From Little Things Big Things Grow.

This time last year we had just dropped Oli off at kindy and were on our way to the hospital. I'd been having painful braxton hicks on and off for the past week but this time they weren`t going away. Since I had a scheduled appointment with the midwives that morning, we thought we`d go to the hospital anyway to check it all out but most likely they would just send us home. I was pretty tired from last night`s lack of sleep so more snooze time would`ve been a bonus. However, that wasn`t to be. I was examined upon arrival, with the midwife expressing surprise that I was already 4cm dilated. Apprently I didn`t look like I was in enough pain to be this far along. Trust me, there was pain. But second time around, I felt more confident. I knew how to breathe with each contraction and I understood their purpose. We were sent to our room and told not to return until the contractions were closer and the pain more unbearable. Um, okay. So with those somewhat vague instructions in mind we waited it out for a couple of hours until I`d had enough and we headed back to the delivery room. ``Wow. 9cm``, said the midwife, ``You`re almost ready to push. I`ll go get the doctor``. We couldn`t believe it was almost time. We had only arrived at the hospital 3 hours earlier. The doc arrived and moments later announced that her head wasn`t in the right position for delivery and my contractions weren`t strong enough to get it there. Out came the syntocin and up went the level of pain. It was instant. I could feel her head moving down and it wasn`t long until I felt the urge to push. By this stage I had Dave, the midwife, the student midwife and the doctor all in the room with me urging me on. And me hating every single one of them. Ok no, but that syntocin was making me cranky. With each contraction I pushed down. Within a few pushes she was out, covered in vernix-y goodness. Nowhere near the almost 2 hour pushing marathon I experienced with Oli. It was over. Bliss. The doctor took one look at Elke, tilited his head to the side and said she was a cute one. He was right. She was gorgeous, smaller than her brother was but just as perfect. And boy, was she blonde!  David noted her nice head shape. It was over. Or so we thought. We hadn`t counted on there being a retained placenta and an emergency d & c. But it didn`t matter. All that mattered was Elke had arrived safely into our world. I felt it was an incredible and positive experience and despite the afterbirth drama, I would do it all again. And then some.

 

 

Happy birthday Elke Isabella Frankie. The littlest star in our universe.

I know it`s -4 degrees and snowing but being confined to the indoors has its positives. Most notably, being able to wear a summer dress during a German winter. And sit tight little girl. There will be cake.

xxx