Ahh, Hi gang, god I miss dipping in more frequently. Congrats the new babies, come on you overstayers, hang on those still cooking and take it one step at a time if you?re worrying about your B?s?I?ve been worrying about mine. Here?s a huuuuge post to prove it.
We welcomed the lovely Vin early Thursday morning after 51 hours of induction and a heroic avoidance of intervention for a natural delivery. Watching medics through your own straining thighs as they lift episiotomy scissors and check the clunk-click of unspecified other bits of elephant sized kit can?t half add that persil power to your push. As well as to DP, much respect and undying love to the outstandingly competent and calm midwife who stood by me through the last 6 hours and who has given me a superb cut?n?shut job on my smallish and low-pain second degree tear.
Despite the elation and falling in love activity caused by looking at my long and lovely young man, I then had, as you might expect, a ghastly 36 hours as bombs went off in bloody mockery of all the effort and love I?d seen and felt myself while in labour. The hossie was closed to admissions and most visitors. It instantly hit a nasty staffing crisis with no transport links. No-one from my office hurt despite some close calls, and our part of the response effort was good apparently so I?m vicariously proud of us (we have a role in being alert for infectious agents).
DP narrowly passed through the bomb areas to go home after the birth and then had to walk across London back to me ? and home again that night. Postnatal ward in state of meltdown with no midwives. Had a terrible time there. My old nursing instincts kept me wanting to help and I did what I could but I?m still not well myself yet with BP raised and oedema just about everywhere. Vin was feeding on colostrum like a fury and we left late Friday night to come home despite some pressure to stay. I couldn?t bear it and still hadn?t slept more than 1.5 hours a night since Sunday.
Eerie ride in a cab on our usual routes. Horrible to see the rescue vehicles still working, and my old haunts sheeted off and batteries of satellite news vans still knocking around. Streets, bars, restaurants mainly open, but mainly empty.
OK night except Vin now worrying me as I thought he was thirsty despite feeding well and fontanels looking good.Called my mum first thing and asked her to head down early, I was crying and thought it was just hormones. I now think it was instinct. Trust it! MN the best help as HC and hubs threads clued me up to the range of things happening.
Vin promptly turned banana yellow before breakfast on Saturday. My young prince cannot have a touch of jaundice like 80% do but must become the yellow peril and need treatment. So he?s now in yet another hossie since yesterday pm, in their neonatal intensive care unit responding well to treatment. He has to lie there, be fed and watered by drip, soak up the sun lamp and generally be chilled. His mum, dad and nan sparked out with terror and tears on first sight of the place but we?re now in full this-is-normal-and-we?re-coping-swing. In fact, due back soon to get him out and give him another quick feed and a cuddle so I?ll push off now. I expect he?ll be out in a few days max none the worse for it. But my god I miss him when we?re home. Every squeak or squeal I think is him! Anyway, we?re coping, his dad is my hero, my mum is my saviour and Vin is the be all and end all of my little world. And that?s the perils and pleasures of parenthood:
The beginning?.laugh