Baby
First, Happy Birthday to _Xan.
I’m not dead.
I just disappeared for a really long time.
And, oh yeah, had a baby.
So it has been an interesting last month or so.
July 24 was supposed be my last day at work, but had to finish early, about a week and a bit earlier because of my sciatica. It just got too much.
Then I had the baby shower on the 25 of July, and of the nearly 15 people invited, there was under ten people at the little party, including the couple who’s house it was at, and mum and I. But the important people were there and we had a good time.
Had a few games and everyone had a guess as to when I would have the baby. I left with a whole lot of baby bits n bobs and even a few little things for me. And there was even a bit of food left over. It was fun.
Then there was the waiting.
The waiting for my annual leave to get paid out, so I could get baby things I need.
And the waiting to have the baby.
My midwife said that in her experience all women have to get to the point of being over pregnant. And I definitely got there.
The sciatica had me doing light cleaning at home, and incapable of doing anything else really. And I was over not fitting my clothes, and feeling somewhat like a beached whale.
Everyone was very nice and said that I looked fine, glowing and like an expectant mum but I just wanted to not be pregnant anymore.
Finally on August 6, things started to happen.
Light contractions started at 8:10ish, and went all night. So no sleep for me.
My waters broke about 4:30am on Friday, my midwife joined me at home about 8am, we went over to the birthing centre around 10am and then at 11:35 exactly, my little girl was born.
I had an amazing water birth, no pain killers, no problems.
We did have a funny moment after the birth, when the placenta still hadn’t come out and we decided to move to the bed and try there. Unfortunately the umbilical was rather short, and so we made a funny cluster of people, mum holding the baby, Lindz the midwife holding a bowl under me just in case gravity would help the umbilical emerge, and my friend Jess trying to hold a towel around me, all tight around me, covering the short distance to the bed.
A tincture of angelica and the placenta was out. Intact and fine, mum had an look, I declined. It’s now been planted in the garden with a rose on top.
As for my baby.
Simply beautiful.
A light covering of brown hair on her head, dark blue eyes, ‘piano’ fingers and long toes. She does have an issue with her fingers, the tendons in the middle finger on both hands is tight and she can’t extend those fingers fully. And she has a bit of club foot on both feet, and a clunky hip (one dislocates, the other wants to) according to the paediatrician.
I’m waiting for the hospital to give us an appointment with orthopaedics for the feet and hips, and the other department for her hands.
If she does end up needing surgery on her hands, they can’t do that till she is 6-12 months old.
But it’s waiting about a month to be given an appointment, and then hopefully it’ll be shortly thereafter.
Oh, and her name.
Sorcha Morrigan Andrea.
Sorcha means brightness and is Irish, Morrigan is a Celtic goddess of death and rebirth, then named for me, and my family name, which I don‘t think I‘ll put up here.
So now I’m a mum and it is strange.
I have this little baby who is so dependent on me.
Feeding, changing, bathing and everything.
The day times are ok, feeding and changing however many times a day. We have cuddles on the couch, and visitors who have a cuddle, tell me I’ve done a great job, or drop off a small gift.
Nights are different. After a night feed, and change, my mum takes her to bed with her for the first part of the night, giving me a good rest, then in the wee hours of the morning baby Sorcha comes back to me for another feed and change, then I try to settle her and she finishes the night with me. If I can’t settle her at all, and get stressed then mum takes are by her back.
Nights are by far the harder, because I’m tired and get stressed easily. And the hormones don’t help. But mum is wonderful, helping me when I need it, and all without telling me that she is my child and my responsibility. She is supportive, and such a doting Nan.
As for the issue of paternity, I’m not worrying about it too much at the moment. Neither of the two guys has met her yet and I am not going to push. That’s not my job. If they want to, then I’m happy to have them visit, as long as I am home and not busy.
If I go back to work, and get the test done, it’ll cost about $1000 NZ for one test.
If I go on the Domestic Purposes Benefit (be a stay home mum) then the government department will pay for it, and recover some of the cost from the father.
But I can’t see myself returning to New World, I just don’t want to be there, and I don’t want to miss out on anything with my daughter.
I get 14 weeks paid parental leave, so I’m due to return to work at the start of November, right when Sorcha is about three months, and starts doing stuff.
And if you were wondering about pronunciation of her name, it is said Sor-ra.
Like I said, it’s Irish so no complaints about it please. I have had enough of that from my one of my ‘good’ friends. As if her complaints about it would make me change it.
Hardly detailed, I know, but that’s the gist of what’s been happening.
And best of all, I was back in my size 10 jeans within a week of delivery.
