Nova Winter - Birth Story

Hi friends! Happy 2019! It's been a minute. BUT, we're back, we're focussed, we're ready to actually put some effort into this blogging thing (so we say... we'll see how it goes!) As you can see, by the above image, this page just got a whole lot cuter! Our cosmic girl, Nova Winter, was welcomed into this world, on Wednesday, 21 November 2018 at exactly 09:05AM. She arrived after 24 hours of labour and she kicked and screamed her way into our physical reality. Let's jump into her story... Or what's been written of it so far.

I lost my "plug" on Monday, 19 November 2018 at 06:15AM and started having a few cramps, but nothing major. After calling my older sister, asking "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN" she said that labour was probably not far off... Panic street! Mishka and I started to get our home/bags/lives in order and waited it out.

On Monday evening, the cramps got a little worse - still, not too bad; but I was panicky and we decided to call the hospital. The Midwife on duty told us not to come in until my water breaks, so we went to sleep, and waited.

During the night the pain continued to escalate and I was so uncomfortable. Each time we called the hospital, we were told something different, by someone different. I was anxious, frustrated and so confused as to what my next steps should be. So on Tuesday, at about 08:00AM we decided to just show up at the hospital (we pulled up and my mom was already there and waiting.) They checked me and I was dilating, but not far enough for them to let me stay, so the midwife told Mishka and my mom to take me walking, and I'd be back that night.

It was a rainy day, so we opted to walk around the closest mall (and stopped by Kavè Road for a quick drink... One of the Baristas decided that it was the day to clean the pipes/drains/something... Needless to say, I had to make my way to the bathroom within minutes, as the smell was absolutely FOUL. I still have anxiety about going back there, because of it. lol.) We walked as long as I could, but I was slowly getting more and more tired and the pain was increasing by the hour - so we decided to go home and wait it out. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, my groans were keeping both Mish and I out of sleep, and I actually couldn't stay at home anymore. We got to the hospital at 02:00AM and were greeted by the most terrible Midwife I could ever have imagined being on duty. She attempted to check me, in the most insensitive and painful way and my body literally clamped up, with tears streaming down my face, to which she proceeded to refuse to check me for the remainder of the night. Thankfully I was the only patient in the whole facility, so Mishka and I were able to walk up and down, do exercises and cry loudly (haha) for hours on end, no thanks to mean midwife (that's her new name.)

As soon as 07:00AM hit, it was a shift change and in walked my guardian angel. (I don't doubt that Jesus sent her exactly when I needed it the most.) She checked me at about 07:40AM and I was 7cm's dilated, but my water had not yet broken, so she broke it for me. She let us know that it would probably be another 4 hours before I could start to push (it wasn't even 2 hours later, that she arrived.) Well... Once my waters were broken, the pain... WOW... The pain. It was beyond what I was prepared for, I think it was beyond what my husband was prepared for too, haha. I undressed myself entirely, as this insane heat overtook my body. All self-awareness went way out of the window. Mish did his best to help me with the pain, lifting me up and down, massaging my back, holding my entire's body weight when I could no longer stand. The last thing I actively remember, was blood gushing down my leg and Mish screaming for help. I was put on the bed and told to start pushing, at 9cm's. Mishka says I was completely out of it, not using my words, responding with the vaguest of nods and softest of stares. When speaking to each other a few weeks later, he said that there was a point where he didn't think that I would make it; I admitted to making peace with it too, whilst lying there. (Thankfully that was NOT the case, but scarily, that's where both of our minds were in the moment.) The midwives assisting were wonderful. I will never forget their kindness, gentle tones and the overall love with which they delivered my baby. At exactly 09:05AM, our 43cm, 2.8kg our miracle was born.

I almost immediately "sobered" up. Suddenly I could see clearly again, I could hear what everyone was saying, and on my chest was this little girl, screaming her heart out.

My first words were, "why does she look like an alien?!" hahaha, seriously though. She was born with WIDE opened eyes and I was unprepared for the weirdness of a newborn baby... She responded by weeing all over me. I guess I deserved it. Even through the strangeness of her appearance (which lasted all of 1 hour), and the pain and trauma of it all, I never knew a love like this existed. The love that she brought along with her was unlike any other. Instantaneous. Unbelievable. Indescribable.

Wow.

This is my baby.

MINE.

Flesh of my flesh. Fruit of my womb. My Hallelujah.

Six weeks later and I can't imagine a life without her.

R xx