Sunday, August 31, 2008

Brooke's 9th Birthday

Last week, we had Birthday dinner at Grandma and Grandad's. This is where I got the idea for Brooke's table for her party last night. Grandma did a great job decorating and I did borrow the table ideas. Brooke was also very lucky in the gifts she received.

Last night we had Brooke's Birthday party to celebrate her 9th Birthday. She chose a pyjama dinner party so imagine seven 8/9 year olds in cute winter pyjamas, sitting at a table laid out with wine glasses (for juice) and serviettes.

Here's her cake... just something simple this year, (compared to the other cakes I've made anyway) choc cake on the bottom layer, vanilla on the top - the vanilla at Brooke's request. Vanilla frosting done in 'rustic' finish, huge yummy strawberries and silver sparkler candles. The outside row of strawberries are cut with the bottoms on a slight angle so they sit right on the cake, and they are also skewered in, to prevent them sliding off. Added extra, they are the 'formwork' if you like and stop the inner berries from moving as well.

Table was laid with red table cloth, silver and red stars sprinkled up the middle, wine glass with white napkins, large white dinner plates etc so really ready for a 'dinner party' - plus the birthday balloons in a large bunch hanging from the fan with silver ribbon curls hanging down. Some of the voices and antics of the girls putting on their 'posh' voices at dinner and instructing the others on 'etiquette' were really funny. We had two vegetarians in attendence, so home made vegetarian lasagne, baked potato with sour cream and spring onion garnish, and a fresh sald on a large platter. All went down well. Lolly/thankyou bags also vegetarian friendly and with some non-lolly items as well. Pass the parcel, dancing comps, limbo and a heap of other games played. Stories read towards the end. I didn't think they'd eat a whole piece of cake each (remember it is a double layer cake so two cakes on top of each other) but they all did!

Jake and Zeke joined in with a couple of the girls (as they do at school) holding his hand and helping him with the games, looking after him etc. Hope you had a great night Brooke!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Update

heartbeat heard today at 17weeks &5 days... loud and strong heartbeat, and one wiggly baby! Ultrasound booked for 11th September, Birth Centre appt on the 17th September. *grin*
Brenna's Birthday on the 21st... it's going to be an interesting month...

At the moment, I do want to find out gender, Michael is unsure, Brooke said she wanted it to be a surprise and not sure if Jake wants to know or not, and Zeke is still trying to work out when the Baby will come (I told him after Christmas, wondering if I will get questioned on Boxing Day morning haha).

Sunday, August 24, 2008

A multi-post... or hoping that karma (or a lion!) bites HARD...

Well, this is a multi purpose post thread as you'll see! We went away with Michael's Parents to Green Head, then to the Auskick meet/play/trophy presentation on the way home at Whiteman Pk, carpark 15 we parked in. Between DH and I managed to keep an eye on the kids (very busy at Whiteman park and people everywhere) and all went well. Back to the car, went to put my things away in my bag and...
you guessed it...

BOTH my Kirrily bags... gone.
Now (a) I never leave my bags in the car apart from this time of course, and might I add they were BURIED under jackets and blankets etc having just made the 3 hour drive so there was NOTHING visible from looking in except lunch boxes, books, kids stuff and the back full of clothes, bags, esky, food etc, (b) my bag was only in the car by chance idiot idiot idiot and I nearly took it with me & I nearly came back to the car twice while we were there (c) the car self locks...
so how the hell did they get in?

Well... if a door is left slightly ajar, then the auto-lock doesn't engage... see where I'm going?... & I pressed the button to lock it as I walked away but since I didn't look to check the lights flashed (they won't if a door is ajar) I didn't know a door wasn't fully closed, and I ALWAYS check that the lights flash lol So luck and circumstance was on 'their' side today and did they ever score.

Both my Kirrily bags, wallet (never ever has money it lol but this time $150 because I had worked extra hours so that I would HAVE some 'just in case money' to take), all my cards, licence, etc, my FLYlady CJ, papers, forms for the Birth Centre, medications for us from being away, my little heart that I was given by the midwife when Brenna was born , photos of the kids, J & I the year before he was killed, Brenna's memorial cards, pic of Michael&I on our first 'date' to the beach 16odd years ago, and a little 'joined' shell that looked like Angel Wings that I had collected on the beach this weekend, the camera battery charger, plus the usual stuff you have in your bags. (wish there was a dirty nappy in there for them!)
I had the camera and the mobiles with me.

Bonus is of course, there are far far worse things to happen to us in the world, as so many of us, if not all, know. And it's funny because I'm not even angry... just... well not much really. In the relative scheme of our life it's nothing, yk? But if posting here means someone finds the bag that Kirrily worked so hard to make, then yay!

So, apart from hoping Karma (or a lion...) bite them on the rear down the track (are you allowed to hope that? is THAT bad Karma?) and just having a groan of the inconvenience and... personal thingy of what was stolen, if any of you lovely WAers lol see a Kirrily bag walking down the street it will be interesting to know where it came from (please don't accuse anyone on my behalf lol) - more importantly if you're at Whitman Pk or surrounding areas, and spot it, then thanks heaps if you can pick it up. The bags Kirrily made for me look like this. And mine is the only one in black, the others Kirrily made in that print are in brown.

We are guessing they went through it, took the cash and cards and dumped the rest (somewhere) ... which is annoying obviously but it's the senseless waste of personal items you know - take the money just leave the bags in the car, with all my other stuff still there?... yK
so we did a look through surrounding bush, creeks etc and checked the bins, reported it to the Park management, reported to the Police etc.

I figure they don't know what they have (the Kirrily bag) and am hoping they leave it somewhere and someone finds it. So between Nappycino, EB WA board, school and general email, plus the Whiteman Pk people (it's a big place) that that's pretty good odds of someone finding it.

Extra thing to think about is this is just one time when luck and circumstance have been not in our favour and I have to remember all the times when luck and circumstance HAS been in our favour, and be thankful for that.

We are all ok, the house is ok the kids are okay and Bub is wiggling away inside as I type... I've been FLYing again, and tea is ready with nearly no effort on my behalf (much nicer when you get home from being away with unpacking etc to do) and I will go to bed warm and loved tonight so hey in the big scheme of things it's just an 'annoyance' really

So thanks for reading and keeping your eyes peeled if you're in WA. I'm writing this off as 'just one of those things' and being thankful for all the things that go right. Jake was the only one to catch a fish this weekend and the kids were rapt with their medals from Auskick hope you all had a decent weekend. Kristy.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

16 weeks & 5 days...


here we are... will be 17 weeks tomorrow (Sat) with this our #5 Baby... for whom we have a list of boy and girl names just in case!
I am enjoying the feeling of the 'bump' being there when I go to do something and having to remember how to work around that... interesting trying to reach powerpoints in the kitchen haha and a few other things but all just part of the joys of growing a Baby!

Looking forward to posting the next pics
Cheerio for now
xo

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Gardens, Cubbies and some wiggling!

Well... just last week began the first stages of installing the cubby house we are buying from J&B (thankyou!). We had chosen the corner of the garden where it should be... the only thing there is winter weeds growing furiously, and a delapidated old structure where the vege garden used to be. The structure was there when we moved here, but it was handy for shadecloth to shade the veges in summer so we didn't take it down.
However, since the people over the back redeveloped and (kindly, thankyou!) put up a new fence since they raised the level of the block, what was our old vege plot now gets almost no sun at all... so it's sat dormant with winter weeds and whatever else happily taking over... for the time being at least. First step, treating the underneath of the cubby floor with a timber protector - Eco Timber Protector to be exact... not perfect as it still has to be washed out with turps, but still... a start in the right direction. Did clog on the brush after a little bit, which time thinning/pressing the brush into a little turps did help. Then clearing of the space, structure and winter weeds, leveling and some paver re-adjustment. In went the support base, metal, and to keep the timber out off the ground. Then some timber reinforcing for underneath the cubby. And then... time to put it up!

