Some of you Mamas who are a Stay at Home Mum have already been in isolation raising the kids at home 😉
… but seriously, how are you keeping in this COVID19 environment we’ve found ourselves in?
I live with my Family in Victoria as a Stay At Home Mum and at the time of writing this post we are still in lock down v2.0 (after the earlier lock down v1.0 was unsuccessful here from mid-Mar to mid-May 2020).
Let’s try and stay ahead of the game Mamas and stick to the Government guidelines so we can get back to our Best Lives!
Despite the most recent troubles our Family celebrated two weddings recently!
So instead of focusing on all the negative drama I thought I’d go through some of the positives of being ‘stuck at home’ with my Family.
I’ll list the Top 3 reasons here:
Home Schooling (yes I think this is a good thing!)
Connecting with Family, video calling and spending time
Iso-tainment and organising the Family to be more efficient with routines
So let’s jump into each section 😀
Home Schooling (I think this is great!)
Our daughter is at our local Montessori School and in Cycle 1 which has children aged 4-7yo in the same class.
We were afraid that some of Eme’s reading, writing and behavioural development was lagging…
That was until covid19 hit and we we’re forced to home school for 2 weeks at the end of Term 2 and then another 4 weeks in Term 3 until they were allowed to return back to school.
Our typical day looked like 2-3 video classes and some home based activities driven by the school curriculum.
One big learning for me was using Microsoft Teams.
It was pretty straight forward by the end of it and the kids learnt some group video etiquette (which is worked in progress) 🤣
We also celebrated our 2yo being admitted in his first day at child care.
He did so well and like most of you who chose to be a Stay At Home Mum, you’re never completely sure if they’d ‘take’ to being away from home.
After some initial nerves, Ky did really well and when we returned to pick him up at the end of the day…
And he was trying to run away at continue playing in the sand pit.
I guess that was a success!
We started off being scared with allowing the kids to mix with technology but COVID19 forced us to review this.
The reality is… the world is heading towards more and more technology.
Plus home schooling involves tablets, Microsoft Teams and learning apps.
It was a situation of educating ourselves and reducing the fear and assumptions we placed on technology and tablet use.
Let’s just say we are aware but not afraid 🙂
Something we’ll keep an eye on and review regularly.
Early on we used my phone to tap into the virtual classes until Nani and Papa bought Emelina her own tablet. Thank you 😘
Connecting with my Loved Ones
Being forced to stay home meant spending a lot of time with my Family which was a blessing in disguise.
Often we would make our way to a lot of the walking tracks around our village of Gisborne.
We are so lucky and fortunate.
Even now the recent lock down restrictions we sit slightly outside the lock down zone.
That means our local services, restaurants and schools are still open… for now (update: Level 4 restrictions have just been announced for Melbourne for 6 weeks and regional Victoria Level 3)
We revisited some local walking tracks, visited Trentham Falls and returned to Kyneton Botanical Gardens.
Other times we would call Family and friends on Zoom or Messenger to connect and check in on loved ones.
For that brief window when lock down lifted in May we welcomed my sister Kathy and Leki’s brother Veni to stay over on different occasions.
We were able to throw a little celebration for them as they missed out on a birthday party due to the quarantine challenges.
My little nephew also celebrated his birthday too and we were happy to have the Family for a nice little catch up.
Stay At Home Mum Iso-Tainment and Improved Family Routines
Improved routines has also been a additional benefit of quarantine.
We’ve found some things could be done in a better plus reviewed and celebrated what was working for us.
Things have changed considerably since these last blog entries and I’ll do my best to update it with 3 x kids soon.
Long story short, we have the same processes in place it’s just with an added degree of difficulty.
Instead of changing one diaper it’s two at the one time. Instead of putting one down for a nap its two.
Good thing is that Kyneton (our 2yo) is increasing his days at childcare soon although it does make me sad as my kids are growing quickly.
Don’t worry I’m definitely holding on to them while they’e small and cuddly.
During Iso we were still able to send the kids off to school, childcare and participate at Gymnastics. But things are about to change and we’ll wait to hear what we can and can’t do.
Another great event during Iso was a “Friend In Me” home disco event.
Highly recommend this positive Mamas group as they hosted an awesome FREE event at home! Keep an eye out for their next online disco.
Eme has also taken to skating and explored our local skating ramp and half pipes.
She needs to work on her spider senses though. She was almost the reason why some of the other kids had mini-accidents 🤣
That’s my little Iso-Update Mama’s.
Regardless of your own situation being a Go To Work Mum, Work From Home Mum or Stay At Home Mum we’re on the same boat.
Yep that’s right, my sister Vikki decided to bring their wedding forward and celebrate it in May 2020.
At the time we were still in Lock Down from the COVID19 pandemic so we were limited with only 10 people at the Ceremony and 20 people after the Reception.
Vikki looked beautiful with make up done by the talented bride @VIPbeauty.melb 😁 and hair done by the glamourous Joesph Metusela aka @hairbyjuju.
Fortunately my parents have 2 x dwellings on their property so we could host 40 people at the Reception.
Big shout out to the guys at Events N Sisters who did a great job in setting up the double garage to an elegant Hampton’s feel for the decorations. Awesome work 😀
Shout out to the team at EventsNSisters
The day started off nicely with Vikki and her daughter and flower girl Bella getting ready at our Family home in Thomastown.
It was heartwarming to witness Vikki give Bella her gift and tell her that she will love her forever 😙
Love you Bella!
