Ambrose Arrives

It is early Sunday morning and the sun greets us with warmth and the promise of a hot day. I had completed a first coat on our new deck the evening before and was eager to get a second cost done before the day heated up. Michael and the children left for a bike ride and we planned to meet at church at 10 am. I had an hour to paint, shower and catch the tram. I found painting relaxing and surprisingly easy even though I was only few days from being due with baby 3. After church and some early lunch I headed to bed to rest and read.
Around 3pm I became a army captain and instructed my personal to clean vacuum clean and sort. I wanted a clean house and was puzzled by the urgency I felt. After creating a spotless home I headed back to bed feeling out of sorts.
Michael was reading to the children on the couch at 8pm when I emerged and announced I had a bloody show. "What does that mean?" Michael asked with some alarm. "That I am going to have a baby (pause) in the next two weeks" I flashed a smile. Maybe call my parent just incase it starts tonight.
I lay on down to watch Rain Man unable to get comfortable as my uterus tightened regularly (not contractions yet). During the last half hour of the movie contractions started.
Felix and Matilda headed to bed knowing that I was in labour and that I might have a baby tonight. They were excited and hugged me and kissed the tummy.
The warm day turned into a cool drizzly night perfect for a laboring women to set out to walk the dog at 11pm. I felt so alive on my walk. Drizzling rain lightly coated my face and fresh air filled my lungs. My contractions became established and upon returning home I asked Michael to call my parents and brother.
Chris arrived and we departed for the birth center. Michael and I laughed and chatted as we headed to the Mercy. Contraction pain was hard to bear in the sitting position and I felt relief as I jumped out of the car at our destination at 1am.
We arrived at our room and my vitals were checked and then Michael and I settled in for the long night ahead. Over the next 4 hours I worked through the contractions on the Swiss ball, in the shower standing with my arms around Michael. Between contractions I rested and even fell asleep.
After 4 hours my midwife wanted to do an internal, I suspect that she didn't think I was really in labour because of my short contractions and the laughter or sleeping between contractions. She checked and was incredibly surprised that I was 7cm dilated. The last 3cm took only 50mins to move and there was less humour and more bearing down and me announcing that I had had enough and wanted to come back another day.
I felt full heavy and ready to push. I squatted next to bed leaning into Michael and pushed. The babies head descended and a hot feeling invaded my body. Beads of perspiration bubbled up on my face. I looked down to see in the mirror the babies head crowning and decided I wanted to keep my eyes closed. I was encouraged to feel the babies head but after doing do wanted to distance myself from my body. I focused on pushing confidently and consistently even when there were were no contractions. This mindset helped to deliver the baby with only 5 minutes of pushing (stage2) the midwife later commented that this was the smoothest and quickest stage 2 she had ever seen. With a pop and splash my baby was born. Moments later he cried and I scooped him up and smiled and laughed holding his warm wet body against mine.

Sleep Smiling

A mother wants to be noticed even if only for that smile. A week old Ambrose is growing really fast and I have nicknamed hime "milk-pig". A small tongue tye has not stopped him from getting enough milk to gain 400g in 4 days! After filling his tummy he will fall asleep in my arms and I sit and gaze at him for a wonderful smile. What is he dreaming about? Aaaah not the real deal yet but what a wonderful sight I look forward to having one shot my way.

Baby in the House

Felix and Matilda were instantly in love when they set eyes on Ambrose. I have etched into my memory the sight of their excited faces as they stepping into my room at the birth center. They discovered he was a boy when changing his nappy and giggle with pure delight "it's a boy". It has been a wonderful journey to share with them and to see how they light up when they cuddle and hold him has made a difficult pregnacy all worth it.

Ambrose Birth Story Coming Soon.....

Out of Touch?

I have been madly reading about natural home births from a book I have borrowed form the library. I am struck by how these mother "knew" the baby was coming. WHY CAN'T I HAVE THIS FEELING? I don't mind not knowing but I wonder am I out of touch, oblivious to the signs or is this something that people make up. Sure I know that upon seeing a "show" (mucus plug) that my cervix is opening and that I will have a baby soon. These are physical signs- no brainers. I am completely dumb founded to the gender, timing and to a large degree temperament of my baby. Perhaps there is one thing in my life I take as it come rather than reading some meaning into it all. "Baby will come when contractions start sometime between 38-43 weeks! This is all I actually know"