Progress pics are coming - lots of little faces to edit out! Here's a hint of the cubby...
Cubby now in - thankyou to Grandma and Grandad for coming round to help put it together, and of course to Michael for getting it organised and prepped, Michael and Grandad for picking it up, and of course to J&B for choosing as as the new buyers!

Now I can work on desiging Brenna's Garden around it... The kids 'moved in' before the roof was even on lol - table and chairs, stove, dresser etc. Plan is for fruit trees on the side fence garden bed, they'll be tall enough to catch the sun there, then maybe some GWax or similar down one side of the cubby and a tall planter on metal legs (to raise it up to the sun, and to stop the four legged small thingies from nicking the fruit!) with maybe some strawberry plants. And of course... the statue from AE and R... will be finding it's new home in the garden soon.

Oh... and we have one very wiggly little Baby growing inside... I have been feeling the little movements for a while but they've really gotten stronger and tonight was the first time they could be felt by the 'outside' - someone other than me! Yippee!!! As of today (Monday) we are 16 weeks and 2 days. Grow well, grow strong Little One!

Vanilla Bean Collective Order

Well with vanilla essence/extract being what it is in the shop, and the price of one bean alone being upwards of $5, a bunch of us decided to go in a collective order and order 1kg of Vanilla Beans from Vanilla Plantations Australia. Service was very fast, with post to where we are 2 days which is pretty good. It ended up being approx $11 for 85g of beans (19-22 pods depending on thickness/weight) which will more than make our vanilla essence, and we will have enough leftover to make heaps of vanilla sugar! The recipe came from this thread on EB and goes like this

Vanilla Essence

Put 1 to 6 vanilla pods into a tall narrow jar. Fill with vodka or half vodka, half commercial extract. Let steep at room temperature for at least one

month and shake before using. Replenish any extract you use with vodka or commercial extract. Will keep indefinitely..

You may want to cut down the amount used in recipes by half, as it tends to be stronger.

Will put up pics shortly of what arrived and of it divvied up - smelled DIVINE when it arrived here! I was really not wanting to use ziplock bags as I don't like them but when put against cost of fuel to meet up, not to mention that we couldn't all be in the same place at the same time (which is fair enough!) and would have had to package some anyway, well it worked out better to bag them and post them. I ran out of recycled envelopes of course, so used up the excess non-recycled ones we already had here.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Rest Now Aunty...

---

Rest now Aunty
no more medications

no more treatments, no more tests
no dealing with everything else that came with it
no fighting the cancer any more





Much love
from all of us MKBJBZ&1

---

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Oh the bliss!

Saturday 9th of August

Oh the just quiet JOY to feel this little Baby moving and doing what Little People inside do!
*grin* this is approximately where our baby is at today, 15 weeks today... a pic and description of what s/he is getting up to in there while growing strong... that's all from me for now, off to grin some more and get a few things done before bed. xo

PS and Happy Anniversary to us for yesterday - 16 years since the day we met! *wink*

Laundry/Dressing room - aim for efficiency

Well it started out with a thread on the Large Families board on EB, specifically relating to this particular household(click on their 'home' pics)... anyway, if you go to their site and manage to scroll through the slideshow, you'll see their laundry room. That's what got me thinking - no, not about having that many children haha but more about their Laundry room. Rather than take the washing out, hang, bring in when dry, fold and sort, then distribute to the various rooms... why not do it this way and save a heap of time?

Add to that one of the Mums on the LF board started with tubs for each of her children...
I thought what a great idea and wanted to combine these two ideas... So bit by bit... Also, to mimimise my frustration at the children's clothes I had so neatly folded and put in their drawers only to be found all muddled up later on, I decided they could put their own clothes away, with help for the littlest of course. That way the answer to 'Mu-um... where's my....' would be 'in your tub' and/or in the wash/on the line and/or wherever you left it last because it's not in the washing!

Then a few people asked for pics and I explained that while I was rather pleased with the practical-ness of our 'laundry'... I was somewhat not happy with the aesthetics lol it's a far cry from the lovely laundries we see in reno shows (we're working on it tho, slowly lol).
Anyway, decided to put aside my... doubts lol about pics and share what we had achieved and how it worked.

Of course, with #5 arriving in Jan, we'll need to reshuffle where things fit, but generally I like where it's at in there. It's a MUCH nicer spot to be. Really only needs a coat of paint, a tidy and 'finishing off', plus something or other for the window... when we did the kitchen reno we contemplated putting a door to outside, where the laundry window is now, since the line is ~right there~ outside the laundry window... but the amount of plumbing in that wall was enough to put paid to that idea! So bear with me on the non-magazine look of it, and just take the practical. Click on the pics to be able to read the writing on them. We have an oddly laid out house but the pic on the left will help if you need to 'map' things in your head.

Directly copying and pasting my post in the LF board now:
we initially had a rack in the laundry for the school shirts and good clothes - once washed the were hung directly from the machine - no getting lost in the clean washing basket they were always there. And I was thinking boy if only we could do with more than just school shirts..!

This pic on the left is the 'left side' of the laundry looking in from the doorway. We have tubs one each for the children with names, I fold the washing into the laundry basket as I bring it off the line, into the laundry, 'dish out' the clothes the the relevant child's tub and when their tub is full (or beforehand) they come and empty it - littlest one needing a hand of course. The new Baby's clothes will go directly on the (yet to be installed) shelves which will be on the right hand side when you walk in.

The other thing is there is no more/less 'Mum where's my..?'
because the answer is usually, 'in your tub, in the wash/on the line or on the floor where you left it' haha so they're not waiting for me to sort and put away the washing iykwim.

We also tore out the old useless linen cupboard, and via Freecycle, found the inside of someone's BIR - top shelf and clothes rail thing - so all the blankets etc go on the top shelf and the clothes all get hung - shirts, good clothes, school etc esp the stuff we wear all the time, work clothes etc.

Also, there is a small set of drawers for underwear, bathers, etc that the kids share and on top of that goes their school bags and footy bags - clean footy gear and boots go right into the bag so that come Sunday morning there's no/less 'frantic' hunting for stuff. The drawers are divided up as well, so it's easy to see where the boys and girls stuff goes, as well as a super-easy pyjama drawer that really once the clothes are in, anyone would know who's pyjamas are what.

This pic on the left is the 'middle' of the laundry when looking in from the door way - I am looking to install a 'workbench/countertop' above, to make it easy to reach things and to make better use of the space. Also in the laundry is the nappy bucket (we dry pail so no soaking), nappy stash (mostly fitteds and covers, but a few AIO/pocket and we're trialling prefolds this time), change table mat (which lays on top of the washing machine when in use), washing machine, dirty clothes sorter, trough and a shoe rack, which we admittedly need a 2 storey one off, and we don't really have that many shoes. There's a small basket that the school shirts and kids socks go in so I don't have to HUNT for them to wash them, and the bag for swimming. Swimming gear gets hung straight from the shower onto the small rail in the bathroom. Clean towels go straight from the clean folded basket in the laundry into he swimming bag, where the goggles and swim passes are also.

