On Wednesday I travelled back to Cornwall to await Mia's birth. Her due date had been the Saturday before, 20 July, but she obviously had other ideas. On Thursday Emma started labour but it was a slow process. We did visit the local maternity hospital but after examining her they said that although everything was going well and Mia's heartbeat was strong it could be up to forty-eight hours before she was born. Friday was a difficult day after little sleep on Thursday night and not much during the day for Emma. She returned to Penrice on Thursday evening and this time they kept her in. Dilation was very slow and by 03.30 hrs on Saturday morning she was ambulanced to Treliske Hospital in Truro so that she could have an epidural. This followed the same pattern as the labour of my daughter Libby when she was having Charlie just over six years ago. Penrice doesn't have the possibility of any pain relief stronger than gas and air or pethidine as it is midwife and not doctor run. Again almost no sleep on Friday night so Emma, Oliver and Emma's Mum, Linda, were exhausted as Saturday morning dawned.
I was meeting a friend for coffee and received a call to say that things were progressing and it shouldn't be too long. We then went on to have lunch and just before 13.15pm I got another call to say that Mia was finally delivered safely at 13.07hrs and later I found out that she weighed in at 7lbs1½oz. She has been feeding and sleeping well and seems very content and placid. She has dark hair and perfect skin and looks like a clone of Emma, her Mum, which is no bad thing. In other words, just a beautiful baby. Her proud Daddy is holding her in this photo.
There will, of course, be plenty more photos to follow but I just wanted to put this posting on my blog as I'm such a proud and lucky Grandma. A beautiful boy with Charlie and now my gorgeous granddaughter, Mia.
Three things I like:
1. Being a Grandma to Charlie and now Mia.
2. Sleeping better during the last few days than I have for a while lying, unbelievably, on a blow up air bed. So much for my very expensive Adjustamatic bed in France!
3. Being with my family for these important days.
