he's arrived...

welcome to Sebastian Alistair Fleener, born naturally at 1.09 a.m. 2/19/2009, 8lbs 6 oz, 20 1/4 inches - mummy and baby (and daddy) are doing well... eating breakfast - YUM...

labour and delivery...

well here we are at labour and delivery.... came in for our stress test at 7.00 a.m. and the fluid had dropped from 10 on Saturday to 5 today and Dr. X had told me on Monday that if the fluid dropped below normal (8) then Teeny would have to be coerced... So far we just had the bag of waters broken - no pitocin or anything else... we are reassessing at 3.00 - it is 2.00 now... the nurses are awesome - totally cool with the birth plan and have me walking around... didn't make me do the IV when i said no... when i requested food they checked with Dr Y (Dr X's partner) and he said no reason not to so i had a fab veggie sandwich and apple and i am drinking water too...

they brought me a rocking chair and a birth ball so all ready with those and i keep talking to my doula every hour to see when i want her to come in.... the phone has run non-stop with the love of family and friends... am going to try and nap now before the 3.00 check...

only one negative - no cameras or video allowed during the birth - and I SOOO wanted to video it or at least photograph it and be able to see it myself later! :(

Alex is currently trying to hide the camera somewhere so he can sneakily turn it on when everything is happening... can you get thrown out of hospital - ha ha? :)

Officially overdue...

Okay, now we are officially overdue, according to the first day of period magic wheel and our own calculations based on knowing our sex life! :) So Teeny is hanging on like a stubborn combination of its Mum and Dad...

This is okay in the scheme of things, but at 3.00 a.m. this morning i had a realization that if Teeny does not make an appearance soon - it wlll not get to meet Granny on my side... she is going in for a hip replacement op next week... and will be at a completely different hosptial from me - so not only will she not be with me when all finally happens, she won't even get to meet Teeny for a few days after the birth... also, my sister may have to leave for UK to go and be with my brother in law for personal reasons sometime next week and Flex's grandmother's other half is having a knee operation this week so she will be busy... and his Mom is busy running her practice, so busy anyhow...

I know people live all over the world and have babies alone - but i was blessed by the fact that all of my family are close by - but as Teeny hangs on - life goes on and people will be doing all sorts of other things... and honestly the thought of having a new little Teeny and my Mum and sister possibly not being around breaks my heart just a little!

Saw DR X yesterday - I am now 2 cm and 40% effaced - so we are making our way there slowly, but surely. He is out of town this weekend and still willing to let me go to 42 weeks (next Thursday according to them), but is concerned that I will sprog this weekend when he is away and is wanting to be there as he has been through all the ups and downs of this pregnancy with me...

Come on Teeny - we all are waiting! :) x

40 weeks and STILL counting...

Here we are, 40 weeks in and still hanging in... had our check up with Dr X yesterday and was 2 cm dilated... but no effacement. Discussed due dates and going over and Dr X is happy to let me go to 42 weeks. He suddenly then had a freak out when he remembered that Dr Doom (a prior - and shortlived partner - in the practice) was on call for them next weekend. He mumbled to himself that he could not let Dr Doom be my doctor if i went into labour - he had gone this far with me - that would not do... he just kept saying to himself... no - not Dr Doom - can't have him... anyhow. He then opted to strip my membrane to see if that got things softening and moving along more quickly... This caused me crawl backwards rapidly up the exam table... phew...

Anyhow - been having some back contractions throughout the early hours and day - but still VERY irregular.

Had acupuncture on Monday and took some blue cohosh which speeds up some people - NOT ME... Teeny is hanging on for dear life in there now... I suppose spending months possibly shooting out early makes that happen... at least Dr Red Baron said that can happen. If Teeny is happy great - but i don't want to end up with Dr Doom either... i have heard the rumours!

Will keep you posted of president day weekend Teeny events!

bloody hell....

Well, here i am getting ready for work on Thursday - spent Tuesday with cramping, hip aches contractions, etc... called the doc - they agreed i might be in labour - but we waited at home- our plan to labour at home as long as possible... i had acupuncture - had the doula on alert and then spent the rest of the night feeling INCREDIBLY nauseous and trying not to puke... at 4.00 a.m. when i got up and ran a bath and sat in it for 1.5 hours reading I realized i may have the flu going round... confusing when they say early labour signs involve all those above and can be seen as the flu.... had a scheduled stress test on Wednesday a.m. anyhow, so went to that at 8.00 a.m. turned out Teeny was happy inside, amniotic fluid still at good levels and heart beat all good... was having some contractions, but nothing major and no imminent sprogging. Booked back in for a stress test on Saturday afternoon as will be a couple of days overdue by then and back to waiting!

Fully cooked?!

So here i am at 39 weeks... had my appointment today and baby is still head down and zero station - but my cervix is 'a stubborn one' and is still closed up like a clam.... This is not an issue though - Dr X has seen people go from firmly closed to fully dialed in the same day.

If nothing has changed by middle of next week - my 'due date' - then I will go into the Labour and Delivery triage at the hospital to get my amneotic fluid levels checked. If they are good then I can go to 41 weeks - if they are low then I will be induced. I have to say I did not want to be induced if possible as apparently that increases your chances of demanding an epidural by 80% due to the out of control/back to back contractions. But... we'll play it by ear and if it has to be then it has to be.

In other news, today is Flex's birthday - happy birthday honey - my 8 year anniversary at work and Flex's one year anniversary with his job... I will be preparing his favourite meal for dinner - Caesar Salad - which he feels so special when I make for him - and does not realize I see it as a welcome break from cooking... i mean romaine, parmesan, croutons, cardinis and a rotisserie chicken - SWEET...

Flex's parents gave us (cough - HIM) a thermapedic foam mattress topper for his birthday - wow - I wish I had one the WHOLE pregnancy - I can turn from side to side and my hips aren't screaming... if you can't invest in the whole thermapedic foam bed i highly recommend getting the topper... LUSH... and also his sister gave us some organic beechwood sheets for the bed... can you say SOFT... we are in bed heaven! Thanks everyone!

So happy day to everyone!