Oh and did I mention we have a tiny laundry? lol
Floor space before we did all this was lucky to be 1m x 0.5m square, now it's about 1mx1m square wink.gif in floor space so we have actually made *more* room, fitting more in there and making it 'work' better iykwim

oh and that's just the start of the nappy stash! lol

The pic on the right is the 'right side' of the laundry when looking in from the doorway. The kids main clothes drawers are directly opposite the laundry door, (so behind me while I'm taking these pics from the door way) in the hall there (we have a wierd house layout see floor plan) so they only have to go a couple of metres to put their stuff away. They all share one room and besides the drawers being closer to the laundry by not being in their bedrooms, there's not room in the bedroom anyway wink.gif The hat rack (an aptly 'grown' brang with 'arms' from the park across the road lol) and 'coat rack' (IKEA, about $5.95 each) are on the wall opposite the kids main drawers in the hall outside the laundry.
Admittedly the drawers in the wide hall beside the laundry aren't 'pretty' and a lovely waist high unit would be nice but ah well make do with what we have yk

Towels are stored in the bathroom, on the shelf above where the wet bathers etc drip into the bath... the mop hangs there too after use and since our bath is out of order as the taps are siezed (old old plumbing lol) it's no consequence really that the mop drips in the bath iykwim.

Sheets are in the bottom drawer for the kids and in our wardrobe for us - we have builtins in our room so that's where the bulk of our stuff is. BIR in the guest room, but we long ago removed the BIR from the room that B1, J & Z share. FLYlady also recommends storing the clean sheets between the mattress and base on the bed - they are right there when you need them - no need to search for which sheets for which bed AND somewhere (BH&G? or Flylady) the tip was store the mathching flat and fitted sheet ~inside~ the matching pillowcase so always have a 'set' on hand.

And finally on the right is where the proposed (recycled timber) shelving will go so I can house the rest of the nappy stash (the above pics are mostly NB and small nappies) - for the OSFM nappies as well as for the Baby clothes.

So this is a combo of LF inspiration, FLYlady and 'that' Large Family, and I LOVE it - washing takes far less time, is less onerus and much much more organised. And yes now I fold right from the line bc when I sit the basket on top of the trough, I just assign the folded items to each pile. Items to hang are laid flat in the basket and hung right away. In summer, I often hang the hanging stuff still-damp straight from the machine - dries in no time and much less wrinkly, and not as stiff as it would be from hanging outside on a summer day (our lines are all under cover but still they get hot under there as they are near the roof).
biggrin.gif HTH and yep it's very worth it!

Brooke's Birth Story - Born 27th August 1999

The Birth of Brooke wub.gif
Brooke's was a 'text book' first labour both in progress and length. Contractions started slowly - I was so excited! I did squatting by the bed, walking around, went to the loo about a thousand times and my brother who was house-sharing with us at the time asked whether something was going on and I don't think my reply was all that generous - I didn't know if anything was going on!
Contractions gradually increased. I had a show. Contractions started to get that I could time them, so I woke up DP and he and my brother seemed to be racing around doing things when I'm sure I'd already organised everything and the lists were in place! It was really quite sweet. I went out the front and just walked up and down the middle of the road... it was late so there was no traffic...

I had been packed and ready to go since 3mths pregnant with everything else already done... all that I was waiting for was the little person to fill our lives!

On the way to the Birth Centre we stopped to get bottled water at a servo and I was kneeling facing away from the windscreen on the front seat (who can SIT at that time!). THe serivce station attended asked if I was ok and DP calmly said oh she's in labour and the servo man said - where's the ambulance! My DP said 'I am the ambulance!' He said he did 40km all the way but with the window down, the wind blowing through (which felt great) and me getting through contractions it felt a lot faster.

Rang my Mum, who said she'd meet us at the Birth Centre.
Got there, and over the course of the night things progressed pretty standard. Did the ball in the shower (bliss!) but forgot to try the bath which I always wanted to do.
Then things slowed and the midwife said would you like to get out of the shower to speed up the contractions... what are you kidding!!!
But I did.
The midwife, (who was a relatively new-to-it-all midwife) was being so sweet saying I was doing really well which by this stage I was doubting. I said to her can you stop saying that. She said well what would you like me to do tell you you're doing terrible and you'll be here forever?
Mmm, ok. She really was a sweetie - I made myself a promise I wouldn't yell or swear at anyone which I didn't and that's the closest I came to saying anything negative.
My Mum read somewhere that massaging feet can releive constipation (which can stimulate the uterus) so she did that and I just did not have the words to tell her not to please because it's really distracting and I don't want it!!!
Contractions building and building etc etc and eventually (after saying while in transition 'can't you just cut me open and take her out!' - and I only said that once, promise) I was up for another internal - are you serious!!! Flat on my back trying to get through contractions and have someone's HAND up THERE!!!

(I didn't know you can ask for no internal and/or to have one done while standing, kneeling, leaning forward etc.)

Anyway, they said there was a bit of membrane in the way holding everything back and would see if moving this would help. I'd had half feelings to push for a while. Well as soon as that was out of the way, gush came the rest of the waters and whammo - PUSH!!! Managed with help to get to the end of the bed where I had planned to kneel on the floor and lean over it - well my body had other ideas and just stood up!
In hindsight, that 'can't you just get her out' was the 'transition that everyone speaks of, and while at that point when you think 'I can't do this any more', it's actually meaning you're really close to the pushing part.
So in that sense, I am thankful for the internal and realising my tough membrane was just 'in the way', because I was ready to push.

I delivered Brooke while standing, (one arm around my Mum, one around my Partner and w each contraction my feet lifted off the floor!) no drugs, all good. original.gif She was born at the Family Birth Centre in WA

Brooke James Grace (plus surname) was born at 4.11pm, 7lb 12oz At her birth was her Nanna, and immediately after, her Uncle and our two best friends, one of whom video'd immed after she was born.

In hindsight, I had half feelings to push and on doing an internal, it was decided the membrane sack was sitting on the cervix stopping the last little bit - the second that was pushed aside I was PUSHING in earnest! Given that I think Brooke's labour could have been a couple of hours shorter if we'd sorted out this tough membrane earlier. I also decided that if baby's heartbeat was fine with my next labour that no one was doing internals.

With Brooke I think I also got a little dehydrated as nothing much appealed to me except strawberries (which were lovely). Sipping water was just gross. I remedied this with Jake by having half a watermelon and a tea-spoon right there in the kitchen at the Birth Centre which I just helped myself to in between contractions - food and hydration original.gif

Jake's Birth - Born 17th November 2001

The Birth of Jake wub.gif
Jake, my hind waters tricked while shopping ('hmm that felt a little wierd... and again... and again) and there was the usual (and for very good reason) 24 hours or be induced for risk of infection. There was no way I was being induced. I even had my four absoloute deep wisdom teeth out under local because I just hate the idea of drugs and I definately don't want them in mine or my new baby's system.

Anyway, so we did everything, curry, castor oil/OJ/Bicarb combo (GROSS!), walking, nipples the whole bit. Sure enough, in the shower contractions started. I walked from 8pm-midnight not wanting to chance them slowing down - I was NOT going to be induced.

I SMS'd as I walked through the early contractions.

No one did internals as I had asked not to have any, the midwife left us to it, coming in to check every now and then (incl check baby's heartbeat) until I started pushing. I got contractions started (or Jake did!) at about 8pm and managed to walk walk walk through them until about midnight when serious concentration was required for breathing.

I then went to the Birth suite and started breathing through in there.
I ended up kneeling forward onto DP who was sitting on a beanbag against the wall. The noises I made this time were different to w Brooke and the pushing didn't feel as 'good' as it did with Brooke - with her I looked forward to the next push, with Jake I didn't because of how it felt.

