I would like to start out by telling you that often I have these fleet moments of clarity and excitement where new topics come up by me and I realize I MUST share this with my bloggers, so I immediately jot it down so that I won't forget it. As I'm noting these down I already start formulating a basic structure by identifying 4-5 main points around this idea that I want to incorporate into my blog. I might as well add that as I officially start to write on the topic, I find I have a million thoughts racing through my mind all at once like an avalanche and I always end up typing away like a mad person trying to catch up to my thoughts. Sometimes I stop and glance back and it seems without structure, so I truly hope it somehow has some rhythm to it and makes sense to some of you. Take for instance the topic around birth...I started out as per normal and planned to write about certain points, but as I started to blog about them I ended up adding more points and finding things that I felt is essential to add for the readers. As I was about halfway with this article, I realized I will not be able to fit all into just one blog. Therefore please find part 1 of 2 or maybe 3 below :) 
Our original birth plan was not very original or elaborate. The plan was a straight forward natural birth. We did not want to experiment with water birth, hypnosis, Lamaze breathing or other weird and wonderfuls. We wanted a normal birth where both of us could be present to share the magnificent moment of our baby finally joining our family. We wanted to both be there to share in the moment and the experience of seeing our son the first time and afterwards holding and kissing him and cuddling him as well for the very first time.
Upon our last check up, the gynecologist told us that a natural birth did not seem possible as Keyan still had not "dropped", moved down in the birth channel, and the amniotic fluid/water was now starting to get too little to sustain Keyan. It was becoming too dangerous to wait any longer. She proposed if we really wanted to, we could wait one more day at most, and then if there was still no signs of arrival, we had no choice but to opt for a Cesarean section. OK, so we had one more day we thought, and were hopeful but started to make peace with the idea that natural birth might not be happening. Now as you all know already from past blog articles, I am a serial "planner and researcher" and having only 2 days time to look into this new option of giving birth was a little scary for me. Insane in fact :) {{but I also believe I can do anything I set my mind to}}. At this time, we were 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant, so 4 days overdue and Günther had made a Christmas-bed* in-front of the TV for me to just relax. The Christmas-bed* tradition has become a very popular tradition in the Adendorff house and any opportunity is used to bring out the bed. Whether it is one of us being sick, a short vacation or urgent recuperation needed, it is awesome :) So here, between snoozing, eating and watching some TV, I was looking into the topic in more detail.
What was even more daunting to me, was that I needed to check into the hospital one night before the planned and scheduled C-section the following morning at 07h00. I would have to stay there without Günther or Toffee. The next evening arrived and still no sign of Little Mr so I grabbed my overnight bag with all essentials which had been packed weeks prior and we were on our way to drop off Toffee at Ouma Nellie's house. Big tears followed as we were back in the car. Toffee had been following me EVERYWHERE and "protecting" me and the belly at all times. He was too cute. Always lying on top of my tummy. We call him our furry son because he is really just that. But how Toffee and Pippi were chosen and joined our family is another story for another time ;)
So once at the hospital, that awful, empty feeling was not going away. Günther came with me and helped set everything up in the hospital. Water jug, earphones, Mommy in Pajamas and I was set for the night. I planned to just sleep and get the night over and done with. Günther was on his way home with clear orders {{he is an absolute night owl}} to go sleep and be fresh, ready, on time and back by 06h00 to help calm my nerves. Little did I know that a million and one tests and preparations were still ahead for me, making me even more nervous. Blood pressure, stress test for the baby, forms to fill out, signatures to be given etc etc. Then finally I was left in peace. There was already another mommy with a baby in the room and it was strange to hear that little quivering voice cry in the middle of the night. I was happy to be able to doze off in between my nerves getting the better of me but by 04h00 I just could not sleep anymore. I watched some random movie, a heavy drama and finally, I could hear the nurses starting to make their rounds again. Every now and then, when I thought of what was about to happen, my heart would skip a beat. After what felt like eternity since I had said goodbye the night before, Günther arrived back at the hospital and I instantly became calm and ready again.
We had to prepare and dress in hospital gowns and finally the time was here. We had chosen an epidural (spinal block) and this was the only place Günther was not allowed to accompany me to. By now I not only had butterflies in my stomach, but airplanes were circling and wanting to come in for the landing due to my nerves reaching a climax. I had on purpose not done too much research on this as I am very scared of needles and injections. To my surprise and very welcomed, my gynie came and joined this process and held me as the anesthesiologist did the four step process. 1) You sit on the edge of the bed and someone holds you (in this case someone I knew :) 2) the area where the needle will go in the back is numbed 3) The needle as big as a fire hose gets inserted 4) The line is inserted into the needle, which transports the ongoing medication into your body to numb the lower body. That's it. If you have a very good anesthesiologist, they will walk you through everything and make you feel comfortable. I can confirm I did have a weird feeling when they performed this process, but honestly now in hind sight, do not remember much of that part anymore.
From here, we were wheeled into theater, a small room with many bright and blinding lights....
to be continued :)
*Christmas-bed: a Tradition that my husband brought into our family, which originated from his childhood days, where they would carry their bed's mattress to the living room in front of the TV and make a bed there in order to relax in comfort whilst enjoying the entertainment on TV etc.
We had to prepare and dress in hospital gowns and finally the time was here. We had chosen an epidural (spinal block) and this was the only place Günther was not allowed to accompany me to. By now I not only had butterflies in my stomach, but airplanes were circling and wanting to come in for the landing due to my nerves reaching a climax. I had on purpose not done too much research on this as I am very scared of needles and injections. To my surprise and very welcomed, my gynie came and joined this process and held me as the anesthesiologist did the four step process. 1) You sit on the edge of the bed and someone holds you (in this case someone I knew :) 2) the area where the needle will go in the back is numbed 3) The needle as big as a fire hose gets inserted 4) The line is inserted into the needle, which transports the ongoing medication into your body to numb the lower body. That's it. If you have a very good anesthesiologist, they will walk you through everything and make you feel comfortable. I can confirm I did have a weird feeling when they performed this process, but honestly now in hind sight, do not remember much of that part anymore.
From here, we were wheeled into theater, a small room with many bright and blinding lights....
to be continued :)
*Christmas-bed: a Tradition that my husband brought into our family, which originated from his childhood days, where they would carry their bed's mattress to the living room in front of the TV and make a bed there in order to relax in comfort whilst enjoying the entertainment on TV etc.
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