Our new arrival and birth story...

We are delighted to announce that on the 4th December Mia Robyn Anna came into this world. Just like her big brother she was overdue, but unlike her brother's hectic birth story we opted for a calmer experience.

The consultant advised that we had three options:

1) induction, as before, which would 

likely be long and painful and end in an emergency section

2) wait it out which could be risky for her as we were concerned about lack of movements

3) elective section which would be calmer and less risky than an emergency section 

It was a tough decision as last time The Belgian had the whole summer holidays off and thus time we have a toddler too. However I didn't want a repeat of my previous birth and so I was prepped for my surgery three days later.

It felt surreal driving into hospital early knowing by lunchtime our baby girl would be with us. I had a carb heavy pizza and garlic bread the night before and a small carton of Ribena for breakfast as advised.

We had to answer lots of the same questions and sign forms. We met Dawn our midwife with the toddler and I was a bit disappointed when she didn't remember us quite as clearly! 

Our appointed midwife Lorraine was very down to earth and kind and came to get us around 11 to walk me down to general surgery.

The Belgian sat watching Homes Under the Hammer whilst I was taken for the bit I was dreading - the spinal. I am not the biggest fan of injections and obviously last time it was all a blur if madness and necessity in a haze of gas and air. But this time I was lucid and opting to have this big needle inserted into my spine. Craziness.

The young anesthetist, who had seemed so lovely and competent, took half an hour to get the needle in. I was zoning out and singing songs in my head when I noticed all had gone eerily quiet and there was a lot of fiddling going on behind my back. They kept asking if I was a horse rider and if my spine was straight!? In the end an older guy had a try. A 'fresh pair of hands' a midwife subtly suggested.

He did it first time.

When they wheeled me into the bright lights I broke down. That experience had been pretty traumatic and the idea of what lay before me was daunting too. Luckily it was my consultant Cat and she was clearly very proficient at her job. The OR filled with random chat between colleagues and the calm I had been promised was evident. 

Our baby girl was lifted out and cleaned up and given to The Belgian. I couldn't believe how much she resembled her brother from the dark hair and eyebrows to the button nose and milk spots to the perfect little rose bud mouth. Once again we were in love.

We had three names in mind Mia, Amber and Lexi but when we looked at her we both agreed she was a Mia and we had already agreed on the middle names. Robyn as it is my sisters middle name and Anna like her super-Oma and also her daddy's middle name.

As they wheeled me out she made a little cry and the midwife said she was hungry. The moment I'd been dreading. I thought I would give it a try and she latched on straight away. I was really proud of us both. I had been led to think I was defective with Ellis 

We had worried we didn't have enough love for a second but this is clearly not the case and we can't stop smelling her, cuddling her and marvelling over how perfect she is.