Firstly, thanks for all of the lovely messages. XX
Where to begin?
Our care, this time around, was exemplary. From the booking appointment onwards my faith in the NHS has been restored. I am well aware that my hospital notes, which told in detail of the awfulness of what happened last year, will have played a part. Nevertheless as an ex-NHS nurse myself I know that those who work within the service are, in the main, dedicated professionals doing a good job in often difficult conditions.
I was very nervous last Thursday morning. I chose to go back to the same hospital that Bo died in as I was working on the theory that 'lightning doesn't strike the same place twice.'
We were met by the consultant anaesthetist who would be giving me the spinal anaesthetic for the CS. He was the same anaesthetist who came to speak to us the morning after the total botch that was the twins delivery last year. It was one of his juniors who had tried and failed to site the epidural and had subsequently failed to intubate me, directly contributing to Bo's death.
He was extremely kind and sensitive and after he'd left a consultant obs appeared to tell me that she would be performing the CS.
Into theatre, the same one as last year which was scary, TBH.
The hospital policy is to ask partners to wait outside of the theatre until the spinal has been sited but Mr Bubble was allowed to be my side throughout the whole procedure. The spinal and CS were straightforward and DS4 was delivered, protesting LOUDLY at 09.53am.
My first thought was "is he alive?" But I quickly worked out that there could be nothing much wrong with a baby that made that much noise.
He's lovely, of course. He doesn't have a name yet. He just doesn't suit a lot of the names we'd thought of so we'll jst have to live with him for a few days until something 'fits.'
At the moment the boys are calling him 'Squeaky' because he really does squeak when roused. I'll keep you posted.....
Thanks again for all of your love and thoughts.
Bubble XXXX