Spring Arrives in Spits and Spats

The Ouellettes' seven week visit came to a close today amidst much sniffling and farewell-saying. Spring has finally come to Yellowknife after a brief hiatus. Baby Winnie is doing very well. I got to go snow-machining and ice-fishing last Sunday, probably the last time for the season.

Nikki is feeling much stronger lately. We are able to go to the park and get in and out of the car very easily.

The in-laws holding their precious grandchild


Going out for Vietnamese at lunch with baby


Winifred at the sushi restaurant


Nikki and baby at the airport waving goodbye


Winnie deciding what to order


Nikki hiding a secret


Carrying a baby in a sling!


The city hall in the throes of Spring


Our assistant leader receiving his Chief Scout award from the NWT Scouting Commissioner at our year-end banquet


K struggling to haul two giant toys to the park


His little sister lending a hand on the way back


Gram and baby sharing a moment

First Week Home

Winifred has been at home for almost one week now and it has gone pretty well. She sleeps for about half the night, needing one or two diaper changes and feeds per night. Nikki is recovering very well and is feeling stronger day by day and needing less painkillers. She still has trouble leaving the house much. Some people at work are having a baby "tea" next Wednesday.

The toddler, who is now the 2nd youngest child in the house, playing with the nursing pillow. She has become very motherly since the baby came home: putting diapers on her bears, swaddling and rocking them, strapping them into the baby carrier, etc...


Donna's birthday celebration


The toddler and her new baby sister


Oh, something disturbed Winnie's peace


The toddler ready to go home, wearing her favourite puppy hat


The proud grampa


A thoughtful baby


Winnie laying on my lap


Reading time with the kid


Winnie sleeping in her crib


Sleeping peacefully!

First Day Home

Nikki came home at noon today. We're all very glad to have little Winnie at home. Nikki had her surgical staples removed this morning and she is under doctor's orders to take it easy for 4-6 weeks.

Getting the baby ready to go home


Sleeping peacefully


In her carrier


Leaving the hospital

Second Day

Nikki and I were able to stay at the hospital over night. We've had a good day. Both Nikki and Winnie are off the IV for most of the day. The family visited us today and it was very hectic. Kevin liked touching and holding the baby. Some other friends visited too. We had a nap and some tests. Nikki is in quite a bit of pain and taking Tylenol.

More of the new mom

Nikki is doing better now. Her legs have regained sensation and she is walking around, sitting up, drinking fluids, eating Jello and holding the baby. The baby tried to feed but she was too tired. All signs of infection have left the baby and it looks like they will soon declare her to be healthy.

Taking a close look at our little baby


Nikki surveying the fruit of her loins

BABY GIRL!

Nikki went into stronger labour on Friday morning. We were admitted to the hospital soon after and we discussed our options with the midwife and obstetrics doctor. We decided to start inducing with a pill. Nikki took one pill at noon and the next at 6 PM. By 10 PM, the contractions were quite strong. Nikki used the nitrous oxide gas intermittendly from midnight to 5 AM. By then the midwife confirmed that she had dilated no more than 3 cm (of the required 10 cm) and the baby's head was not yet engaging the cervix. The doctor felt that moving to a caesarean section was the best option so we told them to get the OR ready for us. In about one hour, Nikki was moved on a stretcher into the Operating Room and within 20 minutes, they had performed the spinal and were ready to remove the baby.

Ten minutes later, using the forceps, the doctor pulled a hefty baby out of Nikki. A girl, which would make her name Winifred Mae Naphan. She is a real porker, weighing 10 pounds, 6.4 ounces. As I write this, Nikki is still paralyzed from the legs down. I got to hold Winnie for about 30 minutes. She just slept but I could tell she is a good baby. It is hard to believe that me and Nikki have a daughter!

The only downside is that our baby might have an infection due to the presence of feces in her amniotic fluid or due to the infection that Nikki contracted due to her water breaking early. Either way, they have our babe hooked up to an IV for 48 hours and so Nikki hasn't held her yet. Soon she will and I'm sure Winnie will take to feeding like fish in water.

Nikki enduring an early contraction


Contractions during the night


Nikki getting moved to the OR


Nikki getting operated on


The new baby


One hour old


Her slightly malformed skull


Three hours old


Curtis holding his eldest daughter


There are more pictures in the Web Album.

It begins...

Nikki has been feeling contractions since 4:30 AM this morning. There has also been some bloody discharge, a sure sign of impending labour. We all think that delivery will happen within 24 hours. I took the day off work and we are just sitting around, playing Settlers of Catan.

Nikki has abdominal pains every 5-10 minutes or so. They aren't too strong. She can stand while they are happening but she doesn't talk or walk much.

I'll keep updating the blog as things progress.

It looks like no baby before Easter

Nikki is now 42 weeks pregnant and the midwife is saying that it looks doubtful that we will see a baby before Easter. They are a bit leery to start induction before the long weekend due to the absence of doctors during that time. We have agreed to wait a bit longer and see how things stand next week. Nikki went in for an ultrasound this morning and everything appears healthy. Last week, they tried to detect uterine tightenings and they found none, but this week they detected several, which means that the uterus is working behind the scenes to strengthen itself and to soften and thin the cervix before the real contractions start.

But labour could start at any time and there need not be any warnings whatsoever. We are trying some of the lightweight techniques to induce labour: reflexology, acupressure, eating pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, primrose oil pills, etc... Not exactly hidebound science but it is prudent to attempt the safe options before moving on to more risky procedures.

Happy Easter.

The New Baby...

...of our friends. (April Fools, I guess!)

Congratulations to Adam and Natasha who had a baby boy, Colin, last night.