My Labour.....

So this turned out to be more of a novel than I had expected, so if you want to continue reading please feel free to grab a cuppa and a snack and read on...

The Examination

So the lovely midwives that administered me got me all set up in the labour room for the doctor to examine me as I had told them my waters had broken, turns out, they don't really believe you so they have to confirm everything (fair enough). When the doctor administer the examination - which consisted of a bloody speculum being inserted and opened, much like a PAP smear, it hurt like fucking hell. Then she actually tore the rest of the membrane and the rest of the "water" gushed out all over the bed. Awesome.

So because I was only 34+6 (34 weeks & 6 days along) I had to be administered to hospital to be monitored for the rest of the pregnancy, they had to give me a steroid shot for the babies lungs and I had to take antibiotics (which I think had something to do with him being too early to come out and my water breaking and he was susceptible to something they referred to in initials which I still don't really know what it was), they also booked me in for another steroid injection for the next morning.

At this stage I still wasn't having contractions and to be honest I wasn't looking forward to staying in the hospital for any extended amount of time.

Because of the diabetes I had to be hooked up to a glucose drip for the duration of my stay so they could monitor me more closely, but it also meant I had to do a finger prick EVERY HOUR! That sucked. It took 6 goes to try and insert the cannula for the drip, in the end they had to insert it into the crook of my arm, which is not an ideal place to have something that isn't allowed to be bent.

This all took about 2-2.5 hours. They then sent me off the the maternity ward, dragging my drip along beside me, to get settled in and to enjoy my stay.

The Maternity Ward

By the time I got over to the ward I hard started having small cramps, much like period pain, but even barely noticeable, so I didn't worry about it. I sat down with my husband (mum had decided to go over to our house to clean up and organise the babies room some more as she didn't really need to be there, plus we only lived about 10-15mins away from the hospital) and started to take my mind off all the drama and do some soduko. My pain level was slowly going up and by about 11am one of the nurses offerd me a Panadene Forte to take the edge off. Because I was in a public hospital I was in a 3 share room, but there was only one other mother in there with her newborn which was making a racket, which honestly never bothered me as babies are unpredictable, but she could here me talking and breathing/moaning and was trying to be very considerate which I thought was very nice of her. When the Panadene Forte kicked in it just made me really woosey more than anything and by the time lunch came around I couldn't eat anything, plus the contractions had gotten even stronger and made me feel nauseous. Sitting had become uncomfortable so I decided I would just stand and sway, and breathe. And go to the toilet. A lot.

By 3pm the contractions were getting pretty intense and really close together, so we timed them for half an hour ourselves and then decided we should get a nurse in here to check on me. So after a bit of facing about and another trip to the toilet, the nurse got me on the bed to be monitored. BIG MISTAKE. Lying down was just excruciating, the pain just went ten fold. I had always said that I wasn't worried about going through labour as it would never last as long as this pregnancy had, but I don't think I could handle going through this pain for days on end.

All I kept thinking at that moment was "GIVE ME DRUGS - ALL OF THE DRUGS - I WANT A C-SECTION - AND MORE DRUGS".

In that next moment my entire body started to recoil and started pushing! I was very freaked out and was mostly concerned that none of the nurses could see how urgently I needed to get over to that labour ward. Cause I was having this baby! I finally got some words out to the effect of "I'm pushing - I would like drugs", so finally one of the nurses said they were going to take me over to the labour ward and asked me "can you walk or would you like a wheel chair?" That blew my mind, can you not see me here, in labour, I could barely get to the toilet before this without having 2-3 contractions on the way.

Me: "wheel chair please, eerugheerugh (contraction)"

When they brought in the chair and they finally got off the bed, that is when my husband realised hoe bad I was as the side I was laying on was plastered in sweat.

I felt like the babies head was between my legs at this point, so I sat leaning to one side as I though I would crush him if I sat down normally.

