Jackson - Photo

Jackson - 3.5 hours old!

Happy Birthday Jackson!

He's here!

Jackson Simon was born at 8:21am, 08 May 2008. 3.41kg (7lb 8oz for those of you who don't understand metric), a wonderful, healthy baby boy. We're back home from the hospital, and doing well. Photos to follow soon, once we've taken some more.

Xavier seems a little unsure, but Josiah is very proud of his new brother. Nat is just picking Kiya up from school, so she'll meet Jackson shortly - but she was very excited when we left for the hospital!

Here's the birth story (consider that adequate warning if you are squeamish):

I saw my midwife yesterday afternoon, and she did an internal examination to check if everything was ready. The cervix was 4cm dilated and 90% effaced (thinned), and Jackson's head was as low as it could get, so everything was looking good for a birth to occur soon. The midwife did a stretch and sweep (separating out the layers of the cervix to encourage dilation), and said "See you tonight!"

Contractions started about an hour later, and continued semi-regularly until 10:30 last night. They stopped, allowing Nat and myself to get a pretty good night's sleep, then started stronger and harder at 3:20am. Until 5am, the contractions were every 10 minutes... then they started getting stronger but not necessarily quite regular. By 6:30am we were pretty sure Jackson was well and truly on his way. A friend had come around to stay the night and be with the other children, so we got ready to go. At 7:30am I rung my midwife to tell her contractions were 4-5 minutes apart and lasting 1 minute each. She arranged to meet us at the hospital, and we got in the car!

We got to the hospital at 8am. I got out of the car and was hit by such a strong contraction I could barely walk. I felt like the baby was literally going to fall out right then! Once the contraction eased a little, we went into the hospital with me having another contraction on the way. Once we were inside, an orderly got a wheelchair and took us up to the delivery suite. My waters broke on the way there.

They took me into a delivery room and I got up on the bed for an examination. The midwife basically took one look and told me the baby was on the way! Luckily my midwife had rung to say I was coming, and they had already started the bath. I couldn't wait to get into it, but if Jackson had been a little further along I wouldn't have been able to, as he probably would have dropped out on the way!

I got into the bath, and realised my body wanted to push straight away but I wasn't quite ready. Once the midwife helped me settle and focus and stop fighting myself, Jackson's head came out really quickly. My midwife arrived as I was delivering the head, and then Jackson's body came out with just one push at 8:21am. He was put on me for a cuddle, then Nat cut the cord and the midwives took Jackson away to check/weigh/measure him, and my midwife helped me deliver the placenta. Total offical labour: 1 1/2 hours.

I had a quick bath to clean up while they sorted Jackson out, then went and had lots of cuddles with my new son! He took to breastfeeding like a pro, and we left the hospital at 10:30am. We're home now, and doing well.

Becca

Happy Birthday Josiah!

It's Josiah's third birthday today!

He was thrilled this morning to see he had lots of presents. His favourite new toy is a battery-powered drill that goes with a work bench set we got him.

A little while ago we were talking with Josiah about Jackson, and asked him how Jackson was going to get out of my tummy. Josiah replied: "You have to go to the baby-doctor, and the doctor has a special machine. It is a noisy machine. The doctor will suck Jackson out with a straw." Further questioning established that the straw goes in my bellybutton!

Its amazing what children can come up with.

Becca

It's May Day

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month. Only 4 more days of the school holidays... me, eager to get Kiya back to school? Never! On the other hand, its also only 3 more days until Josiah's birthday and he can't wait. He helped me make a banana cake (his choice) for his birthday cake yesterday, and thought that was pretty wonderful. The cake is now precut and in the freezer so that all I have to do is put it together and ice it... that way, if Jackson decides to make his arrival unexpectedly Josiah will still have a birthday cake!

Speaking of Jackson, yes he's still on the way. I saw my midwife just before... she greeted me at the door with "Why are you still pregnant?" I'm still having irritable uterus contractions, so frustrating when they are painful yet I know its the wrong sort of pain! Jackson is 3/5 engaged, and LOA (which means head down with his back on my left side at the front) so nicely presenting for birth... now he's just got to hurry up and get out! My midwife is actually away this weekend but she said her backup is really nice and is experienced in home and water births.

Saturday would be quite a good day for Jackson to be born, since Sunday is Josiah's birthday and next weekend Nat is away all day Saturday for a job interview in Southland. Yes, Southland. He's interviewing for an HOD position... I'm very proud of him for being shortlisted!

That's about all from here. Have a good day, everyone.

Becca