The Baby Story

Here it is, at long last, a post-natal post (no pun intended). 

The Story.

Went in monday morning, all ready, or as ready as you can ever really be.  The doctor came in and checked his position - breech, curled up in a nice little ball.  So they preped me for a ECV, a doctor and an intern came in and got started.  Basicly they just push down really, really, REALLY hard on my stomach to move him around. I had thought that it would be a long process, like 5 minutes, so i'm gripping on to the side of the bed, bracing myself for the long haul, and after 30 seconds they were done.  Sucessful.  Afterwards they told me they were really surprised at how quickly it had worked, and that it had actually worked at all.  Aparently it only works like 5% of the time.  Luckily I had a ton of fluid so there was space for him to move around in.  Once that was done they inserted a gel that's meant to soften the cervix and start contractions. (I was actually already contracting, although I couldn't feel it.).  This was at like 10am.  So I start contracting away, not really feeling a whole lot at first.  Went for a walk, things started getting stronger, came back, they checked me at like 12, I was at 4cm already, so they said baby should be here by like 3pmish. SAWEET!!  More walking, more contracting. They checked again at like 4pm, but still only a 4.  Odd considering the ammount of contractions I'd been having.  They let me go a little longer, but the contractions started getting less and less and then eventually almost stopped.  They came back and checked me again, still only a 4  and baby was still not at all engaged, super high up, so the doctor decided to break my waters, hoping that it would move things along and especially help him to drop.  But the doctor was concerned that the cord was under the head because he could feel something, a lump, but he took the chance, broke my water and no cord came out so he figured it was just an odd shaped bone or something.  A couple more hours go by, some SERIOUS contractions going on (all through this I'm just breathing and relaxing through contractions, thinking of my Mum and how she had 6 children without an epidural and that if she can do it, I can do it too.).  The midwife got everything ready for the birth, got changed, turned on the heater light and everything, thinking she'd be delivering a baby in the next hour.  She asked if I felt like pushing, I didn't, so she checked me again, and felt like I was still only at a 4cm.  So she got another midwife to come and check as well, incase she just wasn't feeling it right, this midwife came and she said she felt something, just like the doctor had, but thought that maybe it was a nose, and then she yelped, "ouch, he bit me!!"  That explained it all, why he wasn't dropping, why I wasn't dialting any more, because he was trying to come out face first, instead of head first, and he was stuck.  So they got a specialist to come in, he said it was possible to deliver a baby in that position so they started me on some setocin to hopefully totally dialate me and then I could either push him out or have them pull him out.  So in go the drugs, contractions sky rocket, as if they weren't bad enough already, and the midwife suggested I try the gas.  So I did.  It was super weird, made me feel like I was going to faint, but it took my mind off the contractions, although I could still feel them.  Another hour or so goes by, it's 11pm the specialist comes back and baby hasn't dropped at all, so they're standing there talking about what my options are when baby's heart rate dropped to 60 and then went completely.  They found it again, but it was way below 100 so they made the decision to do an emergency C-section.  It all happened so fast, it was a little overwhelming.  It was like once they said go, everything was a speedy blur.  I was "preped" (i'll save you the details), wheeled away, asked a bunch of questions, then I looked up, saw that Tui wasn't there (he'd gone off to put on scrubs) and I lost it, started bawling my eyes out, told them I was scared and wanted my husband.  I think they were a little taken back because up until that point I'd been very calm about everything.  So they quickly found him, do a spinal general (very fast, super effective, but very weird sensation), put up a screen so I couldn't see them slicing and dicing, and away they went.  I thought that it was take ages, but they started the surgery at 11.20pm and he was born at 11.24pm so it was fast.  It just felt like someone rubbing my tummy in weird ways, no pain, just like massaging almost. 

And then they showed me this sweet little face.

Bliss.

Viliami Raymond Tupou Tafuna
Born June 21st @ 11.24pm
Weighed 9lbs 6oz

I cried.  Tui cried.  And then I sent him away to take pictures of him, while I lay there and listened to the doctors talk about burying placenta under lemon trees (????) and they stiched me up.  The doctor, once he was done, told me it would heal well and I would be able to wear a bikini again (which I guess means I could start).  And then Tui brought him over to me and I looked into that little face and felt that same feeling all over again, the feeling I'd felt with Malachi.  That I would do that whole day all over again, all the pain and discomfort, for.  That if they told me I had to do it all right now again, I would do it in a heart beat.  He was so swollen on his face (probably due to being rammed up against my pelvic bone for a whole day), I told the doctor that he looked like one of the door handle guys on the labrinth, the movie (you know the guys, the ones that talk, and their eyes are are all rolly and swollen, that's what he looked like).  But he was perfect. He was worth it all.