The Labour Ward

We get in there, I told my husband to call mum so she could be there for the birth, the midwives faff about with more monitors and another bloody cannula in my other arm (blood went everywhere). All the while with every contraction my body is pushing all by itself, and as no-one said it was ok to push and I was trying not to - which is plain impossible. Mum walks through the door 15 mins later and first thing she asks was how far dilated I was - no-one had checked me since I was first examined that morning, so she got the midwife to check me (and called my sister around this time so she could be there as well). So the midwife checked me (not pleasant) and said that I was fully dial acted and could push when my body told me to (Hello! I've been trying to tell you this!) So it was too late for my drugs so I settle for gas, which I took ever so willingly. And the pushing started. They rung the "alarm" to get extra hands in and I had to have a Pediatrician as the baby was too early, the OBGYN because of my issues with diabetes and there were 2 midwives + my mum & husband. In 15 minutes my baby boy was out in the world.

At 4:13pm on the 18/01/2016 & weighing in at 2.6kg (5lbs14oz) Theodore David Barry Rumbel was born.

My first thoughts were; thank God that's over. I have given birth to a purple cone-headed alien.

The most perfect purple alien you have ever seen, that was covered in goo and peed on me as soon as they placed him on me. Ahh love.

He was born perfectly healthy and the Pediatrician gave him the all clear.

2 minutes later my sister walked in the room (after they had put my legs up in the stirrups to fix me up - sorry El - not exactly the best angle).

Mum was all over the phone ringing everyone that needed to be informed, so was my husband. Unfortunately because of the cannulas I couldn't really hold him properly.

The midwife came over to see if he would latch on for a feed, but because he was so early he wasn't able to breast feed yet.    

My sister in-law walked in next (feet still in stirrups getting stitched up - sorrrrry!)

They soon took him away from me to get checked over under the warm light as his colour wasn't improving. Then my father-in-law and brother-in-law showed up, they had to be kept out of the room as the doctor still wasn't finished fixing me up - that could have been awkward. At this point the midwife said they wanted to take him into the Nursery, but luckily the guys got to see him before they took him over.

I was told that because he couldn't stabilise his own body temperature or breast feed he had to stay in the Nursery for at least 2 weeks....

Looks like we weren't going home anytime soon....

To be continued...

Ah Crap, I Did It Again

I Went And Spent More Monies...

So, the sale is over and I couldn't help but go back and see if I could purchase some items that I had forgotten to grab and that was SOLD OUT on the website (isn't that just so bloody annoying?!).

On the recommendation from Australian Beauty Guru Crystal Conte, I thought I would get the Models Prefer Highlight Brush, but was it available? Umm, no. Ugh! This was one othe items sold out on the website as well. When I went back today (a bigger store) it was still sold out! Must be a bloody popular brush! Otherwise everyone else is watching Crystal's video's and just beat me to it. So instead I decided to buy my first ever Real Techniques brush! And luckily enough for me it was on sale! It was only 25% off but still, a mark down is a mark down.

The other item I forgot to purchase was the Models Prefer Final Finishing Powder Compact. I was doing my I store research before the sale (I only work 2 days a week at the moment and I hate being stuck in the house all the time) and noticed this little item. I have been using the Ben Nye HD Powder which I purchased at IMATS..... Back in 2013! Holy Crap! It's lasted me pretty well then.

Anyways, that is starting to run out now (plus I keep friggin dropping the damn thing and losing product in the process) so I thought I better buy some more. Hopefully it works just as well as the Ben Nye.

While I was at it I thought I may as well buy some Eylure Lashes..... Why? Buy 2 and get 25% off that's why! I'm such a sucker. 

I really like the Eylure brand. I wore the 115 on my wedding day and they just enhance your lashes without looking like your wearing false lashes.

Then to top it all off I grabbed a Sally Hansen Gel Polish in the colour Shall We Dance. It looks like a lovely pale pastel pink, which I hope it is, I've been after a really nice pale pink colour for ages.

I have problems...... *sigh*

Xx

I Spent Some Monies

I Love A Good Sale!

So yesterday and today was the Priceline 40% Off Sale! I decided to pop in before work (which made me late!) and check out a few things I had been wanting for a while/had-just-been-brought-to-my-attention.

