# Elspeth



## Lizzzie (Apr 24, 2011)

I had a bleed 3 weeks ago and have been in hospital since - the placenta was gr. 4 low lying which meant that having bled once there was a very high risk of me bleeding disasterously and they wanted to watch me very carefully, while waiting until 38 weeks to deliver. It was the longest few weeks EVER but it's amazing how quickly you become institutionalised in a hopspital (I'm still looking around at half five every day for a tray bearing my meal to arrive). I took up knitting and the staff were wonderful; when I got fed up, they arranged for some ladies to come round and give me a facial. The NHS is a wonderful thing.

Anyway, Elspeth arrived by c-section on Wednesday. I hate being on the receiving end of injections but the anaesthetist was very jolly and friendly and it was more comfortable than I'd expected. The scan had suggested a posterior placenta previa (i.e. behind the baby) but when they made the incision, they would see it was actually anterior, so they had to cut through a very bloody placenta before they could bring her out. I was watching in the reflection of the surgical light, thinking 'oooh this is a bit more gory than I was expecting' but the nice anaesthetist kept me occupied by talking to me and I didn't really twig about the placenta until the next day.

The op went well. She looked enormous when they lifted her out - 8lbs 6oz. She's amazing, fluffy fair hair and  bright blue eyes. The first night was hell. She cried every time I put her in her cot, but I wasn't supposed to lift her in and out of the cot because of the pain, and I wasn't allowed to go to sleep holding her. I gave the midwives a very hard time trying to get out of bed when they took her away to calm her down and by n ext morning, I was so tired I turned into the patient from hell. They were very good to me though. They found me a room on my own. I'd lost a lot of blood overnight and was beginning to feel dizzy, so they offered me a blood transfusion which perked me up instantly and things just got better and better after that.  Two days later, she's settled into a routine and is no trouble at all.

I still can't stop looking at her.


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## rachelha (Apr 24, 2011)

So glad everything worked out well for you in the end.  Congratulations on Elspeth's birth.


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## Copepod (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzzie and all best wishes for your lives together.


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## vince13 (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzie - it's all worth it when you hold her in your arms isn't it ?

Take care of yourself too and enjoy the love you feel for her just now - the teenage years are yet to come !!


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## KateR (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzzie and welcome to the world Elspeth.


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## cazscot (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzzie and a warm welcome to Elsbeth


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## margie (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzie on the birth of Elspeth.


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## Laura22 (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations! I wish Imogen would settle into a routine as quickly as Elspeth did! x


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## Catwoman76 (Apr 24, 2011)

Lizzzie said:


> I had a bleed 3 weeks ago and have been in hospital since - the placenta was gr. 4 low lying which meant that having bled once there was a very high risk of me bleeding disasterously and they wanted to watch me very carefully, while waiting until 38 weeks to deliver. It was the longest few weeks EVER but it's amazing how quickly you become institutionalised in a hopspital (I'm still looking around at half five every day for a tray bearing my meal to arrive). I took up knitting and the staff were wonderful; when I got fed up, they arranged for some ladies to come round and give me a facial. The NHS is a wonderful thing.
> 
> Anyway, Elspeth arrived by c-section on Wednesday. I hate being on the receiving end of injections but the anaesthetist was very jolly and friendly and it was more comfortable than I'd expected. The scan had suggested a posterior placenta previa (i.e. behind the baby) but when they made the incision, they would see it was actually anterior, so they had to cut through a very bloody placenta before they could bring her out. I was watching in the reflection of the surgical light, thinking 'oooh this is a bit more gory than I was expecting' but the nice anaesthetist kept me occupied by talking to me and I didn't really twig about the placenta until the next day.
> 
> ...



Congratulations, I'm glad everything worked out well in the end  When I was in hospital, just over two weeks, I was very well looked after and cared for as well.  Take care and best wishes Sheena


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## bev (Apr 24, 2011)

Hi Lizzzie,

I am so happy for you - and I love the name too.Bev


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## Cate (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations  you've picked a lovely name for your little girl too.


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## teapot8910 (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzie! Glad to here you and little Elspeth are doing okay  xx


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## Sheilagh1958 (Apr 24, 2011)

Congratulations and welcome to the world Elspeth


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## Blythespirit (Apr 25, 2011)

Sorry to be late with this, only just seen it.

Congratulations form me too and welcome baby Elspeth. XXXXX


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## PhoebeC (Apr 25, 2011)

so pleased for you, glad your both ok. love the name xxx


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## lucy123 (Apr 25, 2011)

Congratulations to you all - how brave watching in the reflection - hope things stay settled for you all.


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## bigpurpleduck (Apr 25, 2011)

Many congratulations! Hope you recover quickly and enjoy your first few weeks together.


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## grahams mum (Apr 25, 2011)

congratulationsand i hope you get to your normal self very soon  and beautiful name


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## pinkemz (Apr 26, 2011)

Huge congrats to you. Well done you!!! Love the name. All the best. You will have to put some pics up xxx


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## smile4loubie (Apr 26, 2011)

Congratulations Lizzie xxxxx


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## Dizzydi (Apr 27, 2011)

Congratulations lizzie, beautiful name x


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## Lizzzie (May 1, 2011)

Aw!  Just back (hubby moved into new house for us while I was in hospital, no tinternet link-up yet), thanks for all your 3 pages of lovely messages :0)  Don't worry, she's just about learning to keep us awake for long stretches of the night now so haven't missed out on the full mothering experience after all!- she's still doing fine, though I can't hike up the hill to the shops yet as fast as I could have done before going into hospital, but it'll take time.

That's got me thinking - now might be the perfect time (Ok, I don't mean NOW- I mean next month, or maybe 2 months or maybe 6 weeks away) to start training for a marathon (OK or maybe a 10K. Or maybe, actually, 3k to start). Always meant to try running, and I can't really take off hill-walking for a full day anymore..... has anyone done this?  After pregnancy, I mean? Any thoughts? Any post-preg Mums want to do it too?

Photies available on facebook, message me and I'll make friends.


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## MrsCLH (May 1, 2011)

Congratulations on the arrival of Elspeth! I did a marathon pre-pregnancy so if you have any questions about training and managing your diabetes fire away! I'd love to do another post-pregnancy so you'll have to keep me posted on your progress


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## Lizzzie (May 8, 2011)

Fantastic, thanks.  I 'can't run' at all (i'm a hard-core hillwalker but running seems to use different muscles, somehow, and previous attempts to 'go running' have left me in a crippled heap very quickly. Now I'm the most unfit and flabby I've ever been). How did you start?


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