Hannah is born!

Time since birth: 8 days
Total weight loss: 6.9kgs (although it looks like a lot more!)
Hannah’s birth weight: 3.3kg (7.27lbs)
Hannah’s birth size: 48cm (18.89in)
Hannah’s birth date: 5 July 2009

It all started on the 4th of July. In the morning I started getting very irregular contractions that didn’t feel like the usual braxton hicks. We decided we should get to the shops and get a microwave asap as after the baby is born, we would be getting meals delivered for 2 weeks by members of our church (that we would need to heat up). We’ve had some issues in the microwave department for quite some time now. We had to leave the our old one at our last place as it had a cockroach living it in. Not too long ago, my friend May gave us an old one they had. It worked for a day, then made a loud noise and started sparking. So, we went to buy a new one. We were going to go grocery shopping too, but I wasn’t really feeling the best at the time. As soon as we got to the shops, I heard a little girl say to her mom “that girl is so fat!” referring of course to me. I thought it was hilarious though.

Aaron set up our brand new microwave as soon as we got home. I think microwaves have conspired against us because this one didn’t work either. So much for that idea. There was no way I was going back to the shops now!

In the afternoon, my contractions started to get closer together and a little more intense, so we decided to put on my TENS unit. After all, it says it’s most effective if you start using it as soon as you are in proper pre labour, which I knew I was. I had also lost my mucous plug that morning. By evening, the contractions were even closer together and more painful. I found it most comfortable to sit on the floor on my yoga mat, and then drape myself over my exercise ball and start rocking when a contraction came. We tried to put funny movies and things on to distract me as well, but it didn’t work very well. I called the delivery suite when my contractions were about 5 mins apart, but they were still a bit erratic, with some at 4 something, then others at 7 something, so they told me it wasn’t time to go in yet. Aaron would also give me a hard back massage when I got a contraction which helped a lot.

I wanted to get some sleep as I knew I would need energy for the next day, so still wearing the TENS unit, we went to bed. I did manage to sleep between contractions, but woke up again with each one. I still felt rested though which was good. The contractions were getting more intense over night, and by morning, they were just under 5 minutes apart, and about a minute long, so we called the delivery suite again. They told us to come in so they could check my progress, and bring a bag just in case. Contractions in the car were the worst. You can’t get into a comfortable position, you have to just keep sitting there. Aaron suggested I start making noises to help get through them. I’m sure we looked very interesting driving down the road, me with my eyes closed, a look of agony on my face, and making loud low gutteral grunting noises. I had to lean against the car and put my face on my arms when we arrived as I got another contraction.

They took me to the check up room straight away when I arrived, and monitored me and the baby for a while. Baby’s heart rate was really good, and I was having some big contractions, but being in the hospital scared them away somewhat. They did an internal and said I was 3cm dilated. We were sent home for the time being, but told if the pain got too intense, if my water broke, etc. to call and come back. I had a bag of waters in front of the baby’s head which was pushing on everything and making me feel like my insides were going to explode. When we got home, Aaron ran me a warm bath to see if that would help. I got in, but only for a couple of minutes. The contractions were being far too painful. We called the hospital again, and went back.

We got there at 10:30 and this time they took me to a delivery room. They were really quiet that day (I turned out to be the only one to have a normal delivery (non c-section) that day, so they gave me one of the group practice rooms. Group practice rooms are bigger, and have bigger baths as well. They did an internal and found I was 5cm dilated, so they said I should be ready in about 5 hours. We tried the bath again, and it was quite soothing. That is until a contraction came along. I couldn’t just lay there during a contraction. I felt I needed to walk around or something. Plus I couldn’t have my TENS unit in the bath (unless I wanted to electrocute myself). Sorry, but I wasted a whole lot of water in the bath I didn’t really use.

I kept trying different positions during contractions to try and find something more bearable. I tried laying on a mat on the floor. It worked for a while, but then I needed to get up again. I don’t know how I didn’t feel it, but when I got up, there was a big puddle. My water had broken. Oh yeah, we also put on the classical music as soon as we got there to make it more relaxing and homey (worked nicely by the way).

