Throwback Thursday

January 2014 - And so we were four! 

Lindo Wing, 18 months ago - Picture taken during the first few seconds of holding my newborn daughter. The births of my children has undoubtedly been the best moments of my entire life. I still get emotional looking at this photo ♥

Scarlett Grace's first week

Belle Princesse 

Cuddle time with Daddy

For those of you who don't know, I was induced at the gestation of 39 weeks and 5 days for PSD (pubic symphysis dysfunction) and also due to very painful and bulging varicose veins in my groin

Battered and bruised, the day after the night before

Sean has really been a true sweetheart in every sense of the word, and he hasn’t shown any aggression or jealousy at all so far

Dilated at 9cm, there was fetal tachycardia (Scarlett Grace's heart rate too high), which resulted in an emergency c-section

Bear didn't waste any time to nurture the Father Daughter Bond 

The baby blues kicked in almost exactly 48 hours after giving birth - I was so touchy and teary, and I spent more or less all of that day crying - the hormonal changes are for real, and they are so intense! 

Mummy's nose, there's no doubt about that!

Uncle Erik found time in his busy schedule as a junior doctor to come and visit on the second day

My breast milk came on the second day and we were all eager to see if Scarlett Grace latched on ok, which she did! 

After three nights at the Lindo Wing, it was time to say good-bye to the wonderful staff..

...and off home we went! 

Monday, day 3: My health visitor (whose job it is to support me and my baby) came round, and had not been in the house for more than like one minute before she asked me to drop my undies, so she could check on my stitches LOL - according to her the wound is gratefully healing well

Two more little hands, Two more little feet, Now our family is complete :-)

Pram Premiere - I was itching to get out of the house despite being in a lot of pain, and after finally waking up in my own bed on Tuesday morning, I felt great mentally and insisted on getting out and proudly walk around town with my daughter

Tick Tock - it's Champagne o' clock! Scarlett Grace's first visit at the pub was on Tuesday - only 4(!) days old

  

It feels so surreal to finally have her in different places around our flat, that we’ve pictured her in for so long now - here in Sean's first Maxi Cosi car seat

The past few days have brought so much magic and happiness into our home, and I can't wait to discover more about our little girl with each new day..

Long periods at a time are being spent snuggling with Scarlett Grace on the sofa or in bed, and it totally melts my heart when Sean leans over and gives her these sweet kisses on the head

I can stare at our tiny precious person for hours, and I just love hearing her make her sweet little sighing noises ♥

Uncle Steven was down from Scotland and joined us for dinner at the pub followed by drinkies at home (perhaps a few too many judging by this pic LOL!), and said hello to his new niece 

We try to stick to a feeding routine- courtesy of Gina Ford - every four hours (roughly 90ml at a time), and it seems to be working really well - she is a good eater and has quite an appetite this young lady!

Brunch with my girlies on day 5 at Canteen on Baker Street

Some days are worse than others, and I am physically limited in what I can do, which I find so frustrating – I just want to go out and DO things, which thankfully is possible with a little help from my Mum!

Scarlett Grace had her first trip to Zizzi Restaurant on day 6 - and the Paddington Street branch is perfect for a large pram

Total happiness! 

Day 6 and she still hasn't lost her stomp! 

Mum has now been here for precisely a month and I got used to having her around, so it will undoubtedly be difficult when she's going back home next Saturday

Someone special, Someone dear, Someone new to love is here  ♥

Our first week at home has of course been an adjustment – but overall it's been absolutely wonderful!

Thanks for all your kind congratulations and sweet messages! We are so grateful to have a wonderful network of support – virtually, by you guys, and with my doctor brother and Mum here in London too.

Again, a heartfelt 'Thank You' for the well wishes -I've loved reading every single one of them! 

C

xxx

48 hours from Bump to Birth

L to R clockwise: 

Arriving at our delivery suite @ Lindo Wing, excited and full of anticipation // the en-suite bathroom // Breakfast menu // Dinner prepared by in house chef is served // Contractions finally beginning to kick in after three attempts with Prostin gel // trying out 'gas and air' before the anaesthetist arrives // having an epidural injected in my lower back // Exhausted and scared as I've been moved from the delivery suite to the theatre // After a long labour, and trying to deliver Scarlett Grace with both ventouse and forceps, she finally entered this world after an emergency c-section

And so we are four!

After two days in hospital trying to be induced, and experiencing various complications - late last night our lives changed again with the arrival of our baby girl, Scarlett Grace! 

She was delivered by emergency Caesarian on Friday 10th January at 21.54, weighing 3.8kg-  simply beautiful and oh so perfect! I just can't stop looking at her :-)

Being a parent of a newborn for a second time is a lot easier as you're not obsessing and stressing like you did first time around. Now I'm thoroughly enjoying my little baba - savouring this wonderful time and breathing her in <3

Here are some pics of our little miracle;

Tea & biscuits served!

First phase of the induction process (gel applied) now under way...

Hello from Lindo Wing!

We have arrived and now getting settled and unpacking the hospital bag. 

