20th April, 2008 What a couple of months it's been. I thought I'd post my birth story at last. Even though I was due on the 19th March and they initially spent a couple of months talking about inducing me on the 5th March, Slade Glyn Michael Pippet didn't make his appearance until March 31st, 2008 at 1.34 am. The doctors changed their mind about inducing me, which they like doing. Next time I will know to take the things they say with a pinch of salt. I hit my due date and of course nothing happened. I spoke to the midwives about having a large baby and she told me not to worry and booked me in to be induced 11 days later on the 30th March. 30th of March FINALLY arrived and of course nothing had happened before then. At 6.45am I was booked into the birth suite and given my room. By 7.30am they broke my water and waited for something to happen, which didn't ever happen. They told me if nothing was happening by 9.30 they would put me on syntocin which they did eventually do - at 11.45am. Contractions started immediately and got worse and worse as they turned my syntocin from 1-2-4-8-12-16 and finally to 20. I was in a LOT of pain by this stage and still Slade wasn't moving. I had pethadine and towards 11pm I had an epidural. Finally some relief but they still did scrapes and monitors to the babies head and all sorts of bad things. His heart rate also kept dropping in response to the syntocin so they decided to book me in or a c-section. It was midnight by this stage and I was beyond exhausted so I agreed. In all those hours I had gone from 2.5cm dilated (which I already was when I arrived that morning) to 4cm. I went to theatre and at 1.34am baby Slade Glyn Michael was born. I didn't get to see him properly until 3am though thanks to having to stay on the table to be closed up and sitting in recovery. It was then I found out he weighed 8lb 14oz etc. He was adorable and now he is three weeks old tomorrow! 25th February, 2008 Well with just over three weeks to go until my due date I am getting very nervous and excited. I can't help feeling with every period like pain or braxton hicks contractions that it's getting closer. I have been sleeping a lot to try and keep my energy levels up. I have heard people say you should sleep in the afternoons at the end incase you go into labor late one day and end up needing energy to have the baby overnight. I haven't had any bleeding or anything noticeably different. My doctor says the baby is moving down but I don't think he's engaged yet. I am waiting for that day because that will be very exciting. He is moving a lot although it depends on the day. I was going to be induced at 38 weeks (just over a week away) but they ended up saying they didn't want to and now I just have to play the waiting game again. I hope my next post in here says that we've had our little boy but I guess time will tell. :-) 6th February, 2008 Well I went to see my midwife today for my usual fortnightly appointment and she said that I am measuring 39 weeks. A huge gap considering I am only supposed to be 34 weeks today. I have a growth scan booked in for the thirteenth and they will be inducing me when they see fit. Probably at 38 weeks if he doesn't come on his own before then. I have been getting so many braxton hicks contractions and other weird symptoms so I know it's getting close but he hasn't dropped yet so who knows. Atleast I know I have four weeks left at the most before I meet my little boy. He is healthy and happy with a strong heartbeat (praise the lord) and everything else is fine. I guess now it's just a waiting game to see what happens in the next four weeks! :-) I'll keep updating as I know anything. PREGNANCY SURVEY
About the mommy...
Name: Holly
Age: 28
First child?: Yep
About the daddy...
Name: Robert
Age: 34
First child?: Yes
Finding out!!
What day did u find out?: Late June
How did u feel when u found out?: Sceptical and anxious that it might not go well.
Who was with u?: My husband and mother were still sleeping but I woke them.
Who was the first peson u told?: My husband, Rob.
How did they react?: He was like 'that's great babe but don't wake your mother up or anything' I totally woke her up to tell her. She was visiting at the time.
How did the daddy react?: He was also excited but sceptical, I had a miscarriage just a few months earlier.
Telling the grandparents!
How did ur parents react?: My father died a few years ago but my mother was the same as everyone else, excited but sceptical.
How did his parents react?: We told them much later once all was going well and so they were very excited.
Are they helping with baby names?: Everyone has an opinion on names but in the end, it's our choice isn't it?
Have they bought anything for the baby yet?: Yes furniture and all sorts! A gorgeous hutch for the baby room is my new favourite thing.
How often do they call to check on u?: Ma calls almost daily and my parents in law I usually see on weekends so they know how I'm doing.
When was ur first appointment?: At ten weeks.
When is ur due date?: Good question. I THINK - March 19th, 2008
How far along r u?: 34 weeks although I am measuring at 39 weeks.
Have u had an ultrasound?: Yes at eleven and eighteen weeks.
Have u heard the heartbeat?: Yes but I can't hear it enough!
What was the heartbeat?: 130+ at my last scan
IT"S A BOY!!!!
What do u want?: My husband wanted a boy and I didn't really care. I want both eventually though.
What does the daddy want?: A boy, no question.
What do u think u r having?: A boy if my instincts are correct. (Which they were)
Have u had ur big ultrasound yet?: Yes!
