It's time!

As luck would have it, Jamie was working from home on the 14th September. At approximately 8:45am on the way to the toilet, my waters broke. 

I sat on the loo thinking shit have they really, it was all starting to get very real! I yelled to Jamie from the bathroom to come and inspect - as I thought I might have wet myself. He did in fact  clarify that it did not smell of urine. 

I then rang my mum (obviously) and told her what I thought had happened. She again reiterated that I wouldn't have suddenly become incontinent and yes it would be my waters.

I then rang my midwife (still sat on the loo) And explained what had just happened. She told me to pop a pad on and make my way down to them at midday and they would assess the situation. 

9am - 12midday the longest 3 hours of my life. I got showered, re washed my hair and prepared myself. 

 

It was happening!!

When Jamie and I arrived at the midwife office, we took a seat and waited some more. Eventually (it probably wasn't long in all fairness) I was taken to the office and en route my waters broke some more! Mortified! They confirmed on the spot yes that was definitely my waters. 

But as I wasn't having any contractions there was a danger of infection. I had 2 choices, 1 go home and wait 24 hours to see if it happened naturally and then therefore I could go to the local birthing centre or 2 go to the hospital immediately for an induction. 

I really wanted a natural birth and only wanted gas and air so I chose to wait 24 hours.

So we went home. Via MacDonalds.

As the evening progressed I started getting contractions. And when I went to bed they were there and it was a little uncomfortable. I had visions of Jamie taking me to Wallingford Maternity Hospital in the middle of the night. But no. Of course not. I hardly slept as they were happening sporadically during the night but by 6am on the 15th September (DUE DATE!) they had stopped. So under the instructions of the midwife off we trotted to the John Radcliffe hospital where I was to be induced. Sadly. I didn't even get to go to the midwife led unit at the hospital as I needed an induction. Straight to the delivery suites. 

At about midday I was seen my the midwife who would be looking after me. She set up my drip and basically told me to brace myself as the contractions would be pretty intense. She wasn't wrong! After a quick inspection I was already 2cms dilated. I was feeling pretty ok with life. I did take part in a trial of injections of saline at the base of my back as my back was really sore and they did help. 

I managed about 6 hours of contractions with just controlling my breathing and the injections and moving about and at that point we had a change of midwife. The contractions started getting pretty bad by then and I was struggling. The midwife set up the gas and air which I then took gratefully. Not sure it helped really but if nothing was a good distraction. Made me feel like I'd had too many proseccos! 

All I really remember is saying to the midwife that I was desperate for a poo and I really needed to go. Of course when I tried to go I couldn't. But he midwife humoured me anyway! 

After a few hours it was getting pretty bad and I was examined. I had only got to 4cms. Fuck my actual life was she actually fucking kidding me right now?? She suggested that I might need a little help. GIVE ME ALL THE DRUGS! 

I had an epidural put in at that point. And how I managed to sit still whilst they did it I have no idea. Oh what sweet bliss the drugs are! After a few minutes my pain that was through the roof went to a sensation. I love the drugs. I even managed to rest! At this point I have no idea on time scales as I was high as a kite! The midwife had to keep an eye on me very closely and attached a heart beat monitor to the baby's head- just to be sure. 

After more hours, I was told I was at 10cms - thank the bloody lord! I might add I was on midwife number 3 by this point! That's how long this whole affair was taking! My guess is at approx 2:00am on the 16th September I was told to push. I pushed for an hour and a half, I pushed until I vomited: this baby was not coming out.  The midwife went and got the consultant who strode in with his little ultra sound and prodded and poked me and advised me I'm not sure what position your baby is in but we are going to need to assist you in getting this baby out.  At this point I swear to you, I thought either myself or the baby wasn't going to make it. He started talking about forceps and if that didn't work they would need to do an emergency c section under GA. I was shitting myself. 

From the doctor telling me this, to me signing a consent form I was in surgery with about 15 health care professionals within 5 minutes. The small journey down from my delivery suite to surgery was only a few minutes, but my epidural had worn off and I was in the most amount of pain I've ever been in. Ever. I'm ashamed to say i screamed the hospital down! 

As I already had an epidural in place they used that to give me my spinal block. I couldn't feel anything from my boobs down. To watch them move my legs and put stockings on me while I had no control whatsoever was beyond strange. I was in no pain and I couldn't feel anything. 

The midwife again told me when to push as she could feel my contractions and thankfully after about 10 minutes of pushing my baby girl came out with the aid of forceps at 4:59am on the 16th September 2016 weighing 8lbs 3 and 3/4 ozs. Pure perfection. 

The first thing I asked was is she a girl! I was still convinced she was going to be a boy! 

I made Jamie follow her and make sure she was ok, she was the most important thing in the world.

I spent the next 30mins being stitched up. I had a third degree tear and they had to give me an episiotomy. Jamie said he took a look round the room after the baby was born and it was like something from a war zone. 