I finally found that walking around while clutching the bottom of my stomach was the way to go. As I walked around, Aaron would walk with me and coach my deep breathing and rub my back. The contractions kept getting stronger and closer together, so sometimes I would also deep breathe the gas. I’m not sure if it was the gas itself, or concentrating on the rattley noise it made when you sucked on it, but it seemed to help.

I felt like i really had to pee but every time i tried i couldn’t. The midwife put a catheter in to drain the urine. not pleasant let me tell you! It seems there was a little head pinching the urine escape route.

After a while i started getting the strong urge to push. the midwife kept telling me not to, but sometimes i couldn’t help it, my body just did it. Aaron would then coach my breathing and I’d pull out of it. But then i felt something. As they were telling me not to push i yelled out “it’s coming!” They took one look at my face and knew it was time to check. About 5 mins earlier they told me they only do the internal every 4 hours so at 2:30 when there was a shift change, the new midwife would check me. I was promptly checked and told i was ready. They were amazed that i dilated so fast as it was my first baby. They asked me what position i wanted to be in then it was push time. i dragged myself over to the mat on the floor and draped myself over a beanbag.

finally, i was allowed to push. it’s so much easier when you can actually do something. i pushed with all my might. i could feel something fly out. all at once i felt extremely scared (it flew out what if they didn’t catch it?), and relief (wow that was easy). but then something wet splatted all over me and i knew it wasn’t over yet. they said it was like a water balloon, shot out of me like a cannonball. when it landed it burst all over everyone. it was my forewaters. i kept pushing with each contraction, the head getting closer each time. finally i could feel it. i gave n all mighty push and it started to come out. but then my contraction finished and it went back in. nobody told me I’d have to birth the head multiple times until it got past the point of no return. i think i almost got it out three times before i felt the agonizing burning sensation of me tearing and the head reaching it;s widest point before finally coming out. i was in a world of pain now, between contractions but torn and still stretched over baby’s neck. i pushed with the next contraction and easily birthed the rest of the baby. i didn’t even notice the doctor giving me a shot (to help detach the placenta).

They passed the baby to me between my legs from behind. i didn’t even think to check, i was just going to hold it, but the midwife said “what is it?” “it’s a girl!” i exclaimed, and put her on my chest. my placenta wasn’t detaching so the midwife was pulling on it and pressing on my uterus. it was quite painful. after a while they told me to give a push. i didn’t think anything would happen but when i pushed, the placenta practically flew out. i guess i like projectiles….

I was covered in blood and there was blood everywhere. I was sitting in a giant puddle of blood. I was worried i’d lost too much but they said it was about 400ml which is normal.

She fed straight away until they got me on the bed for my stitches. Aaron got to hold her while i was being tortured. i inhaled a large amount of gas and felt floaty as they gave me local anesthetic (my first actual pain relief of the ordeal). i could feel pulling and it seemed to take ages as they stitched me in layers. i’m not sure exactly how many stitches i had except that it was more then 10. ewwww.

before i got to go to my room, i was told i had to pee,shower, and carb load myself so as not to pass out. you really do feel lightheaded after giving birth. it’s like every ounce of energy has been zapped from you and you have nothing left. luckily they take you to your room in a wheelchair.

i managed to get through labour with only the TENS and gas, but only because of Aaron’s encouragement, coaching and praise. he is the bestest!

After sifting through all the conflicting info given by different midwives, we seem to be getting caring for Hannah down. She is a beautiful little girl, and a little treasure.

I’m hoping my stitches and bruised coccyx will feel better soon, but other then that, we are doing well.