The Ceremony
From there we travelled to the Gateway To Glory Church in Braybrook for the Ceremony. As it goes with restrictions there were only 10 people that could witness the wedding. Luckily I made the cut!
The boys – Pita and Princeton got ready in the family home in Sunshine. I can imagine it was a lot easier to manage the wedding given the number of guests was limited as per the health restrictions. Despite that, we had a great time!
The page boy Princey
Soon after the Ceremony there were some opportunities to take some photos and family shots Congratulations Vikki & Pita!
After some family time we made our way back to Thomastown to the Family home for the Reception.
The Reception
Appreciate a lot of the work from people who helped with cooking the food and Siyonisound recording the special day.
After guests started to arrive and the food was served the Couple of the day arrived and entered the Reception.
One of the highlights of the Reception was a presentation organised by my sister Taina from people who send their well wishes and love from interstate and overseas.
Not many dry eyes in the room as Family from Sydney, Townsville, New Zealand, Tonga and USA sent their love.
Congratulations Vikki and Pita! Welcome to the Married Gang 👰
Today we would like to revisit our son Kyneton’s 2nd Birthday and our newborn Safaia’s Baptism
Ky’s birthday was on 3 January and again, I’ll present this in 3 parts:
Part 1 – Ky’s Geelong Party (Sat 4 Jan 2020)
Part 2 – Safaia’s Baptism (Sun 12 Jan 2020)
Part 3 – The Afterparty at Braybrook Hotel (Sun 12 Jan 2020)
Here we go!
Part 1 – Ky’s Geelong Party
We have a Family tradition for birthdays.
You get a pancake birthdaycake on the morning of your birthday.
Even Mum & Dad 🎂🎂
We sing Happy Birthday and add on “Happy Long Life” too and then we give the special birthday boy a chance to blow out his candles.
Afterwards we always encourage the kids to say a few words to say Thank You.
Even though Ky is not talking too well yet he does understand our instructions it just comes out as cute mumbo jumbo 😂😂
We didn’t have much planned for our little KyKy (our nickname for him pronounced “kai-kai”).
But we had Family visiting from overseas so we thought to organise a day out at Geelong’s Eastern Beach.
Talk about heaps of kids!
Ky’s cousins from Melbourne, Sydney and Tonga were here to celebrate his 2nd birthday party.
It’s funny because this time last year we also celebrated his birthday here in Geelong.
It’s a popular spot for my Family!
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Apart from the water, playground and sand there’s a steep hill on the farthest side of Eastern Beach where with a piece of cardboard you can bobsleigh down the hill!
It’s a big hit with the kids and the birthday boy definitely had many runs down ⛷️⛷️
At the time of her Baptism she was almost 4 months old.
My Goddaughter Marchella with her Godsister Safaia 💓💓
We decided to make it a joint party to celebrate Ky’s Birthday and Safaia’s Baptism.
The process was pretty smooth as we have Baptised all our kids in our Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Preston.
We met with Fr. Jan 2 weeks before the Baptism to prepare for the Ceremony and to nominate Godparents.
The Godmother is my sister Taina and Godfather is Leki’s brother Veni.
We had Family from all over Melbourne, Sydney, Fiji and Tonga 💓
Thank you to everyone who could make it to our Baptism of Safaia and to those who helped on the day.
The Baptism ceremony celebrates Safaia being added to God’s Family in front of Family and Friends.
We were fortunate to have two babies be Baptised in our Church and they both didn’t cry when they were splashed with Holy Water 😂😂
Fingers crossed for Safaia.
Luckily she was fast asleep when she was Blessed!
Here are some photos from the day… Enjoy!
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As with all our events we leave plenty of time to pose for photos!
Part 3 – After Party at Braybrook Hotel
The Party continues…
It continues on at an All-You-Can-Eat venue we highly recommend – Braybrook Hotel.
We have been here many times as guests and we’ve hosted over 3 x Family events here.
The main reason?
The playground! 👍👍
The playground is located within the facility and it has video footage so you can sit and eat while your kids are playing and you can keep an eye on them!
We organised and booked our tables in November 2019 and we made the specific request to setup by the entry of the playground so we have access to the playground and toilets.
Thank you to everyone who helped with Safaia’s Baptism – Godmother Taina for her dress and Cross necklace, Godfather Veni for 💰💰 decorations and the Baptism candle, my sister Vikki for the cakes and my sister Kathy for helping with the bombonieres.
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After too many plates of food it’s always hard to say goodbye to everyone.
Thank you to everyone who sent their well wishes, Family from all across Melbourne, Sydney, Fiji and Tonga.
To Kyneton and Safaia – we love you so much and look forward to walking with you on your life’s journey.
Yes, I have been swamped these last 5 months with baby #3 Safaia and trying to manage my time as best I can.
So when my hubby Leki and I have some time we come together and write a blog post to give you all an update on what we’re up to!
Today we would like to revisit a trip to Sydney in November 2019 for my cousin Sila’s wedding.
I’m going to do my best to present this trip to you in 3 parts.
Part 1 – Getting To Sydney
Part 2 – In Sydney
Part 3 – Coming Home To Melbourne
Here we go!
Part 1 – Getting To Sydney
Ok here was the plan.
We wanted to take all our booster seats and prams for our 3 kids.
That’s 3 x booster seats, 2 x prams and a bassinet attachment plus all our luggage. We counted 12 x pieces of luggage in total. Fun times lol
We also planned to have a Maxicab pick us up from our home in Gisborne and take us right to the Virgin Departures at Tullamarine.