After I had been stitched and a catheter inserted I was wheeled to recovery with my beautiful baby girl in my arms. But as soon as I got to my bay I yelled at jamie to take the baby as I was going to vomit again. Childbirth is not glamorous.

But we did it. We were both alive and she was healthy and that is all that mattered. 

 

 Rosie's first photo. Love at first sight. 

 

The next day those forceps marks had almost gone.

 

12 hours after the birth.

 

My heart hurts.

I had to stay in over night as I lost quite a bit of blood and they needed to make sure Rosie was ok and didn't develop any infections from the waters breaking early.

That first night in hospital was horrific. We eventually got to sleep about 11pm as it was so hot and noisy. Then at 1am someone's baby woke up and that was it for the night. Bearing in mind I'd had no sleep by this point for 3 days I was exhausted. I couldn't even discharge myself as I had that wanky catheter in!

I was trying to breastfeed without a clue really how to do it, trying to keep my newborn from crying. Trying to stop myself from crying and just trying to survive a night.

The next morning Jamie turned up early and the hospital said that we were to stay in another night as they had done all the post birth checks on the baby but I had a massive hissy fit and said no way. They agreed for me to take Rosie to Wallingford on Sunday for the checks: I was delighted, I needed to get home. 

 

My world

At home with my baby

 

ROSIE HOPE REYNOLDS - you are my life. 

Jx 

The final countdown!

After what felt like centuries I made it to the third trimester - hurrah! Every week when I took my little bump photo I was getting ever closer to meeting our daughter. And for those who know me know I'm not the most patient person in the world so having no control over time was sheer toture! I was desperate to meet her! 

 

At this point in my pregnancy I was still commuting to Hemel Hempstead most days for work, and in this particular day I nearly didn't take a photo as it took me 3 hours to get home from work. I could have cried. And obviously so most of the journey I needed to pee :( But at least it was summer and it was still light when I got home. There was definitely no hiding I was pregnant now!

 

 

 

I think this is one of my favourite pregnancy photos! I was so proud of my perfect little bump (which my sister always said looked bigger in real life!) This was a special day as we finished the baby's nursery. I literally could not stop going in there and pottering around - it's my favourite room of our house. 

On the 15th July we made the hard decision to put our boy cat to sleep. He was extremely poorly and was not in a good way.  He had problems with constipation and he struggled to go even with medication and resulted in him getting very poorly. The vet said it was the kindest thing to do but it absolutely broke our hearts. I still cry now when I think about it. He died in my arms, I hope he knew how much we loved him. We love you Moosh x

 

 

God I was hot and swollen here! My poor little legs and feet were no longer little. I resembled the elephant man :(

 

What a sweet day! I finished work!! No more commuting! I just couldn't hack it anymore! I took all of August as annual leave with my maternity starting at the beginning of September. I worried about what I was going to do with my time. But it flew by and I loved every second. I have always worked and had a job or been at college, so to have time off for myself doing NOTHING was a new experience- one that I wouldn't never get again. So i recommend it entirely. 

  

Lovely leaving presents!

 

My wonderful team took me for lunch, and showered me with beautiful gifts for me and the baby, so lucky. 

 

1st August- I was getting the hang of this maternity leave malarkey!

But on the 3rd August it was a different story. I went for a midwife appointment and I felt so poorly. Sick, shakey, really unwell. The midwife detected protein in my urine and suspected I might be developing preeclampsia. So off to the hospital I went. I was hooked up to a monitor and they took some bloods. Much to the worry of my parents who took me to the hospital and my terrified husband who met us at the hospital. Turns out I hadn't developed it and I was fine. I just had a virus and that's why I felt so poorly. Sent home to rest- I was getting good at that! 

 

At this point I knew I was going to have a big baby!!

 

Another day another hospital visit! My mum came with me to this one. From about 20 weeks I had been getting pain in my ribs, they had ruled out preeclampsia but the hospital wanted to do a scan on my liver to make sure all was ok there. Turns out it was fine. And it was baby R causing me issues as she was pressing on my insides causing me all sorts of pain! Even wiping the work tops hurt at this point! So glad I was no longer driving! 

 

Guess what? Another hospital appointment today! This time it was a scan to locate my placenta. As at 20 weeks it was low and there was a possibility that I might need a c section if it didn't move out of the way. But it had! So I was going to have a natural vaginal birth. Baby R has gotten so big we didn't get to see her face! Not long now. Just got to play waiting game seen as we wouldn't be getting a planned c section. 

 

 

 

I made an effort and did my hair and make up and everything to go out for dinner with my husband to celebrate our anniversary. I felt fucking humongous! Especially when the husband joked Oh blacks not that slimming is it! RUDE!! 

 

 

I took 2 photos at 39 weeks as I swear the bump looked different from the morning to the afternoon. I also did serious amounts of gardening that day in a bid to get things moving. But no. I had the midwife booked for a week today for a sweep, I was really hoping I wouldn't need it! 

