Where did that go!?!?

The past week or so I’ve been meaning to post at least something on here, even if it’s just a quick hello.  So much has gone on since my last post though it’s hard to know where to start.

To begin with I’m now a qualified Daddy.  Qualified in so much as we have an 11 week old son who is doing well and has given my life a whole new meaning in a very positive way.

It feels like he’s been with us sooo much longer than just 11 weeks though.  He’s grown so much, dealt with his first vaccination, outgrown all his newborn and a good few of his 0 – 3 months clothes, began smiling loads (which is the best bit) and trying to mimic noises that Claire and I make when we’re playing with him.

But sweet jesus, the nappies!  Right now anybody reading this who has kids is smugly laughing to themselves in the knowledge of what toxins a small child can produce!

Thing is, this whole parenting gig is the hardest and most rewarding thing, in equal measure, that we’ve ever done.  The tiredness, the crying and not being quite sure why, those nappies; even just going out for coffee has become a trip requiring military planning.  It’s amazing though how all of the negative stuff is wiped out with one little smile from him!

Aside from becoming a Father, the other big thing for me is I’ve found a whole new level of respect and love for Claire, and I make no excuses for any perceived soppyness here. I always knew she was practical and able to adapt quickly, but it’s like she’s been doing this Mothering business for years seeing her with Ben.  It’s all made me realise that I really am a lucky sod to be with her and to have a family together.

There is only one thing I regret at the moment. With the speed he’s growing up, soon Ben will go from our little baby, to our little man.  I’m kinda stuck between not wanting to lose this time, but being really excited about all the developments he’ll go through and everything we’ll get to do with him.

On the subject of kids, I just wanted to take a few words to again congratulate Mr and Mrs Bouncybhall (or Nathan and Nicola) on the arrival of Archie; the youngest Sonic The Hedgehog fan around, even though Archie has no idea who the hell Sonic is, or even what video games are.  I have a feeling you’ll find out very soon little dude, very soon indeed. Guys, he’s a gorgeous little bundle and I’m really excited for you both!  So when’s number four? :p

I’m typing this listening to ‘Home’ by The Foo Fighters from Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace.  This song has suddenly become my own theme tune at the moment as it just kinda sums up where my head is at right now on loads of different levels.  I’ll let you listen to it and make you’re own mind up but I think it’s one the best songs I’ve heard for a very long time.

I was going to delve a little bit into Facebook, but I’m actually going to save that until my next post.  Whenever the hell I manage to make it that is!

TTFN

The arrival of Baby Benjamin (part 2)

Now where was I?

Ah yes, arriving at the hospital.

So it’s now around 6am and hardly a soul is to be seen at the hospital, apart from the reception desk monitor, who frankly seemed a little unsure what she was doing.

By now, Claire was finding walking a little challenging shall we say, mainly due to the pain of the contractions now being at their height.  One good thing that I randomly noticed was that even at this hour, ward security was still high with electronically locked doors only being opened upon a visual confirmation from a nurse/midwife on duty.  Amazing the stuff you remember when your brain is running a million miles an hour!

It had now been three hours since labour began, which made the midwifes announcement that Claire was already fully dialated somewhat of a shock. Good, but still a shock. Unfortunately, this is where the smooth delivery gig decided to end.

Usual timescales give about two hours from full dilation to giving birth. So when it got to 9am and still no sign of baby coming out anytime soon, concerns began to grow. Till now, I’d amazed myself by how calm I’d remained, but when I could tell the midwife could not see an easy way out of this, the worry started.

Before I knew it, the delivery team were beginning to talk about forceps, and worst of all, possible C-section; the one thing both Claire and I had agreed we did not want at all if the situation could be avoided. Before that however, the on-call Doctor had to carry out an exam to make sure baby was facing the right way.

That exam was probably the worst thing of the whole labour and birth I had to witness as it caused Claire so much pain.

Claire’s pain relief had come only in the form of a Tens machine so far, but she was now experiencing severe back pain from the pushing she had done up (about three hours worth!). Now it was definitely time for something else, namely gas and air.  I ended up pleading with her to use it as it hurt me to see her in such pain,although I would imagine that kind of pain overrides virtually every other sense you have.

More in a couple of days, as I really need to get some sleep now. Assuming Ben lets us of course!

The arrival of Baby Benjamin

It’s actually two weeks tomorrow since Ben came into the world and it’s been the most amazing and scary two weeks of my life.   Let me take you back on a little journey, starting with Ben’s arrival.  Imagine a Wayne’s World-esque back in time sequence.

Sunday 28th October, roughly 3am, I get a slight nudge from the lady with the words that I’d been trying to get ready to hear, ‘I think my waters have broken’.  In my usual calm reaction to such news,  my first thought was ‘Where the hell do I start getting ready?’.

Half an hour later and labour was definitely kicking in and it was time to call the hospital to get their advice.  Somehow Claire had gone from virtually nothing, to contractions happening between 1 and 3 minutes apart.  In case you don’t know what that means, usually it indicates that baby isn’t going to be too many hours behind.

We decide to ride things out for the time being just to be sure that it wasn’t a false alarm but the contractions increased along with the pain. 5.15am and it’s only getting more intense as time goes by.  Call the hospital again and they tell us to come in if we’re worried.  Ten minutes later and we’re off.

And herein lies the reality of a new baby.  Ben now wants attention and cuddles, and typing this with my left hand is bloody difficult as I’m right handed.  As soon as I can I’ll post some more.

The Maternity Ward visit

Well that went well, and a lot quicker than I expected.

It was all about doing a reccie of the ward, get an idea where everything is, you know drinks machine, paper shop, the important stuff.  Oh, and where the baby would be delivered.

Turns out they have three different types of room, depending on how easy the labour is, and whether there are any complications.  Surely the whole birth thing is quite complicated as it is, although we now know which room we don’t want to be in as it’ll mean something’s gone tits up.  It’s the one with the most monitors and apparatus, scary place!

Thing is, it’s all very well and good doing this kind of visit, but I have a feeling my powers of intuition and memory may go out the window when it all starts.  My memory isn’t the best when I’m calm and settled!

The one lasting point that has already stuck in my mind is the heating.  Now I know they turn up the heat in hospitals, but this was bloody ridiculous.  Imagine really dry heat which you can’t get away from. Sahara without the sand and camels almost.  I’ve got a ruddy headache from it now, and we were only in there for about 40 minutes.

Here’s a thought, next time I make that journey, it’ll be for real!

It really is anytime now!

My wife went for her latest Midwife visit yesterday, and I’m glad to report that everything is going ok.   Although two things worried me slightly.

1. The midwife apparently wasn’t 100% sure which way up the baby was facing.  Now this is quite critical.  Head down, relatively fine; head up…oh boy!  So now we’re both having that minor doubt that maybe that hard lump that we thought was baby’s backside, is infact it’s cranium.
2. Assuming that it is the right way around, the midwife also stated that she thought the baby could be coming early.  Current due date is 2nd November, which potentially means a Halloween baby.

Oh yes, I really want a child born on the day of the devil!  Although the true meaning of Halloween isn’t quite like that.  Thank you Wikipedia, you’ve saved me from typing it out!

Either way, it’s still a bit creepy.  Flashbacks of a certain Only Fools and Horses episode don’t help.

So the waiting begins.