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Go Out For Dinner..... Have A Baby

I've been a bit slack updating this blog. There hadn't really been much to say. I could have posted the 3D pics we had done, but there were only a couple of good ones and I put them up on the Facebook page. Was really looking forward to going back in a couple of weeks and having more done where Jellybean's foot wasn't in its mouth. I could have posted about getting organised for the baby shower, but I hadn't done anything. We did pay off the layby and pick up the cot but we're still waiting on the pram coming in. I could have posted about putting the cot together and trying to find the energy to put up the wall stickers. But I had time. I had plenty of time to get everything done. Or so I thought....

Jellybean Nelson - now known as Levayah Rose Nelson - came into the world on 18th October at 5:21am by emergency c-section, weighing 1970 grams.

We went out for dinner on Thursday night to celebrate a friend's birthday. I had a period pain-like cramp earlier in the day, took some panadol and thought nothing of it. Started to eat my pasta at about 8pm and needed to blow my nose, so went to the toilet and felt a gush in my knickers on the way there. Blood. A fair amount of it too. Waddled my way back to the table trying to keep calm, told Geoff we had to get to the hospital ASAP and off we went. Luckily we were in the city and not far from Women's & Children's where they at least had some information on record about me.
They saw me nearly straight away, put the baby on the monitors and the heartbeat was great which made me feel so much better. They ran tests and checked me out and after 2am I finally got a room - I was staying in at least overnight. Geoff went home and I did ask them if I was having my baby - they told me not that night but at least by the end of the week! I went off to sleep for a little bit and woke up with massive cramping. They tried to find the baby's heartbeat, which had been PERFECT the whole time and it had dropped to 80bpm. Next minute they were calling a "code 0" and all these doctors started rushing in and I was told that I would be having an emergency c-section to get the baby out. WHAT???? Unfortunately Geoff couldn't be in theatre with me, so when they rang him they told him not to hurry. I can just imagine how much panic he would have been in, getting home and only having about an hours sleep before being woken up to be told your girlfriend was about to go and have an operation to deliver your early baby. And then him having to call my Mum to let her know, after telling her earlier that I was only in there for observation!

I recovered from that surgery quite well and got to see my baby for a few minutes before being taken to another room on the Delivery Ward. I was constantly monitored by lovely midwives, given my medication when I needed it, had a button to push for instant pain relief. Then I was moved to a different room on the Postnatal Ward. But the doctors were worried about how pale I was (even though I am naturally pale) and the amount of pain I was in when they pushed on my tummy. It was so bad it was shooting into my arm. Then all these doctors were rushing in and out and drips were being put into me and they were SO PAINFUL, then I was being rushed into theatre again for a second operation in less than 12 hours to fix intra-abdominal bleeding and given a blood transfusion (3 units) for acute blood loss anaemia.

HOLY FUCKBALLS!

I did not recover from that surgery very well. My mouth was dry, dry, dry and I wasn't allowed any water. The best they could do was a few drops on my lips. They wanted me to move my head and I couldn't, it felt so heavy and I was so tired. I could hardly move my legs. They moved me out of recovery and back to a room on Delivery Ward and I was basically yelling for them to bring me a fan because I was hot and I needed WATER!! One of the midwives sneakily gave me an ice chip and kept doing so every time she came to check on me. Those midwives on that ward were awesome. On Sunday afternoon I was able to sit on the edge of the bed for a couple of minutes. On Monday I was able to get out of bed and sit on a chair and then even have a shower later on. I was doing so well that they moved me back to Postnatal... and I didn't like those midwives at all. I know they had a lot more women to look after, but they were just plain rude. They didn't supply tissues there and basically had a go at Geoff like he should have known that. The only one I liked I had for a little while on Monday night and part of Tuesday - he was a young guy called Peter and he had a great sense of humour and he was very helpful - even let me know that they could take my milk down to NICU for me instead of just putting it in the fridge. None of the others had said that. And then when I asked one of them too she told me she was too busy and she'd just put it in the fridge, then the NICU called me the next morning asking for my milk for the next feed!