39 weeks

Pregnancy: 39 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain: 16.9kgs (37.25lbs)
Baby size (approx head to foot): 50.7cm (19.96in)
Baby weight (approx): 3.3kg (7.27lbs)

The count is in the single digits and less then a week away!!! Of course that is assuming Mushi decides to arrive on or before my due date. It’s CRAZY to think that at ANY TIME I could go in to labour!! We are very much ready for it though, we just want to meet little Mushi (and I just want to get him out of my pelvis!)!! The Jess thinks that Mushi will be born on the 1st of July, and has thought so since the beginning. That is her dad’s birthday and babies in the family tend to come on other family members birthdays (Aaron and his Grandma share the same birthday, as to a cousin and aunt or something along those lines). Or, maybe the 12th of July as that is Aaron’s Mum’s birthday (as well as Jennifer, my cousin’s, birthday). I’d much rather it be on the 1st, I don’t want to have to waddle around being very uncomfortable until the 12th. I, on the other hand, think Mushi will come on the 4th. It’s Independence day in the U.S. plus The Jess has a ball that day, and I think it would be funny if she had to turn up to the hospital in her ball gown while a bit tipsy. Would make for some interesting photos. Aaron thinks it will be the 5th.

When I went to the hospital for last weeks appointment, I was told I was “fully engaged,” meaning Mushi’s little head is right down in my pelvis and ready to be born. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he will be born asap, as first babies can descend a few weeks or more before being born. It does mean that he is in position and ready and could come at any time. The hospital appointments are generally uneventful. They take my blood pressure, measure my fundal height (which is inaccurate at this stage since they can’t measure the bottom of my uterus as it’s sitting in my pelvis), feel the baby’s position (laying on his side, head down, on the right side of my uterus. Good position to be in), listen to his heart rate, ask me how I’ve been feeling. At the appointment before the last one I had to take a lower vajayjay swab to check if I have strep B (or something similar sounding, but I think that is what it was checking), a bacteria that naturally lives down there and is not harmful usually, but can cause strife to the baby while it’s being born. Happy to report I’m negative on that front (which means I don’t have to have an antibiotic drip while giving birth. Phew. Don’t like needles!!).

I’ve been getting heaps of Braxton Hicks contractions lately, but they still don’t hurt at all. I don’t even feel them all. Sometimes if I’m paying close attention, I can feel them start (my uterus becomes hard), but usually I just notice when I touch my belly and find that it’s quite hard, then softens after a bit. Maybe I will be one of the lucky ones who doesn’t even realise they are in labour until the endish of the first stage because the contractions don’t hurt. Apparently that is how some people end up having to race to the hospital and give birth very soon after they get there. Usually you know you are in labour for quite a while before hand. Even though I know that most labours don’t begin with the water breaking (despite what the movies might have you think), I have this irrational fear that mine will break in an embarrassing public place (i.e. on the bus, at the store, at church, etc.). Let’s think about this: say I’m grocery shopping, I have a trolley full of groceries, but am not quite done yet. My water breaks. Do I finish my shopping, go to the checkout, then call the hospital? Do I ditch the groceries, and immediately leave? Of course I don’t drive by myself (Aaron is teaching me to drive the manual car, and I’m not quite confident enough to drive by myself yet. I’m a wussbag), so that would add another element to the equation. Do I then get a cab home, call someone who lives close by to come pick me up, get on the bus, wait for Aaron to come and get me?? Be good water, don’t break in public!

It is getting quite uncomfortable for me to do anything. Every time I stand up, there is a head on my bladder and I always feel like I have to pee (which maybe could be mistaken for a bladder infection except that it goes away when I sit down and take some of the pressure off). Again, due to a head being in my pelvis, there is a lot of pressure on my tailbone, and in the general butt area which can also get quite uncomfortable. Hard chairs certainly don’t help this either. When I eat, my belly prevents me from getting too close to the table. I end up getting lots of my dinner all over my shirt. Why don’t I just lean forward over my plate you ask? Mushi doesn’t like it when I lean forward, it must squish him. He immediately lets me know with a swift knee in the top of my uterus. Not like the kind he does when playing poke my limbs, but a sort of “knock that off mommy, I don’t like to be folded” kind of way. I’ve started keeping a towel next to me so when I eat I can drape it on myself.

A few people have asked me if I’m going to have photos of my labour. I do want photos, but only of the waist up. I don’t mind having photos of me making hideous “oh my goodness, this really hurts” faces, but I don’t need to see photos of the baby coming out or anything. I don’t need to see that place anyway, I certainly don’t need to see it with a head sticking out, and no one else should be seeing that part of me either (except Aaron and the doctors of course). I’ve heard that some people have those photos in an album at home, and actually show people. To me that is like saying “hello, here is my vagina.” So no, no photos South of the border thank you very much.

