I. just. can't. bear. it...
30 January 2006, 19:38
...just how cute she is… Click to enlarge in Gallery
Everything seems to be going well. The SS McG is a voracious milker – my boobs may or may not be about to fall off. And she reached her first milestone today – her first turbo-jet squirt poo. She managed to slime herself, me and half the nursery wall. That’s my girl…
Permanent Link | Comments [4]The SS McG pulls into port!
27 January 2006, 09:43
Well, she’s here. Little Sophia Scout McG.
Here’s a picture of our angel. Isn’t she a delight?
The SS McG Roadshow… Click to enlarge in Gallery
The last few days have been an understandable whirlwind. We’re back at home now after a 3 night stay at the Mercy Hospital in Heidelberg (that I cannot recommend highly enough) and coping with the rigours of new parenthood…
********
The Labour (minus a few gory details)
I went into labour on Saturday evening around 6pm, with what I was sure were mild gas pains. 6 minutes apart. I made it through Iron Chef with coach Kaga’s appeals to “GET IT ON!!!” before finally calling the Birth Centre around 10.30 as I was in a considerable amount of pain. The midwife didn’t sound concerned (they like you stay at home for as long as possible) as apparently I sounded quite lucid but I had a massive contraction just after that made me go “that’s it. we’re going in. this is it baby.”
I’m so glad I did. A mere 4 hours later, at 3.59am, SS McG emerged from her dark home into the waiting hands of Husband. I hadn’t even had a chance to get the second dose of penicillin before she popped out. I’d coped with the whole labour with only gas (I am such a hero, just ask me) but of course, heaved my guts up into a kidney bowl within minutes of the delivery. I don’t remember hearing the midwife say “she’s a girl”, but when they popped her up onto my chest I started shaking with relief and overwhelming emotion. But although I wanted to have her with me, my overriding thought was “when the hell can I sleep?”
Note to self: don’t bother hauling laptop computer into Birthing Centre to use as distraction technique. I’d always thought this an odd suggestion, to bring games/cards whatever to the birth. In retrospect, this was mere folly. By the time I actually got to the suite I could barely stand (although apparently I passed out asleep for a little while between contractions which I don’t remember at all. Who the hell sleeps when there is work to be done?) I’m supposing this is handy when woman is in early stages of labour which I certainly was not.
At the risk of grossing out faithful readers, giving birth in the last stage, (i.e. pushing/delivery) is almost exactly like doing a massive backed-up-for-3-months poo (not that I’ve ever had a poo backed up for that long). It is the god-most uncomfortable sensation in the world, much worse than contractions. By the time I got to that stage I was buggered, but kept shrieking, “I can’t do this, I can’t push anymore. I can’t! I CAN’T!!!!!” I mean, honestly, what choice did I have? Sorry, sweetie, but you’re just gonna have to stay jammed up there ‘cos you’re mum is a big fat lazy defeatist wimp. Sigh.
Sorry to be terrifically smug but the labour was absolutely textbook. Short and sweet (if intense), no painkillers, no episiostomy, no stitches. In fact she came out looking like a caesar baby with barely a blemish.
The Stats
SS weighed in at 6lb 9oz and in total I was in labour for 6 hours 42 minutes. Not bad for a first attempt.
The Aftermath
I haven’t slept a full night since last Friday night. It’s totally worth it, of course, just hard work. I couldn’t sleep after the delivery, although I was advised to as SS would probably sleep for 10 hours or so, but I was so pumped. The impact of what had happened to us hit me sometime late Sunday morning. I woke up from a snooze and SS was sleeping in between Husband and I in bed and I just took one look at her and started bawling. I hadn’t expected to be assaulted with such feelings of love and thankfulness that she was safe and absolutely beautiful (because that couldn’t be only my biased opinion…)
Late Sunday night, the Birthing Centre was so chockers full of women giving birth (read: groaning and wailing their heads off in agony – it really is a sound like no other), we were transferred up to a “Partner Package” in the Maternity Wards. Obscene. Like living it up in a 4 star hotel room with double bed and ensuite so Matt could “room in” for the entire stay. We were taken such good care of – the midwives & night nurses were (I think without exception) excellent, although with different midwives every day and visits from consulting paediatricians and lactation consultations, I got tired of hearing conflicting pieces of “advice” about the way to do various “things”.
Like breastfeeding. It’s fucking hard work, man. I always thought it would be this thing where you knew how much your baby needed and you’d instinctively know what to do and where to put everything, but it isn’t like that AT ALL. Maybe it is for some mums but sure as hell not for me. Never have I felt so much like a prize heiffer with a perpetual case of runny udder. It’s rather alarming.
