So I have been talking about being quite nonchalant and blase about preparing for the arrival of version 2. No pregnancy photos taken until my third trimester and not getting our act together until we got a massive kick in the a*se on April 1.
Most people would know that I was scheduled for an elective c-section for the first week of May (that will be this week). I was a bit vague about giving the specific date of May 2 (that will be TODAY!) since I thought that there was a good chance that the hospital might not be able to accomodate us for some reason and we would be shafted to another date - the perils of giving birth in the public system.
Little did we know that one of the biggest star in this story had something else in mind!
April 18, 2012 - the day started like any other Wednesday. Tim and I dropped Noah off at daycare. I then proceeded to drop Tim off at work as it was raining hard and I was on my way to meet up with some girlfriends for a catch up. So off I went....
Since I stopped working, I have been very practical about trying to make the most of my "days out". I try and organise catch ups on the same days I may have my doctor and hospital appointments. That Wednesday was no different. I even managed to squeeze in a lunch date with Tim in between appointments. Little did I know that my Vegetable Thai Laksa was going to be the catalyst for what lied ahead...or it was going to be the nicest meal I would have for the next few days.
It was roughly just after 1pm when Tim and I finished our lunch date. He was walking me back to our car as I was on my way to the hospital for my 37 week appointment and to meet up with the anaethetist to discuss May 2. I distinctly remember the black clouds opening wildly to pellet rain as we crossed the street. It was the same time that I felt a gush of fluid flow through my pants.
As we ran into a friend on the other side of the street, all I could think about was how wet my pants were and how desperate I was to tell Tim to find me a toilet. We ran to the nearest public toilet and true enough I had soaked. Now I didn't labor with Noah so I had no idea what contractions were like, let alone what waters breaking would be. However, based on my reading of expert materials regarding birthing aka Dr. Google, I thought that waters breaking equated to full on gushing on somewhat greenish fluid. I seriously thought that my bladder had just leaked!
So off I went to my 2pm appointment, wet pants and all!
Now, with these hospital appointments, I usually arm myself with a stash of reading materials as I normally expect to wait for over an hour before a doctor sees me. However, when I handed in my appointment card, I asked to see a midwife as I had a to ask my question. Luckily there was one standing at the counter so bashfully, I said, "I am 37 weeks right now, is it normal for my bladders to leak?". The midwife looked at me with concern.
The midwife ordered me to put on a pad that she gave and quickly whisked me to see the doctor. Good grief, talk about first class service. I did not even get the chance to open up my goodie bag full of tricks to keep me occupied while waiting. I watched the other pregnant ladies in the waiting room stare at me, probably wondering why I was getting special treatment.
So in I went to see the lovely doctor on duty. After a few minutes of general questions, she asked to examine me. Without any hesitation, she said "Yes, your membranes have ruptured, you are not going anywhere else". That's when my mind went blank.
I was immediately sent to the birthing unit. On my way there, I had no idea how to feel. All I could think of was that we were not ready and that I wanted to have my baby in May (which happens to be Tim's birth month so I thought it would be a nice present for them to share the same month). Once there, I rang Tim to let him know what was going on. I was in tears. I felt almost helpless. I had no idea what we were going to do with Noah, who was still in daycare and we still had a lot of Eliza's things that needed to be washed, and I still need to clean the house!
I was informed that once your waters break, labor can either start within 24 hours or take longer. Since I tested positive for Group B strep, it was important for the baby to be delivered within 24 hours. The doctors offered me the choice once again of trying to deliver normally or going ahead with the planned c-sect. I chose the later.
Thankfully Tim's work is not too far from the hospital so he was with me within half an hour. It was so calming and soothing to have him with me. I knew that my rock, the person who was going to hold my hand through this had arrived.
The midwives told us that the doctors were busy and that it would take a while before they can get me in the theatre. We had some time up our sleeve so we decided that Tim would go home, pack up my things for my hospital stay, get Noah from daycare and sort him out, meet my parents at our place who came to our rescue by agreeing to spend the night with Noah at home. Tim would then drive back to the hospital for the birth. We were told that we had at least 3hrs up our sleeve.
However, our little star of attraction continued with her own plans. While waiting, I started to labor!
It was not too long after Tim left that the doctors started to become concerned. I was told that "the baby is definitely on its way and if we don't get to the theatre soon, you will be giving birth naturally".
So I rang Tim and asked him to get back to the hospital as soon as he can.
Around 6pm, the doctors asked me whether Tim was on his way back. I rang Tim once again. The poor man frantically told me that he cannot find a park as all the emergency parks have been taken and that he is trying to make his way to the hospital multi storey car park but is not being successful given all the road blocks and the heavy rain. My poor poor husband!
Tim eventually turned up not long after, welcomed by all the doctors and midwives, cheering him on for finally finding a park. Seeing Tim arrive in disarray but wearing his favourite restaurant shirt (the one he always wears when we are going out) made me laugh. It gave me the comfort that I was seeking - Tim was letting me know that today is worth celebrating.
I was then whisked to the theatre to be "prepped" while Tim was asked to change to his theatre outfit and wait until I was ready.
Since this was my 2nd c-sect, I somewhat knew what to expect. Despite believing that everything would be alright, I was still silently praying for guidance and grace, positive thoughts and that my baby and I will be okay.
The surgery itself did not last very long. At 6.54pm, my baby was pulled out from the depths of my pelvis (yes, totally ready to come out) and whisked above the curtain to be presented to us. It was the umbilical cord which immediately caught my eye but they quickly moved to the lower region. A beautiful little girl...with lots of hair! Wooohooo, the sonographer did get it right!
Tim finally let go of my hand to watch our little girl get cleaned. Her little cries continued to fill the silence in the room as I got stitched up. Such strong lungs for a wee lil one. I asked Tim whether she had 10 little fingers and 10 little toes. "Perfect" he said.
As soon as she was bundled, Tim presented out little star to me. That's when I finally met my daughter, Eliza Anne Stentiford.
The rest, as they say...is history!