I was probably meant to stay in longer, but I was desperate to get home. My head was all stuffy probably because of how hospitals feel pressurised and I just wanted to see my Dad and Kaos. The doctors came to see me and said they were happy for me to go home if that's what I wanted (and I didn't have to rush out of there as they didn't need the room in a hurry).

I had a pretty decent sleep last night but am feeling crap today with this heavy head, so have made an appointment with my GP tomorrow and can hopefully get some antibiotics.
Levayah (the hospital refers to her as Baby Halls) has been moved out of NICU and into Special Care where she is breathing on her own, feeding through a tube but vomiting a bit after each feed and losing some weight so now she's on a constant feed where it slowly drips through. I don't feel bad that I've had to leave her there as I know it's the best place for her, but I do feel bad that I don't get to see her very often because of the way I feel. I have to put myself first in this instance and make sure that I recover fully and feel better for when she is able to come home.

I'm also in shock that she is a girl when I was totally convinced I was carrying a boy!

29+4 Weeks

My belly is getting bigger!
I have told Jellybean that it has to grow to the room it already has because if I get any bigger I don't know how I'll be able to walk. Having enough problems as it is with my legs aching because of the extra weight and sleeping is beginning to be uncomfortable. Cannot find a comfy combination of pillows or leg positions.

Only 12 days to go until we get to see Jellybean in 3D! Can't wait to post those pics.

And I don't have Gestational Diabetes! Had the test last Monday and didn't hear anything back - they tell you that no news is good news!

Weeks 23 & 24

Am now feeling Jellybean move a lot more during the day and even more at night. Can also see it kicking, which is very cool. Tried to post a video on here but it wouldn't work.

Had my 2nd antenatal appointment yesterday, the first at the hospital where I'm going to deliver. They were going to start a new book for me but luckily they just used the one I had and I didn't have to go through all the questions again. The midwife was lovely. Jellybean's heart beat was 147 and my belly is measuring 26cms which is normal. I now have to have the Glucose Challenge Test in 3 weeks and I'm hoping I'll pass it because I don't want to do the longer test that you have to fast for.

Jellybean is also very happy that Uncle Kristan was released from hospital yesterday afternoon after being admitted on Wednesday (which was his birthday!) What sounded like it could be something very serious, turned out not to be so we are all very happy.

Weeks 21 & 22

For the past 2 weeks I have had an ear infection in both ears. The 5 day course of antibiotics didn't seem to clear it up nor did the ear drops but I am FINALLY starting to be able to hear things better, instead of feeling like I'm constantly under water. I now have this strange cough that I only seem to get at night. Luckily Geoff sleeps through anything - me coughing, blowing my nose and vomiting. Hopefully not a baby crying though. He'll definitely need to wake up for that!

I can feel Jellybean moving around more, usually it's at night when I go to bed but today I have noticed it quite frequently. Apparently now it is able to hear noises and can respond to the sound of my voice and music and the phone ringing etc.

I've ordered the nappy bag and the cradle was delivered the other day, so I've put that together (all by myself!). Have to start thinking about the baby shower now, decide if I want to hire a room somewhere or just have it at home. I am still thinking about it being a joint birthday celebration/house-warming as well. Then I have to get started on making the invitations.

Bump Pic @ 22+3 weeks

The Nursery (Part 2)

For those of you not on Facebook (hi Nay! xx), the nursery has now been painted and the colour turned out great. We also went and ordered the cot and pram yesterday and today my bond money went into my bank account so I ordered the cradle as well. Now just have to get sheets and quilts and blankets for them both. Still haven't found a wall sticker that I 100% love. They have some that match the cot set that I am getting but I didn't like them that much.

Here is a pic of the quilt and I love the matching lamp too!