The fatigue has started to kick in, having to be awake every 3 hours for a (painful at this stage) feed. The weather hasn’t helped. Yesterday was 40 degrees (that’s celsius) in Melbourne and SS was lethargic and sleepy most of the day. Meh.
and the winner is. . . .
Auntie Claire with the closest Baby Tipping tip of Girl born on 22 January, weighing in at 7lb 6oz. Only 10 oz off the pace!
Oh and don’t forget to check out my cheeky monkey’s take on proceedings over at Wrigglepot, and Husband’s at Opinios.
So I think that’s it for me for now. Must. go. to. nap. Zzzzzzzzzz
Permanent Link | Comments [21]Let's get this Bloody Show on the road!
21 January 2006, 08:56
...or on the Bloody Floor as the case may be…
I may (or may not, I really have no idea how this Labour/Pregnancy thing is meant to work) have had a Bloody Show this morning. This term is my hands-down fave pregnancy term of them all… Excuse me love, sorry about all this damn mucous, but I seem to have put on a bloody show!
The “Bloody Show” usually appears with the “Mucous Plug”, an infinitely less satisfying term, but having either doesn’t even indicate that Labour is about to start (which is just bloody great), although generally labour tends to start anytime from 24 hours afterwards (but up to 2 weeks later! I mean, why even bother having one in the first place?). Gah…
Thankfully, am picking up my TENS machine today for use during delivery. I decided I could deal with Labour Pain, but having to deal with my nemesis, HD (Herniated Disc) at the same time was going to be pushing it, and I’m keen to have as few drugs as humanly possible. I’d booked into a TENS workshop at the Hospital on Monday (day before Due Date) which is cutting it v. fine. At least if I do go into Labour, I’ll be in the right place.
In last night’s news, I had the biggest full-on “I want this baby out of my body NOW and why don’t I wake the neighbours while I’m at it” tanty I reckon I’ve ever had.
All day it had been hot and windy and I was frustrated at being at home and I was dropping everything on the floor but not able to pick them up because of Fat Gut in the way and HD was twinging the minute I did anything that wasn’t lying down and around 7.30pm I was starting to get a migraine because I hadn’t eaten and poor Husband gets home and I just LOSE IT!!!
I think MiniMc decided Sod This for a Joke, I’m not hanging around in this Bloody Woman’s body anymore if she’s going to bang on like a wailing Harpie hence the casting out of the Bloody Show. Smart baby this one (again, takes after it’s father…)
Permanent Link | Comments [21]"Another One Bites the Dust" Tipping Table Updates
21 January 2006, 05:00
Tipping Table (by date)
| Tipper’s Name | Boy or girl? | Date of Birth | Weight of MiniMc @ birth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yukiko | Boy | 19 Jan 2006 | 7lb5oz |
| Reika | Girl | 21 Jan 2006 | 7lb |
| Elbhenry | Girl | 22 Jan 2006 | 8lb2oz |
| Claire | Girl | 22 Jan 2006 | 7lb6oz |
| Ferit | Boy | 23 Jan 2006 | 7lb8oz | Andrea | Boy | 23 Jan 2006 | 7lb5oz |
| D203 | Boy | 25 Jan 2006 | 6lb8oz |
| Katie | Girl | 25 Jan 2006 | 7lb4oz |
| Nicole | Girl | 26 Jan 2006 | 6lb |
| Jude | Boy | 26 Jan 2006 | 8lb1oz |
| Sussy | Girl | 28 Jan 2006 | 7lb9oz |
| A&K | Boy | 28 Jan 2006 | 8lb |
| Rin | Girl | 28 Jan 2006 | 8lb2oz |
| Doug | Girl | 29 Jan 2006 | 8lb |
| Gleek | Girl | 30 Jan 2006 | 7lb7oz |
| Sarah | Boy | 31 Jan 2006 | 8lb1oz |
| Jeremy | Boy | 31 Jan 2006 | 8lb |
| Kat | Girl | 1 Feb 2006 | 6lb6oz |
| Mille | Boy | 3 Feb 2006 | 7lb |
| Numine | Boy | 5 Feb 2006 | 8lb3oz |
| Hammy | Girl | 10 Feb 2006 | 7lb3oz |
| Megha | Girl | 12 Feb 2006 | 6lb10oz |
Locked and Loaded
19 January 2006, 12:18
It may not look it from yesterday’s pic, but MiniMc has finally locked and loaded (i.e. “engaged” for you sticklers of medical terminology) which means it’s popped it’s cheeky head down the pelvis and can’t go anywhere but out (out! OUT!)
