Growing up...

Kids. They grow up in a blink of an eye. I don't know about you, but I spent many of the first few months postpartum wishing the baby would hurry up and grow up so that I can get a bit of shut eye. I live for the day when I no longer have to change nappies. In saying that, as each birthday rolls around, it makes me feel so sad that my kids are getting older, becoming independent. Before I know it, it'll just be the Hubby and I rattling around in our house. Gee, what on earth will we do? We've never been just US. It's always been, us + kids.


Anyway, I will stress about that later(like next month when my eldest turns 9, that's HALFWAY to adulthood don't ya know?!).

So, on this day 4 years ago, I was about 38 weeks pregnant. Hubby was on annual leave from his mining job and had just arrived home days prior. Things were very uncomfortable for me - aching hips, HUUUUGE belly and intense braxton hicks for weeks and weeks. I'd noticed bub had quietened down a little bit that day and I was getting a little bit worried. A few pokes had him moving a little bit, but no extreme acrobatics like usual. A nap was much needed, so I lay down for a quick cat nap in case things started happening. I woke up around dinner time. The hubby was cooking dinner for the two boys and I decided to just call the hospital for assurance as the baby still wasn't moving much at all. She told me to come in and get checked out. *sigh* My mum was called and the kids overnight bags were packed, dinner was shoved into tupperware containers and dropped off to my mum with the kids.


THEN we were on the 30-40 minute drive to the hospital. It was about half way into the trip that I got a tightening. Enough to make me think 'wow, that one was different'. You see, with my first two babies I never went into labour naturally. Both times started with my waters breaking and being induced due to failure to progress(in hindsight, I should have just stayed home longer and gave my poor body a chance). I didn't believe that it was a real contraction.


We sit and watch Big Brother(It was a double eviction too!). I lay on the bed and they had the monitor on to keep an eye on bubs movements. All the while I was having these niggles and they were starting to hurt more. It got to around 8.30pm and they decided they were happy to let me go home. The niggles really were quite painful and I mentioned this. I was told that the contractions were very irregular so I couldn't possibly be in labour. Finally, they agreed to an internal before letting me leave. I will never forget the look of surprise on the midwife's face when she announced I was 4cm dialated....then my waters broke all over her hand and I was 5cm. No going back now, I was having a baby!!


There was a little more sitting around while they found me a room, it would have been around 9pm when I was taken up to the labour ward. I had my first two babies in the same hospital but it was totally different as they renovated when I was due with my second bub. The rooms were quite nice and we were greeted by a lovely midwife. She advised me I had tested positive to strep B the week before and I would need a cannula in. I would need 2 doses of antibiotics, 4 hours apart. My first dose was administered at 9.30pm.


A shower had been on my birth plan and I would have spent a good hour or so in there. The hubby was in charge of the small shower head, moving it around my lower belly during contractions while the main shower ran down my back. The water was total bliss. Tiredness was setting in though, so we went back to the bed so I could rest. I remember dozing between contractions, but it was becoming uncomfortable. I asked for drugs. My birth plan stated that I would refuse all drugs. I didn't think my midwife would have even cared(they ignored my birth plan the first two times). She did care though and offered an internal and promise of the bath afterwards. I agreed through gritted teeth. 7cm! I was 7cm and ready for that bath. Unfortunately the bath was down the corridor in a separate room, so she suggested I get back in the shower and she would get me when the bath was ready.


By now it was midnight. I was in the shower not 5 minutes when I got that urge to push. The look on the Hubby's face was pure shock. He was more concerned with turning the taps off than helping me back to the bed like I wanted. The midwife came in just as I reach the bed and a huuuuge contraction hit me.


'She's pushing' Hubby said.


I saw the doubtful look on the midwife's face and I wanted to slap her.


The next contraction hit and I was bent over the bed baring down. She sprung into action, helping me get comfortable and gently coaching me to push my baby out.


10 minutes it took and our chubby little Owen was born. 9lb and a short 49cm. The hubby cried.

Owen is 4. He is in kindergarten and loving every moment of it - he doesn't speak much there and he has informed us that he is 'shy at school'. He has made some wonderful little friends at school and he is learning so much. He truly is a joy to have, I just wish he would stop trying to be like his big brothers and stay my little boy for just a bit longer!!

Owen is 16 months and at the airport ready for his first plane trip.