More jabs

We took her Eminence to get her 16 week jabs today... at just over 19 weeks. It was a three needle affair.

I managed to entertain her during the first one, but failed miserably during the second and third. She eventually regained her composure and we moved on to weigh her as well. 17 lb 11.5 oz!

One of the side effects from some of the many inoculations Em was given include upset stomach and copious sleep. When we got back home around 3p she nodded off and we had to really rouse her after dinner so she would sleep though the night. There's been no sign of upset tum yet though, which is good.

The weather's cooled down and Em movements have returned to normal colour, so the worry we had about their greenness was probably down to the heat and her sweating more. The midwife said she may have also caught a slight bug which would have turned it green.

All in all, another good day in the life of Em.

First full day at home

Emily woke us up this morning, some time around 6am. Wonderful, start as you mean to go on, kid.

Got a nap around 9 and woke up when the community mid-wife showed up around 10. Also received a really nice and unexpected bunch of flowers, balloon and stuffed Gund teddy bear from my colleagues at work, so that was quite nice.

Apart from that action, today has been spent pleasing Emily. It seems that when she's awake she's hungry and then there's the sleep state. We figured out this afternoon while changing her that we need to introduce stimulation into her life - something besides mum and dad on the bed and mum's boob lunging for her face. We have a nice Disney mobile situated near the change table that was a gift from Canada-ways. Having that on while changing Em really pre-occupied her, which was good.

Later this evening, we decided to try the dummy / soother in her mouth when she makes the sucky-sucky motion and see if that works, and hopefully give mum's nip-nips a break. She enjoyed it apart from spitting it out every few seconds by accident. I ended up singing nonsense to her as well so she could hear some soothing tones and hopefully go to sleep. After MANY false starts she's finally nodded off, with mum beside her.

I know Sue's done the sleep deprivation gig for a few days longer, but this sucks. I'm exhausted, irritable and have had a lingering headache all day. This, dear reader, is only the beginning! OUCH

Exam again

The new team have just come round to look at Sue and said they'll probably let her go until lunch time and then do a c-section.

Hard to think we've endured the last 15 hours or so, when it could have just ended c-section-wise at the end.

The midwife we had over the night said that Sue would be up and around within a day of the c-section, but obviously lifting heavy stuff will be out for a while.

We were so optimistic when we arrived that things would progress naturally, especially when the waters broke about 11 hours ago.

I need food and a drink. My mouth tastes horrible. I can only imagine what Sue feels like / is tasting, etc.

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• Almost one in four births by caesarean (telegraph.co.uk)

Cervix issues

Had a horrid sleep (though not as bad as sue who is hooked up to wires and machines, etc).

Sue's just been examed again and told that things aren't progressing that well. There's to be THREE more hours of syntocin before a plan B is considered. However, the dreaded c-section is now looking quite possible, especially as we're told we could have a "long day ahead of us".

Inducements

Well, it looks like our child isn't arriving without some medical intervention.

Went to the hospital yesterday for another "how far along are we" exam, which Sue failed (i.e. it's not very far along).

At the same visit, Sue got booked in on Friday afternoon to be induced. Apparently, they do three attempts at inducing and if that doesn't work, they move onto Plan B.

I think Plan C is C-section, which involved up to six weeks recuperation, as it's major abdominal surgery. Thus, that's the very bottom of the desirable list.

Whatever happens, we've been assured that when Sue arrives at hospital on Friday, she won't be leaving without a baby, whether it's Saturday or Sunday when that comes.

It's all a bit final now and all a bit sterile and medical at the same time.

Oh well, at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

I type in a land down under

We arrive to a wonderful family greeting on Sunday morning around 7am, and as I type this now we're still fighting the jet lag (it's 6.30am!!)

Sue, however, is having maybe an easier time of the jetlag, in that she's suffering from babylag and is quite tired a lot of the time anyway.

Sue's mid-wife asked her to try to book an appointment here to check blood pressure, etc. She made the call yesterday and the local mid-wife deemed it not important enough to book an appointment. Not sure if that's encouraging or a sign of laziness on their behalf.

Yesterday we were treated to a showing of all the stuff Sue's mum has bought for the baby. It's amazing! There's so much stuff, I don't think we need to buy anything at least for the first couple of months (or maybe years).

My only concern, from a pragmatic male-point of view, is how are we going to get the stuff home? My case is kinda half-full but I was hoping to actually get the odd X-mas pressie and Aussie purchase to put in there and Sue packs like there's no tomorrow, so I'm just a bit worried we're going to have to post it back or something rather expensive like that. Time, I guess, will tell.

Mid wife: This time it's at the hospital

Just had a call from Sue, who's about to leave the hospital. YES, the hospital.

It was blood test day today (glucose levels, etc.) and moronically, I assumed it was being done at the local GP office like all the other appointments.

Nope. Down to St. Helier's for a morning of arm-tapping fun. Sue was on a special diet (basically no chocolate or fizzy drinks) and hadn't eaten at all today. Before she left, she was told to eat something so headed down to the hospital canteen for their world famous pasties. I think they're world famous for all the wrong reasons.

Anyway, with that out of the way we now have the doctor's note to fly to sort out and we can leave for Oz.

Mid Wife again

Sue's had yet another mid-wife appointment today. Raced back from work to get checked out, the back to work to go to Uni. Nothing if not passionate!

Of interesting note about the appointment is the fact that Sue has been ill since the last visit, as was documented on the notes. It IS becoming rather farcical how long this cold/flu/cough thing has gone on.

The doctor at this recent mid-wife visit finally gave her some meds but warned not to take it for too long. Also, Strepsils and other wonderful "throat coaters" are out, in are glycerine tablets. Not exactly sure what they're supposed to do.

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Midwife II: The Tests

Sue went for her latest midwife appoint today. This one was the local GP, not the hospital. It was slightly fortunate that she's come down with some illness (the flu or a cold), so she was able to address that with the mid-wife as well. Turns out it's a "let it run it's course" cold, but as Sue's in agony, it wasn't the prognosis she was hoping for.

In baby news, all seems to be well and the "fluids" test came back all clear, so it's onward and upward with babytimes!

20 week scan

Just got back from the 20 week scan at the hospital.

All is well and the baby's doing fine. So fine, it doesn't have things we didn't even think about. So worried about Down's Syndrome, we didn't even think about things like hairlip or Spina Bifida!

Seeing the baby more developed than 8 weeks ago is making it all the more real. I had a pang of impending fatherhood sitting there watching the midwife slide the ultrasound wand over Sue's goobered belly.

We tried to video the whole thing, but the midwife said they usually frown on that. I managed to sneak in a few seconds of video. To make up for it, she gave us pretty much a whole roll of baby photos!

It's coming up now! I'm actually beginning to get excited.

The second hospital appointment

We're almost becoming dab hands at this hospital thing now.

Had our first mid-wife appointment this morning. It was basically all paperwork. We were asked a load of questions about family history and personal history, then Sue gave a load of fluids for tests.

Thankfully our next meetings with mid-wives should be in Wallington, so we don't have to traipse all the way to St. Helier again.

With every meeting and every blood sample, the idea of becoming a parent is becoming more and more a reality.

Now we're going to have to address all the practical problems - like space in the flat, money issues, etc. THAT is something I'm not looking forward to.

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