Welcoming Miss Anastasia Madison

Well we’ve been home for a just over a week now so I guess I should get around to introducing our new bundle of joy and sharing her amazing (& speedy) birth story.

Our first photo about 30 minutes after delivery.

So the birth story. You may remember the story of Miss K’s birth and everything I went through (if not you can read all about it). This time was a totally different story.

For a start we decided early on that we wanted to go through the Launceston Birth Centre and have a water birth, especially after reading about Glowless’ water birth of her second. Skip forward through the usually pregnancy stuff. Must mention Yay for no Gestational Diabetes this time around and WONDERFUL midwives, boo to low iron but Yay to the wonders of liquid chlorophyll.
On the Thursday (7/8) I’d had a few twinges and been loosing bits of plug for a day or two. I said to hubby “I think little miss will make an appearance in the next 24 hours”. Nothing overnight and most of Friday was pretty uneventful. Mum took Miss K out for the afternoon and then dropped her back home. About 45 minutes later (around 6pm), just as we were finishing tea I heard a pop and said to hubby “um, I think my waters just broke”.

We started grabbing a few last minute things and I went to the loo and then the contractions started strong. We bundled into the car and got ready to drop Miss K off to my parents, 15 minutes away. We made it 5 minutes from home and I said to hubby “I’m not going to make it to town, lets go to the hospital”.

We turned around and made it to the local hospital where we asked them to ring an ambulance for us. About 5 minutes later the ambulance arrived and the lovely nurses offered to look after Miss K until Mum arrived to pick her up. Hubby followed in the car and said he thought I’d give birth in the back of the ambulance as it slowed down a few times. All I remember is chatting away to the lovely woman in the ambulance all the way to town, great for keeping your mind off the contractions which were getting closer together and much more painful.

Luckily we made it to the Birth Centre where our midwives, Anna & Becky, had the bath all ready to go. After getting inside I pretty much jumped straight in the bath. OMG that was the best feeling ever. Hubby poured warm water over my back during contractions and soon I was transitioning and so ready to push our little one out. Birthing in water is such a different feeling to birthing on a bed in a hospital. Totally different ends of the spectrum. I felt free to move into whatever position was comfortable, the midwives talked me through delivering so I’d stretch gradually and not tear (I did end up with a small tear but that was due to my impatience LOL)

I remember saying I didn’t want to keep going at one stage and at 8pm Miss A’s head appeared with rest of her following 2 minutes later. 8lb 5oz, 53cm long and a full head of dark hair. After 20 minute of lovely cuddles with our new little girl and when her cord had stopped pulsating the cord was clamped and hubby got to cut it. He then got to have lots of snuggles with his new daughter, something he missed out on with Miss K.

I got out of the bath and birthed the placenta and membranes on the toilet. Remember saying “they’re right it does feel like a jellyfish’' Hubby continued to cuddle Miss A then I fed her while my small tear was stitched up.

I took a quick pic and SMSed it to my parents, in-laws, brother & sister in law while hubby messaged a few friends.

The three of us cuddled up together in bed and just enjoyed being new parents again. Miss A slept so well but we kept waking to check her.

Part 2 coming soon.

And I'm back

I've decided to start this blog back up again now that we're expecting number 2. Yup, even though I said one was enough, we've decided to add another to the Den ;)

So a quick catch up post is in order

• we found out just before christmas 2013
• we told our parents Christmas morning
• Had our first scan at about 9 weeks
• Have decided to go through the birth center instead of the hospital as long as all goes to plan (ie no GD)
• Shocking morning sickness for the first few months
• No real food aversions
• felt first movement 28th Feb 2014
• am now 20 weeks

Not really sure what I'll be posting here at this stage. most likely updates.

Welcoming Kara Rose

Our little bundle of joy has finally arrived. We came home Saturday and I thought I better sit down and blog about the last few days.
We went back up to the hospital on Tuesday morning and my waters were broken at 8am, I swear that is one of the weirdest feelings – feels like u’ve wet yourself. The first part of the labour wasn’t too bad. About 11.30 the pains started to get fairly bad so I opted for the gas. That is an interesting experience – felt like I was totally off the planet. Wanted to go home at 12. About 2.30 the midwives decided I was struggling a bit with the birth and got a doctor to come check me out. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer doctor, he was lovely. Bub had a fairly large head and I was struggling to push her out so it was decided that some assistance was needed. At 4 the doctor decided to use forceps to assist in the birth – OMG talk about painful.
4:13pm saw Miss Kara Rose make her entrance into the world. I’ve never seen James so emotional, gotta admit I was pretty teary myself. The doc fixed up my tear which took bout 30 minutes, that was pretty painful too.
Kara was 7 pound 14 (3592g) and was 50cm

We had about an hour of tummy time after the midwives checked her out. She got a 9 on the AGPAR scale which is pretty good.
Miss KR shortly after being born. The bruises are from the forceps. Mum & Dad, Janne & Joe and Andrew all came to visit while we were still in the labour ward.
Don’t remember much of the next day as I was still pretty out of it. Had a room to myself though which was nice. Thursday was a quiet day but we had a few visitors. There have been a heap of photos taken so I’ll have lots to scrapbook.
We were really hoping to go home on Friday but during her check up the midwives were a bit concerned about the amount of weight she had lost (over 14% of her birth weight – the usual is 10%) so asked if we would mind staying an extra 24 hours to monitor her weight – meant I had to feed every 3 hours and then 4 hours overnight. Was a bit disappointed to not be going home. I ended up with a roomie on Friday but ended up moving to a private room as we decided it would be better – thought it would b better as bub was fairly restless & the other lady had just given birth that day and was pretty tired.
The private room was really nice and it was lovely to b able to have visitors and not have to worry about disturbing anyone else. Next time I’m in hospital I’m definitely going to shell out for a private room again.
Saturday morning we weighted bub again and she had put on 190g overnight so the midwives & the doc were really happy and after another blood test to check her jaundice levels they were happy to let us go home.
Kara travelled really well in the car and slept all the way home and for another hour and a half after that, so it looks like car trips will be ok :)
Sunday was a quiet day at home just enjoying being a family. Mum & Dad came round for a visit as Dad was having withdrawals from not seeing his grad daughter for a day. Dad took Kara for her first walk around the block and she went to sleep.
Mum & I pottered round the house just putting away some of the stuff we took to hospital (over half of which never got used). Janne popped in quickly for a visit and dropped off some new clothes she had bought Kara as well as some pre-folded cloth nappies and a bouncer, which Kara loves.

Michelle also brought the kids round to visit as they hadn’t met their cousin yet. Have been getting lots of well wishes from friends and family via Facebook too.
Off to our first Child Health appointment today so I guess I should go get miss KR ready.

Welcome & catching up

Welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere. Join me on my journey as hubby & I add to our wolf's den with a little cub of our own.

Just a quick catch up to today.
13th July - Docs appointment. Had a preg test & it was confirmed I'm pregnant *woohoo* pretty excited. Doc suggested I'm bout 8 weeks.
Have had morning sickness, with some days it being all day sickness. I've been doing some research on the net & joining a few mum to be sites. Falling in love with maternity clothing (& OMG how expensive is some of it!!) and getting rather clucky.
Told my mum & dad first then the in-laws. most the family knows now I think.

Have my first appointment at the maternity ward on 30th of July. Think it will all really sink in then, especially if I have a scan.

Current cravings are ham salad rolls (which I can't have), milk, tuna, musk sticks, apples & oranges. Can't stand the smell of bacon (raw, cooking or cooked).

Everyone keeps asking me if I want a boy or girl. Honestly I don't care as long as it is healthy.