I thought I still had some time to go and then the pushing started! On the first push the waters exploded, about 12 BIG pushes with significant rest inbetween, his head going out and back in a bit for the last few and Jake was born at 2.53am with me kneeling forward onto his Daddy, no drugs also all good. (The midwife told me later on the next shift to go do a few laps around the block because I sure didn't look like I had just had a baby!)

Looking back at his birth on vid which I only just did the other night (long story as I was only JUST given the tape last week!) I think the pusing may have been uncomfortable as his hand was up across his chest and near his chin - after his head was born, the next thing to come out was his shoulders and pop! one hand!

Jake was born at 2.53am, 7lb 10z but with a 2cm bigger head than his sister.
Present at the birth was the same friend who video'd before but this time we got the actual birth on tape, plus one friend who was 5 minutes late and missed it (same friend who was present w Brooke), and Brooke's Nanna, as well as, of course, DP.

Both births we were home in no time, breastfeeding went well and both breastfed til about 12mths.

TEARING:
I had a 2nd degree tear w Brooke but attribute that to a standing delivery as it was quite quick -
with Jake I was kneeling forward and my midwife was awesome applying warm compress to the perineal area to help it stretch slowly and talked me through every step of the way and I didn't tear at all. (I had asked for all this from the midwife in my birth plan in the hope I wouldn't tear)

For Brooke the midwife wasn't confident to stitch so I had to go the main hopsital and sat on an icepack while I waited to reduce swelling.

I got there and was put on a table, in stirrups with someone yelling round the door 'can anyone stitch please! Who can stitch please!' - jeepers was the cleaner going to come and do it!!!? laughing2.gif

Eventually someone was found. Before sticking in the local anaesthetics, the nurse said to suck on the gas (first drugs ever!) but she didn't wait UNTIL that had kicked in and boy I FELT the first three of the SIX local anaesthetics she used!!! I watched her stitch me up by looking at the reflection in her glasses!
I have to say she did a good job as I never had any probs.

Then back to the Birth Centre.

I realise sometimes drugs and intervention are neccesary, but if they're not, then they're not for me and I think should be used as a last resort - our
bodies are made for this!
Like all parenting choices of course, it's a very personal one and what works for some doesn't for others.

Baby three due now anyday and I can't wait for the contractions to start because it means I'll be seeing him/her very soon! original.gif However this birth turns out, and I am hoping for the best, so long as we are both healthy that's all I need to know.

For first timers can I say, while it's really hard, and of course medical opinion is there because (we hope) they know more than we do, bottom line is trust your gut instinct, check out ALL your options and if you're not happy with something then mention it - are there alternatives/variations etc that could work instead?

Good luck I say to all the Mums-to-be and new lives waiting to come into the world, whatever form their arrival takes! original.gif

Re-reading this I realise I made both labours sound so 'easy' - which is not to say it didn't HURT - far from it as 99% of the population who have given birth will tell you it IS painful but it's a different kind of pain... & the end result is worth it as pretty much the same 99% will tell you!.

Re the wisdom teeth thing - it's not an aim to be a hero, it's not that at all, I think I'm just a woos because I'm so scared what might happen to my body/me if I went under a general anaesthetic... that's why I didn't do it. If I had the guts to have a general I would have because it was definately not fun having them out under local esp as they were so DEEP...

Brooke's labour was 8 hours (12 hours total but the first four were 'nothing' labour ie could still talk and have a sense of humour!),
Jake was about 3 - hard labour ('real' labour) beginning about midnight ('easy labour' started 8pm). Hope I haven't forgot any crucial bits. I do intend to write this next birth down in his/her baby book striaght away before it all evapourates! (I do have B&J's in detail in their book but didn't put it all in here). Good luck to you all!

Zeke's Birth Story - Born 25th March 2005

The Birth of Zeke wub.gif

Well I thought I might add the Birth Stories of all my kiddies since Brenna's is on the net, and Brooke, Jake and Zeke's are, just all in different spots so I thought I'd put them all here in one place...

THe short version: (LOL!)

Zeke Machaiah Vincent (Hill) was born Friday morning at 7.45am, 7lb 14oz. (Machaiah said Ma-kye-ah) Waters had gone 'dook' the night before (Thursday) and for the first time I knew what it was like to have your waters 'go'... 'sloshed' down the hallway to the loo... smile.gif Of course, once the waters go, you have to go in so off to the Birth Centre we went Thursday night. I was also told that third babies can be faster LOL little did we know.
Contractions were on and off and strong for a good three hours at the Birth Centre but then they kind of just went away. We had had three weeks of on and off contractions so weren't all that surprised... but I was gearing up to birth and then it all just disappeared!
So midwife Lorraine said well you may as well go to bed - yet another 'practice' run it seemed! smile.gif So we all went to bed, Michael and I climbed into bed and Nuarna had the lounge (at the Birth Centre)

We all got a reasonable night's sleep (I think!) and I was aware of about 4 contractions through the night but otherwise slept - I just breathed slowly and wished the contractions away LOL so they can't have been anything too exciting! Was wondering when this labour would start and thinking that if this baby didn't arrive by 10pm Friday I would be looking at an induction as the waters would have been 'broken' for 24 hours.

Anyway, morning came, we all kind of woke up and poor N was a little 'full' having not breastfed her young son R since the night before! (Nuarna was to be our video person) So I said to her to go home and feed him (I was sitting up on the bed chatting happily no probs and no contractions whatsoever in sight) She thought about it (really didn't want to go so must have 'known') and I said well if anything happens we'll call you!

I wondered what the day had in store... As I moved a bit on the bed (sitting up) there was this gush and more waters went (this was the forewaters I was to find out) but still no contractions - no labour.

Lorraine said it was time for shift change and Claire (midwife from the day before) came back on). Lorraine said she will be 5 minutes out of the carpark and the baby would be born... little did we know! I was also told later that they 'knew' something was up as even tho there was no sign of contractions and I was NOT in labour, my pulse was up... so they had an inkling...
Anyway, Nuarna decided to go home (at my insistence sorry Nuarna!) and I rang Mum and Corina to let them know nothing had happened yet and Corina could prob go home (Corina stayed at our place the night before). So they left... me definately not in labour and not a contraction in sight...

No sooner had Nuarna walked out the door (7.07am) then a few minutes after that, I said '.......' as ALL the rest of the waters came in two great gushes as I adjusted how I was sitting on the bed. No contractions yet tho. In hindsight if I had walked them out to the carpark no one would have missed his birth! LOL Sat there for a bit... made my way (slwoly lol) to the loo where the first contraction hit HARD, BANG in the doorway. 3 contractions standing in the doorway of the bathroom leaning on Michael (Claire came in to say good morning to the woman who 10 seconds ago was NOT in labour) and I couldn't answer her questions. Hmmm thinks Claire and heads off to get things ready... next contraction there were little urges to push.
I said to Michael you better get her to come back and get the mat and beanbag ready. Michael went to the other side of the room and I quickly told him to come back (had to hold on to him through the next contraction) -darn women who can't make up their minds LOL
Mat and beanbag hastily set up, Nuarna and Mum were called (Corina had just pulled out of our driveway), Michael got into position and I was leaning forward on him on my knees. The next contraction was to push.
I asked about a warm compress (Michael translated) but Claire replied she wasn't about to leave me right now and could see baby's hair. The most bizarre thing was I was able to control HOW I pushed instead of just the uncontrollable urge... anyhow, Zeke's shoulders were harder to push out than his head! Prob about 4 or 5 good pushes later, at 7.45 am our Little Man was born, Zeke Machaiah Vincent... he was spluttering on all the mucous but there he was and straight up to the breast for a feed. we peeked under the blanket, he pee'd and we announced 'It's a BOY!'
I rang Nuarna - she answered the phone with 'what'd you have'... she knew she'd missed it. I rang Mum - who was just down near Perth Mod - 'oh no!' she says as she had just missed it too!

