Update Part One...

Nathan has been keeping me busy and we've been without internet for a month so this is the first chance I've had to update the blog! So many things to write about so I better get on with it!

Firstly, Nathan's birth;
Well, it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, I think I had built it up in my mind! It started on Friday morning when I woke up with some backache and had a show. Thinking nothing of it I went about tidying up the house getting it ready for my parents visit at the weekend. The backache came and went at intervals during the day. By lunchtime I began to wonder and got in touch with Andy. He didn't come home then because I still didn't think I was in labour, not until he phoned to say that one of the women in the office didn't realise she was in labour because she only had backache for a lot of it! So I got out my TENS machine and had a bath (not at the same time I might add!) I do have to say that I was a bit silly in not going to bed at this point, but carried on sorting the house out! I don't think I wanted to let myself believe that it really was happening, just in case it wasn't! I didn't want to get excited or get my hopes up I don't think having heard stories about women whose labour stops and starts.
Anyway it only took Andy one look at me when he did come home after work to notice that I was in labour. We had some dinner and tried to keep calm! I had another bath because the backache was getting stronger. It helped a lot as did the TENS machine which I put on when I got out of the bath again and I was able to rest a little. But by about 3am the contractions were getting too much for me and we headed to the hospital. I think Andy was a bit concerned at the noise I made when I got a huge contraction just arriving at the hospital! The TENS had come off by then and I couldn't walk around so I felt it really strongly. It seemed to take forever to get into the hospital, get into a room and get seen by a midwife, but Andy tells me it was only a few minutes! It was really hard trying to concentrate on the questions the midwife was asking me, I just wanted to walk around or, more preferably some pain relief! It wasn't so much that it was painful like cutting yourself kind of pain exactly but it's really really intense and takes all of your concentration. When the midwife examined me she found out I was 9cm dilated, so it was probably about the right time for us to go to the hospital!
Finally I was able to get some gas and air! It was great! But really weird at the same time! It doesn't exactly take the pain away, but helps you cope with it better. For me it made me feel like I wasn't attached to my body, like I was someone else! So much so that it felt like the noises I was making sounded to me like they were coming from someone else!! I didn't want to make so much noise but apparently I did!! My waters must have broke at some point but I don't really remember noticing!
Andy was great the whole time. He was really supportive and made sure I was breathing and drinking and generally looking after me! I'm afraid I squished his hand quite a lot when I got to the pushing bit!
They said they would only let me push for an hour and then next thing I know she's telling me that I've been pushing for an hour and a half! When they tell you that they you can be pushing for an hour, but it really didn't feel like that! Which is a good thing! They only let me go that long because baby was happy. In fact in the end he was too happy where he was! Because of that and something to do with him being back to back (hence the backache) and not turning round or something they decided to help us out! I was getting tired (it's about 7ish by this point!) and baby still hadn't arrived so they took me to the theater, gave me a spinal block and helped baby out with forceps! The spinal block was not something I wanted to have really but by that point it felt great to no longer feel the contractions and relax after so long! It was weird not feeling my legs though!
A couple more pushes and he was out! Our lovely baby boy! (not that he looked that great at that point if I'm honest!) They gave us a quick look at him and cuddle then they took him for a quick clean up and check over! At this point he decides to wee all over the place!
When he was all wrapped up (and with a nappy on!!) Andy got his first cuddle with his son!
After getting all sorted out and taken back to the room it was nice to have some time with just us three. Even if it still didn't feel quite real! All of a sudden I realised quite how tired we both were! But we had our baby boy and he was here and was healthy and that's what mattered! So tiny and perfect! And such beautiful big eyes! A bit battered and bruised from the delivery but that doesn't matter to new parent does it?! We couldn't get the smiles off our faces!

It was nice that mum and dad were already on their way to see us and were able to come to the hospital to see us. Ben wasn't allowed to come into the ward so Mum, Dad and Emma had to take it in turns to stay outside with him! Tim was able to come in and see his nephew though! It was good to see them!

I went home from hospital on Sunday afternoon when Nathan (although he didn't have his name then!) and I had had all of our checks and they said we were fine! I felt like I should have asked someone if I was allowed to take him home! It was weird and a little daunting thinking that he was ours and we were now responsible for him! But it was nice to get home!

Since then it has been hard work sometimes and totally exhausting, but I am loving being a mum! He is generally a placid baby and already sleeps most of the night most nights! He has been quite jaundice but that is clearing up now and we are trying to get into some sort of routine and get the flat back in order!

I would just like to say thank you to all of our friends and family who have supported, helped and prayed for us. We are so grateful to all those people who have made us meals, given lifts, done housework and helped in other ways, it has meant so much and helped us out such a lot! Thanks to everyone who has been so generous and sent us cards and presents for Nathan we have been touched by how generous people have been.

Hope that wasn't too much detail for you! I better get back to looking after my little boy but I'll try and keep the blog updated!