And so then I spent the next week in the hospital.  At first I was worried about not being at home with Malachi, leaving Tui to do it all alone for a week.  But he did such an amazing job, I'm so grateful for him.  And that week that I had just to be with my little baby was amazing.  We just slept and cuddled and ate and got to know each other.  I got to do the same thing with Malachi, because he had to stay in the hospital for 2 extra weeks, so I just got to concentrate on him and nothing else.  So this past week has been nice.  I'm not so sore, got some good drugs.  Had some amazing nurses.  They made such a difference.  Especially Kate, a british nurse, she was just the best.  And so now we're at home and it's weird, trying to grasp the concept that we have two children.  Malachi's such a good big brother, loves to give his brother kisses, loves to watch him move and wiggle around.  And it's amazing how big Malachi suddenly seems to me, how mature, how much he's NOT a baby.  It's like he grew up over night.  But even though I had been worried about Malachi feeling like I don't love him now or not having any time for him, I actually feel like I love Malachi more then before, if that makes sense.

But all and all, the day was long but totally worth it, this past week has been sore but great, and I am loving every day with this new little person.  He has such a different personality to Malachi, it's amazing to see, but there will be plenty of posts about that later, I'm sure.  For now, here's some pictures of the whole adventure.

Contracting away - dont be fooled by the happy face

Brand spanking new

Daddy cutting the cord

Bringing him to see mummy.

Proud new daddy

First little kisses

Weighing in

Grandma Brunton with her 7th grandchild

My amazing midwife, she's crazy and I love her

The new boy

Brothers

Vili's not so keen on the brotherly love

Very tired mummy

Cuddles

My big boy

Kate, the best nurse in the whole world

Aunty Jessie flew down to meet him

My niece Katherine Sarah loves her new cousin

These two have a love-hate relationship.

New baby boy

He's a man of many faces

His mad face, he gets this from his Daddy.

FINAL Update

After all the appointments on Friday, scans, more scans, assessments, 2nd opinions etc, this is the result - tomorrow morning at 7.45am I will be induced.  Not your regular induction though.  On Friday when we went for a scan, baby was head down nice and low, midwife was happy, then the OB walked past and asked if she could have a look.  So in the couple of minutes it took her to get all set up, baby had flipped and become breech - he's a mover!!  He's what they call an unstable lie, and he's like the dictionary definition of it!!  So tomorrow morning they will try to do an External Vertex, which means they'll prod around from the outside and try to flip him head down.  If they can do that then they'll break my waters to make sure he stays down, and as long as contractions start, I should be able to carry on from there drug free and normal as planned.  If contractions don't start they will give me something to get them started.  There is a possibility that during the External Vertex baby could decide he doesn't like it and get stressed, which would mean a speedy C-section.  If they can't turn him, this will also mean a C-section.  I know that if I was back in Hawaii, they would have given me a C-section a loooooooooong time ago, so I'm grateful to be home where they're willing to try other options to avoid a C-section, which is my goal.  I'm really really grateful for that.

So come hell or high water, drugs or c-section, tomorrow we will have baby # 2 out and in this world.  It's been a long time coming and tomorrow could not come fast enough.

Watch this space......

Still waiting

Wednesday night at like 9pm my midwife called to say that she'd spoken with the OB and he wanted to induce me, called me an accident waiting to happen, so we were scheduled for 9am the next morning.  So we got everything ready, Mum stayed home from work to be with Malachi, and then at 8.30am I get a call saying that over night there was a sudden boom in people going into labor and that the hospital was full.  Like full full, not a single bed available.  They had girls delivering in all sorts of parts of the hospital.  And since I wasn't an emergency induction, I got bumped.

Gutted.

Then last night my midwife called again to say that the OB was still really nervous about me and wanted me to at least come in for a scan.  So this morning we're off for a scan to confirm that this is a disobedient child who refuses to co-operate.  They'll then assess whether they want to break my water and start this train rolling or not (will also depend on if there are any free beds yet.)

In the mean time, we're still waiting.  Thank goodness for late night shopping last night so I could walk for a few hours where it's warm.

Fingers crossed....