Our flight was due to leave at 4:30pm so we planned for the Maxicab to pick us up 4 hours before at 12:30pm.
Fast forward 2 hours and trying many times to reach 13 CABS we made the frantic decision to bungle all our things back into our car and drive ourselves to the airport, park in short term stay and then rush to check in.
We left home at 2:30pm, arrived at the airport at 3:10pm, boarded the shuttle bus at 3:20pm (with all our crap – talk about struggles) and limped into the Departure lounge at 3:45pm.
Don’t ask us about any positive reviews for 13 CABS… ever 🙁
Here we found the next obstacle to jump over.
The self check in booths were broken and being understaffed we had to wait and be manually checked in. After some miscommunication we had to return to the check in counter to re-register the baby equipment.
Time check – 4:10pm.
The gate closes at 4:20pm.
We were feeling the pressure as we finally got all our things checked in and high tailed it to Gate 3 for our Sydney flight.
Throughout the whole trouble of the maxicab, being mucked around at the counter and sprinting to the gate for departure, Leki and I tried our best to be positive and optimistic.
Why?
Because the kids were looking at us and can sense something was wrong. We knew they were having a great experience travelling and excited to be boarding a plane so we didn’t want them remembering being told off for little things because we were stressed out.
So slugged on!
Finally we made it to the gate at 4:20pm just as they were about to close it.
As they were scanning our tickets they realised that our little Safaia was NOT booked as one of the travellers.
FYI – We bought our tickets in Mar 2019 and our daughter was born Sept 2019. Leki rang and explained the situation 4 weeks before the flight and it wasn’t documented. But we enjoy flying with Virgin as they allow you to travel with all your children things for FREE!
Long story short we held up the flight almost 20 mins as the ground crew worked out what went wrong and how to seat us on the plane.
You can imagine when we boarded the plane with all these judgemental stares facing us back as we struggled through the narrow aisle.
We didn’t care.
If they knew the drama it took for us to get here then they’d have a little sympathy.
The airplane hostess did come by soon after and made us feel welcome and explained that it was a offsite fault not ours which made us feel better about it all.
Anyway we made it!
When we landed and collected all our items we picked up the Kia Carnival family car we hired from the airport.
We used this as an opportunity to test drive a car that we’ll mostly likely upgrade to in the future.
After spending 30 mins putting all the booster seats in we were finally ready to head over to our accommodation – Novotel Parramatta.
What a looooong day.
We stopped by McDonald’s. Picked up the Family Box. Checked into the hotel and within 20 mins of getting into room… everyone was asleep.
Wed 27 November 2019 you will never be forgotten!
Day 1 done!
Part 2 – In Sydney
Perks of staying in a hotel?
Definitely the buffet breakfast.
Thurs 28 November 2019 was a rest day to recover from the travel and to enjoy the local area.
We walked to the Parramatta Westfields where I did my nails 🙂 wandered along the river and did some last minute shopping.
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It was fun just to be in a new environment and soak up some Sydney sun!
We were looking forward to catching up with the Sydney family and the primary reason we travelled up was to witness my cousin get married.
Fri 29 November 2019 was the BIG DAY!
We had the morning to relax and build up to the Ceremony and Reception in the afternoon.
So after our breakfast we decided to take a walk out to the new BankWest Stadium which was a nice 20-30 min walk one way.
The kids had a little play and then we enjoyed a wander around the city of Parramatta.
When we got back to our Hotel we had a little nap and then got ready for the Wedding!
My little system is getting the bigger two organised first.
Once they’re done I look after little Safaia and Leki is also ready and happy to help.
I’m usually last to get ready and it’s a mad rush but this time I also got myself ready as I was getting the kids organised.
I did my hair and got my dress and outfit all organised (nails done the day before), had a few little things to prepare and I always save my last little touch ups make up wise in the car on the way to functions.
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I always pride myself on being on time to things.
It stresses me out when I’m running late.
Annnnd guess what?
We were running late.
Wow West Sydney the traffic on a Friday peak hours was terrible! But fortunately we were only 10 mins behind.
I wanted to capture as many special moments as I could and witness Sila enjoy her special day 🙂
After a beautiful Ceremony we decided to return home for a couple of hours and rest while the bridal party took off for photos.
We then returned to the Reception and it was a nice intimate setting where family and friends settled into a nice balmy warm night.
There were a lot of highlights:
The kids were apart of another dance routine together. It’s great to see them dancing together and enjoying themselves.
My oldest Emelina performed a solo Tongan dance (she needs practice but we were proud as punch of her effort!)
Reuniting with family from interstate and overseas.
Seeing Sila and Timo enjoy their night and the special send off in the tunnel was fun 🙂
After a long day of partying, managing the kids (highly recommend ear muffs for the little ones) and socialising we left just after midnight to head back to the Hotel.
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Sat 30 Nov & Sun 1 Dec 2019 was mostly Family Time.
We had a day out at the local water fun park which was absolutely free (check it out if in Parramatta called Ollie Webb Reserve) which was follow up with a trip to Pine and Lopi’s house where we had an After Party 😉
Lots of Aunties and Uncles, nieces and nephews plus relatives from interstate and overseas who made the trip to Sydney for the wedding!
Like with all Tongan functions… heaps of food, laughs and noise 🙂
The following morning was the Couples First Sunday.
They looked beautiful in their traditional costume.
We then had MORE TO EAT at an all you can eat buffet in Blacktown.