My normal everyday makeup consists of L'Oreal's Nude Magic CC Anti-redness Cream,

and I haven't purchased foundation in AGES, so I did a little research (watched many different YouTube beauty guru videos) to see what had the best rap. Taking into account my seriously oily T-zone I decided to go with the L'Oreal Infallible Matte Foundation. I wore it to work today, and normally by early afternoon my face makeup, be it powder or liquid, will end up super greasy and all over my glasses. Even though the foundation still did transfer to my glasses (which I'm sure will happen regardless of how good the foundation may be) I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror (which has awful lighting) that my foundation still looked amazing!

It's currently 11pm and it still feels amazing, normally I can just scrape off the oil from my face with my fingernails (which I'm trying to do as I type) and nothing is coming off!
I have NEVER been this impressed with a foundation before. Never.

I also purchased a Physicians Formula Warm Nude Shimmer Strip All-In-One Nude Palette for Face & Eyes.

I thought this would be great as I could use the light colours as highlight, as I don't actually have any good highlighters (I've always steered clear of anything that would enhance my oily complexion), but have fallen in love with all the shimmery tutorials I have been watching on YouTube lately.
I also recently realised that I have lost my favourite bronzer! (Also a Physicians Formula brand)
So I swatched them side by side and just figured I could save some money and use the All-In-One as bronzer as well (all-be-it, a very shimmery one) instead of buying another one (I haven't given up all hope of finding it yet).

The last 2 things I bought were the Maybelline Colour Elixir's in the shade's 060 Nude Illusion and 100 Petal Blush, which I thought I didn't like at first because my lips went all pilly, turns out I just need a good lip scrub. I just had a look on the Maybelline website and they have HEAPS more colour choices than they stock in my local Priceline's (yes I checked out 2 different ones near me), that's always disappointing. I don't like buying makeup when I can't test it out first. I have wasted so much money doing that in the past and it's something that I will refuse to do now that my budget for buying makeup is minuscule.

Anyways, I need a shower.

Xx

My Pregnancy....

Conception

I'm not going to go into THAT kind of detail, I'm sure we all know how babies are made.
Getting pregnant wasn't as easy as I had thought it was going to be. Turns out, for us women, every year that you get older, the harder it becomes to fall pregnant. I'm lucky in the sense that I didn't have to go through anything crazy like hormones or IVF, but I did actually have to follow my ovulation schedule and MAKE SURE that we were trying EVERYDAY through that week. Yes, you only get one week out of the month for a baby to be made. That blew my mind.

So, when my little app told me to I took a pregnancy test, and it was positive!
I was so excited, but I had always had an idea to surprise my husband with a sonogram, so I kept it to myself and mad a doctor's appointment to have a blood test and have it all confirmed. The only person I told was my sister, who was traveling through Greece at the time, so I gave her a call to tell her she was going to be an Auntie. This was 4 weeks gestation. I had a long way to go.

1st Trimester

Luckily, I am not a vomiter, but for the first 12 weeks I wished I was. I was nauseous ALL. THE. TIME. When I could, I would eat anything that I thought might calm my stomach, otherwise I didn't eat much.
And through this time I still hadn't told my husband that I was pregnant as I was waiting for my first scan. Turns out, I'm really bad at organising surprises. At 9 weeks, after FINALLY recovering from a horrible cold that had me bed ridden for a week, my husband and I were having some "alone time" when I felt like I'd wet myself..... something I'd never felt during sex before, and I looked down and just saw blood everywhere. So naturally I freaked out. Put us both in the shower to wash off. My poor husband was just so confused. I admitted to him that I thought I might be having a miscarriage and that I was actually pregnant.
SURPRISE!
So off we went to the emergency room, as soon as we went up to the counter and the triage nurse started asking question I started balling in the middle of the waiting room, super awkward.
After seeing the nurse and doctor (after a few hours of waiting), having had felt no pain they "assumed" that I had just passed a blot clot that was just dislodge during our bedroom activities.
The next morning we went back to the hospital to get a scan to confirm that everything was ok.
After a few tense moment we saw the little nugget and confirmed that all was well.
A big, shaky, sigh of relief was had by all.

2nd Trimester

Telling the parents....

Technically I think we told our families just before the 12 weeks was up, but anyways.
We had dinner with my family first, that's just the way that worked out, and my mother cried. She has been hounding me for a few years now for a grandchild, plus a few wines in she had no control really.
My mum is terrible at keeping secrets. I mean, hopeless. So even though we said she couldn't tell anyone until we were ready and had told enough close friends & family before we went ahead and put it on Facebook (what did we do without Facebook), she told one of her close. But that didn't matter 'cause her friend had told her a secret too [facepalm].
When will I learn.