Update

Went and saw my midwife today.  And although last week at my specialist appointment baby was head down, nice and low, and the doctor assured me that there was no chance of him flipping back out again, he's out.  He's now sitting nice and comfortably sideways again.  So my midwife is going to meet with the doctor to try and figure out what to do next.  She knows that I would do anything to NOT have a C-section and I'm so grateful that she's willing to work around it and figure out other ways.  Could be that I go in tomorrow or friday and they try flip baby down and then break my water to start labor, not ideal but better then a C-section.  Or, if that doesn't work, they could let me wait it out, but that's kinda dangerous because then if my water breaks, the cord could come out first and stop his oxygen and blood supply and then its an immediate C-section.  But this little kid seems to have a mind of his own and he could flip back down again and I go into labor naturally and all goes well.
In the mean time we're just waiting to see what happens......

I hate waiting.....

Malachi's Journal part 2

Boxes still in Hawaii.
Journal still in Hawaii.
Must right about my son before these memories get lost into the vast abyss that is my mind.

(Warning: It's long, I have a whole month to catch up on.)

Malachi is now 2.  He is a 2 year old.  The night before his birthday I slept in his bed with him, just lay there, held him, and cried.  Cried because I was so sad that my little baby boy, my first born child, was no longer.  Baby Malachi doesn't exist any more.  He's gone and I can't ever have him back.  It's a sad thing to think about.  But also cried thinking about how amazing this little kid is.  How unbelievably happy he makes me.  I understand the meaning of the word JOY because of him.  I love him to death.

We had his birthday party a few days before his birthday.  His little friend Ida from nursery came with her family. Mummy made a train cake, which Malachi loved and didn't want to eat (other then picking the lollies off the top).  He finally understands what presents are and had a blast ripping through them.  He got a bunch of clothes, a giant fire truck (by far his favourite), some Mr Potato Heads ("tayto man"), a magnadoodle (that is saving so many trees from the rain forest, because this kids loves to draw and wastes so much paper!), a bunch of cars and trucks and a car play mat for them to drive on.  He was so excited about his birthday party.  I had been showing him our family albums from when I was little and being that there are 8 in our family, every couple of pages were pictures of someones birthday party.  So he figured out quite quickly that birthday party meant cake, balloons and presents.  For days before he was talking about it, when we went to the supermarket to get the food for his party his told everyone who would listen, "dat for ma'akai's birfday party!".  It was a great day.

He is still religiously obsessed with cars.  They go everywhere with him, especially since he's discovered that they can go in his pockets.  He is very organised about them, lining them up, driving them along together, having races, its amazing how he plays with them. He loves playing kicks and throws with Grandma and Grandad.  This kid has some SERIOUS ball skills.  He's 2 and he can already drop kick, dribble a ball, catch 90% of the time.  He's super co-ordinated.  Grandad loves to show him off to anyone that comes over.  His vocab is booming, he's speaking in 5-6 word sentences most of the time.  He now knows all his colors and readily points them out.  He can count to 10 in English and Tongan.  He's started singing too, all the songs that I've been singing too him for the longest time, and I thought he wasn't listening.  He can sing his ABC's (my fav is W = "duba lulu"), twinkle little star, I love to see the temple, I am a child of God, the Barney I love you song, I love mother, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, all the action songs, it's amazing.  And so cute too.

Sleep has become a battle again.  He's an amazing napper still, goes down without a hitch, falls asleep in seconds, sleeps a good 2 hours.  But going to bed at night, going to sleep, and staying asleep has just gone downhill fast.  Nothing seems to work.

That being said, it doesn't affect him being so happy during the day.  He loves giving out compliments, telling people "Good job" all the time.  And he's always asking people "you happy?".  It's so funny.  And if someone looks sad he tells them "No crying" and wipes their face to get the tears away.  He's so cute.

He's become obsessed with Mummy's a Babies.  If there's a big something and a little something, he tells them "go baby, go your mumma....see....mumma....oh cute!"  He does it with cars, animals, shoes, cups, anything.  He's ready to be a big brother.

He loves to swim and has started floating with a noodle.  He "swims" (jumps in, kicks his legs and flaps his arms, but with his head above the water) like a dolphin he tells me.  He gets to swim in Grandad's pool every day.  It's been nice for him to still have access to the water.  He loves the bubbles in the spa, and always asks for the jets to massage his back.  After being in for an hour he still cries when we make him get out.  He's a Hawaiian water baby for sure!

Malachi is such a big hit at church.  Everyone, and i means EVERYONE loves him.  He has favourites, such as Bishop (who gave Malachi a special shout out at ward conference last week, saying Malachi was his favourite little friend), Mafi, Ben (2 8 year olds that have quickly become Malachi's slaves at church), Nui (who bribes him with handfuls of lollies).  There are a bunch of old ladies at church who have started bringing snacks in their handbags, for malachi, so that he'll come and sit with them.  He loves church, and his nursery leader is amazing.  He does really well in sacrament meeting.  He sits with us quietly until after the sacrament, and then he gets to have books and toys.  But we haven't had to take him out since we got here.  It's been nice.

