My brand new baby is already seven weeks old, and I'm just starting to find the time to take stock. It hasn't fully sunk in that I'm a parent.
However, it's been less of a shock than I expected - we had our first trip out (to the supermarket) on day three, and we're still seeing friends regularly, albeit at our house and earlier in the day than before.
The birth itself was fine, but didn't follow my rather idealistic plan. I went into labour at five days overdue, but there was a small medical problem that meant I needed to go into hospital and see a doctor. That was the end of the home birth! Once in hospital I was kept waiting for hours, during which time I didn't progress. In the end I needed to be induced, so had an intravenous drip of syntocinon, a synthetic version of the hormone oxytocin, with an epidural alongside.
The delivery was straightforward though, with no more interventions. This was very lucky because it meant my recovery was pretty much as fast as I could have hoped for. Then little Benjamin and I were wheeled along to postnatal ward, but there was no sleep to be had - once one baby began crying it set the others off - so by the end I'd had three sleepless nights. What a start to parenthood!
I finally slept at home, and my husband looked after Ben for a couple of hours to give me extra time in bed. This has been a lifesaver on several mornings. Luckily he's been at home quite a bit, helping me remember to have fun and enjoy our new little bundle.
The friends I met at my antenatal group have also been very important. We meet every week and have become really close, as you might expect from people who have been through such a dramatic time together!
See Kate's last posting before the momentous day
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