So all up labour was less than half an hour - who could ask for more! I think they listed it as 27mins on my records. The Cord Blood Collection lady didn't make it in time either... which was very disappointing but couldn't be helped. I had a shower etc etc and a restful day followed with our newest little person.

Zeke was all well but a bit snuffly and snorting - but feeding well, contended and generally 'perfect' in the end, to be on the safe side, the paediatricians decided to transfer him up to the ICU Special Care 2 nursery at KEMH - it might be nothing but if it's something then that's the place to be. He was the biggest baby in there! He was put on IV antibiotics as a precaution - we went there midnight Fri night - I didn't leave his side (they put a chair next to his unit) til Michael arrived in the morning about 8 -
Despite their assurances they would call me if he needed a feed there was NO WAY I was leaving his side. (they were all wonderful and do so well with what little the Govt provides but he's my baby, and ultimately my responsiblity)...

I didn't know what to think... I tried not to be upset because there were so many tiny babies in there much sicker but I guess it was just so unexpected... To make a long story short, Zeke had multiple blood tests, needles, and several tubes up his nose to suction him out each day - which never produced much except blood). A chest x-ray and plenty of other stuff plus the anti-biotics. We were allowed up to the ward on Sat night (?) with antiobiotic injections twice daily... all blood tests and cultures came back negative over the next few days...

After all the blood cultures and 'PMG' and 'NGPO' and whatever other words there are! (you should have heard all the abbreviations!) tests etc it was eventually decided that while they weren't really sure what the exact prob was, it was prob a combo of being born so quick and inhaling mucours (showed up on the x-ray) and having slightly slimmer nasal passages making his breathing a bit more hard work, the latter he would grow out of and the former would pass. His symptoms decreased every day and every test came back fine. So after many needles we were allowed to go home Monday lunchtime and here we are! My theory is well he had to do SOMETHING a little different! smile.gif So that's why I haven't been home to return calls and haven't had the phone on at the hospital of course either.
We are all home, well and healthy, with virtually no snuffling or anything - you'd never know!
Zeke just wanted to provide the paed's with a little challenge! We could have come home Fri the day he was born but who wants to take chances...

He is the new love of my life and a wonderful new part of our family...
Good luck to all about to birth soon

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Brenna's Birth Story

I am putting this here, copied and pasted from Brenna's Original pages (a) to keep all the Birth Stories together and (b) as a 'backup' in case the original pages go AWOL.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007
HOW ONE DAY CAN CHANGE SO MANY...

The morning was as lovely as any other...
I had taken Brooke (recently turned 8) and Jake (5, nearly 6) to school, and gotten Zeke (2.5) and I ready to go to the Birth Centre for your checkup, to hear your heart beating, which is something I think everyone looks forward to, I know I do - and hand in all your paperwork, including the ultrasound results we had had done at ten weeks, confirming you were there, and very active and growing along just nicely.

We arrived at the Birth Centre, Zeke played with toys until it was time to go in. (I was with the Blue Group midwives.) I answered all the usual 'first visit' questions, we went through blood/urine test results, all spot on, and did the paperwork side of things.

Then came the part I was waiting for, and had been telling Zeke about. Funny thing is... usually when things are going to happen I can imagine them and this I just couldn't, I had this odd feeling... but I dismissed it.
[I had had this 'are we tempting fate' thing for so long before you were conceived. And Zeke regularly for a couple of weeks before today, had been touching my belly and rubbing it and saying 'Baby's sleeping'... the first time I thought it was sweet... the next few times I felt a little fear because I thought he might be right. I talked myself into thinking positive. Zeke was also all keyed up and keen and inquisitive about babies in general, and my belly... but this subsided not long before we found out...]

I hopped up on the table. We could hear my heartbeat (pulse) loud and clear. The midwife said well you have a great blood flow to your uterus. After a time, we still could not 'find' your heart beat.
Small talk was made, although somehow nothing seemed too negative, odd though it was. The midwife said sometimes if the placenta is on the front, and baby is 'behind' that the maternal heart beat can mask or 'hide' baby's heart beat. She said usually if there is a good blood flow to the uterus, as there was with me, then there's usually a reason for that good flow, and that it's just a case of Baby playing 'hide and seek' more or less.
The midwife said she would go get another doppler, just to make sure that it wasn't something with the one she had, which really... since she could find my pulse fine well it probably wasn't.
So she got the other one and the same result.

We finished up in the appt room, I was still just going along like it was any other day, and not really 'anything' - maybe just that this was a glitch and it would all be sorted, although I think somewhere I knew it wasn't. But I was still just me at this stage, and listened as they organised for me to go to the Emergency Centre (EC) for an ultrasound. We waited in the waiting room and I started to hear the words 'I'm sorry but there's no heartbeat' in my mind, my eyes started to prickle and I told myself don't be silly, think positive. At this stage, in hindsight, I was strangely calm... maybe 'going through the motions'? I don't know but I wasn't particularly anxious or anything.
Maybe I really did, subconsciously at least, already know...

The midwife said that was all organised, she said one of the midwives up the main hospital said sometimes even she hadn't found the heartbeat at my gestation (nearly 16 weeks) and that it wasn't unusual, and that the ladies in question and their babies had been fine.
Anyway, she said when I came back they'd finish the appt and book me in for my next check. So the receptionist and I went up to the EC, with Zeke walking beside us, chattering away.
We got there, handed in my file to which the midwife on the desk repeated that same thing, that it wasn't unusual, to which I replied well it is for me - three previously normal healthy pregnancies with three very strong heartbeats at the same gestation AND this baby's heartbeat was clear and well at the ten week ultrasound and I didn't want to just 'wait' and see...

--------------------------------------

I rang Michael to let him know what was happening so far, that it might be nothing, that it might be any of the before mentioned reasons why they couldn't find the heartbeat at the Birth Centre. I had to hang up on Michael then because Zeke took off - I had bought with me enough snacks and games for the Birth Centre appt and he had had enough - he was ready for bed. Anyway...

So into the room we went, me laying on the bed trying to keep Zeke busy, while they did the u/s. They took a long time and were very quiet. What little I could see of the screen I couldn't see movement. After what seemed like ages, he said look I'm sorry, I can't see any heartbeat, I'm going to get a second opinion' - to which I folded my arms across my face and burst into tears... I knew, I knew even beforehand but now there was no not knowing. One of the nurses even said to me 'there there let's not get emotional yet, let's wait for the second opinion' - but I knew, dammit and don't try and pretend! I didn't of course say this to her but I was thinking, 'what, like they might be wrong, our Baby isn't moving, they can't see the heartbeat.'
As promised the second and third opinion were sought.
Inbetween them telling me things, and my tears, I was keeping Zeke busy, as well as one of the learning docs trying to keep Zeke from taking off. I started him on the marble game on my mobile (something he's never allowed to have) and updated it for him as the game finished, while they were finishing the next ultrasound.
Finally yes, they were sure. Baby's heart had stopped.
The only composure I managed was enough to tend to Zeke, and to hear what they were saying to me.
They asked would I like to ring my husband. Between sobs I said no, I'll drive over to his work and pick him up - the midwife repeated this to the doc and in hindsight I think they were quickly trying to work out how to talk me out of it.