 

Yep, still pregnant. Happy birthday to me! At least I wouldn't be sharing my birthday haha! But I did have some twinges that I thought might have been contractions. But they never materialised into anything. 

 

This was the day before my birthday, my Bump had dropped!

 

Birthday Bumps! 

 

I was massive! This was taken on the 13th September at 1pm, I washed my hair, shaved what I could reach and relaxed all under the supervision of Molly. I must have had a premonition as the next morning, my waters broke! 

Jx 

It's a girl!

When we went for our 20 week scan, again I was nervous as they make sure the baby has developed as it should and certain parts of her anatomy are working correctly. And if the baby is playing the game, you can find out the sex of the baby. Of course we wanted to know! And to find out that we were expecting a girl I was in shock. I was convinced that the baby was going to be a boy! 

 

 

Look at her blowing bubbles! That little face is definitely girly! 

 

 

This was my gender reveal photo on Instagram! 

This day was the most exciting day bar her being born for me during our pregnancy.  My dream had come true and I was getting my daughter and she was healthy and I couldn't wait to meet her.

A member of the family really tainted this day for me though, she wanted to know why we didn't personally let her know we were having a girl and that she was upset she found out through Facebook! Because it's always all about you isn't it!!!! We told close family parents, siblings etc but didn't feel the need to go through our phone book and tell people we hadn't seen or spoken to in years! This same person also dug me out on the day of the birth, texting literally hours after Rosie was born saying the usual Congrats but then followed up with I'd really like to meet the baby as I don't think I'll see many photos seen as Jo's removed me from social media. Because that's exactly what I want to hear after I've just given birth! And yet still members of the family don't think she's done anything wrong - lunatics! Just tried to ruin 2 of the most important days of my life. Anyway, rant over, moving on! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see I really popped from 25 weeks, I adored watching my tummy grow and change shape. I didn't weigh myself during pregnancy apart from when a HCP weighed me, as my pre preggo leggings still fit right the way to the end! 

Next post we'll talk about the third trimester!

Jx

Pregnancy: the struggle is real.

My pregnancy seemed to drag on forever! This was partly due to us finding out so early on. I think I was about 3/4 weeks when I found out (on my husbands birthday!) 

We were over the moon as we'd been trying after a rainbow baby (actually babies, there were 3 little sacs) in October. So I went to my doctor and started the process of getting my midwife appointment. What I always found strange was that no one did a pregnancy test on me, they just believed I was pregnant! I could have been deluded! Anywho. I got my 12 week scan date for the 29th February - I was so nervous. 

Me at 11 weeks.

 

Baby R at 11 weeks even though it says 12w3d on the scan. 

My scan revealed that I wasn't as far a long as we expected, this was due to the length of my cycle, so we had to book for another scan as they couldn't do the required tests. But there was a baby! And it had a heartbeat! And it was in my tummy and it was alive and healthy! The relief!

The next week dragged!! I couldn't wait to see Baby R again. 

 

 

The day before our second scan 

 

Baby R had changed so much

It was so lovely to see the baby again, but the anxiety is still high, I found this the whole way through my pregnancy, no one can prepare you for that. At this scan, baby had done the required amount of growing and the sonographer was able to take her measurements to do the tests, I also gave some blood today so they could do further tests, just to wait to get our results.

 

The day our results came in the post, I cried and cried! Our baby was going to be perfect, and the chance of the baby having any abnormalities was extremely low. Our baby was going to be ok.

Having hit the second trimester, the tiredness was starting to wear off and I was loving being pregnant. I was feeling ok, I still had a little nausea but I was feeling great. 

 

 

I wasn't really showing much by 15 weeks but I remember starting to really pop on Easter Sunday! It was becoming difficult to hide! I didn't tell anyone at work until we'd got the results from the scan. I think the stripes made the bump look bigger!! 

 

 

At 16 weeks we moved home. And I was so ill. I had a chest infection and flu and I felt like shit. How I managed to do it, I just don't know. I lost a bit of weight during this time, that's why my bump looked a little smaller at 17 weeks. I went to the doctor at 17 weeks too as I got some antibiotics as I wasn't getting any better. The doctor also listened to the baby's heartbeat to make sure everything was ok, and the baby had the most amazing strong heartbeat! It was magical!

 

At 18 weeks I met my local midwife, for my booking in appt locally to my new area. She listened to the baby's heart beat again. Still lovely and strong. And my little bump was filling out again! She also requested a 20 week scan at the John Radcliffe instead of me having to go back to Watford General. 

 

Gender reveal at the next scan! 

Jx

Blusher, Brownies & Babies

So it's been about 20 years since I've written a blog post. I've been a bit busy making a baby! My little bunny was born on the 16th September and she is the light of my life!

 

This is Rosie Hope Reynolds. She weighed 8lbs 3oz of pure loveliness. 

I'm going to start (try to) documenting my time with Rosie and our little life together while I'm on maternity leave. 

I'll start off with the pregnancy...

Jx