Thanks again to Timo and Sila for sponsoring the day! We appreciate all your hard work.
Afterwards we decided to organise a hang out at my sisters’ accommodation which has an awesome indoor pool.
So we decided to have a Pool Party!
It was so much fun and the kids (both young and old) enjoyed themselves.
Soon after we had a bite to eat and also celebrated my Goddaughter’s 15th birthday! Love you Chella!
Then just like that our weekend in Sydney was drawing to a close 🙁
Part 3 – Coming Home To Melbourne
Mon 2 Dec 2019 luckily we packed most of our things the day before!
Again, after our buffet breakfast we said our goodbyes to Aunty Kathy and headed off back to Sydney Airport.
We must say the Kia Carnival was such a comfortable spacious family car. Definitely an upgrade is on the cards down the track!
We left Sydney at lunch time and arrived back to Tullamarine at 2pm and then walked back into our Gisborne home at 4pm after doing some grocery shopping and grabbing a bite to eat.
That’s all folks!
What a time with family and friends.
Memories I’ll cherish forever!
Thank you Sila and Timo for everything and I know you’re enjoying this stage of your beautiful lives as Husband and Wife.
To our Sydney family we love you a lot and can’t wait to see you and catch up again soon.
Yes it’s been a little while since I last spoke with you but I haven’t forgotten about you!
I will back post some of the important events that has happened since my last post in Nov 2019 up until this time Feb 2020.
They’ll include updates on my weight loss journey (for the 3rd time), Kids Development update, Daily routine managing my little family, Kyneton 2nd Bday and Safaia’s Baptism, Christmas and NYE!
Wow! A lot to catch you up on 🙂
I’ve had a little break to focus on bringing up baby #3 Safaia who is very demanding of my time at the moment 😉
But that aside, I want to congratulate my younger sister who recently got married!
Congratulations Taina!
It brought back a lot of memories of my special day on Nov 2011.
The special home setup, my Mother looking beautiful, my Dad pacing around nervously and my sisters doing what they can to help.
To let’s start with the date – Thursday 20 Feb 2020.
It would read like 20 02 2020 as you can see there’s a number combination here that’s very unique. Plus, having a wedding on a Thursday is extraordinary but everyone was made aware early and it gave us all an extra long weekend!
Taina’s makeup was done by Slay_Nisha and hair by Atalina Hair. Great work guys! My sister Vikki did my Mum’s makeup and she looked stunning… shoutout to VIP Beauty Melb!
The wedding reception was due to start at 1pm and the bridal party arrived by two Mercedes Trucks!
Unfortunately the unpredictable weather forced the Ceremony indoors as the Couple had planned an outdoor event.
This is fine for the guests as the setting was intimate and comfortable although we would have loved to have had the sunny weather and to be together in the outdoors!
After the exchange of the “I Do’s” we witnessed the first kiss and the announcement of the newly minted Mr. and Mrs!
It was heart warming to see my little sister tie the knot among loved ones and to see her take her place in the world as a proudly new Wife!
After a few moments for the signing of the Marriage Certificate the bridal party ran away to take some photos and the guests had a couple of hours rest to return and enjoy the Reception.
We decided to head home to Gisborne as I forgot a few things most importantly Safaia’s ear muffs so that she can sleep soundly tonight while Mama and Teti are dancing the night away!
So we had a little rest and recharge and home before heading back to the reception in Taylors Lakes – Lakeside Reception.
I must say the food, decor and venue was top notch – I’d give it a 10/10!
My hubby Leki was asked to be the MC and so I held down the fort with 3 x kids and I have to thank some of my Family who helped keep them in check.
It was a challenge trying to manage the 2yo and 5mo as Kyneton would often try and do a ‘runner’ but someone was always on hand to catch him last minute.
One of the highlights was Bride and Groom’s first dance as the fireworks went off with perfect timing to their song of choice.
I also enjoyed the throwing of the Bouquet and the Garter 🙂
It was a privilege to witness my sister get married.
It’s always fun catching up with Family and friends who have travelled near and far to celebrate with us!
I know there were some who could not make it but sent their love and well wishes!
Thanks to my cousin Andy for organising an impromptu gathering the day after and Leki and I gatecrashed the party 😉
Congratulations David and Dina!
Looking forward to many more great times ahead for you both.
And lastly, I managed to achieve the Water Birth I was aiming for which makes me happy because I focused on achieving this for over 12 months.
This meant being healthy and ensuring I didn’t have pre-eclampsia like I did with my other 2 x pregnancies!
So I would like to present an unfiltered account of the final stages of my pregnancy just like last time with baby #2 – Kyneton Wardell Sisifa.
WARNING: BELOW YOU WILL SEE ME GIVING BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER AND IN ALL IT’S GLORY. THERE WILL BE REAL BLOOD AND GUTS. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK! 🙂
So here is the story of Safaia’s journey to join us in chronological order beginning on Thurs 26 Sept 2019:
Thurs 26 Sept
5am – Start of Braxton-Hicks Contractions
At 40 weeks and 3 days I officially started the final stages of my pregnancy.
I monitored how often they came on by popping the times into my Viber app I use with my hubby Leki.
The next few Braxton-Hicks signs were at 1-2 hour intervals 8am, 9:30am, 12pm, 2pm, 4:38pm with some pink discharge, 6:55pm, 8:07pm, 10:06pm and 10:43pm.