I got changed in to my own nighty as the ones they provide are rather unattractive lol!  I will try and tweet and blog updates if possible. Bye for now!  

Pic from our delivery room's toilet & shower room:

Reporting good news

Leaving Lindo Wing with the good news

On New Years Eve, I was examined fully and was very relieved to hear that my varicose veins are not posing a threat to rupture during a vaginal delivery.  My obstetrician Mr. Fernando then thankfully cancelled the elective c-section appointment and instead booked me in for an induction - in one week to be precise.

He also did an internal exam to check if my cervix had dilated, which it hadn't, however he confirmed that baby's head is low down.
If Scarlett Grace does not appear earlier, 11am on Thursday 9th January is when Bear and I will be going in with my hospital bag to Lindo Wing, where they will induce (start artificially) labour by various techniques. 

Inside Info - Lindo Wing

Bump @ 36 + 4 weeks today 

This afternoon, Bear and I are going for my antenatal appointment at the Lindo Wing. My consultant will examine me, the position of the baby as well as taking a closer look at my varicose veins in my groin (very painful I can add, as they throb every time I stand up!). 

They can potentially be dangerous as they can rupture during a vaginal birth and then cause haemorrhaging, so he will make a judgment if  I will need a planned Caesarian.  I'm keeping all fingers and toes crossed that won't happen!

Well, as the countdown continues, here's a little insight on the venue where all the action will take place! The following is an extract from their brochure: 

The Lindo Wing at Imperial Private Healthcare

At the Lindo Wing we have been providing the best private obstetric and neonatal care for mothers and their babies since 1937.

Over the years, we have gained an international reputation for clinical excellence in both obstetric and neonatal medicine which has made us the choice for thousands of mothers. But what really sets us apart is the discreet, traditional, individualised service we provide.

We are equipped to deal with straightforward and complex pregnancies and deliveries and offer antenatal and postnatal packages of care. So you have the peace of mind that should you or your baby need additional support, a full range of specialist services including on-site specialist neonatal services, critical care facilities, and specialist staff are here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

At The Lindo Wing we are extremely proud of our maternity team who take pride in the service we provide and consistently receive high ratings for patient care and experience.

The Lindo Wing is part of Imperial Private Healthcare, a dedicated facility which provides modern, world-class consultant-led care in one of the UK’s leading teaching hospital groups, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

About your stay in Lindo Wing

Your room
Your room is designed to provide you with comfort and privacy during your stay. Deluxe rooms and a suite are available on request.
All rooms are en suite, and have satellite television, Wi-Fi, radio, safe and a fridge. There is a bedside telephone or you may use a mobile phone in your room. You can also access the internet. A newspaper of your choice will be delivered to your room each morning. 
All postnatal rooms come with the comfort of a fully reclining chair should your partner or birthing companion wish to stay with you overnight.

Meals and drinks
All meals are prepared in a dedicated kitchen and a wide range of options are available. Our extensive and nutritious
menu caters for special dietary, cultural and religious requirements including vegetarian, kosher and halal meals. Please let us know in advance if you would like to order kosher meals.

Tea and coffee are provided at regular intervals throughout the day but you can ask for these at any time. We also provide tea and coffee for your guests free of charge. 
We have a comprehensive wine list, should you wish to enjoy a glass of champagne to celebrate your baby’s arrival.
Your guests are welcome to order meals and our catering staff will charge separately for this service. Breakfast is provided free of charge if your partner or birthing companion is staying overnight on the postnatal ward.

Visiting hours and protected rest times for mothers
Your partner or birthing companion is welcome to stay with you, however we have a protected rest time for mothers between 14.30 and 16.30, and we discourage visiting during this period, to allow you to catch up on some well deserved sleep. Family and friends are most welcome to visit after this period. 
We recommend no more than two visitors at any one time, but if you wish to receive additional visitors please speak to the midwife in charge. Any children must be supervised and remain the responsibility of their carer at all times. We may request that your visitors leave the room for short periods as and when required by your healthcare team.

We kindly ask that your visitors make themselves known to staff at the reception desk on arrival. Should you not wish to receive any visitors, please inform a member of staff who will make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.

Accommodation
We do not provide overnight accommodation for relatives and friends within The Lindo Wing, with the exception of your partner or birthing companion. 

Nursery services
All mothers have the opportunity to have a rest after the birth with the peace of mind that their babies are being well cared for by professional staff in our nursery.
We can also offer an individual nursery service. Please contact the midwife or midwifery administration manager if you would like to take advantage of this.
Insurance companies may not cover you for your baby to be cared for in the nursery. Please see our price list or contact us for more information. 

Going home
Your consultant and midwife will advise you when you are well enough to go home. On the day of discharge you will be seen by your consultant and your midwife, who will arrange for a community midwife within your local area to visit you at home. Your midwife will advise you about birth registration, health visitor visits, family planning and any concerns you may have prior to your discharge.
Our discharge time is 11.00 to allow us to prepare the room for another patient. An additional charge may be made for stays after this time. You will need to organise your own transport either by car.  Alternatively a member of staff can arrange a taxi for you. Please ask someone to bring in a baby travel seat on the day that you are going home as this is required by law.

