Ella's arrival

Ella arrived at 00:58 on Saturday April 9th 2011, measuring a healty 3,9kg and 51cm. Let me tell you how it all happened.

As you will know we planned a home birth and leading up to the event I was soooo happy to know that it would happen at home! I was sure she'd come early like Iluka, but no, she came 2 days after her due date. I was impatient, to say the least, to get her out to meet her and get my own body back.

My waters broke on Friday at 2pm and contractions began around 5-6pm. After dinner and putting Iluka to bed, Seb blew up the birth pool while I timed contractions and made a batch of chocolate to keep me busy.


I spoke to my midwife several times and we agreed that she would come when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. She came at 10.30pm at which time I was three cm dilated - too early for getting in the pool, which was full and ready by now. Contractions quickly picked up in speed and intensity (!) and at 11.15 I was 5cm and could go in the pool.

Everything got more intense and painful. I had been too cold for a while but then I was suddenly feeling too hot. I got out of the bath for a while while they poured cold water in the bath and when it was a better temperature I got back in. The pain was overwhelming, but in between contractions I, at one point, sat in the water and I cried because I was so happy to have a homebirth.

When the midwife told me it was ok to push, I did so for about 5 minutes, maybe less, and out she came, in the water. It was incredibly quick. And there she was in all her splendour. A new little person.



Everybody was checked and fine and the midwife left around 3am, we went to bed soon after that and then Iluka got up at 7.30 ready for a new day. She was a bit surprised at the little new creature in mum and dad's bed, and she's been very interested in her and very gentle and caring too.



Throughout my pregnancy I have been looking so much forward to wearing this baby in my baby carriers and I got my first opportunity when she was 7 hours old.



Now we're all trying to get used to the new situation. Lack of sleep, a busy toddler and a newborn baby is a combination that will wear out most people, so we're hoping for some ok upcoming nights and then things should start to settle down a litte.