The nausea finally subsided, but then the back pain kicked in. Awesome.
I am not a skinny girl, so when I started to show with an actual solid bump (not just my usual flabby belly) I was a bit chuffed.
During this time we went on a road trip with my mum and dad to Alice Springs for the Road Transport Hall of Fame 2015. Boy was that fun. (Please note the sarcasm).
We decided to go a different route this year (I had previously gone with my parents 5 years beforehand), and went through Broken Hill and then along the Oodnadatta Track, which is a whole lotta dirt roads. A week of traveling in a car.... not recommended for a pregnant woman. The whole week we stayed in Alice I didn't do a lot of anything besides sleeping and just being horizontal in a non-bouncy bed.
Once home I saw a chiropractor on a weekly basis until I got into my third trimester.
I went and had my first appointment with a midwife as I had decided to go through the public system. Due to my BMI I was sent off to clinic at the hospital to be seen by the OBGYN's there. Not what I wanted really as I'd rather had been seen by the midwife through my pregnancy as the doctors are only ever present for your birth for the end anyways, so whats the point. Went for my glucose test and found out I had gestational diabetes. Fuck.
Not that his is completely detrimental to me or the baby, but its a lot a faffing about for 4 months.... and its a long 4 months with having to test your blood 4 times a day and then I had to have insulin before bed and go see the specialist every 2 weeks. Which was only ever on a Thursday, and I do payroll on a Thursday, so it was all bloody annoying, inconvenient, frustrating, uncomfortable and sometimes painful. You do what you must for the health of your baby, but that doesn't mean its not a fucking pain in the arse. ESPECIALLY when your entire life is spent watching your weight, and when your pregnant your allowed to indulge. This was the most strict diet I had ever been on!
R.I.P Peppermint Magnums :(

Oh and we did a reveal video if you wanted to actually see that.

Third Trimester

As he got bigger, the acid reflux got worse, to the point I finally caved and in asked for mediation, the OB felt quite sorry for upon examination as he was right up under my ribs, lying down was uncomfortable. Sitting was uncomfortable. Standing was uncomfortable. I wish I was taller.
I just didn't like being pregnant.
I couldn't wait for him to get out.
I kept telling everyone I wanted him out by 35weeks as he was threatening to be a big diabetes baby.

Got my wish.
At 34 weeks + 6 days  I woke up at 6:30am to go to the toilet, as soon as I stood up I wet myself. Waters had broken. I jumped in the shower, got myself dressed, as everyone that I had ever spoken to had said that you always have time after your waters break, which of course is always different for everyone. But I wasn't having contractions so I wasn't worried.  I went upstairs (we were staying with mum & dad while our place was being fumigated), woke mum up with a "I think my waters have broken", she freaked out, I told her to calm down and take her time. On the way into the hospital I called ahead to ask where to go (I still hadn't managed to have a tour of the hospital yet). I text my husband to tell him to go to our place to get my hospital bag and then meet us there.
Waddled into Labour & Delivery, they gave me an examination and basically said I wasn't leaving for the next 2 weeks.....

I'll fill you in on the rest of my hospital stay in the next blog.

xx

Well That Didn't Go To Plan...

Well Hi There,

I was going to try get and use this as an epic journal of my life events (the not so awesome bits included), starting from that last post, I'm pretty sure I even started to do some rough drafts on my laptop soon after posting that first blog..... Turns out I'm just shit.

Let's have a quick catch up:
Have now been married 1 year & 4 months
Moved house twice
Got pregnant
And had a baby boy! (Who as of right now is 10 weeks and 3 days old)

I'm not wearing my glasses and I really need to go to bed, but I thought I would put this up before I do so, just so I can [try] to get myself used to doing this blogging business, not just so people will read this, but for my own sanity. I don't seem to keep my thoughts in a straight line these days, so I figured this might help, and as we all know, once something is put out into internets it
NEVER. GOES. AWAY.

I will leave you that fun and in no way harrowing little note.

Laters xx