So... I've been meaning to write this all important post for 3 weeks now after my daughter arrived but its been a hectic few weeks.
I wanted to document my birth story on here as a keepsake and to note the details while they are still fairly fresh in my mind.....
So it all started on Saturday 20th April, when I had my show. I got very excited that my little girl was going to be making an appearance. Unfortunately it was another 6 days wait and lots of false alarms until it truly all began.
The week leading up to my daughters birth date was full of twists and turns.. thanks to my mums support I could keep my mind off of things by keepig busy going on picnics and swimming to help bring the early stage of labour to the next level.
My last bump photo at 39 weeks pregnant
Saturday 27th April at 2:30 am I jumped up to see my little man who was calling out for his mummy when I felt a pop and a trickle of water down my leg... "Thank goodness" I thought things are starting to happen.
After settling little man I dealt with myself and gave the Birthing Place a call. This was the centre attached to the hospital where I wanted to give birth, you are only allowed in this area if there are no problems or issues with your pregnancy or labour.
Something that I only chose to share with a few people was that they had a few concerns with my baby at my 21 week scan. Her bowel in the scan had been glowing and it was something called an Echogenic Bowel, This could be caused by a small bleed that the baby may have swallowed some of the blood or could be something more serious such as Down Syndrome, or Cystic Fibrosis. This was a stressful thing to have in the back of my mind and something that was still there right up until I held her in my arms. Follow up scans showed no echogenic bowel and good growth so I was able to attend the birthing place as planned for my labour.
The midwife I spoke to named Jo after my waters broke warned me things may move fast and to come in when my contractions are 5 mins apart. I didnt have to wait long, at 3 o clock they were 5 mins and it was time to call my mum.
This time I had chosen for my mum and partner to be my birthing partners, my mum had not experienced Tristans birth and as we are really close I wanted her to be there this time!
So at 3:30 my mum arrived with my nan who was on Tristan duty whilst he slept soundly.....
We arrived at the birthing place at 4:00 am with my contractions 4 mins apart and PAINFUL.
Jo who I had spoken to originally was there to greet me and examined me....
"You are 2 cm dilated" she announced... my reaction was "are you kidding me??" I wondered how much more painful this was going to get as it was getting unbearable!! I can't believe I am only 2 cm!!
After sitting in the birth place waiting room (more like a living room so comfortable) Jo asked if we would rather go home or have a walk around the hospital?? I finally decided due to the extreme pain to have wander around to push things on... we headed out of the birth place and around the hospital.
We walked along to the bus stop in the car park when... pop the second part of my waters went and uh oh I needed to push! I remembered that feeling like yesterday with Tristan, although he wasn't able to come out without help. This is when I flapped a little.
I told Tony and my mum I can't walk any further!! If I do she is going to fall out!
Tony rushed to get a wheelchair and they ran me back up to the birthplace!
We burst through the doors and Jo said "is she coming?" I think so I said I need to push!
So we rushed into the Daisy room where the birthing pool was starting to fill... I threw myself into the corner of the sofa in the room.. Jo examined me and said I can see her head!
I began pushing and she was almost here! 12 mins to push my little one into the world it was a completely magical experience. No pain relief bar a couple of breaths of gas and air! I was so proud.
My mum was helping Jo by holding a torch and saw my little girls face first!She also cut her cord. Tony ws an amazing support yet again and holding my hand all through it.
It was so strange actually feeling my little girl come out as I was spinal blocked with Tristan.
My little girl was handed to me at 5:47am on Saturday 27th April 2013. She weighed 7lb 3oz which daddy correctly predicted!She was perfect and the most important thing was she was healthy :)
It took us quite some time to decide on her name... I was hoping it would come to me when I met her, however I was still flumoxed!
We narrowed it down to Effie or Iris. Eventually we decided on...
Iris Wrén Hewitt. Iris because I adore flowers and it was a name you don't hear to often as its considered an old fashioned name. It also means rainbow.
Wrén we decided on as she was such a dainty little thing like a little bird...also it has a vintage feel.
Here are some photos of us together and my little man meeting his sister for the first time!
Me and my little Iris!
Tristan meeting his baby sister for the first time!
My precious children!
Our first family snap!
Nanny and her grandchildren <3
My little lady is now 3 weeks and 3 days old....
It has gone so fast already, I plan to from this point document our family activities weekly...