I finally took my citizenship test on Tuesday. It took me about 3 minutes (which was going through it twice to make sure I didn’t accidentally choose the wrong answer for any of them), and I got 19/20. I couldn’t remember who Australia’s first prime minister was. If you have read the citizenship textbook, the test is quite easy (well, except the one question…), but if you haven’t read it, you probably would fail miserably. I was going to eat lunch with Aaron later that day, since I was already in the city anyway, but I finished so quickly, I had 2 and a half hours before our lunch. Even though I’ve always been embarrassed by this prospect, I went to the movies by myself. I didn’t particularly want to walk (I mean waddle) around for 2 hours as my feet would end up the size of fully inflated balloons. The only movie that finished in time to meet Aaron for lunch was in Gold Class, so I thought what the heck, I just passed my test, I’ll treat myself. I was still quite embarrassed to be going to a movie alone (no offence Dad, I know you do that a lot), but then the only other person in the gold class cinema was a random guy who was also by himself (several rows in front of me, luckily not nearby as that would have been very awkward). Oh, did I mention I was watching a total chick flick, The Proposal? I didn’t feel so embarrassed after that. Although expensive, Gold class is very comfortable. They have big overstuffed recliners that you sit in. Perfect for a very pregnant woman who needs to put her feet up.

Thursday, I had someone from Baby BeeHinds come over and do a nappy (um…diaper) demonstration. As I said in the blog months ago, we are going cloth. Cloth nappies are not like the used to be. Now they are fitted, have inserts to catch more pee, have snaps to make them bigger or smaller depending on your baby’s size, etc. They are very good. The ones I got are “one size fits most,” so I won’t need to buy anymore nappies, they are good from newborn to something ridiculous like 3 or 4 years old (I hope Mushi is potty trained before 3…). Sure I spent $533 on them, but if I were to use disposables, I’d be looking at at least $2000 (and that is a conservative estimate) for the time Mushi is in diapers. Plus, we can use these for our next baby. They will take about 10 days to get here, so hopefully we will already have a baby by then….

I know this post is long, but what the hay, I’m going to keep going. No one is forcing you to read this. Saturday, The Jess and I decided to go to Pancakes on the Rocks (for those U.S.Aliens reading this, Pancakes on the Rocks is a Pancakes restaurant at the Rocks in Sydney. No ordinary pancake place though, this one serves chocolate pancakes with chocolate syrup, and chocolate ice cream. That is one of their concoctions anyway). I wrote down the driving directions, and we set off. Things got hairy only a few minutes into our trip when we accidentally took the harbour tunnel instead of the bridge. The directions tell you to take the Bradfield Highway (not actual name, but I can’t remember it’s actual name at this time), but then the road signs use no such highway name and just give you highway numbers (like 1). So, I ask you, how are we to know which lane to be in?? We chose a lane that takes you over the bridge, as we knew we needed the bridge (we knew that much at least), but at the last minute the silly lane forked, one to the bridge, one to the tunnel, and we ended up in the tunnel. We did then find some of the roads listed later in the instructions, but didn’t realise we were now coming at them from the other direction, so turned left when it should have been right, and ended up having to pretty much tour the whole city. An hour later, we found the road that Pancakes is on. Or so we thought…. After we parked, closer inspection of the street sign revealed that some hooligan had turned the sign so it was pointing at the road we were on, but should have been pointing to the road next to it. No big deal, we’ll just walk. That’s all fine and dandy usually, but it turned out to be quite a long walk, and I really really had to pee. We had to stop at a very posh hotel on a pier and ask for directions, as well as to use the bathroom. Luckily they humoured us (probably because a young guy was on the desk, and guys always take quite a shining to The Jess). Finally, an hour and a half after leaving the house, we got to Pancakes (this should normally take under half an hour). By that time, I wanted a real meal and not just something sweet (what is wrong with me?!?!), so after all that, I ordered a savory crepe, and The Jess got the nice black forest pancake (but I stole some of it). After sitting at the table for a while, another waitress came and insisted we move to a booth as it would be more comfortable, and then had a go at the other waitress for putting a heavily pregnant woman at the table with the hard chairs. I have to say, I did appreciate the booth. I like booths anyway, but at the moment, they are even better!