Fri 27 Sept
12:30am – Regular timings of Braxton-Hicks Contractions
Between 12:30am to 6:14am I had 12 x short contractions but they became more regular from every 1 hour to 30 mins then down to every 20-10 mins!
We decided that we would head into Melbourne and drop off the kids to Aunty Vine so that we have plenty of time to travel to Sunshine Hospital.
I had a short warm shower (in an effort to try and relax the muscles from contracting)… but that didn’t work as I had 3 x contractions during my 10 minute shower 😉
Fortunately I had already prepared our car, my hospital bag and had the kids bags packed and ready to go 2 weeks prior.
7:12am – ‘Normal’ morning
Leki prepared breakfast and encouraged our normal routine.
Our 4yo Emelina and 18mo Kyneton were happy, fed and cleaned up before we packed them in the car.
When we left at 8am I had 9 contractions which lasted about 1-2 minutes each and as a gauge were around 6/10 in pain (10 being the worst).
These contractions were ranging between 5-7 minutes apart!
We left home in Gisborne at 7:45am for Preston in good spirits.
GAME TIME!
8:40am – Dropped The Kids To Aunty Vine
While we were heading into Melbourne I contacted my caseload midwife Ellie and explained the situation.
I feel so grateful that I have Ellie in my corner again as she previously delivered my baby #2 Kyneton.
Fortunately she was already on her way into the Hospital and recommended heading in when my contractions were strong and regularly 5mins apart.
I was happy with that because my contractions continued to vary from 10mins to 7 mins to 5mins.
We set off to Sunshine Hospital at 9:20am which would be a 25min drive.
My contractions were consistently 5mins apart.
9:45am – Arrived To Sunshine Hospital
Instead of waiting at Aunty Vine’s house we decided to go to the Hospital and wait.
I lost count of how many times I went to the toilet… I felt like my bladder was always full and I needed to empty them even if nothing happened.
Leki and I waited until my contractions ramped up as Midwife Ellie prepared my birthing suite for the Water Birth.
Around this time I rang some family members to let them know that I was about to be admitted into the hospital.
My Mother and sisters are in Tonga celebrating my Grandmother Taina’s life and her headstone unveiling with Family. They were so excited to hear the news!
My Dad rang and wished me well.
The contractions were frustrating as it did increase in severity from 6/10 to 8/10 but the time between contractions changed from 20mins to 10mins and again back to 5mins.
In the mean time I was walking up and down the hallways, walking up and down stairs and kept a positive mindset.
I was thinking of my little girl and set the intention to have a nice peaceful Water Birth.
11:35am – Admitted
I was taken up to Level 3 Room 8.
It was a luxurious experience and I don’t say that lightly.
The room was dimly lit but filled with nice electric candles plus soothing meditation music was playing in the background.
As my contractions continued to be irregular Midwife Ellie offered me a Stretch & Sweep to bring heighten the contractions and bring on the labouring.
After a few minutes thinking about it I decided to go ahead with it.
The Stretch & Sweep was performed at 11:45am.
12:34pm – REGULAR contractions
I was going through very regular contractions after the Stretch & Sweep.
I was standing, walking and labouring upright as I found it comfortable.
By 12:36pm I had officially started the labouring process (according to Midwife Ellie) and was helped into the Water Bath.
I was having stronger contractions and I felt like the ‘baby had dropped’.
1:00pm – Labouring in the Bath
The heat of the water was relaxing.
It helped to have Leki in there with me as he applied pressure to my lower back for each of my contractions in the water.
I was in all fours but my top half was braced on the edge of the Bath as Ellie was giving me instructions.
With each of the contractions Ellie was coaching me through what was happening.
She had a mirror underneath me to see what was happening.
I have to be honest I was so scared that I’d shit the bath.
Even though Ellie said it’s completely normal and does happen often I still didn’t want a code brown 😉
In the end I didn’t lose my bowels but I was half concentrating on trying to labour without dropping my guts LOL
Although the pain were intense each wave of contractions was coupled with a sense of getting closer and closer to the finish line.
There was a point that I felt Safaia’s head moving closer to the exits.
After that push subsided I complained to Ellie that every time I let the contraction ‘push her out’ when it stopped it was like she retreated back in.
Ellie then explained that it’s normal as the baby is moving and the passageways are stretching for her eventual arrival.
Contractions were 2 mins apart now.
2:18pm – Safaia Arrives!
One of the key instructions Ellie said was to allow you body to push when you feel like you can’t avoid pushing anymore.
That means don’t push too early… wait until you can’t hold it back any longer!
The main reason why you don’t want to push too early is that it can tear your vaginal walls which means a lot of damage, stitches and longer healing times.
I made my best effort to look for that telltale sign of not being able to hold it in any longer and then push with all that I had!
My last 3 x contractions I was increasingly getting more and more frustrated because I always felt that Safaia would edge closer to the exit and then she’s running back in 🙂
But then the time came…
There came a sensation that felt like all the lead up disappointment of Safaia ‘coming and going’ had reached a peak.
It felt like a point of no return
It almost happened magically without pain.
I peered down and with one contraction I saw baby Safaia’s top half pop out.
I gathered my strength and waited until the next contraction to come around and I fought hard not to jump the gun and push before the contraction.
Again, Ellie was coaching me through this process and was pleading with me NOT TO PUSH if the contraction hadn’t come on yet.
Why?
If I pushed too early I would definitely tear some vaginal tissue and make things worse for me after baby is born.
She also asked me not to raise her above the water when she’s out as she needs to remove a bit of the umbilical cord around her neck.
