What a Difference a Week Makes

Last week was to be my final week of work before our baby's due date on April 5th. We had nearly finished the Nook on Sunday, Monday night I went for dinner with a girlfriend and on Tuesday Chris and I woke up and went to work as usual.

The only unusual part about the day is that I was feeling kind of crampy and had had no sleep the night before. I had been suffering from bronchitis for the past few weeks and the baby's position was making it hard to go even half an hour without getting up to pee. None the less, I went off to work and spent the day with Molly as usual. By the time three o'clock rolled around the 'cramps' were sometimes five minutes apart so I checked in with my midwives, just in case. They suggested I keep track of my progress and call them back. I felt fine for the most part so I finished my work day, came home, did a load of laundry, tidied the apartment and hung the lamp in the Nook. I am aware that this is not what normal people do when they're nine months pregnant and crampy, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. It wasn't until eight o'clock that my midwife checked in again and suggested that we meet at the hospital because at just 36 weeks 2 days pregnant with a breech baby (head up, not down) and 'cramps' that sounded suspiciously like contractions, it was the smart thing to do.
 
My mom, Chris and I arrived at BC Women's Hospital at nine, I was admitted, checked and at three centimetres dilated, pronounced most definitely in labour by my midwife. Who knew contractions would be so easy that I didn't even know I was having them?! Soon after we were attended by an obstetrician who deemed a Cesarean Section the safest option for all based on baby's gestational age and positioning and by 1:30am I was in the OR preparing for the birth of our child.

Eloise Kathryn Wilkinson was born on March 9th at 2:27am, weighing 4 lbs 8 oz and measuring 45 centimetres long. When they pulled her out and said, "It's a girl!" Chris and I cried and then Eloise cried and it was love at first sight. Because of her size we were in the hospital for four days while Eloise adjusted her tiny body to life outside mommy's tummy. She is doing unbelievably well now and developing a voracious appetite which means she's growing like a weed (good thing too, because we have not one article of clothing that actually fits the little peanut!).

So, what a difference a week makes. Chris and I thought we were prepared to be parents but no amount of reading or research could have prepared us for the amount of love Eloise has brought everyone over the past week. We're so lucky she chose us.