Ok, last paragraph, I promise. I read that babies tear ducts work in the womb, but can’t yet function outside the womb. I think that is probably a good thing. Seeing your tiny little bundle crying will be hard enough, but imagine if it also had all those tiny little tears coming out as well. It will be a shock to see tears for the first time though. I just can’t wait for Mushi to come out!! Come on Mushi, we want to meet you. Hopefully by next weeks blog we will have a little Mushi to write about (although then it won’t be Mushi anymore, it will have a boys or girls name…).

38 weeks

Pregnancy: 38 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain: 16.5kg (36.37lbs)
Baby size (approx) head to foot: 49.8cm (19.6in) although all the websites and books differ a bit on the baby size and weight guesstimate
Baby weight (approx): 3.1kg (6.8lbs)

38 weeks, almost there!!!!!!!!! I’ve now had a taste of the hospital after spending 3 hours there on Friday night. I had a bright red bleed (not a whole lot of blood), so I called the hospital straight away. Anytime you are bleeding they want you to come in (unless it is old blood with lots of mucus which at this late in pregnancy, would be the mucus plug. Eww…). Hmmm…should we bring the hospital bag? We decided that we should, just in case. Oh, and the bag with all the snacks and drinks (very important!). We did have to add some things to it first, as it wasn’t quite finished. The bag now lives in the car so it will always be ready. We arrived at 10pm, and they took me to a room which seemed to be used as some sort of check up/recovery/waiting for the doctor room that held 4 beds with curtains around each one (Aaron was parking the car). I was hooked up to a fetal heartbeat monitor and contraction monitor by a midwife as soon as I got there. We found the fetal heartbeat monitor is kinda like a campfire, you just can’t stop watching it. Then the questions started. “Is the bleed from high in your vagina, or low.” Um…if I knew that, I wouldn’t need to be here now would I? “When was your last anti-d shot (because I have a negative blood type)?” Hmmm… week before last? You have my chart right there in your hand, why don’t you open it?? “Why did you get your last anti-d shot?” Because they told me to. I certainly didn’t invite a shot in my butt. What kind of a question is that? How am I supposed to answer that? “Where is your placenta.” Now the only reason I knew the answer to that question is because I had an ultrasound to find out if it was too low still. I’m quite sure that normally, people don’t know that. Seriously lady, have a gander at my file that is in your hot little hands, all this info and more is contained there. “What were you doing when you started bleeding.” Oh the embarrassing question… I had just finished using the epi-no. I figured this is why I was bleeding, just a bit of over zealous inflation resulting in a little tear, but they have to be sure…. She said the baby is doing great, it seems like i’ve just had a small tear low down, not anything to do with the baby or my cervix, but I would need to wait for the doctor for the final “you can go home now.” And so we waited…. And waited…. Apparently the ward was busy that night. Lots of babies being born. A couple of times I heard faint screaming followed closely by little baby cries. The rooms are mostly soundproof at least. Meanwhile, the person to the left of me (only separated by a curtain) was also attached to a fetal heart rate monitor, only her baby’s heart rate was going crazy and kept setting off an alarm (which was driving us nuts, it was so loud, and continuously going off). Seems she can’t go home until her baby’s heart rate settles down into a normal range. A bit later, they wheeled someone in who had just had a baby and then gone into theatre for a small surgery. Some of her placenta did not come out and was stuck inside. She had to have it removed surgically and then they inflated a balloon inside her uterus to prevent it from collapsing (or something along those lines. Your only separated by a curtain, so you can hear everything, but at the same time, do you try actively not to hear, to you just casually listen, do you actively listen to find out what sort of problems you can have in your own labour, what do you do? I didn’t hear every single work, so I’m not 100% sure about why the balloon was there, or when it would be removed. We could hear her baby crying, so it too was there with her. Every time Mushi moved around, his heart rate would go up, then back down again when he stopped. That is normal though. We were also amused watching the contraction monitor. It was usually quite low, between 10 and 20 (not that we know what those numbers meant), but then it climbed all the way to 80 for a little bit, then went back down. I didn’t feel any pain or anything, my belly just felt a bit tight if you touched it. Hello Braxton Hicks. I thought I’d only had one of those (because I had one that was quite painful), but I’ve been proven wrong. I just didn’t know that I was having them. Good uterus, try not to cause me too much pain.