She explained that it would be easier to remove it when she’s still under the water then struggle with it out of the water.
Luckily I managed to hold on and with the last contraction…
WHOOOOSH!
Out she popped.
It was the most relaxing graceful entry into the world I’ve experienced so far!
She wasn’t crying, wasn’t stressed or even curious.
Safaia arrived into the world sleeping 🙂
The umbilical cord around her neck was masterfully removed by Ellie and Leki was right next to me as Safaia arrived.
I felt so relieved and blessed that it was all over.
2:38pm – Placenta Birth
Leki and I remained in the Bath which was a bloody crimson colour from the labouring discharge.
I was encouraged by Ellie to gently pull on the umbilical while I was in a semi-squat in the bath.
I gave it a couple of tugs and then Ellie supported by bracing me from underneath, with a few more pushes…
WHOOOOSH!
Out came the placenta which felt like another mini-birth.
2:54pm – Skin On Skin
I was helped out of the bath and placed onto the birthing bed to rest and recover.
One of the key things Ellie had to perform now was to assess how much structural damage there was from pushing Safaia out!
I was worried because there was a lot of blood.
Ellie checked and reported that the bleeding was normal and what was important was if it was able to stop by itself.
This meant I had to lie on my back for 30-45mins with my legs clamped shut to try and stop the bleeding.
I used this time bonding with little Miss and she spent her first few moments feeding off me and resting.
My sisters called me on Messenger and I was excited to show them my little trooper!
4:15pm – No Stitches!
I received great news when Ellie told me I didn’t need stitches.
Although I may be sore for a couple of days if I can avoid heavy lifting and excessive walking/squatting then I should be all fine 🙂
Around this time I was fed by Leki while I was resting on my back.
The last time I ate was 7am that morning and with all the effort and energy pushing throughout the day I definitely needed some food!
I prepped some food a day before and packed it for the kids to have at Aunty’s house.
I also had some prepared for us just in case.
Nothing fancy just beef mince, home made tomato paste and boiled vegetables.
Leki warmed it all up in the maternity ward kitchen.
5:00pm – Nice Shower & Change
I then got up and had a nice hot shower while Leki changed little Safaia.
It felt great to take my time washing all the pain and suffering away and change into some warm comfy clothes.
Just before her little outfit change Ellie measured her:
34cm head circumference, 51cm in length and 3.1kg in weight.
So proud!
Her first little matching headband blanket/swaddle was specially made by my Mum.
I bought some material from Spotlight and she made it two weeks before Safaia arrived.
I love the fact that it was uniquely made for her from Nana 😉
6:00pm – Check All The Vital Signs & Early Discharge
So both Leki and I had a nice warm shower and freshened up.
Ellie was completing her paperwork.
Little Safaia was resting by the window soaking up some sunshine when…
Ellie mentioned that we’ll be discharged home soon!
I was kinda shocked.
Not shocked… more surprised.
I was really looking forward to staying over at least one night.
I packed for 2 nights 😉
But Ellie explained that my vital signs were stable, my birthing wounds will heal naturally without stitches, I didn’t have any pain relief and she would check up on me in the morning over the next 2 days and for 5 visits in total at my home.
She also explained that baby Safaia is healthy ans happy without jaundice or any other troublesome signs.
After I got over my initial disappointment I was actually relieved!
I can sleep in my own bed – YAY!
Soon after I rang Aunty Vine and asked if it was still ok for Emelina and Kyneton to sleep overnight.
She quickly said yes and not to worry they are having a great time.
I felt relieved and helped Leki prepare our things to leave.
It was all starting to sink in now.
We’re going to home with baby #3 in tow 🙂
So happy!
7:00pm – Discharged
Leki left the car in the paid car parking next door and it cost us only $12 for the whole day!
He took our things over and came back with our capsule seat for our little companion.
While he was doing that I spent some time rugging Safaia up with layers.
And then that was it.
Leki came by, picked us up, popped the capsule into the booster seat, leaned over and gave me a kiss and that was it!
He asked me what I wanted for dinner.
I gave him a cheeky look and waved my hand into the ‘Golden Arches’.
On the way home we stopped half way because Leki was worried Safaia was breathing LOL
She was so quiet and he wasn’t used to it.
After a quick check we were good to go!
8:00pm – Home Sweet Home
When we got home we settled in, warmed the place up and placed Safaia in our bassinet attached to the pram.
Leki and I put our feet up, ate our McDonald’s watching an old episode of Criminal Minds (Leki was also keeping an eye on the Melbourne Storm match LOL) and enjoyed our time together.
We retired to bed at 9:00pm as I gave Safaia her first feed at home.
We both feel asleep, dead tired, in our own beds in our own home with our little girl nestling right beside us sleeping soundly.
What a relief!
In just over 12 hours I had left home, pushed out a baby and returned home like it was a normal day!
Well, if you have stuck with me all the way through – THANK YOU.
I really wanted to experience the water birth process and make it real for you and me.
My intention for this story was to be real and not hide any details.
If my pregnancy and labouring effort sounded easy and breezy I don’t apologise.
The fact is it was very smooth and pain free compared to my other 2 x pregnancies and birthing efforts.
We had put a lot of thought and preparation for having the best experience.
We spent time researching birthing options and decided water birthing was what we wanted.
We decided to take control of our health and eat better.
I spent time working on my self talk and being mindful of my thoughts both negative and positive ones!
Leki and I often talked about how much effort it would take to get from Gisborne to Sunshine.
We shopped and packed our bags early to avoid any surprises.
