L.A.M.

Well, some of you probably didn't know I was pregnant (sorry - kept meaning to post, but what with going back to work etc, never got around to it). I'm not pregnant any more, we now have a baby girl, who was born on Dec 28th, 2008. It was an eventful birth... here are Gary's, my and Nina's accounts...

Gary's story:
Sarah gave birth to a baby girl at 3:41 this morning. She's now
snuggled up in bed with her. It all happened very quickly. Sarah called to me at 2:30 and said "You'd better inflate the birth pool. I've been having contractions." Well, I got up and started pumping up the pool, and these contractions were seeming pretty intense. By 3:15, things were really hotting up and Sarah got me to start filling the pool and call Merran. I was trying to write down contraction times and durations, call Merran, call Lisa (the midwife), hold the hot water bottle on Sarah's back,talk motivational ujjayi II to her and get the pool filled up - I was getting a little flustered. Luckily, Nina had stayed the night, so I woke her up and things settled a little, but the pace continued. By 3:30, Sarah shouted "It's coming, it's coming! Call Lisa!". In the context of the last birth experience (ie: long), I didn't quite see the urgency until I noticed the bulge in Sarah's pants. HEAD! he thinks, quietly to himself. Then I cry "Get your pants off! Get your pants off!" Virtually ripping them off, I see Noodil has crowned, looking very ready to go. I call Lisa: "I can see the head!" Lisa, "Ok. I'll be there right away." Sarah has the next contraction while I'm on the phone. I scream to Lisa "The head's come out!". I drop the phone, run over to Sa who is still in the lounge room on her hands and knees. The next contraction comes and at 3:41am, Noodil shoots out into my arms. I whisked her through Sarah's legs up to her chest. After I've made sure everything is okay (as far as I know!), I check the sex - it's a girl (as I predicted hehe). Then I hear some shouting - it's coming from my phone - Lisa! I forgot all about her - she's on the phone saying "She sounds great!". She could obviously hear Noodil's crying after a very quick delivery. Merran arrived very quickly, but not quick enough to see the delivery, it all happened so quickly. We had a very relaxed morning waiting for the sun to come up, sitting around with the midwives, Nina and Merran drinking and eating and admiring our new baby.

Stella slept through the whole thing, and was quietly pleased to see Noodil when she woke up in the morning. A lot of processing going on in her mind I think. We hope to see you all soon - we're not going anywhere for a while, so give us a call.
Lots of love from Gaz, Sarah, Stella and Noodil.
> >

Sarah's story:
baby girl was born dec 28 at 3.41 am. 3.81kg, and all well. After weeks
of prelabour, and an annoying false alarm early on, the actual labour
was ridiculously fast. I had had mild contractions all day - similar to
what I'd had prior, the only difference being that they lasted through
the afternoon and evening, and I had a show in the afternoon, so had
some inkling there would be a bit of action in the next few days. Got
nina to stay the night just in case, and called Lisa the midwife to tell
her I'd be calling her some time. By 2 am, contractions were too strong
to stay in bed, so got up and pottered around tidying up a bit and
setting out candles etc. At half past 2 I thought I'd better get Gary up
to set up the birth pool so we weren't rushing, so woke him up. Told him
he could go back to bed after he'd done that. Just after 3,
contractions got stronger. About 15 minutes later, had one that felt
really different. Told Gary to call Lisa and wake nina. Suddenly there
wasn't so much time after all. "Fill the pool". "Call Merran". "Hot
water bottle". "now". Nina emerged from bathroom, and gave a much needed
2nd pair of hands. "Need to push" (No, don't push, said a panicked
Gary...). Waters popped, managed to get off the carpet before I ruined
it! "It's coming". Gary started saying, "take your pants off, and
managed to wrestle them off me. Suddenly realised why - the head had
crowned. "Call Lisa". So he called her, told her the head had crowned,
and then had to throw the phone down to catch the baby. I think she
probably slid out in a total of 5 contractions. Luckily Lisa was on the
phone, as none of us thought to do an accurate time check! When Lisa
arrived I was still kneeling in the doorway holding the baby. (who
didn't stop crying until we turned off all the bright lights and lit the
candles, so they did come in handy after all!). Birth pool with an inch
of water in it provided entertainment for Stella when she woke.

Soon after Merran and the 2nd midwife turned up. So we all sat around
til dawn eating toast and drinking tea. Stella slept through the whole
thing, and woke to meet a new sister. Didn't end up calling Anya
(another support person) or Nik - who had been on call since early
December, and cancelled his Christmas trip so that he could look after
STella while I was in labour.... oh well...

Anyway, post birth stuff has been heaps easier this time around, partly
because this baby's a bit more settled, partly because we're a bit less
anxious, but mainly because I'm not completely exhausted from hours of
labour!!! Most difficult thing this time round is managing Stella's
adjustment to no longer being the star.

By for now, better get on to choosing a name...

Nina's story:
Nina's Version (or Why one Should always get Stories Straight before Giving
Statements)

I half wake up to Sa tiptoeing into the room (I’m told this was at 2am) and
ask if she’s ok. Just getting the pump, she replies, and tiptoes out. I ask
the wrong question again as she’s leaving, ‘Are you ok?’ ‘Yes’. Good.
Zzzzzzz.

Gary comes in next: ‘Neen, I think you’d better get up, Sa’s having
contractions’.

I spring into action (at Mrs Snail speed), get dressed and go to the bathroom.
It’s 3.25am when I go into the living room and take over from Gaz holding the
hot water bottle on Sa’s back. Sa is face down over a big ball and has another
contraction at 3.27am. I put a yoga mat under her feet to stop them sliding on
the rug and put the kettle on for another hot water bottle. Gaz is filling the
pool and calling Merran. The camera is charging so it'll be ready in time.

Sa asks for something to tie her hair up with. I find a too-small hair clip,
Sa says she’ll look for a big one ‘after this’. While ‘this’ is happening, I
notice the blind is open, so while Sa is off looking for accessories I try to
close it. It is stuck.

Newly coiffed Sophisticated Mama drapes herself over the ball again, then
suddenly leaps sideways off the mat (with spectacular agility, I must say) as
her waters break. I fling some towels around and try the blind again, slightly
more progress this time.

Another contraction – Sa says ‘Need to push’. ‘Don’t push’ I say. ‘Exhale, Sa’
Gaz says. ‘It’s coming!’ Sa says. Gaz and I exchange oh-oh looks. Gaz looks at
Sa’s bum and flips out. ‘Sa, I think you need to get your pants off. Get your
pants off!’

‘I can see the head!’ says Gaz. ‘Call Lisa!’ says Sa.

Gaz comes back with the phone, and explains the situation to Lisa (ever so
calmly), Noodil’s head pops out, Gaz flings the phone down in time to catch
Noodil and passes her through Sa’s legs. Noodil cries. Proud Gary looks proud
and says, ‘it’s another girl’. Noodil keeps crying. Sa cradles noodle and
kneels on the floorboards. I think, ‘holy moley' and most likely look like a
stunned mullet.

Everyone looks at Noodil. Everyone giggles. At some unremembered point, the
kettle starts whistling. Lisa arrives and giggles. Merran arrives and giggles.

So much for mood lighting and keeping everyone fed and watered - there wasn’t
even enough time to wake up or close the blind!

But wow, Noodil is as wonderful as Stella! Who would've thought it could be
possible?! Sarah is, of course, an incredible woman and Gary is a right proper
good catch (in all senses of the word). What a team!

you'll notice a few inconsistencies - but i guess that's part of the story!!!

and to add to the chaos,stella turned 2 a few days later... (photo above)