Almost there!!

21st November 2015 - our official due date!

I didn't go back to work after her heart diagnosis and just decided to take the time to concentrate on enjoying every minute of being pregnant and savouring those precious months. I spent the time getting to know my baby girl, enjoying every kick, every turn and the 4am parties in my belly! I could tell she would be a handful already! 

Of course we were worried about what the future held but for as long as she was in my tummy, she was safe.

We had growth scans every 2 weeks from 28 weeks which meant we got to see her grow all the time and gave us the reassurance that she was okay. 

At one point, the Consultant overseeing our case, told us that she was measuring quite small and that they would probably need to deliver her early. This was a huge blow to us. Premature babies are precious enough and have their own struggles but premature babies with heart conditions are a whole other story. 

We were seen in our local hospital for our growth scans and then in Glasgow every other month for review with the Specialists. When I mentioned how worried I was to our Doctor in Glasgow about what we had been told about her size, she was livid. She explained that our girl was growing at a perfect rate and doing amazingly well given her situation.  She had no intention of inducing us early and in fact gave us the date for induction just 10 days before my due date!

On Sunday 8th November my family threw me a beautiful baby shower. It was just a small afternoon tea with my closest family but it was perfect. I felt a little bit off all day but couldn't really put my finger on what was wrong. 

I went to bed early and woke up when Adam was getting up for work on the Monday morning. I couldn't get comfy enough to go back to sleep so got up for a pee!! When I got back to bed I felt something ping and the need to go back to the loo! My waters had broke! It was just a trickle but there was no doubt what was happening!

I told Adam he better phone his work and then I got showered before I phoned triage! No one wants to give birth without washing their hair at least!! 

We had been booked in for induction in Glasgow as that's where the Cardiology team who would be looking after our baby was based. We knew as soon as she was born she would be taken away, possibly without even a quick cuddle. 

If we went into labour early then we were to go to our local hospital and if there was time we would be transferred by ambulance to Glasgow. If we didn't have time, the baby would be delivered there and taken by blue light ambulance to Glasgow without me. 

When we got to triage they immediately contacted Glasgow and arranged an ambulance. Not much was happening and so it looked like we would make it in time. I was so relieved. I wanted her to have the quickest access to treatment and I didn't want to be so far from her.

On arrival in Glasgow we were taken to a small 4 bed ward. It was so old fashioned and run down it actually had mould on the wall! We got settled in and examined but I was only 1cm dilated. It looked like we were here for the long haul.

By 10pm I hadn't dilated much further but was having tightening's regularly. As nothing was going to happen that night they sent Adam away. We didn't want him to be too far away and he had already booked a hotel near the hospital for our induction day and so they changed our booking and he went to stay there.

I was alone most of the night apart from a screaming banshee I was sharing a room with! The nurses were kept busy with her demands for a bath and a phone and everything in between that I was pretty much left to my own devices. 

I put my headphones on and tried to get some sleep. They were taking me for induction first thing in the morning and I wanted to at least have some rest. 

I didn't sleep a wink!! 

Adam on the other hand was living it up in a gorgeous hotel room! He still owes me for that!!