We asked for help from Family and Friends.
We planned for Plan A, Plan B and Plan C.
All this effort didn’t go unnoticed.
I’m at home already preparing for the upcoming week as Leki prepares to get back to his work and I’ll be holding the fort until some help arrives in the form of my Mum (when she returns from Tonga).
So if you’re interested here’s my…
Top 3 Hacks For Having An Easier Pregnancy & Labouring Effort:
1. Get control of your health BEFORE you think to conceive
It’s amazing to think how much of this was the critical factor in the whole process.
Getting yourself in shape physically, mentally and psychologically BEFORE you even think to get pregnant is my BIGGEST recommendation.
Just think… you may have conditions that are mostly coming from lifestyle factors and can be completely reversed RIGHT NOW!
Poor nutrition, poor stress management, poor sleep, negative self talk, poor social support and poor financial habits.
Put some time into reversing these things and find what works for you and it will make your whole experience all the more successful 🙂
2. Routine & Structure is the way FORWARD
A big part of reversing your bad habits is to automate your new habits.
If you have a diet plan that you’re going to follow. Prep the meals.
If you have a weight loss strategy or exercise plan. Find a friend or partner to be accountable to.
If you work or stay at home full time organise a timetable that is non-negotiable.
The thing Leki and I observed with our routine is that when things get out of hand we know what it takes to reestablish our normal day.
It’s like being on a seesaw. If you go too much one way then you have to allow the other side to come up to counter balance.
For example, once we’ve establish our game plan for prepping our meals we saw how long it takes and we can decide which day of that week has a 2 hour window where we can bulk cook. Weeks can vary with commitments but we are committed to our food prep work because nutrition is key for our well being.
3. Get Out Of Your Own Way
Growing up I always had thoughts of not being good enough.
I set the bar low on expectations for myself.
Can’t read well.
Can’t write well.
Not confident when talking to people and always go red.
Even now with so much self development work and ongoing positive self talk I still find myself battling with “Imposter Syndrome”.
Am I being who I am truly on this blog?
My reading and writing have improved a lot with the help of my husband by just persisting with something uncomfortable.
How?
By working together as a team.
I’m not even going as red anymore and it takes extreme cases if I’m being shy or embarrassed.
I remember meeting someone new for the first time and I can feel my cheeks getting flush with blood.
Now… yes I still get a bit nervous but it’s more because of the excitement in meeting someone new who’s interesting rather then the embarrassment of them judging me.
When it came to this pregnancy it all fell into place when I got out of my head and got out of my own way.
We fell pregnant within 1 month of trying whereas our first effort took over 18 months.
I lost a lot of weight without much exercise and being very disciplined with my eating habits.
The list goes on…
In short you are able to achieve remarkable things Mama if you just get out of your own way and make it happen! NO EXCUSES!
So there you have it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post as much as we have presented it to you.
And just like that we’ve grown to a Family of Five.
With love,
Belinda, Leki, Emelina, Kyneton and Safaia xo
P.s. We are aiming to have 5 x kids so you’ll have another 2 stories in the future 😉
I like tracking how my kids are growing because overnight changes almost happen daily.
My original post on my kids development was Oct 2018 – read about it HERE.
At that time, my little girl Emelina was 3yo and my little boy Kyneton was 9mo.
On the next update Feb 2019 I compared how quickly they had both grown and I had announced that baby #3 was on the way!
Eme is now 4.5yo and Ky is 1.5yo.
Here’s the latest 🙂
Kyneton is 18 months old
Sleeping
We are trying something different at night.
Kyneton is really good going down when its bed time but after 5 hours he grumbles a little bit, we give him some water and then he’s asleep until 5am.
We put him down and he’s asleep by 7:30pm he’ll be good until 12am and then he’s up at 5am and that’s where Leki takes over.
It could be worse I suppose.
He needs me to nurse him to sleep.
Sometimes his little feet stumbles into our room and he wriggles in somewhere.
We are not as strict with Kyneton with self soothing as we were Emelina.
Apart of me enjoys have him shack up with us sometimes but other times I wish we were more firm with him.
But in preparation for baby #3 due to arrive we have been putting Ky down with Eme in her room.
It seems to work pretty well because he wants someone around him when he’s unsettled.
When we settle our little girl into routine we’ll review the game plan with Ky’s sleeping arrangement.
That’s the plan at this stage.
BodyMovements
Kyneton is happy exploring his environment whether it’s inside or outside.
He likes to be by himself and figure out how things work.
When I’m in the kitchen and I watch him play in the backyard I see him climb into the trampoline or explore the garden and observe the birds and he calls out to them ‘quack quack’.
His running style is getting more stable as he had a very funny zig zag type of running pattern – we’d joke it’s because he’s carrying a big heavy head making him unstable.
I guess his key body movement at the moment is thumb sucking.
Yes, he’s a comfort thumb sucker but we thinks it’s cute 😉
Spatial Awareness
Ky is aware of his surroundings and can be very cautious.
The other day we visited his new cousins at the Royal Women’s Hospital and he was very excited to be in a new environment but didn’t want to lose hand contact with either of us.
If we are in familiar territory like Nana and Poppy’s house he runs around like he lives there!
When we are at the local park he quickly realises that the playground is around the corner and is itching to get out of his booster seat.
It’s like he knows his sense of direction when we are in the car running around to the local shopping spots, dropping Eme off to Montessori School or going to Gymnastics.
Can’t get too much past this little guy.