In the end I rang Michael and told him between breaking down and trying to get the words out.
My God how do you tell the Father of the child you're carrying such news... really...
Then I tried to phone my Mum, (didn't know if I would catch Dad at home) got the answering machine at work, so tried Mum and Dad at home, Dad answered and I told him in much the same way as I had told Michael. I asked him could he please phone Mum, but make sure she was by herself when he told her, or even if he could go down there to her work...
I think I rang my friend N then and told her.
She had lost a little one too and I felt so bad to tell her and make her sad for her little one but she was our good friend, our children's Aunty, I wanted to tell her.

After that the doc came back and explained the options for 'management of the pregnancy' from here on. He said options were D&C or induced labour - I burst into tears (more) and said I couldn't do a D&C, I just couldn't. The thought of it was just too much to entertain.
I also wanted to know, if I birthed, would they just take baby away and be classed as 'medical waste' - I wanted to see and hold my baby - the thought of the 'medical waste' disposal was just impossible - please let them say that's not what they do.
And it wasn't.

The rest of that afternoon was a bit of a combination of tears, sobbing, my brain going a thousand miles an hour, doc and midwives coming and going and me staring over and over again between tears at the pattern on the curtain in the ulstrasound room, and keeping an eye on Zeke who by this stage I had just given in and let him press the 'up down' button on the bed to keep him busy. One of the midwives bought him some paper and highlighters to colour with, and I had found some Minties in the bottom of my bag (they were fine to eat btw)... but the up down up down of the bed was much more fun.
Michael came. We hugged as we cried and I said once, 'I'm sorry' he said 'don't be sorry it's not your fault' and I don't know if that's what I meant, but I was saying 'I'm sorry for you, our Baby's Daddy'...

The midwife who does perinatal loss came in and the first thing she said was 'you look sad'... ?!
Anyway, an appt was organised for the next morning to come in and chat, and to make decisions as to where to from there. She said most women who instincively respond they don't a D&C, usually don't and if they do, they often regret it. I had already decided the first time the doctor offered the options.
Michael had at this time taken Zeke for a walk, a drive.

The rest of the afternoon was a bit like that. Seeing people, hearing different things, answering questions, asking questions.
Then we went home. Michael picked Brooke and Jake up from school. Then when we got home, we told them the news. I explained it quite simply I think, in the most sensitive way I could, that our Baby's hear wasn't working any more, and that when your heart doesn't work you can't live. Basically. I told them our Baby would be born, and roughly how big s/he would be. I answered their questions and said if they wanted to cry, or talk or ask questions or anything, they could any time they wanted to.
I said that Mummy and Daddy would probably be sad for a long time, because this is our child, their brother/sister and we are sad because of all the things that now can't be - watching them grow up together and so on.
A little more than that of course but overall that was the gist of the explanation. I surprised myself how calm I was explaining it to the kids - of everyone, I have been able to be the most lucid and composed with them...
My Mum was coming down for work, she came over that night striaght from the airport, and stayed a while, would come back the next night to stay for the weekend.
N was also coming the next morning to stay with the kids, as Mum had a meeting in the morning, so N would stay with them while we went in for our appt.

That was the Wednesday. The day I went for my routine 15+2 check at the Birth Centre... that turned out to be anything but routine, and the differences in what the world held for us, from the morning compared to the afternoon, was massive.

That Wednesday night in the shower I just leaned on the wall and cried in defeat. I know they told me that we probably couldn't get in until Monday, but maybe I knew I don't know, but I asked Michael to take a photo of my belly... with you safely inside... I didn't know if it would be the last time you and I would be at home together... and as it turned out, it was.

-------------------------------

Thursday, September 20, 2007 AMNIO, BOOKING IN... & BEING FORGOTTEN...

Thur morning 20th Sept, for our 'chat' appointment with the midwife, to confirm what 'management' plan we would like to chose. The choice was (as was explained the day before) a D&C or induced labour - take your pick which terminology different staff used - some of it I wanted to object to, but I just didn't manage to form the words for my thoughts. Perhaps they thought they were being kinder by using more medical terms, more clinical, but it felt harder.

So the choice was D&C, or induced labour
I did not want to do either of those...
I wanted to not have to choose, I wanted for our Baby not even to BE in the position such that we had to make this choice...

There was some mention that I would be 'borderline' for a D&C if we went that way anyway, because we were technically in the 2nd trimester, that it would be up to the head of whichever Dept whether they permitted this option.
It wasn't an option for me, so thankfully we never had to have that discussion.

But as I has said to the doctor the day before, after final confirmation from a third opinion that there was definately no heartbeat, I just could not do a D&C. I know it's such a personal choice, and one no one else can make unless they stand in your shoes, but I just couldn't do it.
I have a good friend who lost her little girl at a similar gestation, although different circumstances. We both made different choices, but in no way does this make either of us right or wrong, we just made the best decision we could, with both our heart, head and medical info.

Our decision was to induce labour and birth our baby, as we would have done anyway, just much later.
From there, there was a lot of waiting as there usually is, seeing different people, nurses, registrar, doctor etc. I asked for another ultrasound, to be sure. I wanted to be SURE...

That was with the perintal loss midwife.
Somewhere in there was a wait before and after, so we decided to go for a walk/sit in the car rather than sit in the waiting room with all the other bellies.

The reigistrar really took her time, showed us everything, put on the 'colours' so you can see blood flow and it was clear that the blood flow ended where the umbilical cord met baby's belly. Then we spoke to a professor who explained the induction process and all that went with it, she also was very thorough and this was something positive.
We asked all the questions we could think of, even those we didn't really want to contemplate at the time.
I couldn't understand how we could have three 'disgustingly normal' (that was the midwife's words a couple of years ago) pregnancies, and natural births, yet be here.

We spent a long time in that room, waitng mostly, seeing people occasionally.
I said to Michael at one point.. 'I can't do this again, I just can't'...
We asked even the same questions we had already asked the different people we had come across, and still it surprises me at some of the differences in the perspective the answers give - surely not all of it can be put down to their personal opinion on risks and procedures, surely there are some facts?

Also, while we were there at the EC, a couple with their newborn baby came in, their baby was crying and it was honestly one of the second-hardest things to hear...

It seemed we were going to have to wait until Monday before our Baby could be born. What can you do but wait in that situation you know. They did really try, as best I could tell, several phone calls, speaking to the head of the ward etc
We had in the meantime, decided to go ahead and have the amniocentisis, to confirm gender as it may not have been obvious enough at birth (due to the way both boy and girl babies develop in the first three months) and to see if they could work out the 'why' from the same tests. We have chosen to have the 'why' looked at, but we don't want results. We just want to have the results there should we want them later on, because at the moment, it really makes no difference 'why', because it doesn't change the result. However, now was the only time to have those tests done - can't change your mind later and add that to the 'wish I did this' list.
We were given the risk assessment for the amnio - the biggest risk normally being to the baby and the pregnancy, which as was concluded each time to us, was not relevant to our situation.
So I had the amnio. I've never had one before, but the two ladies who performed it were excellent, and lovely. They printed out extra (and better) photos of Baby, for which we were extremely grateful as they were the best and most clear ones we have.
At which time the amnio person said did we want to find out if we could go in that night, she would check just in case there was a bed and enough staff.
I nearly said don't worry about it, thankyou, we know we will just have to wait until Monday...
however, I thought well it can't hurt to ask...

I think she used two things (a) time elapsed since baby had died, risk of infection etc and (b) our emotional state, and a bed was found. The amnio was done, I showered to wash off the betadine they paint your belly with. I slumped against the tiles in the shower... I cried and had my hands on my belly, and said to our Baby 'I'm so sorry, Baby I am so sorry'...

