Eloise's Diary Entries Diary Navigation: Choose A Diary Entry -------------------- Latest Entry: 12/2/99 -------------------- 11/28/99 11/24/99 11/20/99 11/17/99 11/10/99 11/3/99 10/26/99 10/20/99 10/13/99 10/6/99 10/4/99 9/28/99 9/15/99 9/9/99 9/2/99 8/26/99 8/19/99 8/5/99 7/30/99 7/16/99 7/6/99 5/14/99 5/14/99 5/7/99 4/27/99 4/15/99 4/8/99 3/25/99 3/20/99 3/19/99 3/18/99 3/12/99 3/9/99 3/4/99 -------------------- Eloise's Introduction

Introduction

I feel pretty sure I wanted to give birth in surroundings like this, with minimal intervention. I hate the thought of being hooked up to this monitor and that, not being able to move around freely, and being surrounded by mechanical machines and cold steel and bright lights. In the birth centre they say they encourage the use of oils and music, your husband and other family members can be with you the whole time, you can give birth in any position, and they had huge showers in every room with two hoses on either side so you can have hot water pounding and soothing your labouring body during the ordeal. And they have gas and pethidine (I think) for pain relief. No epidurals, thank god! Who wants a huge needle shoved into their spine?! Not me thanks very much! They have a room full of bean-bags and mats and huge round balls you can use, a library full of books you can borrow. It was pretty groovy really!

Anyway, the birthing centre is totally booked out for late November when I’m due! A fairly popular option it seems. But I’m first on the waiting list and the midwife I spoke too seemed pretty certain someone will drop out between now and then and I’ll be in! Phew! I have my fingers crossed.

I have yet to see the delivery suites within the normal hospital. I toured the ward where all the women who’d just given birth were housed. Fabulous views! The hospital is right on the edge of the city centre overlooking a beautiful parkland with the most gorgeous tall, stately trees and glossy green manicured lawns and flower beds. It looked beautiful from the sixth floor wards yesterday - it was a bleak grey morning, light drizzle, and the gardens were vibrant with red and gold autumn trees towering through the gloom. Fabulous!

Anyway, I’ve got no doctors appointments or anything for six weeks. Yum. When I get back I have my second hospital appointment and an ultrasound scan booked but until then - nothing! Hallejuiah! I’m free for a while. Free to get used to this pregnancy a little more before more doctors, and more tests, and hospital tours, and thoughts and decisions about birthing, and ante-natal classes etc. intervene.

Oh, and I finally told my mum and my brother that I’m pregnant. My mum was really excited. She loves babies and said she’ll get out the knitting needles. I’ve sworn them to secrecy for now, but my mum is already hassling me about telling other people before I leave. She wants to blab the news to everyone. I’d rather wait. She particularly wants to tell my eight-year-old niece who will be over the moon with excitement. She’s been asking me for years now, "when are you and Jai going to have a baby? I want a cousin." I promptly tell her she’s already got two little cousins (on her father’s side) who she sees often and enjoys playing with, but she always promptly replies, "but I want your cousin." It’s a bit lonely for her being the only kid on our side of the family I think. And she loves me and Jai to death. So she’ll be really really excited when she finds out. But too excited to tell now - she’d go out of her way in her excitement to blab to all and sundry.

I was looking at pictures of pregnant bellies in a brochure I received at the hospital yesterday and I was shocked to see that the 16-week pregnant belly was already obviously protruding. When I return I’ll be 18 weeks, and I suspect I won’t have to say a word to anyone. It’ll be obvious the moment they lay eyes on me and my round belly. A weird thought - and not quite how I imagined people finding out. Oh well.

Anyway, I’ve raved on long enough. I hope I’ll be able to continue posting entries while I’m away but I won’t have access to the Internet so I’ll have to try and find a cheap Internet café to post my diary entries from. I’ll do my best. If I fail, I’ll be back online in six or so weeks.

So until next time, whenever and where-ever that may be, all the best,

Eloise