I’m stoked about this turn of events, as it was changing possies every frikkin’ day. Downside is that moi’s pelvis is very VERY sore and I am definitely waddling. Just call me Mother Duck.
As for the Baby Tipping Comp, well already a couple of tippers (Bogue and Sam) are out of the running! I must say I’m surprised about Bogue, as I was quite convinced he had the powers of enigmatic foresight. Alas, in this case, wrong.
Permanent Link | Comments [5]Social Butterfly
18 January 2006, 09:13
It’s ridiculous. Here I am, 39 weeks pregnant, about to squirt out a (considerably large) morsel and every day bar one, for the last two weeks, I’ve caught up with a friend for lunch. I’m not saying that I’m usually a social retard or anything but these days I feel quite the Popularity Queen.
When I’m not poshing around with Fat Gut, I’ve been sitting on fanny, enjoying the Aussie Open and making freezeable meals (have about 3 weeks worth so far) to avoid having to cook with child off breast. I actually feel v. genki, most of my errands are done, hospital bags are packed and have not yet had barrage of parents and in-laws calling to see whether anything’s happened yet. Not that I’d mind that necessarily. Like this Lady of Leisure business, oh yes indeedy.
Fat Gut is getting decidedly uncomfortable, and MiniMc can’t decide whether it’s sideways or head-down (takes after it’s father, then!). Assume the position, little one!!!! Let’s GO, GO, GOOOOO!
Permanent Link | Comments [9]Photo Friday x 2
13 January 2006, 07:49
For all budding snapophiles out there, Photo Friday is a fun photo submission site with weekly themes. Check it out.
13 Jan 2005 – “Success”
(Wishing for) “Success”... Click to enlarge in Gallery
The Story behind “Success”
This was taken in March 2004 during Hanami season, when our friend “A” (now the mother of a gorgeous 4 month old son) visited us in Tokyo. It was a miserable & drizzly day, which we spent getting tanked on Japanese beer, eating loads of food and dragging her to a couple of noteable sites, one being Senso-Ji in Asakusa, where the photo was taken.
This ritual consists of wafting incense from a large vessel into whatever elements of the body you need help with, be it smarts, wealth, love, success etc. etc. Not sure if it works, but I’m sure as hell not too bright, still…
6 Jan 2005 – “Panorama”
“Panorama”... Click to enlarge in Gallery
The Story behind “Panorama”
Not the most interesting of “stories”, this was taken at sunset (noooooooo!) on Kangaroo Island in December 2004 when McG and I spent a delightful couple of days spotting many seals & echidnas, but no kangaroos…
Permanent Link | Comments [4]Sweet Dreams
13 January 2006, 07:41
Gah, haven’t felt much like writing this past week. I have been consumed with energy, but exhaust myself really quickly, overdoing the errands/lunches with friends/chores etc. Unfortunately I don’t know my own limitations (I’m not real bright, you see) and put my back out again yesterday whilst, of all things, chopping vegetables. I’m not expecting sympathy here, merely articulating my own tomfoolery…
Pregnant ladies seem to carry on about their vivid and crazy baby dreams, particularly in the last few months. Alas, I have little to report on that front and I am usually the first to have madcap dreams. I’ve had a handful of weird-arse dreams, and have had a recurring one (ahem, recurring twice) where my labour was pain-free and I gave birth to Mr. Hanky (aka, the Christmas Poo). But if dreams are meant to reflect your unconscious fears and expectations, then I’m in serious trouble. The word “Denial” springs to mind.
I had a dream last night that Peter Gabriel served me at a Bookstore and I asked him if they had any books about him (they didn’t). What could all this mean so close to the birth? Should I be naming my child “Gabriel/Gabe” if it’s a boy (or “Gabrielle” if it’s a girl)??? That’s just so Mr. Kotter. Colour me horrified.
Permanent Link | Comments [1]Some days = Better than Others
7 January 2006, 08:37
After a relatively blissful 8 months of pregnancy with only the occasional bit of spotting and back pain, yesterday’s Birth Centre visit slam dunked me back into harsh reality;
1. My BP was relatively sky high. Which one could explain by the fact that the midwife had just told me that…
2. I tested postive for GBS. In these enlightened (and testing-heavy) times, the risk of a baby catching a nasty infection is remote (cruelly, the carrier is 100% healthy), but, untreated, there’s a tiny chance MiniMc could catch an infection from me while making its way down the Red Brick Road. It means I have the option of having penicillin at least 4 hours before delivery (an option I’m sure as hell going to take, I’d do anything to make sure MiniMc is born healthy), and I’d have to stay in the hospital for at least 48 hours so they can keep an eye on MiniMc. So instead of being excited about the labour, I’m a wee bit anxious about getting to the hospital in time to have the drugs and stave off any transferral of the infection.
