And it is the cutest little smile ever! She's been smiling for about a week now, but she'd only do it if we smiled at her. Now she just smiles for no reason at all. And she's talking to us as well. She grunts and grins and I adore the lil sweetie! I've put a video of her grinning up in the video section on the right as well as a couple more photographs as well.
...and we're exhausted! But absolutely loving every second of it. Anya is growing so fast and is putting on weight with every health check she has. She is doing really well and we are finally starting to settle in to being parents. It's only just started to feel real to us. For the first week and a half it felt as though we were her babysitters and her real mum and dad would be coming to collect her soon. It's nice to finally feel like she is ours forever.
Andy and I were blessed with our daughter Anya. I cannot believe she is a week old already. It just seems like yesterday when we were bringing her home from the hospital. She is slowly settling into a routine and is a very happy baby. She sleeps...A LOT! She sits in her little pillow on the sofa with daddy or in bed with mummy most of the day and then sleeps in her cot at night...and she usually only wakes once or twice during the night for a nappy change and a feed.
Anya Jane Cashmore8:45am - My waters broke as I was just going to sleep (yes...hadn't yet been to sleep from Friday). Rang Andy and work and brought him home.
9:15am - First contraction (OUCH!) - they then carried on for the next hour at roughly 8 minutes apart. I have a nice long soak in the tub and put on my TENS machine (nerve stimulation machine thought to interrupt the pain signals to the brain and release endorphins to fight pain naturally -- useless piece of tat!)
10:15am - Contractions get longer and start coming every 5 minutes. Time to get ourselves to the hospital...and quick!
11:00am - Booked into the hospital, contraction are now 2-3 minutes apart although they felt like they are one on top of the other. Examined by midwife and find out I am already 6cms dilated! Bring on the entinox/gas & air (laughing gas to those of you across the pond)!! It takes the edge of the pain but makes me feel like I'm not in the room. Didn't like that. Start pacing the room and leaning on Andy.
12:00pm - Given an injection of pethidine for pain relief in addition to the gas and air. Still feeling the pain, but just don't really care anymore! Although Andy is looking a little bruised and his thumb may be broken. Do you think the midwives would give him some drugs? :) I'm still standing and leaning on Andy.
2:00pm - Examined again and I am now 8cm dilated. Midwives tell me I will be ready to start pushing soon. STILL have not sat down...still leaning on Andy.
4:00pm - Examined again. The magic 10cm mark has been reached but baby's head is still quite high up. Told to push with each contraction if I have the urge but not to force it. Given another dose of pethidine and begin to gently push the baby down. Still standing.
7:15pm - Baby's head is down and I am told to begin pushing with everything I've got! Given another canister of gas & air and begin pushing standing up, leaning over the bed.
8:00pm - Contractions begin to be less regular and baby's head still hasn't even crowned yet. Change position and get on the bed on my hands and knees. More gas and air and more pushing.
8:45pm - Midwife decides that I need to be moved to the obstetrician-led section of the maternity unit so I can be given a drip of oxytocin. This will make the contractions stronger and more regular. She leaves the room to get the paperwork and arrange for the transfer. Baby however, is doing very well.
9:00pm - Midwife returns mid-push and oddly my contractions are now very strong and very regular. She decides I don't need to be transferred and I continue pushing.
10:00pm - The baby's head still has not crowned and the midwife tells me she will have to do an episiotomy to allow room for the baby to come down. This means I will need to get on to my back...ugh...which I really didn't want.
10:15pm - After a few minutes on my back and a couple pushing, the baby finally crowns (without the episiotomy)!! After a dozen or more really strong contractions and even harder pushes.....
10:37pm - IT'S A GIRL!! She is alert and calm and quite possibly the most gorgeous little thing I have ever set eyes on. They place her straight on to my tummy (one definite advantage to being on my back) and we have about half an hour to bond and cuddle and then the midwife takes her to be cleaned up and weighed. Then it's time for daddy to get his turn as well before he has to leave for the night.
12:00am - I head to the bathroom for a much needed soak in the tub and Andy gets some one on one time with his new daugher.
1:00am - My sister-in-law Jane arrives to take Andy home and Anya and I move from the delivery room to the ward to settle in for our first night.
As desperate as I am to have this baby and get control of my body again, s/he needs to stay in there for at least another two weeks while we finish up the bathroom. We had new windows fitted last week and next week the plumber is coming to rip out the bathroom suite and move some pipes. Then Andy and I have a week to get the walls prepped and tiled before the plumber returns to fit the new suite.
