Pregnancy and a new baby

My last post was back in July 2012 where I mentioned that Bernadette was pregnant with our 2nd child, we had just bought our first house, second car and I was fully embracing Buddhism.

Pregnancy

Most people would say that the thought of my wife having a 2nd child should have been a happy occasion and I should be filled with joy. But, I didn't think I was prepared or able to cope with another child as I was still suffering with fatigue. Also, it didn't help that Bernadette had very bad morning, noon and night sickness for the first half of the pregnancy and then very bad SPD (pelvic pain) and she was on crutches for the last couple of months.

I was feeling myself getting more and more depressed as the 'big day' approached in December and was not looking forward to being a dad for a second time. Bernadette started having labour pains at about 4:30pm on Friday, 21st December so I called the midwife. She said there was nothing to worry about so just keep an eye on the contractions.

But by about 5pm, she was in agony and screaming in pain, so I dialled 999 to call for an ambulance. Bernadette, in the meantime was kneeling at the bottom of the stairs as this helped her a bit, and Robert was in the living room with cbeebies on but screaming as loud is his mother.

One thing to point out that it was the Friday before Christmas (Black Friday) and the traffic was bad and the ambulance service was really stretched.

The operator then said that an ambulance is on it's way but there is a chance that I may have to deliver the baby myself. So I hurdled Bernadette grabbed a handful of towels and blankets to but below here and prepared myself, all the while the operator was keeping me calm by telling me what to do.

At the bottom of the stairs!

Thankfully, the paramedics turned up 15 minutes later and the delivered the baby, and one of them, who was also called Rob, stayed with our Robert to try and keep him calm. Bernadette couldn't move from the stairs so the paramedics had to deliver the baby where she lay. As a result, our 2snd baby boy, Daniel, was born on 21st December, 2012 at 5:50pm at the bottom of the stairs on our house in Barry!

After the birth I sat on our chair in the living room watching In the Night Garden with the new born baby in my arms, whilst the paramedics helped Bernadette with the final stage of the delivery. The afterbirth took longer to come out than the baby did.

Because I was still a bit panicky I called a very good friend, Alina who only lives a couple of minutes away, to come to our house to help me with the new baby and look after Robert for the night, who had finally stopped screaming! She helped me bit a nappy on the baby and then took Robert back to her house for the night. I need to say a very big Thank You to Alina and her family for being able to help is, she is one amazing and special friend. 

Bernadette then went to the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff and I had to take the new baby in my card as there was no way to transport the baby in the Ambulance. I must be the only dad who delivered the baby to the hospital. She had to have a bit of work done, such as stitches, and they had to move a blood clot from inside her that was almost bigger than the baby.

I've got to say this was the most exciting and frightening experiences I've ever been through and I've got to praise the 999 operator who kept me calm and explained what I had to do, as well as the paramedics for delivering the baby.

We even made it onto the front page of the local Barry & District news, I'll post the write up so you can read it. 

That's it for now and that's how I ended 2012 by becoming a new dad. My next post will by a summary of 2013, being a dad for the second time and my continuing Journey.