Truth is, I’m not exactly upset about all this (a friend of mine had it also and made herself a mess over it, poor duck) as whatever happens, happens, there’s really nothing I can do or could have done about it, but I’m dispirited about the news – I’ve done everything right and Mother Nature has now thrown me a goddamn curve-ball at the eleventh hour.
3. MiniMc was curled up in the transverse position. At nearly 38 weeks this is a borderline concern, as no head down = no natural birth these days. The midwife hummed and haahed for a bit and finally said, “We might get you upstairs for an ultrasound to see what’s going on…” At the mere sound of the word “ultrasound”, MiniMc (and I kid you not) went “plop” and somersaulted into the head down possie. C.h.e.e.k.y m.o.n.k.e.y (I myself can’t talk, I was breech until about 2 days before my mum spat me out).
This kid has impeccable timing.
Of course, now MiniMc has slid back into the transverse position where apparently its very comfy (perhaps wisely keeping away from all that nasty bacteria…).
Midwife has insisted that I rest up in these last couple of weeks, but I HATE just dumping my arse on the couch and twiddling my thumbs. I have heaps of energy and want to get shit done, you know. I’m a Woman not an Amoeba!!!!
Permanent Link | Comments [5]My bags are (half) packed, I'm ready to go...
2 January 2006, 20:27
Well, it’s official kids, at 37 weeks, MiniMc is now fully-cooked so this bun could charge out of the oven any day now. As if on cue, I got my first stretchmark the other day. 4 tiny little red marks on the top of each blossoming hip. And I’ve been having what I think are Braxton Hicks contractions (dress-rehearsal contractions), lovingly referred to in these parts as Hickston Bracks contractions.
Just reading about other women’s experiences of childbirth, I wonder if I’m being terribly naive about my approach to childbirth. I’m confident that I’ll be able to handle the pain of labour, just by, well, handling it. Mums-to-Be do all kinds of things to prepare themselves for labour, attend hypnobirthing or JuJu technique classes, use an epi-no (eek, don’t ask, in fact, do ask ...), but I’m always like “Nah, I’ll be right. It’ll be painful, but I’ve got a job to do and I’ll just, you know, deal with it ...”
Just in the last couple of days, though, my herniated disc has returned with a vengeance and I had to accept the fact that maybe I won’t be able to have an active birth and will need to have an epidural which I really don’t want to have. I’m off to the physio tomorrow and will also give acupuncture a go in the next week to see if I can’t knock this herniated bastard on the head. I am nothing if not a stubborn f%^ck. We’ll see. Que Sera Sera. Blah Blah Blah.
Permanent Link | Comments [6]Year of the Rooster. A Retrospective
1 January 2006, 11:09
Year of the Rooster
First Up, Happy New Year all!
Ah, 2005, a heady year. Probably my “biggest” year to date, which is saying something, given last year’s foray into The Marriage and returning home from several years in Japan.
So what were Kinki’s Highlights for 2005?
- Getting Up the Duff. This entailed help from McG, but he made a jolly good showing of it.
- Buying a House. This entailed being dicked around by The Bank, who also made a good showing of that.
- Getting a promotion at the same Bank.
- Our getaway to North Queensland in October. To get away from the House and the Bank. But not the Up-the-Duff bit.
- Realising what a great life I have, a fabulous Husband, a funny little person swishing around in my womb, who I can’t wait to meet, a Job I really enjoy and although there are heaps of things that need to be done on the House, a cosy little spot full of character (and rotten stumps… ahem) in the inner ‘burbs.
- Keeping this blog up-to-date. I thought I’d most certainly ditch it when I came back from Japan, but I’m so glad my narcisistic, self-indulgent side prevented me from doing so. Yes, it may be boring compared to the J-Years, but it’s my corner of the blog world and I love it…
and where to from here?
2006 is most certainly gonna compete with 2005 for Biggest Year Award. I’m gonna pop/squeeze/poop out MiniMc in a few weeks and the next year (an entire year off work!!!) is going to be caring for the little munchkin. There will be laughter, there will be tantrums, I may even put my head in a fully-loaded toilet and flush it to remind myself that things could be worse. But it will all be so worth it. Big Changes. BIG.
Huge.
Can’t wait…
Husband has done an infinitely better wrap-up of 2005, so go check out his post
Permanent Link | Comments [3]