We waited outside the amnio/US room, thankfully didn't make us go back to the waiting room with all the other bellies and happy couples...we had a spot off to one side... the walls were covered in photos of newborn babies, birthing, breastfeeding. I looked at the floor and chairs and anywhere else but the walls. We were also shown the amnio samples and explained to us, which was good.

booked into the ward, went up at about 3pm, met the head nurse [P] who was great. All the nurses on shift that afternoon were. She took her time, really explained everything, answered all our questions, and left spaces so that we could just think, she didn't rush us. I've never really liked the term 'Bubby' but this time, the way she said it, the way she spoke, it was so nice that someone was treating the term they used to speak of our Baby, so gently.
Since I had never birthed in a hospital before, I wanted to know, would I be allowed to move around and so on - she said yes I would - the only monitoring they normally do, is to monitor baby's heartbeat and so on, and again, for our situation that didn't apply.
She asked had I had any contractions or anything, I had had three or four over the space of the day, and each time I had to breathe through them.

She said they wouldn't start anything until about 9pm that night, so no worries to go home, collect clothes and so on (they would bring in a fold out bed for Michael), and we wanted to bring back some blankets for baby too.
We went home, after the shops, spent the afternoon with Mum and the kids explained to them what was happening as well, that our Baby was going to be born, that s/he would be really tiny and that the could meet Baby if they wanted to - the didn't have to but could if they wanted to, what to expect and so on.

Then we went back, getting back to the ward by about 7.30.
The nurse came about 8.30 and did BP, temp etc
I was grateful that we weren't on a 'maternity' ward... I had been pondering how that would be, and that I would just have the door shut and the tv on to hopefully not hear what I otherwise would.
Turns out we were on the oncology ward... and 'elective termination' and 'for parents like us', ward... no less a happier place for all the other ladies/families who were in that ward.
Still for us it was something in not hearing new babies cry.

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Everything was due to start at 9ish. In the meantime, I wrote in your journal - I've kept a pregnancy diary for Brooke and Jake and Zeke, and your pregnancy was no different. I wrote in there for quite a while, then I decided I may as well rest, so I did and Michael and I both slept until 10pm, both on the main single bed, close to each other. I woke up at 10pm. At which time I thought mmm...things were meant to start at 9pm... maybe they are busy...

I waited until 10.30pm. Nothing, no one had been in at all. 11 o'clock came and I ventured out and basically asked if someone could update us - which was met with a confused reply - "who do you want to see? A nurse, a doctor?" (almost in a tone like I was being annoying and not specific enough). No one knew really what was happening, apparently.
we had been sitting in there for over two hours and no one even queried it. Well there was a big flap, phone calls, asking us questions and trying to sus out (them) what they were meant to be doing. It's quite one thing to be waiting your turn in a waiting room or emergency dept, and quite another to be booked into a ward, waiting for something to happen that was planned, AND where there is nothing else whatsoever happening in the ward... and you have literally been forgotten about - no idea how things would have gone had I slept the night through, or not queried...

One of the midwives came in and said 'so you're having the Mysoprostil
tonight then a D&C in the morning' and I said 'NO - I was never having a D&C, we've been sitting here for over two hours waiting to be induced and everything was supposed to start at 9!!!'
I honestly felt, at that time, that because we didn't have a live baby, we didn't matter.
I couldn't believe they had forgotten us.
I was just broken all over again.

The head doc from Emergency was called up and you know what, she actually ASKED US what was meant to be happening, so I explained everything from the start. She said she would sort it all out and come back. She did. Turned out with a combo of in-service, shift change and failure by whichever staff to properly note everything in my notes, no one really knew what we were there for, not precisely. She said right we can get it all started, right now.
Michael said well look it's midnight now, maybe Kristy should be able to rest and we can start in the morning. the m/w said could I honestly sleep the night properly, and that she could insert the mysoprostil now, and give me some... Lamazapam (?) to help me relax
I said I didn't want to be knocked out! I didn't want to not remember birthing our Baby she said oh we give it to women in labour all the time when they're tired to help them rest etc and I said well I've had three natural drug free labours, and to be honest, those kind of drugs scare me, I have no control - she said no you won't be knocked out, just relaxes you - I said will I know if I need to pee etc and she said yes. we thought about it for a while.

In the end we said yes. I wanted our Baby to be born. I didn't know if I could carry our baby inside me, for another day... I guess I could have but it wasn't that I didn't want to carry her for another day, just that we had been promised that we would be able to meet her that day, and then for that to have to wait again... I wanted to meet our Baby... So finally at Midnight everything was started.
I had to lay flat on the bed for an hour to let the inserted tablets
do their stuff (open the cervix etc)

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Friday, September 21, 2007
BRENNA IS BORN...

I fell asleep at 1am
I woke shortly before 5.30am, and at 5.30 when I sat up my watersbroke. I took myself off to the bathroom and our Baby was born at 5.40am, quietly, and surreally really, with no physical pain, no contractions

[It seems so strange that out of all this, actually birthing Brenna was the most 'simplest' of it all... but the most special. I am truly honoured that I was able to give our little girl Birth... to have a birthday, to be bought into this world, something I could do for her.
I wonder if she knows how much we love her... how will I know? I can only hope and trust, that somehow, some way, she does]

We took photos and all...
spent just 'time' with our littlest one.
Her body so young, but perfectly formed, legs, arms, tiny toes and fingers... her eyelids even formed, and just 'open' with the parting between the top and bottom lid formed too... mouth, eyes... all of her just so perfect, but so little. She just needed more TIME...

The instructions from the midwives were for me to 'catch' everything that came after in the little bowls - it became apparent to them that no placenta was coming and they considered there to be far too much blood, I now know it was over a litre.
A saline drip was put in my arm 'just in case'. We had the 'what might happen next' discussion I explained that general anaesthetics scared the snot out of me - would I even wake up? For this exact reason I had had orthodotic surgery under local anaesthetic despite the surgeon trying very hard to convince me to have a general - yep, they scared the snot outa me. plus having someone else in TOTAL control over me scared me. there wasn't much choice really and they just explained everything simply and reassuringly. as best they could anyway.
Then the decision was made that yes, that was too much blood and I needed to get to theatre quick for a curette.
I was set up pretty quick (gown, hair thingo, taped my earrings in wedding ring, electrode thingos on my chest etc) and the orderly came to wheel me down and just before we went the nurse rang through she said the anaesthetist was busy with someone's epidural and we would have to wait the nurse/midwife replied no, this girl needs to get to theatre 'stat'
so down I went
They got warm blankets for me coz I was shivering, talked to me as they replaced the saline with the 'sleepy' stuff. I don't remember falling asleep I woke up the same way I was when I fell asleep, just in a different room - which was nice because I didn't really want much of an indicator of what they had to do to get done what they needed done, if that makes sense.

All this time Michael had stayed in the room with our Baby I didn't want anyone to come take our Baby away while I wasn't there. Went back up to the ward. I drifted in and out of being asleep with staff coming and going.
Woke up and Michael said Mum had called, to see about coming up later with Brooke and Jake and Zeke, if I was awake enough.

later Mum came up with Brooke Jake and Zeke - they met their Baby sibling... we talked and explained, they asked questions and they wondered at how tiny... after a little while, then they went home later the perinatal nurse came by and took Baby to do external checks and she said while she was fairly sure that our Baby was a girl, she said she didn't want to say that for definate, so to wait for the amnio results, which we will.

they are doing footprints, a certificate of life etc (don't 'qualify' for birth certificate if you're born before 21 weeks) and Baby is staying in the perinatal room until we know the amnio results at which time we can bring the 'right' colour blanket
Thursday afternoon we went and bought blue, pink and yellow because we just didn't know... it was exceptionally odd, looking back on it, to be shopping for your baby, who will be born, who is currently warm inside you, but who will never take a breath...
[and Michael had kept asking me had I had something to eat yet, was I hungry. Food was just nothing, so not important in one sense. But I thought well, I should probably eat something, and at least then he won't have to worry about that as well. Thing is, even though I suppose it made no 'real' difference whether I ate Subway or anything else, I just couldn't - my Baby was still inside me, it was still my job to do the best I could for her. So I chose a hot roast lunch instead.]