I’m not dead.
I just disappeared for a really long time.
And, oh yeah, had a baby.
So it has been an interesting last month or so.
July 24 was supposed be my last day at work, but had to finish early, about a week and a bit earlier because of my sciatica. It just got too much.
Then I had the baby shower on the 25 of July, and of the nearly 15 people invited, there was under ten people at the little party, including the couple who’s house it was at, and mum and I. But the important people were there and we had a good time.
Had a few games and everyone had a guess as to when I would have the baby. I left with a whole lot of baby bits n bobs and even a few little things for me. And there was even a bit of food left over. It was fun.
Then there was the waiting.
The waiting for my annual leave to get paid out, so I could get baby things I need.
And the waiting to have the baby.
My midwife said that in her experience all women have to get to the point of being over pregnant. And I definitely got there.
The sciatica had me doing light cleaning at home, and incapable of doing anything else really. And I was over not fitting my clothes, and feeling somewhat like a beached whale.
Everyone was very nice and said that I looked fine, glowing and like an expectant mum but I just wanted to not be pregnant anymore.
Finally on August 6, things started to happen.
Light contractions started at 8:10ish, and went all night. So no sleep for me.
My waters broke about 4:30am on Friday, my midwife joined me at home about 8am, we went over to the birthing centre around 10am and then at 11:35 exactly, my little girl was born.
I had an amazing water birth, no pain killers, no problems.
We did have a funny moment after the birth, when the placenta still hadn’t come out and we decided to move to the bed and try there. Unfortunately the umbilical was rather short, and so we made a funny cluster of people, mum holding the baby, Lindz the midwife holding a bowl under me just in case gravity would help the umbilical emerge, and my friend Jess trying to hold a towel around me, all tight around me, covering the short distance to the bed.
A tincture of angelica and the placenta was out. Intact and fine, mum had an look, I declined. It’s now been planted in the garden with a rose on top.
As for my baby.
Simply beautiful.
A light covering of brown hair on her head, dark blue eyes, ‘piano’ fingers and long toes. She does have an issue with her fingers, the tendons in the middle finger on both hands is tight and she can’t extend those fingers fully. And she has a bit of club foot on both feet, and a clunky hip (one dislocates, the other wants to) according to the paediatrician.
I’m waiting for the hospital to give us an appointment with orthopaedics for the feet and hips, and the other department for her hands.
If she does end up needing surgery on her hands, they can’t do that till she is 6-12 months old.
But it’s waiting about a month to be given an appointment, and then hopefully it’ll be shortly thereafter.
Oh, and her name.
Sorcha Morrigan Andrea.
Sorcha means brightness and is Irish, Morrigan is a Celtic goddess of death and rebirth, then named for me, and my family name, which I don‘t think I‘ll put up here.
So now I’m a mum and it is strange.
I have this little baby who is so dependent on me.
Feeding, changing, bathing and everything.
The day times are ok, feeding and changing however many times a day. We have cuddles on the couch, and visitors who have a cuddle, tell me I’ve done a great job, or drop off a small gift.
Nights are different. After a night feed, and change, my mum takes her to bed with her for the first part of the night, giving me a good rest, then in the wee hours of the morning baby Sorcha comes back to me for another feed and change, then I try to settle her and she finishes the night with me. If I can’t settle her at all, and get stressed then mum takes are by her back.
Nights are by far the harder, because I’m tired and get stressed easily. And the hormones don’t help. But mum is wonderful, helping me when I need it, and all without telling me that she is my child and my responsibility. She is supportive, and such a doting Nan.
As for the issue of paternity, I’m not worrying about it too much at the moment. Neither of the two guys has met her yet and I am not going to push. That’s not my job. If they want to, then I’m happy to have them visit, as long as I am home and not busy.
If I go back to work, and get the test done, it’ll cost about $1000 NZ for one test.
If I go on the Domestic Purposes Benefit (be a stay home mum) then the government department will pay for it, and recover some of the cost from the father.
But I can’t see myself returning to New World, I just don’t want to be there, and I don’t want to miss out on anything with my daughter.
I get 14 weeks paid parental leave, so I’m due to return to work at the start of November, right when Sorcha is about three months, and starts doing stuff.
And if you were wondering about pronunciation of her name, it is said Sor-ra.
Like I said, it’s Irish so no complaints about it please. I have had enough of that from my one of my ‘good’ friends. As if her complaints about it would make me change it.
Hardly detailed, I know, but that’s the gist of what’s been happening.
And best of all, I was back in my size 10 jeans within a week of delivery.