The Real Story!

Well it feels like forever since I last sat down to do an entry into the blog!! Adam has now lost the ability to say that he can't do the blogging as "he doesn't know how" which was always his excuse in the past which clearly is untrue!! However, I note that he fails to give all details which may not be wanted or needed by some but may be of interest to others! Don't worry I am not about to go into all the gory details of the whole labour and delivery however, there were a few complications that deserve mentioning so that you all know what a little superhero our not so little daughter really is!!
As you can see by the original (as we were about to go to the hospital photo) I was bigger than I was with Ollie but still not huge. Most people that met me would assume I was due much further on than I actually was...however, I knew the little person inside was larger than Ollie by the fact that at night even my ribs would start moving around from the big kicks beneath! That never happened with Ollie who was much lower down! I never imagined though I was host to a nearly 10lb bruiser...that only happens to my sister!!
Anyway, on the Monday that we had Emma, I had been to see the Doctor as she was getting a bit nervous about letting me go over longer as the anesthetist was leaving town on the wednesday (this means no emergent OR capabilities should an emergency C-section be necessary and more importantly no epidural capabilities!!). Anyway, so she decided to check and see how/if things were looking imminent. In so doing, she "broke my water" which means...you have to go to the hospital now and if you don't naturally go into labour than drugs can be used to induce labour! So, off we went home to tell nanny and grandad that they would have to stay another night and to get our bags (and to take our last family of three photo). At this point I was feeling "ok" but could tell that things were going to happen without the need for induction agents! By the time we got to the hospital (over the bumpiest road Adam could find at break neck speeds-you know what he's like Carol) I was in labour for certain. Now the hospital had been called by my MD and told that I would be arriving shortly and that they were to watch me and see if anything was going to happen. By the time the nurse finally got in the room, I was contracting one on top of the other with no real breaks in the pain! When I asked for something for the pain they told me that the MD would be arriving shortly as she was seeing her last patient and then would come over and check me before giving anything.....well, I don't know how long that took but it felt like forever!! By the time she got there...I was ready to deliver which sadly meant no time for drugs!! UGH!! I strongly recommend the epidural....a much more pleasant experience was had with Ollie's delivery rather than Emma's!! If the deliveries had been reversed, I don't think Ollie would be a big brother quite so quickly!! Anyway, enough about me.....Emma decided that although she originally was hesitant about coming into the world, once she decided to do so, she did so with a vengeance...and unfortunately, did not give herself enought time to get into the best position.....and given her allready huge size....this made for a more difficult delivery. She developed what is called a shoulder dystocia which means that her head delivered but then her shoulder got caught underneath the pubic bone and so she was stuck!! A VERY scary experience as a delivering doctor!! So, my lovely doctor broke a sweat, and tried the numerous methods to get her out finally, she had to take out her posterior shoulder (usually the anterior shoulder is the first to come out) and then Emma was finally able to arrive!! Not without causing a little damage to Mum! Because of this traumatic entry into the world Emma suffered a broken rib and a small pneumothorax (punctured lung), a bruised left arm and left cheek which you can see in some of the photos! However, the little trooper was a little angel despite her injuries and within the first week her rib fracture feels like it has healed!! I guess when you go from being one cell to a whole human in 9 months a broken rib is nothing!! The punctured lung reinflated itself by day 3 so, she is as good as new! However, I thought you deserved to know more details so that you could appreciate the little hero for what she is!! Mum and Emma are convalescing nicely now that Dad is at home for the week. He is taking care of everyone with ice packs for Mum, lots of time/affection for the slightly unimpressed big brudder (as Ollie calls himself) and lots of back patting for a gassy Emma at all hours of the night and day.
Emma is proving to be a different temperament to her older brother (we think, we can't really remember the earliest days at home with Ollie...not all the nitty gritty things) she grunts alot more, screams bloody murder and could wake the dead with baths (which we have decided don't really need to be done every other day) and getting her bum changed. She absolutely hates to be naked which Adam thinks will stand her in good stead and encourages to last until she is at least 40.....hopefully however, she won't scream quite as shrill or loud when she does have to get naked as an older person or the teenage (ie: multiple showers daily) years could leave Adam and I quite deaf!
Ollie is adjusting but not without a few hiccoughs. One has to be very careful when he want to give "Baby Emma" a kiss as sometimes she gets leaned on in an effort to do so or the kiss may turn into a swat. I tend to use the breastfeeding pillow with Emma which I didn't do so much with Ollie, not only because Emma is so much heavier than Ollie was but also because it acts as a first line of defense from her older brother who loves to point to Mum's "boobs" but really doesn't think that his little sister should be attached to them. Emma will often feed for 20-45mins which is a long time to listen to "UH OH Mummy Boobs" over and over and over again!!! He is quite funny when he does get into trouble for something, we try and ignore most things realizing that his whole world is topsy-turvy right now but there are certain things (ie: hitting your baby sister) that cannot be ignored....so, when he does get in trouble its like a little light goes off in his head and he decides to go for broke then doing everything he knows he is not supposed to do in some kind of frenzy...so, he'll hit his sister and be told sternly that we do not hit so, he'll go over and rip off a few flower petals, than tip his milk upside down whilst hitting one of his trucks all the while looking at the disciplining parent!1 Sometimes it is hard not to laugh!!
WEll, I think that is enough verbeage (I am allowed to make up words when blogging) as I know all you really want are some updated pics...so, here they are!!!!
Thank you all for your comments.....we do check to see if anyone has left a message daily, thanks to for all the cards and flowers and well wishes!
Take care,
Rachael, Adam, Ollie and Emma
xoxoxox