Happy Birth-day: the birthstory of Amy-Jo

On Wednesday March 30, 2011 we arrived at the hospital at 7 am for a scheduled induction after a - well, for me anyway - mostly sleepless night. The doctor had already warned us that I was in for (another) long labour since I had been dilated 1 cm for three weeks already. Since I had a C-section with my son they could not use a "drip", so we had to wait and see what the day would bring. A gel was applied bringing on a few contractions which I puffed away on this: Kenneth could sit behind me and apply pressure to my back when the contractions came. We had brought some of our own cd's this time and that really helped: I could focus on the music throughout the contractions. At around 11.30 am the nurse tried to break my water for a first time but it didn't work. At 12.30 she tried again with more success. The contractions came regularly and the intensity was strong but I was only dilated 3 cm by this time. Yes, long labour indeed... I tried walking around, performing endless circles inside the room, but to no avail. There was no progress. I decided to try the tub: it took a while to fill up but it was definitely worth the wait: I spent about 45 minutes or maybe an hour in there. I finally moved up to 4 cm. But now it was already 4 pm and the contractions were getting harder to deal with. Since things weren't moving along I opted for an epidural. By 4.45 the epidural was applied and I was finally able to get some rest. I was even allowed something to eat! Well, Kenneth ate most of it, but I had a chocoladekoek. Around 5 pm I was finally at 5 cm. Great you would think, things are finally moving along... But no, at 10 pm I was still at 5 cm... We were already thinking that it would end in another C-section but the doctor had faith and said that - as long as the baby's heartrate was fine - we could wait a while longer. By that time I was getting really tired so I didn't have high hopes when the nurse checked me again at 11.15 pm. But, patience is a virtue: I had finally moved up to 8 cm! By 11.55 they had set up everything so I could start some practice pushes and then, on Thursday, March 31 at 00.32 am, Amy-Jo arrived into the world after less than 10 pushes.

Tiny feet with tiny toes

Tiny fingers and a little flattened nose

The hospital now follows the skin-to-skin guidelines which allows the mother to keep her baby on her chest for the first hour! This was so wonderful. I was even the one to check the gender of the baby. I double-checked just to be sure ;-), but yes, she was a girl!!! At first Amy-Jo was covered by a green blanket: since we didn't know the gender, the nurse didn't want to use the pink one just in case it would be a boy. But after finding out she brought out the pink!

Gone was all the tiredness and we only had eyes for Amy-Jo.

First encounter with siblings

A beautiful start...

So intensely happy...

If you could look into my heart

this is what you'd see:

It's a G I R L !

31.03.2011 - 00.32 am

2,900 Kg - 51 cm

Amy-Jo

Will post more later...

Let your imagination run wild

This is brother and sister playing with play-doh together.

This is brother and sister when mum asks them to smile for the camera...

They changed pose every time I clicked!

And yes, that would be me, still pregnant in the background...

Vacancy

The house is clean, the crib is ready, tiny clothes have been washed and folded, labels have been put on envelopes.

All we are waiting for is ...

you.

The Boo-mobile (not to be confused with the Bat-mobile)

or "How I keep busy while waiting for our little one to arrive".

Baby's view

It's an adaptation of the Boo-mobile from the book "Bubbles Before Bed" by Belle & Boo. Instead of using paper I used felt to make the little Boo rabbits and I attached fabric pinwheels at the bottom so baby will have something pretty to look at too.

Will today be the day?

Everyday, for the past ten days, I have woken up with a single thought: "Will today be the day?".
So far - obviously - the answer has been "no" and even today I don't think that there will come a "yes" to this answer.
Still, I wonder, "Will today be the day?"...

27 numbers

There are 27 numbers left... 27 days on which you might be born, since you will be born in March for sure. Winter or Spring, what will it be? Have you made up your mind yet?

Today feels like Spring. The air is cold, but the sun is out. Spring flowers that were planted in October are now popping up all over our garden. When the sun shines on them they bloom, so wonderfully pretty,... Are you waiting for some more sun to bloom?


Next week is a school holiday, so maybe you should stay put a little while longer. The last holiday without you here. Life will soon change. We await you...