Food
Kyneton likes food but he’s now starting to pick and choose.
We don’t let him live it up too much.
If he doesn’t want to eat what we’re eating then he can go without food… for a little while 😉
The next time he wants to act up when we feed him then he needs to make a decision on what he wants to do.
Suck it up and eat or go without food for a little while.
He’s no longer needing me to ‘Mama’ his food anymore and it’s almost a year since we topped up with formula.
Discipline
We also believe in firm discipline.
He gets a smack and it reinforces something we’re trying to teach him.
The oven is hot, the knife is sharp, the drawer is dangerous, trip over your toys left laying around… the list is endless!
We start with a firm word and come down to him at face level and talk to him.
If he persists or tests us then he’s gonna learn LOL
We smack with love in our heart.
He’ll learn… eventually 🙂
Emelina is 4.5yo!
Sleep
Emelina is a champion sleeper if there is such a thing.
She goes down at 8pm and wakes at 7am.
What a dream!
The only change is that we’ve put Kyneton in with her for a little while to buddy up until our new little girl settles in!
Spatial Awareness/Gymnastics/Swimming
Eme has been a steady performer in her gymnastics school!
Her form is not as straight as some of her classmates and she’s a little afraid of heights but she’s persisting with her training and enjoying it!
Her little body is not as flexible, strong or fluid but we can see the potential of what Emelina could develop into if she is continues to practice and be consistent.
So proud of her effort so far I hope she continues to enjoy it!
Discipline
Emelina has a naturally curious and fun personality.
She’s definitely testing the boundaries but it’s from mostly a place of curiosity rather then being naughty.
I’m down the home straight of my 3rd pregnancy – our due date is 24 September 2019.
Read my last update on how my 2nd Trimester went… (HINT: It’s going really well! YAY!)
Last week I wrote about our intention to have a Water Birth.
So far things are looking great as I’ll only qualify if I am healthy and I don’t need medical equipment all over me.
Being healthy was a long term strategy and I’ve touched on this over the journey…
Read my update on my 1st Trimester where I also share some health tips that have helped 🙂 – HERE.
I’d like to maintain my KEY topics throughout my pregnancy:
Pain
Energy
Self care
1. Pain
Getting very heavy now but still managing pretty well.
No back pain.
Sleeping well.
Feeling good.
And enjoying my baby bump.
I would only say that I’m getting tired quicker so things that normally take 20 mins to do currently take an hour 🙁
Focusing on my health and making better choices is the only reason for why I feel so good.
Honestly… with our first child Emelina who’s 4yo I didn’t focus on my health and ballooned out to 105kg. I felt sluggish, had back pain and was sleeping poorly.
I believe my poor dietary choices contributed to Emelina’s mild food allergies.
Fast forward to our 1.5yo Kyneton I was much improved with my nutritional choices and I focused more on stress management and better sleep conditions.
My little is boy indestructible… hardly gets sick and can eat anything.
I have mentioned previously that this has been my smoothest pregnancy so far and I look forward to how our little girl shapes up when she finally arrives in 2-3 weeks 🙂
2. Energy
I stay home full time and am responsible for running our 4yo to kindy, managing our 1.5yo and keeping the house in good working order.
That’s not for sympathy because a lot of us Mamas enjoy this but it can be taxing!
Leki’s Dad and Family
Often I can be driving long distances for seeing Family like on Father’s Day.
Travelled 60 mins from our town of Gisborne to the city where Leki’s family live.
My Dad and my sisters 🙂
Then from the city 40 mins to Thomastown where my family live.
It was great fun to participate in Family events even though I’m about to pop and it beats being at home all day 🙂
I did eat a whole heap and enjoyed myself!
I’m currently weighing about 91kg and I hope to maintain my health and lose 1-2kg before I give birth.
I plan on documenting my healthy weight loss journey post baby like I did last time 🙂
Having more energy allows me to focus on things like cleaning up my home and preparing for a newborn baby, shopping for gifts for Family and friends, manage my household to make it homely, plan my nutritious meals, be there for my husband, care for my kids, look after myself and focus on things that make me happy!
Who couldn’t do with more energy!
I’m sure you can relate Mama!
3. Self Care
A big part of self care to me is communication.
I let people around know what I’m feeling and what I’m prepared or not prepared to do.
It saves time and reduces a lot of stress for everyone involved.
Another self care trick we use is planning our cheat meals as a little reward.
All week we are good and there are 1 or 2 meals where we can loosen up a little bit.
So every week we look forward to our cheat meal.
It’s usually a Friday night and hubby Leki drops by our local Maccas and collects a Family McFavourites box.
We go with 1 x Big Mac (Leki), 2 x Quarter Pounders (kids) and 1 x McChicken (me) plus 2 x Sprite and 2 x Coke with the 10 x McNuggets.
We substitute the chips for 4 x salads and I bake sweet potato chips at home.
Leki has avoided eating fried chips all year and soon we will all upgrade to avoiding most takeaway fried food… I can’t quite kick the habit just yet 🙂
This is something that we are slowly moving towards as we work towards better alternatives.
Well… as I mentioned in my last blog post I will be looking to have a Water Birth (fingers crossed all goes well) and I’ll document and share that process with you.
My health journey as Mama continues as we plan for a generous household of Mum, Dad and 5 x kids… eventually 🙂
We were fortunate to have 
Throughout the whole trouble of the maxicab, being mucked around at the counter and sprinting to the gate for departure, Leki and I tried our best to be positive and optimistic.
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