At the beginning of week 3 at home we try to get Alex into a bedtime routine. We did this with DD and now she is a great sleeper so fingers crossed it will work with him too. He is sleeping in his moses basket in the lounge until we go to bed then he comes into our room normally. But on Saturday night when he is two and a half weeks old I take him up at 6.30pm and put him to down to sleep in his basket. When DD goes up to bed at 7pm herself, it is officially a child free zone downstairs. Of course it takes a while for him to get used to it and apart from a couple of nights when he sleeps straight after his milk, we are up and down the stairs either feeding, winding or soothing him. But actually he doesnt seem to cry much, just when he wants cuddles. We will will have to see how it goes. There'll be a few cold dinners eaten by me and DH no doubt over the next couple of weeks or so.
Apart from that though, he is great during the night, waking about every 3 hours for feeding but then amazingly going straight back to sleep in his crib afterward without any fuss. I get my sleep in 2.5 hour chunks through the night - could be a lot worse..........
When I was in hospital BBC radio Northampton came for a look around the ward and did some interviews with people ready for a live show from Robert Watson Ward on the 10th January. They asked me at the time after a brief recorded interview whether I would mind if they called me when they were doing the live show on the 10th Jan so that I could report back in and give an update on how I was getting on with the baby back at home. So on the Monday of this week I tuned in to listen and it was very odd to listen to the presenter doing the live show and he was describing everything about the ward and doing interviews with staff. Breakfast Wendy was interviewed and a couple of the midwives that I knew while I was there. The phone went at 7.45 and I was put on hold whilst waiting to go on and they played back my original interview recorded back in December - I felt quite emotional listening to me talking, I have no idea why, I guess it just felt like a lifetime ago and such an emotional time, life on the inside before Alex came along. Then Joe said, and here we have her live on the phone...... I was only on a few minutes and he ended the interview in typical presenter cheesy fashion - ' so Helen, will you be booking into the Robert Watson Hotel and Spa for another break in the near future?? Ho ho ho' Err no, Joe I don't think I will thank you very much.......
I send in a card for all the staff and order a load of cakes to be delivered to the ward for all the staff to say thank you for looking after me while I was in. I did put a little note in the card for Paula with my hospital blog address just incase she might be interested to have a look. She is a very busy lady though but thought I would share my experience with her and the staff.
I had a bit of luck this week too as I was going through some work insurance stuff to find that I am part of a hospital cash plan thing and although I knew about it, I didn't actually realise that it paid out for hospital stays aswell as general stuff like dentistry, optical stuff etc. Bloody hell, £17.50 per DAY for any hospital stays including maternity related for more than a 10 day stay. Woo Hoo.......what a bonus. I have to get a form signed and stamped by the hospital to prove I was there. I arrange to pop back on the Thursday to the ward to get it sorted out, they have done these before and don't mind. Me and DH are in Northampton that day as we have an appointment to get Alex registered and get his birth certificate.
On Thursday after we drop DD at school we go over to Northampton to pop to the hospital and then go on to the registry office. DH stays in the car with Alex while I pop back in to the ward. I feel a bit goosebumpy as I walk down to the ward doors and press the buzzer. Now I am the visitor !!! I wasn't expecting to be allowed on the ward, I thought they would just come and get the form from me but no I was buzzed in........Oh My God, I cannot tell you how strange it felt walking back down that familiar corridor to the midwives office. And Breakfast Wendy is doing the morning drinks - she sees me and looks back down at what she is doing then looks up at me for a second time and does a double take - Helen ! she says and she throws her arms around me and we have a big hug. She didn't recognise me in outdoor clothes....and I carry on into the offfice and I am so pleased to see that Paula is on duty and Rebecca too. Paula looks at me and says she spent the previous evening reading my blog and was overwhelmed by it - she laughed and cried at it and wants to know if she can share it with all the staff and to get it printed off to keep a copy. I am amazed and flattered that she did spend her own time reading it but she said its a real tribute to the work they do on Robert Watson ward. She thought the best bit was me crying all over the Mayor on Christmas Day morning. I am not sure if the Mayor would agree with her. We chat for 10 minutes or so about how everything is going. She completes the form for me and before she sends me off to get it stamped we have a big hug and I say goodbye - her and Rebecca keep looking at me and say they cannot believe how well and normal I look. Well I am just in my jeans but with a bit of make up on and blowdried hair but I did look like a bit of a bag lady during my hospital stay so they havent seen me looking normal before. As I go back out, I look to the left to room 10 - and the showers/loos etc and I actually feel nostalgic. Wendy is still about and we hug again. I know its unlikely that I'll ever see any of these ladies again and I don't actually want to leave yet. What is wrong with me to actually feel this way I wonder. I am I not normal???? Do I have no life at home with my lovely family and friends? I suppose this place was just such a big deal and part of my life for 5 or so weeks and so many of the staff became my temporary family and friends while I was here. I go past the notice board with all the thank you cards on it and see mine now up amongst them. While I was in here I would stand and read all the cards just for something to do.
Anyway, out I go, get my form stamped and go back out to my husband and son.
We go to the register office and we make it official - baby boy is officially Alexander William. No changing our minds now and he is the proud owner of a birth certificate. We then go on to DH's Aunties house for lunch and spend a lovely afternoon with her and she gets to know Alex.
What a really lovely day........
I end the week with another trip to the docs on Friday and the old Blood Pressure reading experience freaks me out again with a reading in the 90's. I cannot help it, just thinking about it makes it high for me. The Doc isnt too worried, says that they might have to do a 24 hour reading on me at some point but for now use my home monitor and write down the best of 3 readings each day and report back in next week...........still on the tablets in the meantime.
DH goes out for a couple of beers and a curry to wet the babys head on Friday night. I feel slightly un-nerved at the prospect of being in charge of 2 children for the evening but he is out on the condition that he goes after he has got DD to bed and that he doesnt end up on some mental drinking session and come rolling home at 5am. In the event its fine, even when DD gets out of bed after he has gone and choosing the only evening that DH hasnt been in for weeks to need a poo and want help wiping her bum. Not an easy task when you have a baby on your breast I can tell you but we cope. She is quickly learning the art of patience.......
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