frankie247
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As it was, I woke up a little earlier and started to get myself organised - jumped in shower, took my second antacid tablet and a sip of water - already starting to feel hungry!
7.30am on Monday 9th July, I called Delivery Suite. I expected them to give me a time later in the day, as I was fully prepared to be waiting around until 5, but no, "we're ready for you now" they said.
Hubby was still in the shower, so I hurried him up a bit and we called a taxi.
Got to the hospital and shown into private room. Was given a gown to change into and compression stockings and had an ID bracelet put on my wrist. Shortly afterwards the registrar comes in with a portable ultrasound to check she was still breech. She was, so the consent form was then given to me to sign. The anaesthetist came in to talk to me about the spinal and inserted the canula into my hand.
They said I was first on the list, but a waiting game as any emergencies would take priority. Within minutes they came to collect me and I walked with the midwife and hubby to the theatre.
They sent hubby to change whilst getting me prepared. They did struggle inserting the anaesthetic - she had 5 attempts and each time injecting more local anaesthetic, but she just couldn't do it. I was starting to feel a bit nervous, as thought they were going to give me a general. They called the consultant anaesthetist who came and did it first time, I ended up with a combined spinal and epidural.
The feeling is very strange and as I had sat for almost an hour whilst they attempted to insert the anaesthetic - I began to feel very faint, so they gave me some adrenalin to help.
Hubby arrived then and they got started. I could feel them touching me but no pain or pressure and then suddenly about 10 mins later, we heard a cry. It was amazing. I can't even begin to describe, how it felt when I heard her first cry.
They brought her over for hubby to hold and the first thing I said was that she looked like a doll. She really does.
Hubby later informed me that just after she came into the world, the radio started playing Michael Jackson's Beat It.
Another 20 mins to fix me and then we all got transferred to recovery. Xanthe had issues with grunting, but that eased off within a few hours and as her heart rate and resps were fine - it wasn't too much of a concern to warrant a transfer to neo-natal. She also had low blood sugar and this resulted in her having to be formula fed in order to get her sugar levels to an acceptable level.
We got transferred to the ward and soon settled in. She's worth every bit of pain and I'd go through it a million times over if I had to - in order to have her.
Our first night alone together was a little tough because she was a very hungry baby and so combined expressed breast milk with formula milk and in the end I think just the stress and trauma to both of us, the fact her sugars were low etc made me decide to exclusively formula feed.
The next morning, I get told that my catheter will be taken out and once I've gone for a shower, I'll be moved into a private room for the duration of my stay.
Getting out of bed was incredibly difficult, walking I felt like my insides were falling out lol. I got in shower and took off bandage from scar but I soon began to feel lightheaded. I pressed the call button and managed to sit myself on to the loo before I fainted. There must have been 5 midwives when I came round, fanning me and taking my blood pressure which had dropped from 140/80 before I got out of bed to 85/63. I was propped into wheelchair, the registrar was paged and she arrived within 5 minutes. I quickly started to feel better and they gave me some extra fluids through my drop and took blood to make sure I hadn't lost more than they thought.
That evening was painful due to stitches and emotionally tough because I was desperate to be able to do things for Xanthe - all I could do was snuggle and feed her. Someone else had to make her milk, pick her up, change her etc. As I was in a side room the hubby was allowed to stay the night which really helped.
10pm that night they told us I'd be discharged the next day. I had to continue administering Clexane by injection for another 3 days (5 in total) and that was that.
8am on Wednesday morning my dad picked us up from the hospital and we've been settling in well at home since then. The injections sting, and I'm finding it sore and difficult to move around.
The midwife came today 5 days after Xanthe's birth and has removed my stitches so I'm moving alot more freely and feel much more comfortable. My back however, is very sore and very badly bruised and grazed from the multiple attempts at anaesthetic.
Xanthe Rose was born by elective cesarean section due to breech presentation. She was born at 10.05am on Monday 9th July and weighs 8lb 1oz.
She's absolutely perfect and already is my entire world.
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xxx
She's beautiful 
So glad you're both ok and settled in at home. Enjoy every minute, it goes so fast! x x
