The birth...

I have promised that I will write the 'birth story'... and now, 12 days later, it already feels like something from another time! But true to my promise... here is just a short version of what happened on the day that Emma arrived.

We couldn't sleep the night before, knowing that the next day will probably be 'the day' or b-day :) So we stayed up late, talking and bonding and wondering about the changes ahead...

Up early on the morning of the 12th, got dressed, decided to pack the 'labour bag' in case, but left the hospital bag and baby's bag at home. Driving to the hospital, all butterfly-stomach and jittery and giggly... (I giggle when I stress!) And on arrival we were the first patients of the morning so into the office we go...

Let me explain at this point that I really really expected that we would try induction of labour. I knew that the previous week thing weren't yet 'favourable', but I thought that passing 40 weeks gestation it would've started happening! So, when I was lying there all vulnerable (as vulnerable as one can feel with a belly as huge as mount Everest!) and the doctor told us that this baby was not planning to come the normal way, well... no surprises there...
I was REALLY disappointed. Really, truly, deeply disappointed. At that stage all we knew was that the little monkey's head did not descend at all - we didn't know yet what the reason was. So after shedding a few tears and taking a DEEP breath, I begged the doctor if we could PLEASE at least do the c-section the same day. I had no power left, I could not wait till the next day.

So, before you could say 'baby!', I was booked for c-section for 11h15 the same morning, and we had 45 minutes to quickly fetch the bags from home. Walking out of the doctor's office we found my dad sitting in the coffee shop of the hospital, waiting to hear what the plan was. I was so glad to see him I burst into tears again! My mom joined us, they had coffee but I wasn't allowed to eat/drink anything so we left for home. I still had time to stop by the hairdresser for a quick blow-wave (hehe!) and then we were there in the labour ward being admitted, baby's heart rate checked, stepping on the scale (and nearly having a last-minute heart attack!), and then going to my room awaiting the procedure...

Those last few minutes waiting for things to start happening - in my little tiny hospital gown, giggling and unable to sit still - felt like ages!

Then the few unpleasant procedures preceding the big one - IV line and catheter (eeeek!)... and we were off! Being wheeled to theatre - how many times have I been on the 'other side' ... this time I was the PATIENT! And it was... quite scary!

The spinal was a bit unpleasant but the anaesthetist was quick and efficient. Then I was lying down, legs going numb, still giggling(!!), my mom was there (photographer this time, not paediatrician), hubby was next to me looking smashingly handsome in his scrubs :)...
and the next thing...
wow...
the cry!
my own baby's first cry!!!!
I couldn't stop the tears flowing for joy!!!!

It is a moment you cannot describe.
So, I won't even try, except for saying that it was completely and utterly overwhelmingly WOW.

My first glimpse of little Emma was just a purple little face, but she quickly turned pink, new daddy cut her umbilical cord, she was examined by the paeds dr and given Apgars of 9 and 10, and then she was there on my chest and the moment was so huge I could feel my heart exploding out of my chest! She was alert, already looking at me, and I was bursting with joy...

The rest of the day went by in a blur of excited faces, flowers, smiles, a bit of pain (it was an operation after all!), and before I knew it night had fallen and I was alone with my little tiny bundle of joy.
What a feeling!!!