I love hearing about other people’s birth stories but don’t think I’ve actually shared one before. But everything went so smoothly this time around and was probably the most relaxed I was (maybe because I’ve had some practice at this) so I thought I’d share. And it all starts with the photo in the gown before I get wheeled down to theatre. I love having the before shot.

But really all the excitement starts the night before when you try to get ready, make sure everything is done and try to get some sleep. Like you can sleep knowing you are going to have a baby early the next morning. In the end I got 2 hours sleep in emerson’s bed and was straight up again at 3.30 to get dressed, sweep the floors and head out the door super early at 4am. We arrived at the hospital, up to the ward like we’ve done all the times before, quick shower, they give you a little shave before theatre and then you can relax until they come to wheel you down. The hospital had made a few changes to things so that the dads can stay with their partners and this included getting a one size fits all onesie instead of having the usual blue scrubs. You might not know this but I’m 5ft and married a 6ft 3 big guy. We’ll always joke about the time he had to get into the OSFA onesie and couldn’t sit in it. Yep, it was just a bit too short for him. Anyway the advantage is that he stays with you for almost the whole time so it’s a good thing………..they might just need to get some XLs in for the tall guys. And no he didn’t want a photo in it.

Retro daddy was dozing off in the corner until 6.15 when I ‘suggested’ he make a cup of tea and wake up a little. Quick practice on how to use the camera and then we met the anaesthetist. Now from my first OB appointment my biggest concern this time around was getting the spinal or epidural in the right spot. The last 2 times they have had a good go in my back 4 or more times trying to get it in. I met the lovely anaesthetist and for the first time I had a lovely lady. She suggested we go with a spinal rather than the spinal/epidural I’ve had the last few times. They had tried to get my records but they were over in another building so she would try to get the right spot and do a spinal. If there were complications or the surgery went for longer then they’d put me to sleep. I said I didn’t want to sleep through the birth and she reassured me that it would only happen after I’d met the baby and he was taken off. OK then I can do this. So then we were wheeled down.

They put the local in my back and then the spinal, and she got it right the first time. Woohoo. I knew that meant I wouldn’t have the back soreness that I’d had the last two times. I was wheeled into the theatre and the bright lights gave me a little panic so another quick prayer for a safe delivery and everyone was getting ready and introducing themselves to me. At this time I started to feel a heaviness in my chest and a bit short of breath. They fixed me up with a bit of oxygen and then I just knew I was going to throw up. I told them I was going to be sick and then the uncontrollable throw up started. I had to tip my head to one side as I couldn’t sit up or move and I kept apologising after each time. They’d say please don’t apologise then I’d throw up and say how sorry I was. after about 5 quick throw ups I felt great. No chest pain, my blood pressure adjusted and I actually felt really great and let everyone know that.

Retro daddy came back in and I said did you see all of that? no he’d been waiting outside the door until they were ready. And he sat down and they began and about 5 minutes later I heard my baby cry. It was magic. It always is. The tears come to your eyes and you get to see your little baby for the first time and I always kind of lose my breath in the excitement of seeing this beautiful baby. It really is a miracle how babies are created and come into the world and to have a 6th baby is just a dream for our family. And for the first time they actually passed the baby over to me so I could touch and kiss him before they cleaned him up. It was so special.

they took him away and the cord was cut and he was cleaned up.

And then he was brought over to me and I got the longest cuddles I’ve ever had in the theatre. It was perfect. He looked exactly like tillie and emerson did when they came out and was just perfect. No matter how straight forward your pregnancies are there is always that worry that something might go wrong or they might have some breathing or heart problems (and we’ve been there before and it’s terrifying) but he was absolutely perfect. I kept thinking they are about to take him back but they didn’t, I passed our little baby back to daddy and after a little while longer they went off to the nursery and I went to recovery.

Recovery was 45 minutes and I was very alert and everything was fine. My uterus was the size of a netball and still quite big but since it’s the 5th time I’ve done this I knew what to expect. I was feeling great and just so happy that everything had gone so smoothly. I was the first in theatre for the day and the first in recovery which was kind of nice. I’m used to being in there with people coming out from knee reconstructions or older people so it was nice having the room to myself. I told the anaesthetist how happy I was that it went so smoothly and I’m so happy she got it first time and that I was glad she was on for the day. Before I’d left recovery, one of the staff in the room asked if I had a tv (oh I haven’t heard that one before!).  Everything was great so by 9am I was back in the room with our new baby.

The rest of the day I was a bit sleepy and then my blood pressure got really low so I was back on the oxygen and a little something for my nausea but apart from that recovered really quickly. The rest of the family came in to visit just after lunch. The girls were absolutely smitten with their new baby brother, the boys were excited to meet him and then were ok to do other things and leave it up to the girls to be near their new little brother. I had great intentions to get a photo of all us together in the room but it just didn’t happen. Bringing in 5 little ones to the hospital was a big job so sometimes I’d just have 2 or 3 of them in there with me during the week.

And that was Lawson’s first day in the world. We are trying to get back into routine at home, lots of feeding and I’m determined to breastfeed past the usual 6 or 8 weeks that I last. Things are a bit quieter on the home front with 3 at school and 1 at preschool so I’ll just be laying low and focusing on feeding my little guy and being at home with family. So far so good. Late night feeding did reveal that we have a mouse in the house so we’ve set up some sonic repellents (thanks to a reader for the tip) and a mouse trap and hope that we can get him soon. I like to watch tv at night/early morning while I feed but I don’t like to share the lounge room with little furry creatures scuttling across the floor.