If so, what r u having?: A baby boy!
Are u happy with what u r having?: So happy. He's gorgeous!
Do u know what u r taking with u?: Essential oils, music and chupa-chups lollipops.
Who is going to be with u?: My mother and husband.
Are u going to videotape it?: Who is ever going to watch that video? No I don't think so.
Natural or medicated?: Natural if I can.
Do u think u will need a c-section?: Nope I doubt it.
Will u cry with u hold ur baby for the first time?: Bound to. I'm pretty teary.
Do u know what u will say to the baby when u first hold him/her?: I hope I say something like'Wow I love you so much' and not 'Eww he needs a bath' or something stupid.
Are u scared about the labor?: Anxious to go into labor but not to be in labor, if that makes sense.
Names!!
Do u have a name picked out?: Yes we've had them for a while.
Boy names...: Slade Glyn Michael
Is ur baby going to be named after someone?: Glyn is my father's name who passed away a couple of years ago. Michael is my husband's father.
Other random questions!!
Where was ur baby conceived?: How specific am I supposed to be? lol At home, in Queensland.
Have you felt the baby move?: Yes - I love it. He's the only person I can think of who I try to encourage to kick and punch me lol. He also loves to play with the tv remote if I put it on my tummy.
What race will your baby have? We have lots of backgrounds between us but he will be a happy aussie kid basically.
Do you have stretch marks?: Yes starting to now. *Looks for the cocoa butter*.
What was your first symptom?: Brownish discharge instead of a period.
What religion will the baby know? And from what side?: Christian and both.
What music or interests do you want the baby to know?: I would like him to learn guitar and some sort of sport or something active.
Will ur baby have godparents?: Absolutely
Who will the god mommy be?: There are two. My sister in law, Cher and my mother.
Who will the god daddy be?: At this point my brother Brendan and our friend Liam.
What is the baby's room theme?: I tried to have a theme. I like pirates or an army camo theme but people have bought me so much the theme is now 'boys stuff'.
What was the first thing u bought for the baby?: A portacot.
Are u ready to be a mommy?: So ready. Been trying to start our family for eight years! October 17th, 2007. Today would have been my father's birthday if he hadn't passed away. I miss him and it makes me sort of hope I am having a boy so I can use his name. He would have been so excited to see me finally fall pregnant after watching me struggle with infertility for so many years. In regards to our little one I had my check up yesterday and the doctor said everything is looking great. We listened to the heartbeat again and it was strong. She even suspected I might be further along than I think but I won't know until Monday. I have been getting heartburn, sore breasts and mild queesiness lately. I have some pains in the abdomen as well but they're all fine. I can't wait until Monday to find out what we're having. It's going to be an exciting morning! I will try to post here weekly from now on. My belly is growing now and I actually managed to rip a pair of pants. Yep, that's right. Time for me to go shopping I think. :-) November 16th, 2007. Well I'm five months pregnant and feeling really good. Slade is kicking me all the time which is nice. I am worried about being big over summer but I'm sure I'll cope. My friends have all started buying me things and I'm even getting christmas presents and hand me downs from people I've never even met. Friends of friends etc. That's a weird feeling but I am definetely grateful. I am loving the nursery now since my inlaws bought us a new hutch so I can put clothes etc in the cupboards, odds and sods in the drawers and creams etc on the shelves. It's perfect. I am going shopping tomorrow. It's supposed to be christmas shopping but I am sure I will be sneaking more than one baby item into my trolley. I feel bigger now and clothes are starting to not fit me. My mother hasn't seen me since June so this is going to be a big deal for her to see my belly etc. Robert has been reading to my belly regularly and talking so I think he's really starting to bond with the baby. He always says goodnight or goodbye etc to both of us now lol. I can't believe we have just a few more months to go. Congrats to all you other pregnant women and best of luck to all of you girls who are ttc. It took me many years but it was worth it. More soon... January 2nd, 2008 I had a doctors appointment this morning. In keeping with my last appt the midwife agreed that I am consistently measuring two weeks ahead of my current due date. One of two things can be happening. A0 he's just a big baby and they will watch him, but he won't come early if this is true, he'll just be a big baby to push out. B) My dates are wrong and I am further along than I thought. This means being ready to go to the hospital two weeks before my due date. I suspect it might be a bit of both. He's doing really well. My belly moves when he does and he kicks hard when he does kick. He has quiet days but he seems to do really well. My back is sore and I have a pain in my leg which I think is my big heavy uterus sitting on something. I haven't been sleeping well either. That being said, I'm so excited. It won't be long until our little baby boy is here. I am going to enjoy this feeling of being pregnant while it lasts. The other day I felt him moving around and I realised how much I was going to miss being pregnant once he is born. I think we'll be trying for number two as soon as we can (depends on breastfeeding etc). I do have another appt in two weeks so I'll update this if anything changes. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. :-)