Adventures of my Mummy Tummy: Pregnancy and Baby No 1

Our plan was to wait around a year before we started trying for children, but 1 month after getting married we received an unexpected surprise! We were on two forms of protection. We knew one failed but not the other. I was very regular with my period, so when the 19th came and went with a no show we knew the second form had failed too!

When we got married i was around 52kg. At the first antenatal visit i weighed in at 55kg.
I would say the pregnancy was pretty text book. As my period was really regular and we knew the conception date, it made due date and keeping track of height/weight quite easy.
At 7 weeks i had some spotting and THE WORSE urinary tract infection ( i grew up with these and knew what they were like. I tried Ural sachets and cranberry juice but it didn't work.) We went to the Dr as soon as morning came i was given antibiotics and scheduled for an ultrasound. They didn't let me see as they were checking for a heartbeat first. Thankfully all was OK and after a week the infection was gone.
As my belly began to grow, my lower back really was feeling the strain.
Around the 20 week mark i pinched a nerve and was put on bed rest. I continued to get bigger, and baby was measuring 2 weeks ahead.
As i got bigger my ligaments struggled to support my growing belly. One day with just under 12 weeks to go, i was carrying the wet laundry out to hang on the line. We had two steps to the back yard and not being able to see my feet, i slipped. Left leg went down the steps, right leg was left behind and the basket of washing fell to my stomach as i tried to catch myself. I heard a POP! Dang it! there goes my right hip again.
I have no idea how, but i managed to roll over and drag myself to the fridge using my elbows and good leg. I pulled myself up, and as i did, POP! hip went back in. I grabbed the ice and hobbled to the couch where my phone was. there i stayed until Joshua could make it home.
Off to the hospital, confirmed sprained wrist and dislocated hip. Then my first Ambulance ride to Women's and Children's for monitoring of the baby. He was fine.
Since then i have lived with constant hip and lower back pain.

Week 36 was our Antenatal class at Women's and Children's. As they passed the epidural needle around, i had a strong feeling that i would be using it and having a C-Section.
That night I had severe contractions. Some would say no, no, they were just braxton hicks. Well for anyone wondering, Braxton Hicks is the tightening of your stomach and uterus with a small uncomfortable feeling. Contractions is the same thing but with pain! (i say if its worse then your period pain then its a contraction)
They started around dinner time as Braxton Hicks, then as the night went on they stepped it up! They were coming every 4 minutes and lasted around 1min. During this time i emptied my bowels. The bath tub was on the left and there sat Joshua for support. As i was still sitting on the toilet, i had another contraction. It was so bad i vomited everywhere. (After Joshua asked why i didn't aim for the bath. I reminded him that he was sitting there) My wonderful Sister-in-laws did the clean up.... Oh did i mention i was at my in-laws?

Anyway we called the hospital and they said come in when they reach 3mins apart. They never did. All i remember is i was resting my head against the couch between contractions, then i woke up with no more pain.

I remember thinking how unfair that was. I went through all those hours of pain for nothing! If this was what labour felt like, i didn't want to do it again.

Tallyn's due date was 24th Feb. The morning of the 22nd around 5am, i woke to the pain again. It was bearable. I got dressed, went to church at 9:30 all while the contractions were increasing. I couldn't stand being quiet any longer and decided to leave after sacrament meeting was over. We got home around 11am and i watched Gilmore Girls to pass the time. They got worse and i ended up on the bed on my elbows and knees. Finally around 3pm they got to 3mins apart. We called the hospital, were told to come in and be assessed. I was 3cm dilated.

I don't remember much after that besides the gas making dizzy and have a headache. Around 7pm i had the epidural. I was able to sleep a bit. Poor Joshua had a choice of the bath or a chair to sleep in.
They checked me every hr, and topped up my epidural every 2hrs.
No improvement. They gave me the drug to increase contractions. Still no improvement.
By 7am Tallyn was in distress. By 8am, as i had guessed, i was on the operating table, shaking uncontrollably from the spinal. A couple of Min's later he was out.

My boofa of a boy with a giant cone head.
He Weighed in at 8lbs 15oz.

I don't remember much about the 5 day hospital stay. It was all a blur. I do remember almost fainting during my first shower tho. And i remember that i struggled to breastfeed. Tallyn had such a Strong suck that my nipples tore.
They kept pushing me to breastfeed and fight through the pain. I had a breast consultant (MALE) come and check my boobs out. That was the most uncomfortable experience of my life! Tallyn lost more then 10% of his birth weight so they started the electric pump and topping up with formula.
I was over it.
On the way home we bought formula. Best thing i ever did! Turned out he was Lactose intolerant anyway.

Two weeks later i felt like normal.