The Early Days

The Sproutling was born at 2:20am, but it wasn't until about 5:30 that we were taken up to the ward to our twin-share room.  After a few happy phone calls, it was time for Mr Ang to head home to get a bit of sleep, and for me to try to work out what on earth to do with a newborn.

I was lucky enough to be the first person into the room, so I got the window bed complete with a very nice tree'd view. I felt sorry for the lady I ended up sharing with - with her curtain drawn the whole time she didn't get to see the sun at all. On the whole she was a good roomie to have - although our little ones took turns at waking each other up.

The Sproutling and I spent four nights in hospital, including the night the he was born. It would have originally been three, but due to the risk of infection from the long time between my waters breaking and delivery, the paediatricians decided that the Sprout should have a 48-hour course of antibiotics so we would have to stay an extra night. I wasn't too upset about that at first as it would give me an extra day of enforced rest, but by the end of the third day I had changed my mind.

I was already being given antibiotics through the very inconveniently-placed cannula in the crook of my right arm which hurt every time I bent it.  I was so happy when, by the third morning, I had bent my arm and jiggled the cannula about enough that it actually accidentally came out. Thankfully they decided to stop my antibiotics rather than insert another cannula.

Poor little Sproutling also had a cannula inserted into the back of his right hand and had a little foam surfboard strapped to his forearm to keep it in place for the 48 hours. Mr Ang went with the midwives into the treatment room when they inserted it and said the poor little munchkin screamed the place down. Sprout spent the next couple of days alternately sucking on the surfboard or using it as a pillow - it must have been terribly uncomfortable.

The days and nights passed without a lot of sleep - hospitals are never quiet places and the bed was far from comfortable, but we had plenty of visitors to pass the time and the food was actually really delicious. The midwives were really friendly and helpful - we learned to change nappies, have a bath and got practical help with breastfeeding.

By the third day Sproutling was starting to look a bit yellow - the onset of jaundice. That night the pathology test results for infection came back all clear so his antibiotics could be stopped and the cannula removed. We were all excited about the prospect of going home the next day, but we had to wait for one more blood test result to make sure the jaundice wasn't serious enough to need treatment. They kept us hanging all morning and it wasn't until after lunch that we received the all-clear to go home, as long as we took a biliblanket with us.

So, out into the big wide world we went...