It's going to be interesting to see how his personality changes to adapt to being a big brother.  I imagine he's going to be a great helper, and that my biggest problem will be keeping him away from the baby to stop him from smothering him with kisses and hugs.  I hope that he'll still understand that we love him to death, because we do!!

So guys,

faithful blog followers,

take a look to the right....

...down....

.....down....

..down a little more....

.....there....

...see that little ticker thing, the count down to the baby being born...

...notice anything?

IT'S STARTED COUNTING AGAIN!!!!!

It was at 0 days on June 12th, my due date.

But either fate or magic or something has reset it, making it count again.

That's the reason I'm still pregnant, it's all self-fulfilling prophesy.

Not from me.

From everyone else.

Tui keeps telling me maybe next week...

NEXT WEEK!!!!!

People at church have said, "well we're having this activity on the 6th of July, you should have given birth by then, right?"

THE 6TH OF JULY?!!!!!

And now my own blog has turned against me, adding an extra week to my due date.

No one believes.

No one has any faith.

Everyone is willing me to be pregnant forever.

So come on people, let's have a little more faith here, help me out.

Send me some positive giving birth vibes.....

....please......

...........PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........

Malachi turns 2

I cannot believe that my little baby boy is two years old.  Where has the time gone?  Didn't I just give birth like last year to him?  I'm amazed at how quickly the time has gone by, and yet, I can't remember what my life was like before him, like he's always been there.  I feel like I've blinked and suddenly my squishy tub is a walking, talking, highly opinionated toddler.  Crazy.

Malachi shares with birthday with my Mum, and in order to be fair to her, we had his birthday a few days before, so that they could each have their own moment of glory.  Nothing big like last year (whew!!), we just had our family that was here, and a family from our ward that Malachi is friends with in nursery.  Made a cake, had a BBQ (that my Dad cooked in the pouring rain by the way - thanks Dad!!), just hung out at home, where it's warm.  He got some cute presents, his favourites being the ones with wheels of course.  It was just a really nice family day.

Then on his real birthday we gave him a special breakfast (he wanted choc-chip pancakes) and left the rest of the day for Grandma.  We made her a cake, decorated for her party, and celebrated the wonderful woman that she is.

I was mostly grateful that I didn't go into labor and give birth on June 1st again.  That would be terrible.

Happy Birthday little boy.  We love you more then words can express and you are just the best little thing in our lives.  We survived the first 2 years, here's hoping the next 2 are just as much fun.

40 weeks

Well, here's my 10-weekly pregnancy update.....

I'M STILL PREGNANT!!!!!

I make 40 weeks this week.  And I'm affraid I'm going to see it come and go and still be around to welcome weeks 41 and 42, knowing my luck.  Malachi was 2 weeks overdue.  So I don't have a very good track record.

But in other news.  This has been such a different experience to last time, like day and night.  Here's some examples.

-This time round I'm still sleeping through the night, pretty comfortably - last time I slept 3 hours a night with a million pillows to try and make me feel more comfortable. 
- I pee just as much as a normal person, not every 10 minutes like last time.
- They're worried that this baby is too small, that he's not growing enough and think he'll only be 7lbs full term, as opposed to my 10lb 10oz heavy weight last time.
- This baby has been breech/transverse most of the time - Malachi drop and sat there waiting for me
- I can still eat regular sized meals, last time I'd be full after 3 or 4 bites (probably due to the big baby taking up all the room)
-I can still wear my rings!! Last time I was so swollen by about 5 months I was pushing it to have my wedding rings on, and by 6 months they were a gonner.

I am actually feeling pretty good, all things considering.  I still forget I'm pregnant some times, and wonder why I keep hitting myself with the fridge door. I am DEFINATELY ready for him to come out.  I'm so done.  I feel like I'm just litterally sitting around waiting for him to come, wasting the days away, can't really make plans coz who knows what's going to happen tonight or tomorrow or next monday.  And of course, just like last time, everyone that was due AFTER me, is giving birth BEFORE me and making me CRAZY!!!

In terms of the actual giving birth part, I had looked forward to having a more relaxed, at home as long as possible, natural experience.  But because this little boy can't decide if he's up or down, it looks like I'll be spending the whole time in hospital so they can monitor his position, incase he flips up and becomes breech or whatever.  But either way, ITS TIME TO COME  OUT SON!!!!!!