Finally, 3 hours after coming in, we finally saw the doctor. I had to remove my clothing from my lower half to have an invasive exam. In goes Mr. Speculum, another person is there to shine a torch into my nether region, and the doc checks my cervix. No sign of trauma, cervix hasn’t started softening or dilating yet, and all is well. I just tore myself a little tiny bit with my epi-no (I got it pretty big, but I got it the same size the day before. It really does feel like giving birth when you push it out when it’s fairly big. Only it’s not as big as a baby’s head, so it gives you that feeling without all the pain. I feel much more empowered knowing the kind of feeling there will be though. It’s not so scary anymore). Doctors orders “No sex or epi-no for a few days to let yourself heal, then you will be fine.” We gathered all of our stuff (I brought water and a magazine, had taken off my shoes and coat), and then Aaron went to go get the car. Just when I thought we were free, the nurse came up and said to wait a couple of minutes, I may need a blood test. Awesome. Blood test at 1am while Aaron has already left to go get the car. Sure enough, they did want to take my blood. Wanted to make sure I had enough antibodies for the rh factor (you get them from the anti-d shot). I thought maybe I’d have to wait ages again for the doctor, but they were all about to perform a c-section, so they got to me right away so they could then go operate. And finally we got to go home. I think I will be more comfortable in the delivery room now after spending 3 hours in the hospital bed though, so it wasn’t all bad.

We had a very busy day the next day. We woke up late, had an hour and 15 minutes to shower, eat, get ready, grocery shop, get some weight plates and weight bench, then get to our friends house for lunch. Needless to say, we were 45 minutes late, but that was still a really good effort I thought. Next up was a manicure party for another friends birthday (for me, Aaron stayed at the other friends house and played wii with the boys). We gave ourselves lots of time to get there, but it was pouring down rain and Sydney drivers are not so used to that, so traffic was crawling. Then we discovered none of us had the unit number we needed to go to and we couldn’t get a hold of the boys to find out for us. Eventually we did though. We entered an apartment building, but oddly it didn’t say it’s address anywhere (helpful, I know). We decided chances are this is probably the right place, so we buzzed the unit number. Some man answered and didn’t seem to speak a lot of english, or just had no idea what was going on, but buzzed us up. Hmmm…. We got in the lift where we finally found the address of the building (on a little plaque thing in the lift), and found we were not in the right place. We’re not quite sure why he buzzed randoms like us up, but whatever floats your boat. We didn’t go up though, so he was probably very confused after that. We did find the right place, and had a good time at the party.

As soon as I got home, Aaron and I were going to visit Grandma and The Jess for dinner. It was still raining out, and I was nervous, but it was time for me to drive all the way to Penrith (I’m learning to drive our manual car). I successfully got us there in one piece (after missing the entrance to the motorway and having to turn around). Long day, but good. Yesterday we had a good rest.

I have been studying the “Becoming an Australian Citizen” guide this week as I take the test tomorrow. Australians don’t even know the answers to a lot of the questions. I don’t really know why I need to know which Australian’s over the years have won the nobel prize, why and what year, in order to be a citizen. Wouldn’t speaking english fluently be more useful since Australia is an english speaking country? Some of the questions and info is good, especially if you come from a completely different culture and have no idea what would be expected of you as a citizen, but then some of it is just ridiculous. Oh well, I have to take the test to become a citizen, so wish me luck! FYI, the national flower is the golden wattle, and Australia’s constitution came into effect 1 Jan 1901.