Mommy to a girl: Hayley's birth

Our birth story and an update

March 16, 2011 in Uncategorized

2 March 2011 – 12:41 am

I woke up with horrible abdominal pains; it was so bad that I had to sit up straight in bed for it to feel any better. The pain was constant, sometimes worse and at times a bit better.

I kept on thinking that I am most likely in labour and had no idea what to do and when to go to hospital, so I kept on thinking as long as my waters have not broken I should be okay.

By morning I was so tired and had no idea what to do anymore. I told hubby to go to work and do what he has to as I pack the last things in my hospital bag. I had a doctor’s appointment for that afternoon, but decided to rather go to his offices as soon as my bags were packed and hubby got home.

So we left for the doctors and arrived there just before 9:00. We waited a while to be seen, but when the doctor saw me he immediately asked me why I’m looking so uncomfortable and sore. I explained to him that I’ve been restless for a few days and also the pain I’ve been experiencing.

He immediately did a scan, to discover that I’ve been huge and uncomfortable due to having too much amniotic fluid, which can also be very bad for baby and mom.

I was told to go fetch my bags and to go to the hospital to be admitted and monitored and that a c-section is to be scheduled for the next morning.

WOW!!! I was so overwhelmed. Throughout my pregnancy I had a feeling that our little girl will be born earlier, but when it actually became reality I could still not believe it. Hubby was smiling from ear to ear and I was so emotional that I started crying.

We went home; loaded my bags in the car and off we went to the hospital where I was admitted at around 11:00.

I was also given a cortisone injection to mature baby’s lungs and was monitored every 4 hours.

That night I was also given a sleeping tablet so that I could get a good night’s rest and also had another injection for baby’s lungs at midnight.

I will never forget my last night of being pregnant. I was lying in bed, before falling asleep, feeling every movement baby made, thinking that this will be the last time I feel her kicks before I actually get to meet her and hold her against me.

3 March 2011 – 5:00 am

I was up bright and early, feeling nervous and excited! I’m going to meet our little angel today! In a few hours I am going to be a mommy, we are going to be parents! It felt so unreal! A feeling I could never explain to anyone else.

I got up, had a shower and was prepped for theatre. Then the wait to be fetched for theatre started.

3 March 2011 – 9:15 am

I was finally fetched to go into theatre. At this stage I was really nervous and could now not wait anymore. We were left in front of the theatre while they finished up with the person before me. Hubby was given scrubs to put on, damn, did he look hot!

They fetched us after about 15 minutes of waiting; hubby was told to wait outside while the spinal was administered. This was the part I was most nervous off, and it was painless. The doctor that did the spinal was brilliant, so gentle and really had a calming affect with his entire manner of doing things. I really felt nothing.

After the spinal they put in the catheter, which I felt nothing off either J

I was then ready to meet our little Hayley.

Hubby was fetched and sat next to my head talking to me and really just being very supportive. They started cutting and I could really not feel anything. The next thing I knew hubby was told to get the camera ready and I heard the first screams of our beautiful baby girl, and then she was lifted for mommy to also see! She was everything I dreamt off, perfect in each and every way! I was so emotional and started crying, nothing could prepare me for this overwhelming feeling of love! I will also never forget that the first thing hubby could say to me is that she has his late dad’s ears, and really, she does, something that I am very proud of.

Daddy was then called over to follow baby and as he started talking to her she immediately stopped crying! She recognised her father’s voice! It was so special to me and one of the moments of her birth that I will forever treasure.

She was then put on my chest, and it was so special, she was so awake and alert and just lied there looking at everything around her, taking in as much as possible of the big world she has just been introduced to.

Hayley de Jager was born on 3 March 2011 at 10:12 am, weighing in at 3.310 kg and 50 cms long and was very healthy, scoring 9/10 and 10/10 on her apgar score.

Week 1

I was discharged on Sunday. I had a lovely stay at the Flora Life hospital, the staff was great and they really assisted me, especially with breastfeeding.

I will forever be thankful to my gynae, and could not have asked for a better doctor.

Our first few days were not bad, Hayley feeding at the breast every 3 – 4 hours and falling asleep straight after. But on day 6 I had a horrible morning with her, she was constantly crying and constantly on the breast feeding. At just after 12:00 we took her to the clinic at Dischem, my poor angel has a bad case of baby jaundice. We were advised to take her back to the maternity ward at Flora and get some advice from there. We were sent for blood tests and our little angel had a high count of 18.5 for jaundice. So she had to receive top up formula and a light was sent to our home for her to lie on, and was only allowed to be picked up for feeds and to bath.

I was heartbroken and could not stop crying.

Every morning a nurse came over to our house, she had to be weighed, and at least gain 30 grams a day, as well as blood to be taken to measure her count.

After 3 horrible, long days she was able to be removed from the machine.

I know that things could have been worse, but it was really not a nice time in my first week of mommy hood and something I will not wish upon any mommy.

Week 2

Today my little angel is 13 days old, just short of 2 weeks and I cannot imagine my life without her.

Yes, it’s tough at times. She feeds well and is generally a very good baby, but at stages she cries her little heart out and it sometimes takes me a while to check everything that might be wrong and to find the problem to resolve it. It makes me feel really bad and stupid, but I know that I will get the hang of this and that we will get through these early stages of being parents. Yes, you do feel tired, but I don’t mind, it’s worth every bit of tiredness. Cuddling my little body against me and just staring at her, taking in every bit of her perfection is so worth everything! At times when she is sleeping I literally sit up and wait for her to wake up so that I can hold her against me and just take in all of her.

I love this little person to pieces and cannot explain to anyone how my mommy heart is filled with love for this perfect gift given to us!

I am looking forward to our journey ahead of parenthood, watching Hayley grow, develop her own personality and being all she can be.

And how is the new daddy doing?

He is brilliant with her! The love in his face when he holds his little daughter is so special. He really helps allot around the house and with our daughter. When I’m really tired he takes over some night feeds, without me asking, so that I can rest and just gain some energy. I am so thankful for the husband that I have and for all he is doing for our little family. I could not have asked for a better husband and father for our child!

I try to thank God for my gift at night when I pray, but now words can explain the gratefulness I have towards Him for giving me this gift! He is my Hero and I am forever grateful to Him and will raise my daughter from early to dedicate her life to Him and live every day for Him.

Below are some pics of baby Hayley.

Loads more to follow!