WOYWW? Ruby !

Did you know your whole world can change in a matter of seconds... ? Exactly a week ago ours did. Forever. Making her debut appearance on WOYWW, let me introduce you to Miss Ruby Marlene Engels. Born Wednesday 20th June at 3.31pm, weighing 6lbs 15oz.

Things started moving along on the Tuesday and in the early hours of Wednesday morning things really sped up including the pain and inability to walk! We went across to our local Maternity Unit only to be told things weren't 'quite' ready yet, so we prepared to waddle home for a few more hours before heading off to the big hospital. At the last moment a few dips in Ruby's heart rate concerned the midwife and before I knew it I was whisked off in an emergency ambulance. It was a very rough and lonely 40 minute journey, I started being sick and hubby could only follow in the car.

By this time I felt pretty ill, but I was glad to be in a safe place, back with my hubby and so I just 'handed' myself over to the medical team. Continuous sickness, increasing contractions - but no dilation, and a rising temperature were taking their toll. A loud Polish doctor's "Just keep going to midnight" and "No painkillers means no floppy baby attitude" was not so much fun either... I listened only to the advice of my fantastic midwife who saw I was struggling and went for an epidural. Then, amazingly in the space of 75 minutes, I went from 2 cms to 9.5cms and was told my baby would arrive in the hour!

Just enough time to allow my mum be at the birth too... After an hour of uber-intense grunting and bearing down, and with a now new, young doctor on board (amen), it was decided to help Ruby with a ventouse and a few snips. Ow! With one final grunt and suck, out she came and was placed on my chest. Two big, blue eyes looking up at me. My little girl. Incredible. The next couple of hours are a bit of a daze as I went downhill fast, taking quite a while to start recovering from the temperature and dehydration.
It all sounds pretty traumatic... But she's here, she's safe and she's ours. We are just so, so incredibly grateful, amazed and astounded at how wonderful and perfect she is... And as you can see all her animated expressions are just so precious..every single one. And yesterday we brought our little miracle back home.

I will share more another time, but just want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you for so many wonderful wishes, thoughts and prayers. Sarah... and Ruby.