iRant, iRave

Edited 23/02/08

Since it appears the Picasa slideshow code was hackable here are the pics instead.

Duncan

Friday was my day for getting the last of Duncan’s things having received the last delivery early afternoon and then making a final visit to Toys R Us that night before picking Rob up from work. Now the plan was to relax Friday night, have a go on the Wii we had got on Thursday but I had been too tired to play and then started sorting out baby things the next day after Rob’s folks arrived to help with the last of the diy and my sisters were visiting so could help me sort bits out and pop out for anything I’d forgotten.

So got back from picking up Rob, sorted some food and then started having a play on the Wii. This must have been about half eleven. Started getting twinges in my back which I thought served me right for sitting with crap posture whilst 38 weeks pregnant so shifted myself and the pain went away after a wee while. So I played a bit more, got lazy with my posture again, got a sore back and so on. The pain wasn’t particularly bad, didn’t seem very regular and eventually we went to bed. Was still getting twinges but I thought that served me right for not sitting properly earlier.

*Probable Too Much Information warning*
Went to the loo, had a pee, then something went pop and there was liquid on the floor (I was still on the loo). I’m left thinking ‘Eh? Was that? Looks like wee but……’ Did a qick check and there was dark brownish green gunk and promptly panicked. Merconium in the waters I figured was a pretty good reason to panick. Yelled on Rob, got him to ring the delivery suite at LGI but no one answered. Panic some more and made him ring for an ambulance.

Twenty minutes later one paramedic turns up in a rapid response car. Took my blood pressure and asked me a few questions and from my answers he was fairly sure I was right and waited with us for the ambulance to arrive. This in itself managed to calm me down a bit as it wasn’t a huge emergency just a little urgent. Still getting the odd twinge in my back at this point but that didn’t stop me running round the house going ‘I need that and that and that and I can’t believe I had planned to do this later that day, typical.’ Got about half of what I thought I’d need since I knew I’d have to stay in cos of the caesarean but enough for starters and then the nee naw arrived, got in and off to LGI we went. For some reason we went the long way into Leeds and no flashing blue lights – snot fair. Getting a few more pains but still only in my back.
Arrive at the hospital, wait for them to find a wheelchair for me as hospital policy is that labouring woman are not allowed to walk although was probably not a good idea in my case regardless. Get to the delivery suite and then no one answers the door for 10 minutes. Great fun. Eventually get in, taken to be examined, blood pressure taken and then put on a monitor which showed Duncan was doing fine and that my back twinges were infact contractions. No one had mentioned to me that you can have what’s reffered to as back labour. I had got to 4 cm dialated and was given the final choice on how I wanted to birth Duncan. Now it’s all very well going through the pros and cons of a breech delivery and a caesarean but when there are obvious but rare risks in a breech delivery and those who would be attending you don’t sound particularly confident about it and add the merconium, then the choice was pretty simple but I was still in shock at what was happening still half expecting to be told I was wrong and to go home.

So after quickly being informed of the risks, side effects, possible complications and some form filling off to theatre we went. Rob changed into scrubs and I was prepped and given a spinal block. Very weird feeling. To start with my legs just went warm and then of course i couldn’t move them. Anesthetist then checked it was working by spraying some cold liquid on my arm so I had something to compare to. “Ok then how does this feel?” “How does what feel?” Also did some pin pricks and then grabbed a load of skin with some forceps but I was completely numb from the ribs down.

Next bit is probably the most hazy and basically boiled down to me lying there being vary shaky (common side effect) and feeling a bit of rummaging around while cracking jokes with Rob and the anesthetists. After a wee while Duncan was delivered, Rob joking that it appeared they really had to lever him out of my pelvis. He was handed to a nurse to clean up and he made his first few noises just before being handed to Rob. So to get all the important bits covered in one go it’s a boy (well we knew that anyway), 7lb 5oz, born at 0754 on 22nd December at Leeds General Infirmary.

Anyway that’s all the good bit done. Hospital stay was pretty awful, initially no room on postnatal ward, crap food, conflicting advice on feeding him from different staff that wasn’t working anyway, despite warning them that I drink a lot compared to most people and being assured I would be regularly checked the catheter bag looked like it would burst a few times and then having to ask for my pain medication as opposed to being given it when I was supposed to. So despite have a caesarean on Saturday morning I managed to get home Sunday afternoon. OK so I did lie and say I would have no one to give me a lift home today but at the end of the day I’m not stupid. If there was something not right with either of us we’d have been back in like a shot but we are fine and even the midwife who came today said apart from a wee bit jaundice on Duncan’s part all is well.

And of course………..

crappy camera phone i’m afraid but charging batteries was on my to do list for Saturday and like everything else someone felt like showing us who is boss in our house.

So we’re getting there – slowly – but still vaguely on track. Bathroom will be finished tomorrow apart from the sanding and varnishing of the floor which can wait (cheers Mum for helping with the painting). Kitchen has a bit left still but is perfectly useable. Just painting to be done before hanging the cabinet doors (thanks Dad for getting the tiling done). Boiler is in, fitted and doing a darn good job of keeping the house toasty. Living room needs painted and the skirting put on but the new gas fire is in. Like I said it’s all getting there.

Duncan on the other hand is asserting his authority already by being difficult and refusing to turn head down so on Thursday morning it’s yet another trip to Leeds General Infirmary to be scanned and they will see if they have enough room and fluid in there to attempt to turn him manually. Success rate at LGI is only about 35% so not a lot I can do but wait and see and certainly no point in getting wound up about it. Rob’s Mum said he only turned days before he was born at 42 weeks so maybe Duncan’s just taking after his Dad.

Otherwise Duncan is fine. His measurements are all now “normal” but they still reckon he’s on the large side (probably the Edie in him)  and of course he spends many a day kicking the cr*p out of me. We’ve got most of what (we think) we need and the rest will be obtained shortly.

And now off we go to the blue tin box of hell (that’s IKEA – the description works for every one) with the intention of only buying what we need and the usual dangers of being sucked into the world of yes I need this weird looking thingamy that does nowt in particular but I must have!

…….or not.