Also when the amnio results come back, and when we come to pick up our Baby and bring him/her home, we will have made burial/memorial arrangments by then.
We are at this stage planning to have Baby come home to be buried, doing a plaque and so on, but still thinking about it.

They are putting in an incident report on the 'forgetting us' bit The head nurse [name] wasn't there for that but when she came in the next day she said there is just no excuse, it's unforgiveable and she was extremely sorry she will phone us in a week to let us know how their 'looking into it' all went. (and she has)

So that's about it, I think for this email.

What I think will be hard is going back to school - since each person that hugs you generally cries with you, and I just have no choice in falling apart, I really am not looking forward to doing that a hundred times over in a short space of time - not because I don't want them to hug, or cry, or share their words, that's a good thing in it's own way, it's just that with it comes my composure coming undone...
I guess I just have to do get used to it.
I'm not really sure how to 'do' any of this yet, you know?
Does anyone ever really...
I consider that I am, we are, parents to four children three here on the earth and one with Angel Wings
Love knows no gestational limits...

back soon little one...
xo Mummy

[school the first day was hard. I just wanted the class doors to open so we could go home. Michael and my Mum were there. I just felt so ... not out of place but kind of, my world was different at that time and the tears wouldn't stop. I didn't go back that week, Michael, so strong, did the school run for the rest of the week, even though I know it probably wasn't any easier for him.
School has since gotten better. I can now share some of the things that are positive memories, share Brenna's name and mostly answer questions while keeping it together, mostly. One of the Mums, her hug is so warm and so strong, and on top of several other things that day I just couldn't keep it together. Time time time I suppose... xo]

[somewhere in the afternoon, I rang your Uncle Kai... I had been trying to not ring him while he was at college, since he's flying planes well I thought safety-wise I should wait, but at the same time I didn't want to wait too long, I wanted to tell him for him to not have to hear from anyone else. So I phoned him... Brenna's life touches everyone, for now he is an Uncle to a Little Baby Girl with Angel Wings... xo]

-------------------------------------------------

Saturday, September 22, 2007 So this is the day after you were born.
We got home yesterday to many bunches of flowers and cards, and more coming, phone messages and so on. I caught up on the lovely emails people had sent.
I think I spent more hours with tears running down my face, than not. Making toast, didn't matter what, my thoughts were mostly of you, and us, and why and what if and all the thousand thoughts that parents who have lost babies entertain... But, I took it to mean that the pain and ache and tears was just so true to how much you were and still are, loved and wanted and missed so tremendously...
Sometimes I looked forward to bed time, although I had to stay up until I was worn out before I could actually sleep, because it meant just for a little while the ache and tears could have a rest. Until the morning.

I kept thinking
I can't do this, I can't...
but I was.
The days just passed really, the sun kept coming up, and later on, kept going down... because even if your world has fallen apart, the world in general, no matter how rude it seems, just keeps turning.

------------------------------------------------

Sunday, September 23, 2007 It is November that I am entering this into Brenna's journal. I put it here because I know it was in the few days immediately after she was born, but unless I wrote it down somewhere and can't remember, I am not sure exactly what day. And I have thought about it often, whether or not to enter it in here. I have chosen to obviously, and I've done so because this is ~Brenna's~ journal...

Do you know...
I saw her.
I saw Brenna. Not like a ghostly ooooooo-oooooh kinda thing, but in the days after we got home, the whole lounge and kitchen was full of flowers. I was in the lounge room, sad as ever, by myself I think someone had gone to get Brooke and Jake from school and Zeke was with them, I think, I know I was home by myself at least inside the house.
anyway I was bending down to pick up toys and so on off the floor, slowly because it still felt like my insides might hurt at any second...
when I happened to glance up - you know, the kind of automatic for no real reason kind of glances? Well one of those, just a quick few seconds one - and in that second, right where a red carnation was in amongst a bouquet on the table... I saw Brenna's face - not as in from the shape of the flower but as if someone had opened a little 'window' for me to see her right there in front of that flower, just her face.
She was perfect.
All newborny... and full term and just perfect and beautiful. And a LOT like Zeke - ~that~ spun me out! Given her name means 'raven haired', I think it suited because I think she was a lot like him in terms of colouring, the light olive skin, dark hair and blue eyes... just from how she looked this time, so similar to how Zeke looked, but still a different Baby.

I am so so grateful to have seen her in this way - because it gives me something... something to, I don't know... 'have'... or something? I don't really know WHAT it means but I think it was something good.
Since that first glance was but a second, I quickly glanced back up... but her image was gone. I wasn't even contemplating anything like that Red carnations have absoloutely no significance other than this one newly created... so I truly think that it was her, Brenna... right then...

xo

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

And I'm grinning because...

YAY I have heartburn lol - what an odd thing to make someone happy but make me happy it does! Have had it over the last week or so now... Means everything is working as it should and the hormones and general 'being pregnant' is on track... now... to remember that wives tale about heartburn (I don't have it terribly, just a little) & to try and remember which babies I had more heartburn with (boy/girl) to see if the wives tale panned out... *wink*

Monday, August 04, 2008

Did they check?

I am sure that if someone checked, that the Earth would be revolving slightly faster each year... because wasn't it only January yesterday and now it's August? I think someone better check on that. Anyway... off to get some stuff done before it's September tomorrow, or December or the middle of next year or...

Saturday, August 02, 2008

On Prefolds...

Saturday 2nd August 14 weeks.
Well, something new in my nappying time, I've done flats, all sorts of fitteds, pockets, AIOs, woollies and so on but have never done prefolds before... so I bought some second hand (36 of them in fact!) in good condition via Buy For Baby and have been practicing with them since they arrived! I never really got why they were called 'prefolds' coz to me, they're not prefolded ha ha but they're essentially a 'sized' flat nappy with extra central panel sewn in. Have sussed out the smallest possible fold and this is what it looks like with a Tommee Tippee nappy pin. I am thinking with some NB covers, it might not even need pinning. Have also worked out how to 'gusset' a folded prefold, like this pic on the far right, and am curious to try them out and see how they go. The second pic on the far left is without the gusset. Am hoping the gusseted prefold will do as any other gusset does and keep the newborn soup poo IN! lol

I was wandering round the shop today (laybyd the New Baby's baby seat today as they were on sale 20/30% off) and we have until December to complete the layby (layby terms have gotten longer it seems!)... anyway and it occured to me as it does every time I'm out, what a consumerist world many people live in, of commercialised and name brand stuff, and how much plastic and synthetic stuff there is, and especially in the 'baby section' - how little natural fibre stuff there is... just an observation really - and I know we participate in it to some extent but wow... definately not to the extreme that's available. I'll be off to Golden Threads for toys for this Baby, or other online stores that are similar, and ahhhhhh that feels better!

And from a comment left here, from another Mum who lost her Daughter also named Brenna, in March this year (coincidentally our Brenna's original EDD) I came across a site where you can create tickers for lost Little Ones, so created this one for Brenna...

TickerShack.com Ticker

It may seem odd, reading it, to speak of our New Baby in one paragraph and then Brenna in the next, but that's what parents do isn't it - no matter how different their children are.
Always loved and missed... xo
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