Created Creatively: It's a boy!

A midwife must possess

the hand of a lady,

the eyes of a hawk,

and the heart of a lion.

The experience of having a new baby is one that is not forgotten (well, unless you're knocked out). It is indescribable the way pain becomes a distant memory when that tiny and slippery miniature person that's been growing like an alien inside of you, is now on top of you, so tiny and fragile...

When I gave birth to Jonathan, he was purple and not breathing, because the umbilical cord had been tied around his neck for so long. Instead of me cuddling him, he was taken straight to the little emergency table, and the midwives and doctors attended to him until he started breathing and crying. I didn't realise what was happening at the time, but since Husband wasn't looking worried, I wasn't. He told me later that he doesn't worry about things he can't control, but that the situation probably justified abject terror: A baby not breathing, a suction hose, an oxygen pump, lots of carts, and many people crowding around...

He said it was cool seeing Jonathan go from being purple to pink from the extremities inwards, fingers and lips, then arms and face, and finally his chest. Everyone holding their breaths waiting for him to take his own.

Recently, friends of ours had a similar situation with their baby. But, for her, there was so much focus on making sure the baby started to breath, that no-one noticed the mother had passed out from so much blood loss. After being attended to, she was pulled to recovery, and everyone has a story to tell about the day.

Everyone has their own opinions on Home Births vs Hospital Births. I'd previously had a relaxed position, but am now a firm believer in a hospital birth considering Jonathan's complications... And because Husband pointed out that had the same situation been presented at home, his solution would have included a mini Dyson and a bicycle pump.

I had two midwives help me deliver Jonathan. One had just been made a registered midwife, and this was the first baby she was about to deliver on her own (special for everyone). The other, clearly a pro, refused to let me change my mind to have a cesarean, just because he was a few minutes away from being born... How rude!

Here's a little video that Husband had made about the arrival of Jonathan:

On the topic of hospitals, babies and midwives, this weekend I'd made some cupcakes for a local lady who has a tiny newborn of her own. She wanted to take some cupcakes to the hospital, to thank the midwives and staff who took such great care of her while she was there having her little baby boy! What an honour to be part of such a lovely sentiment :)

She had a baby boy, so requested baby boy themed cupcakes. There were designs in mind, and slowly the toppers were taking the form of what they were supposed to look like:

If you don't already know, I have a thing about symmetry. And things matching. And anxiety. Which is why I really don't understand why I made a different number of baby face/footprint cupcake toppers, to the blocks spelling BABY. After agonising over it all afternoon about how they would be placed in the box if there weren't even numbers of them all, I made an extra block, and put a star on it. Stars are baby boy themed, right?
... Just say yes.

Placed over some blue buttercream icing on top of my new favourite recipe for vanilla flavoured cupcakes, and they were finished! And just as importantly, they were symmetrical :)