Miss Alexa is the child my partner and I have been waiting a while for. We had decided two years prior to her conception that we were ready to bring a child into our world and ready to take that next step in our relationship. In the beginning we gave up alcohol and kick started a healthy diet and exercise regime, but each month that passed us by began to dampen our spirits. We soon gave up on the no-alcohol rule because honestly that was just too hard!!! And we reverted back to taking it easy and letting nature just do its thing. We had been told (on numerous occasions!) that sometimes these things can take a while.
After a year we were a little worried but our new move from Queensland to Victoria kept us fairly busy; new house, new jobs, new studies, etc etc. As the year of 2010 neared a close we both knew that Victoria wasn't the place for us and decided to move back to the Coast in the New Year. This also marked the end of two years of contraception-free-getting-the-freak-on!!!! My partner and I had finally come to the realisation that maybe we just couldn't have children and decided well that would be okay. I know everyone says that as soon as you come to terms with not having a baby, you'll make a baby. But seriously as soon as we were both cool with living a childless life BOOM, pregnant!!!!
My pregnancy was great, just the odd nauseated days and some tiredness. I powered through the first semester at uni without anyone noticing my slightly bulging middle. After having 10 weeks off and returning for semester two everyone was shocked to discover that I was suddenly VERY pregnant! I had my first lot of prac at 36 weeks and was almost asked to leave because the Principals didn't want to scare the kids if I suddenly went into labour! hahaha
The due date was nearing closer and closer so quickly and then before I knew it I was over due. One of the funnier moments was at uni one afternoon my tutor asked when I was due which I replied "Oh last week"! He was so shocked but assured me that he was there for the birth of his two kids so he had a vague idea what to do if baby were to join the world then!
At 10 days overdue we went into hospital to be induced. I wanted so much to have a 'natural' birth but the doctors begin to worry for the safety of baby after so many days overdue. Day 1 of inducement was a tape with hormones inserted. Day 2 was two lots of hormone-gel. Day 3 was a catheter inserted and blown up like a balloon to encourage the cervix to open.
All these methods failed to bring on labour so they decided to hook me up to a drip with a synthetic form of oxytocin (the natural hormone released during labour) and break my waters where we found out that baby had already had its first poo (meconium) inside, so this was another safety concern as well. Labour went on into the wee hours of the morning and at 3 am after several internal checks and only having dilated to 3cm (you need to be at 10cm to start pushing- eek!) the doctors strongly recommended a c-section birth. It all went super fast from then on in and by 3.30am we were holding the newest member of our family.
Gosh it was so overwhelming. Even with the drugs, the exhaustion and emotions it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. And now we have little Alexa in our world.
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