Jed
and I didn’t really have time to let the overwhelmingly wonderful
news sink in when we looked at the pregnancy test together to see
that we were parents. The day after, while Jed was at work, the
heavens opened and Jed’s family lost their home to sudden flooding.
(Click here for the blog posts we did
THE FLOOD.) For over a month we had four of
his younger brother’s living with us. It was brilliant fun for the
most part but the morning sickness soon set in and it would only take
someone to talk about eggs for me to feel nauseous. Poor Jim dropped
an egg in the kitchen and I had to make a mad dash for a toilet and
on another occasion, when our sole bathroom was occupied, Jed lost
his half-eaten porridge to the result of my queasiness!
Nine months later, a
few “twingy” pains made me realise that our baby had decided it
was time. Jed was coming home from work on the bus and I was telling
him via text whenever I felt one of these pains. It only took two for
him to predict the third from the times on our messages. Literally
ten minutes later, I felt this involuntary tightening, heard an
audible pop and was suddenly wet…it was a good job I was sitting on
a towel just in case! I quickly texted, “Jed, I think my waters
have just gone…” and almost in the same moment he walked through
the door. Jed quickly got changed and then helped me upstairs to get
into a nightie and into bed. We then called my parents who jumped in
their car to do the five hour drive to get to us and then Jed’s Mum
and Talitha who came over straight away. It had only been half an hour or so since my waters broke but my contractions were really
getting quite powerful and Jed stayed by my side feeding me banana
and sips of orange juice, even though he was really hungry himself as
we hadn’t had any time to eat dinner.
As the contractions got
closer, Jed’s Mum started rubbing my lower back and that was just
the best thing ever. Don’t ask me why but I could not have laboured
without that. In fact, I got so desperate that if she stopped I
apparently gave poor Jed a good wallop on the shoulder for not
cooperating properly! There were moments when it was very painful,
especially when the contractions were sometimes a minute long and
thirty seconds apart but for the most part, thanks to Jed, his Mum
and Talitha, I felt remarkably peaceful, happy and excited
throughout.
Now, it had only been
four hours or so since my waters went, so I’ll never forget the
look on Jed’s Mum’s face when I told her I needed to push! I
really meant it though and I was so ready to have the baby that Jed
had to call 999 and ask for an ambulance. When he described how I
was, the first responder on the phone started talking Jed through
what he needed to do to deliver the baby himself! Thankfully within
twelve minutes the paramedics were there and I was whisked away,
breathing in the sweet relief of gas and air. We had planned on a hospital birth with the labour being at home for as long as we could manage. We waited for a break between contractions so that we could get in the car, but it never came. So we very nearly ended up having our baby at home.
There was a small amount
of confusion upon arrival at the hospital, however, as I got bounced
back and forth from the delivery suit and the MLBU because of a mix
up with my name. By the time I was on the bed the baby was already
crowning! I had no more gas and air at this point but with just a
couple more pushes Jasper was born at 0:27am on Friday the 3rd of
March, only six hours after those first few twinges. He was a perfect
little boy with big, dark blue eyes, fair hair and very healthy and
strong as he could push himself up on his hands from birth! He only
weighed 6lb 5oz but he had such a big personality right from the
start. I recovered really quick as well, with only minor tearing, and
I was so grateful to my Mum (who completed their five hour drive with
my Dad just minutes after Jasper was born) bringing me lots of snacks
because I was starving! We named our baby
Jasper Eleazar David, JED, after his dad and they are so a like in so many ways. Jasper is a
lovely, thoughtful boy who loves to laugh. He keeps us on our toes,
learning to crawl and sit up at only five months. His favourite
things are definitely books and food at the moment as well laughing
at the silly things Jed and I do! We praise God for our beautiful
bundle of blessing and no doubt you’ll hear of more his antics very
soon.
 |
| Tom, being silly! |
 |
| March 1st 2017 at 40 weeks |
 |
We thought this was cute! This is Jamie Oliver's baby
Visit Jed's blog Jacob&Jamie! |
 |
| And this is Jed with Jasper.....don't they look alike?! |
 |
| Jasper wrapped in the blanket Rosie had as a newborn |
Nine months later, a
few “twingy” pains made me realise that our baby had decided it
was time. Jed was coming home from work on the bus and I was telling
him via text whenever I felt one of these pains. It only took two for
him to predict the third from the times on our messages. Literally
ten minutes later, I felt this involuntary tightening, heard an
audible pop and was suddenly wet…it was a good job I was sitting on
a towel just in case! I quickly texted, “Jed, I think my waters
have just gone…” and almost in the same moment he walked through
the door. Jed quickly got changed and then helped me upstairs to get
into a nightie and into bed. We then called my parents who jumped in
their car to do the five hour drive to get to us and then Jed’s Mum
and Talitha who came over straight away. It had only been half an hour or so since my waters broke but my contractions were really
getting quite powerful and Jed stayed by my side feeding me banana
and sips of orange juice, even though he was really hungry himself as
we hadn’t had any time to eat dinner.
As the contractions got
closer, Jed’s Mum started rubbing my lower back and that was just
the best thing ever. Don’t ask me why but I could not have laboured
without that. In fact, I got so desperate that if she stopped I
apparently gave poor Jed a good wallop on the shoulder for not
cooperating properly! There were moments when it was very painful,
especially when the contractions were sometimes a minute long and
thirty seconds apart but for the most part, thanks to Jed, his Mum
and Talitha, I felt remarkably peaceful, happy and excited
throughout.
There was a small amount
of confusion upon arrival at the hospital, however, as I got bounced
back and forth from the delivery suit and the MLBU because of a mix
up with my name. By the time I was on the bed the baby was already
crowning! I had no more gas and air at this point but with just a
couple more pushes Jasper was born at 0:27am on Friday the 3rd of
March, only six hours after those first few twinges. He was a perfect
little boy with big, dark blue eyes, fair hair and very healthy and
strong as he could push himself up on his hands from birth! He only
weighed 6lb 5oz but he had such a big personality right from the
start. I recovered really quick as well, with only minor tearing, and
I was so grateful to my Mum (who completed their five hour drive with
my Dad just minutes after Jasper was born) bringing me lots of snacks
because I was starving! We named our baby Jasper Eleazar David, JED, after his dad and they are so a like in so many ways. Jasper is a
lovely, thoughtful boy who loves to laugh. He keeps us on our toes,
learning to crawl and sit up at only five months. His favourite
things are definitely books and food at the moment as well laughing
at the silly things Jed and I do! We praise God for our beautiful
bundle of blessing and no doubt you’ll hear of more his antics very
soon.
