Hello "New Baby"!!!

It started at 4am in the morning with contractions that woke Celest up. She just couldn't go back to sleep - they were about 10 mins apart. So what we did was hang around to see how things developed - I went back to sleep again (Celest took a shower, walked around, packed her bag) and woke up to pack mine too; it was around 6.30am.

At that time, the pain was getting stronger so Celest called the hospital and they told her to go in. Dad gave us a lift and we took the baby seat along to assemble it (Merv and Deb borrowed it and cleaned it before returning it).

Celest was 4cm when we go it (around 8+) and the contractions kinda stopped. Baby changed it's mind?

After Celest cleared her bowels, Dr. Sadhana broke Celest's waterbag; about an hour later - the contractions started. About 3-4 mins apart. It got stronger and stronger and she scratched my hand and made lots of holes in it. The contractions got stronger and stronger and my hands couldn't take it - so it was timed breating and pulling on the bed poll and such. It look really painful from where I stood.

Finally, Dr. Sadhana shows up again around 12+. Celest is around 8cm at this point and the doc says almost time to push. She pops into the neighbours room and comes back - Celest is practically crying at this point and Dr. Sadhana says to PUSH! So Celest starts to PUSH and PUSH - her face shows real pain and torture but unfortunately, the Doc and nurse says she has to try harder.

So it's HUFF and PUFF and PUSH PUSH PUSH. It's past 1pm now.

Suddenly, Celest manages to muster up all her strength and the "coaches" go - "Good girl! That's it!" and Celest pushes like crazy. Next thing I know, I see the top part of the babies head coming out and BOOM - it's a GIRL!!!

Dr. Sadhana let's me cut the cord - although she is afraid I cut her fingers too and it's a difficult cord to cut! They put her in the baby warmer and clean her up and voila - one clean baby girl.

She's was born on 1317 4 Jan 2005 at 2978g and she looks like her parents and older brother Nigel.