I should have posted sooner but it has been a whirlwind. And SORRY it is a long story as I have to explain my previous pregnancy as well.

I would like to introduce my long awaited little boy Sebastian Alfred William Gill. He was born on the 16th August 2018 at 18:13pm weighing 7lb 3oz

Well let me start off this pregnancy although there was no issues it was classed as high risk due to my pregnancy in 2017 where I gave birth to a stillborn daughter Paisley-Eloise at 32wks due to no heartbeat and they believe it was because of micro vascular blood clots in my placenta.

So my partner and I began trying almost straight away, although I focused on other things like moving house the day before going on holiday January of this year. So glow told me my AF was due on the 3rd January 2018 when I was going on holiday. So I prepared and took both AF products and pregnancy tests. As soon as we got to our apartment in Spain I did a test and to my surprise a BFP. I continued to test till I got home two weeks later as I wanted to make sure it was correct and was still a BFP.

I rang the hospital straight away when I got back and had a early 8 week scan and everything was ok, got told I had to take aspirin and blood thinning injections everyday throughout the pregnancy. Fast forward I had my 12 week scan and everything ok and a strong heartbeat. Again fast forward to the 20 week scan and again everything fine and a strong heartbeat. We wanted to know if a boy or girl. We found out having a boy.

Now I will admit that I wanted a girl and was a tiny bit disappointed we weren’t having a girl but that feeling fizzled away very quickly and I couldn’t wait to meet our little boy.

I had to have regular scans every 3 weeks from 26 weeks and midwife appts every 3 weeks. Along with regular blood tests etc. Got told I would be induced early due to previous stillbirth. Had that many appts felt we knew everyone and could enjoy tea and biscuits lol

So every 3 weeks was felt with anxiety, me looking forward to the next appt and so relieved after seeing my boy his heart so strong. We finally got told I would be induced at 37 weeks on the 15th August.

The week before my induction date seemed to drag on but the induction day came soon enough.

I was admitted to hospital and given my hospital bed and all my partner could do was wait, I had my babies heartbeat monitored a few times and I was given a process to induce labour naturally, I was already at 1cm from my sweep appt with my midwife the day before. As time went on I thought it would never start as I heard it could take up to 48 hours to happen and I was hoping it wouldn’t be like that.

Fast forward to about 5:30pm and I was already having minor contractions and recording them on how often etc. The contraction continued on throughout the evening each time a midwife came to monitor me and baby and asking about the contractions they kept saying to look at me I didn’t look like I was in pain. However I told them I have a high pain threshold. However at around 11pm- midnight I had to ask to pain relief as the contractions were getting stronger and quite painful, although the pain relief did nothing to help. Eventually at around 5-5:30am we requested I be examined to see if I was enough along to do to the delivery suite.

They came to examine me although it was easier said than done, with my contractions I couldn’t lie on my back when having them or sit up. Eventually the midwife had to remove the propess in order to examine me. However the midwife struggled to remove it and it took her a couple of attempts to get it and remove it, this was extremely painful and then she had to examine me which was painful in itself, but to my relief I was around 4cm and ready to go to the delivery suite. They went to ring them and advise. I went out to the toilet whilst my partner waited at my bed. However I spent about 20 minutes on all fours on the floor coping with strong contractions. I eventually came out to go back to my bed to find a midwife with a wheelchair ready to take me down.

However I couldn’t even sit up. So in the end I walked downstairs to the delivery suite. I was handed over to my new midwife Cecelia and it then went to having more tests and given a canula for fluids.

Whilst I was having contractions in the toilet upstairs my partner rang my mum to tell her to make her way to the hospital as we were going to the delivery suite.

Eventually I gave in and asked for a epidural as he pain was too much. I had several doctors and nurses come in to speak with me and the anaesthetist.

After the epidural I was completely different and so much more sociable as I couldn’t feel a thing. Each time I was examine I was hoping I was further along. I then got told I was 7-8cm dilated. I was told of how strong the contractions were and eventually they told me they would break my waters. I got to 9cm and he wasn’t moving down so got told I would need assistance to deliver. I was given 2 options an injection and wait a few hours and see what happens or emergency c-section. Both my partner and I both decided a c-section was the way to go we wanted our son here rather than wait.

So I was taken in to theatre, our bereavement midwife from our stillbirth in 2017 was there and present for the birth. I was given a spinal block and hooked up to several wires and tubes. I could now feel nothing from below the bust and down. The young surgeon told me I made the right decision to go for c-section as there was a thick rim around my cervix and also he was back to back and would not have been born naturally anyway.

My partner came in all dressed in scrubs and the c-section was underway. Eventually they lowered the blue fabric in front of me and we both caught a glimpse of our baby boy. Moments later we heard his cry and I almost was in tears. This was the moment I had longed for and sound I had longed to hear as I wasn’t so lucky to experience it the year before. We got told he was 7lb 3oz and eventually we was able to see him and have our first photos together and then my partner had to leave whilst I was stitched up. Everyone was routing for us and all the midwives and nurses were fighting over who was next to hold my boy. I was finally once transferred to my hospital bed and I finally got to hold my little boy whilst I stayed in recovery for skittle while.

12 and half hours in labour and then to go for an emergency c-section my boy knows how to make an entrance.

I could not fault any of the staff, I was very well looked after by everyone.

Me looking rather worse for wear hooked up to all the machines. Photo courtesy of my boyfriend.

My little boy Sebastian at 5 days old with his big sister Paisley at his newborn photoshoot.

We do hope to give Sebastian a little brother or sister but in a few years time when he is a little older.

All I know is my little girl was Sebastian’s guardian angel and kept him safe throughout the pregnancy.