space of a couple of hours, they eventually picked them up as contractions. Nate coped very well, hanging out with Robin and traipsing around the hospital corridors. Our doctor eventually arrived and advised that they could well be contractions but the only way to confirm this would be to see if I was dilated, but that we couldn't easily do that because of my cerclage. The challenge being that to remove the cerclage (to see if dilation was occurring), could well start labour even if it wasn't yet labour, while leaving it in could mean tearing if it was labour. Catch 22! We opted for the cerclage removal and that then took place around 5pm. And then we waited to see....
In the meantime Robin had managed to track Helen down, who kindly agreed to take Nate for the night - this was a lifesaver, given Nate is only comfortable with a few known people. Robin shot home with Nate and met Helen there, only to have Nate hugely excited to see Helen, Ruby and one of Ruby's friends there for the night, and happily waved Robin off! (In fact I think he had such an exciting night, that he didn't go to bed until about 10.30pm!). Robin got back to the hospital around 7.30pm, by which time we knew that what I had been experiencing was indeed contractions and it was confirmed that I was 1cm dilated at that stage. At that point, we knew a baby was coming that night - pre 12am it would be the 23rd July and a Cancer, and post 12am it would be the 24th of July and a Leo - exciting!
The birth plan also changed at this point - originally we had planned a c-section, which was deemed safest for myself and baby given the cerclage and the GD. However at only 36w2d gestation, our doctor advised us that it was better for the baby to go natural, as this helps aid the lungs which is important in premmies. So just like that, that was the new plan and we were shifted into L&D not long after. By 10pm we were about 3-4cm dilated, and the epidural went in at around 10.30pm, and by about midnight, we were about 5-6cm dilated.
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| On gas and feeling rough, waiting on an epidural.... |
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| 10pm shared selfie! |
In the early hours of the morning (about 2.30am), it was confirmed that I was fully dilated and the pushing began. Unfortunately things weren't quite as straight forward in this part, as Bean's head was turned sideways which was giving some issue coming through the birth canal. After her heart rate accelerated and she showed signs of distress, our doctor made the call that she had to come out and things picked up in the room with pressure on me to push more and the suction cup pulled out to help Bean out. Once the suction cup was put on, within four more pretty intense contractions, she was out at 3.39am! It was amazing to experience that, and to immediately have skin to skin with her, especially after Nate had been rushed away to NICU pretty quickly after his birth back in March 2013.
Baby Bean measured 48cm and weighed in at 2.85kg (46% percentile for her gestational age). Her birth head circumference was 32cm. Her dark hair was immediately apparent, she gave a loud cry, but her features were very swollen from her journey and her head showed the immediate effect of the suction cup. Just like Nate, her apgar score was a 9 within a minute, and a 10 not long after. Daddy cut the cord just like he had with Nate, and we also banked the cord blood again as we had with Nate. Bean's first bold sugar test of four, showed a level of 2.7 which was a pass as she had to get over 2.6. Her subsequent three tests, were also strong passes, so no impacts from the GD :-). Yay!
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| Checks immediately post birth |
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| First cuddle with Daddy |
Not long after making her grand entrance, Baby Bean was officially named LOLA! In fact Lola Belle Ruth Ryan-Chang!
Belle as a nod to Robins' Mum's middle name Betty, and Ruth after my Mum. The name Lola has been on our minds for quite sometime, and when we found out we were having a girl, and then when we finally saw her, it seemed the perfect fit. We are so in love with our new addition,....... introducing Lola!
Later that same day (Sunday the 24th of July), after Robin had been home for a quick sleep and Lola and I had been moved to the ward (Ward 96, Room 8), Robin came back into visit with Nate. Nate coped very well with being back in the hospital, and again watched with interest as Nurses and Midwives came to check up on Mummy instead of Nate. He also seemed to understand that Lola was his sister, and was incredibly gentle with her. Below are some of our first shots.
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| Touching her face gently |
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| Offering her his blanket (momentarily!) |
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| Smiling for the camera! |
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| My precious babies |
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| Cuddles with Daddy |
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| Daddy's $17 balloon from the gift shop downstairs (Nate loved it!) |
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| Quiet selfie with Mummy later that first night |
An NG tube was also placed that evening, as it was picked up that Lola had a tongue tie which was impacting her ability to latch. Plans were made to see the lactation consultant on Monday so that a Paed could address the issue on Monday or Tuesday.
At the end of day one, we were completely and absolutely smitten with our wee girl :-) xxx
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