But this, of course, could not last.
So, here is the timeline for the arrival of Leah:
9.08 Changed, suited and ready to go to work, on a Saturday, for some information morning for Primary parents. Go to kiss Katie goodbye...
9.09 Waters break! Phone deeply suspicious colleague to cancel lift and say I won't be in school today. Perfect timing.
9.10 Phone midwife. 'Lie down, count the contractions.'
Thoughts turn to the kick off of Scotland - Italy, 11am local time.
9.25 Midwife phones. 'Are you ok? Good. Meet me at the clinic at 1230.'
Perfect! No school, Six Nations rugby, what a great kid..
10.00 Contractions regular but not increasing in intensity. Bags packed. Katie relaxed and calm.
10.25 Starting to get a little nervous. We haven't got the best away record against Italy, and it'd be a shame to undo all the good work in the victory against England last weekend.
11.15 Half time. Scotland up 14 - 7, and am seriously considering naming our girl 'Mike Blair'.
12.00 Midwife phones to say she's gonna be a little late, say 1245. Fine, contractions still regular.
12.30 Feel nauseus. Masi drops a goal in the last minute to win it 23-20. Leave for the clinic, bags on arms. It's about 8 blocks from out flat, so we're walking. This is Katie's choice, cynics, and not because I wasn't prepared to pay for a cab. Shame on you.
12.40 Arrive at clinic, sign in, find a seat. Contractions regular, and not as yet insane. Sheils heads home.
12.45 No midwife. Katie seems completely cool about this. I am a mess.
13.oo Still no midwife. I'm sure she has a good reason for being late.
13.15 Midwife turns up with three bags of 'Liquidacion' (Sales) shopping on er arm. Not a hint of an apology, and takes charge. OK, Katie was not in latter stages of labour, but she wasn't to know that? Then again, the woman delivers 35 babies a month, so maybe she can do what the hell she wants.
13.16 No obstetra. Katie is also cool about this, whilst my head explodes.
Midwife informs us that our obstetra is not in town that weekend, he is on his estancia and won't be back for a couple of weeks. This should have been a disaster, but after our Falso Alarmo, I think we'd have been just as happy using an Idiot's Guide to Delivery.
13.30-? The next few hours are something of a blur. Plus I can't imagine you want the real details, it's more of a conversation topic than one to convert to print.
In brief, to give you the very short version, the baby arrived some time later. And she looked absolutely gross.
Fortunately I was a little prepared for this, but only since the day before. In conversation with my older brother, he'd said, So, it's about that time. And I said, Yup. And he said, Well, prepare for the biggest disappointment of your life.
And that was very funny and very true. They do not look like Pampers Models from minute one. Makes that 'controversial' Benetton Ad look very tame.
I was taken away with the little screamer for various tests whilst Katie was pretty much abandoned. I pointed to various parts of the little un and asked, Esto, es normal? Y esto, es normal? and the nurses humoured me. Yes, that weird, moving discoloured shape is normal. It's called a b-a-b-y. Then they took her away, and sent me to our room.
And some time later we were reunited, in 204, and some irresponsible idiot left her with us forever.
And that is, more or less, is the Birth Story.
No comments:
Post a Comment