The midwife will give you any medication that your consultant has prescribed for you to take home. Should you need a further prescription, please do not hesitate to see your GP.
To help you and your baby settle in at home, we have prepared a starter pack which can be purchased before you leave.

Birthing suite @ Lindo Wing

Footling breech in week 32

Pics taken today before I found out that my girl is (footling) breech

Today, at 31+4,  I had an antenatal appointment with my obstetrician at the Lindo Wing. 

Unfortunately when we looked at my baby, its showed that she is now footling breech (feet first), which apparently is quite uncommon.

I'm guessing this must have happened in the last week (she was head first, 3 weeks ago during my last scan), and explains why I've felt discomfort under my ribs and has become easily breathless as her head presses up under my diaphragm. 

Doc said that it's unlikely that she will turn again with the limited space, but that it's not impossible, and that we will talk more about it if she's still in that position when I see him again in two weeks time.

It's such a set back and has really got me down, and now this is all I can think about :-(

I've spent the whole pregnancy preparing for a vaginal birth - I had not even considered Caesarian!  I seriously do NOT want a Caesarean (even if it's a planned one), but breech deliveries are notoriously difficult and can be also dangerous, so obviously I will take the advice given to my by my doc and get my baby girl out safe. 

I now pray to any higher power that she will turn around in the weeks leading up to the birth, and I would be grateful if anyone has any experience on the subject with any advice to offer xx

Baby in footling breech, i.e feet instead of head first

Lindo Wing

A happy and heavy mama :-)
Coming out after my antenatal appointment today with my 29 week bump. Urine, blood pressure, bloods and the baby of course were all good!

Lately Ive had lots of questions about The Lindo Wing where I'm due to give birth. I will try and answer all the questions here as opposed to replying individually to each email.

Yes it is indeed the same place where Kate "The Duchess of Cambridge" Middleton had her baby, as well as the hospital that Princess Diana gave birth to both Princes, Harry and William.

You have to research well before you decide which consultant you want and preferrably book him/her in your first trimester, as most of them get booked up well in advance as people come from all over the country.

Your consultant will most likely order some tests that aren't done routinely on the NHS. Also, you'll get a lot more choice about antenatal appointments with a private consultant, and they all have a little ultrasound machine in their rooms so you'll get to see the baby every time.

Main reason why a lot of women chose to go private is because they want the freedom to have an elective Caesarean (C- section), they want to be able to come in as soon as labour starts (even only open 1 centimetre) and they want to get an epidural as soon as they arrive, and throughout the whole labour up until the last minute. 

Another important thing to highlight is that it's not a midwife who delivers your baby but the consultant you've chosen and seen for the duration of your pregnancy.

Convenience and comfort, that's what you pay for. We also happen to live only 10 minutes walk from the hospital which is very handy.

I gave birth to Sean at the Lindo Wing, and had such a wonderful experience there. I remember every time I pressed my call bell someone was there in seconds and I had loads of support, help and advice. 

And the post-natal care at night is simply fantastic. At midnight Sean was whisked to the nursery, so I could sleep, and returned to me every 3 or 4 hours so I could breast feed him. Maternity nurses manually showed me how to breastfeed, to change nappy and how to bathe Sean. It's obviously hard to tear yourself away from your newborn, but getting some sleep is definitely the best thing for the long nights ahead once you're home with the baby. 

The Lindo Wing, unlike the Portland Hospital, crucially has 24-hour access to critical care and neonatal units at St Mary's, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which is comforting to know.

All in all, the staff are very attentive and it's a bonus that your husband can stay over night with you in your room too -  I can't wait to be back there again to give birth to my daughter  ♥ 

Progress report

Today I went for the 20 weeks anomaly scan. I took my Mum along, to share the experience with me. I was so thrilled when she arrived yesterday so she could come to this appointment :-) It took roughly 40 minutes and the sonographer examined the following:

eye sockets, the nose and checked for cleft lip

Our daughter's head shape and structure was looked at (severe brain problems would be visable at this stage), and the abdominal circumference and thigh bone was measured

The spine

The abdominal wall

Her heart, valves and the major veins and arteries that carry blood to and from her heart

 stomach

 kidneys (checked for TWO of them, and that urine is flowing freely to bladder)

 arms, legs, and together we counted all 10 fingers and 10 toes! 

We were also shown the bum and genitals (see pic below)

Gestational age: 21 weeks 4 days

An excited but very nervous mama!

Nothing beats the intense feeling you get when you see that little person on screen, that little life you created that is growing inside of you. I could just stare at this image for hours!

Although the main purpose of the scan is to check that the baby is developing normally, they also confirmed the gender, and as this pic shows - it's very clear that we indeed are having a girl :-) 

We left the Lindo Wing very happy with the knowledge everything is well with my baby girl - what more could one wish for?! 

Strolling back home, along the Paddington Basin