Ta-da! He’s here
*Miles Francis Clive Watkins* was born Sunday 19th July at 7.27am weighing 7lbs 8oz.
We’re both home now. Hard to write more when’s he splayed so comfortably across my chest. Hard to even think as my mind has been completely blown.
In this crazy loved-up Dad Dream made Dad Reality, I am only certain of two things right now:
1) That I’m absolutely in love with this little fella.
And
2) That the Spreadbury’s have so completely and beautifully changed my life. Forever.
——
I had just arrived in Leicester two weeks before due date ready to hunker down and wait for the little arrival. He obviously knew I was there because within 12 hours Faye started to experience painful contractions which lasted over the next 24 hours.
She monitored them throughout the day, recording their length and intervals, their unyielding intensity flooring her each time but by 11oclock they hadn’t progressed and so we all went to bed early and for Faye to get what rest she could
At 3 o’clock the next morning something was happening. A new level. Faye felt even worse with the pain and had expelled some fluid so Lee and I went into actions stations - inflating and filling the pool and making sure we had everything set up. That included several cameras recording the show with one iPhone gaffa taped securely above the birth pool.
Midwives appeared, Faye felt she was further along than they understood. Gas and air were denied until an examination could convince them what Faye felt to be true , that labour was advanced enough. So she doubled down without pain relief, holding onto the pool in her zone of pain and fortitude until a deal was stuck and examination was finally offered with the Entonox . The strength to get through those hours of intense contractions without pain relief was something I will never forget. During the eventual examination the midwives confirmed Faye was 5-6cm dilated and was finally almost nearing the last phase of her labour. Only then when they realised that what she had been saying about her advancement was true all along, was she offered the pain relief.
An absolute warrior, she fought on for another hour managing each contraction as her body prepared to push.
Watching Lee so seamlessly tend to Faye’s needs and support her through the pain was amazing. The boys were amazing. Team squirrel were in full blown operation mode. We all did our best to support each other. My boy was going to be born into a room with a lot of love.
The next part happened so quickly it’s sort of a blur but I was in the pool before I knew it, looking at Faye and ready for the the final desperate moments.
Suddenly I saw his head crown, a dark mass of curls, then with another push his head emerged a little further .... just as the gas ran out.
With Lee urging the midwife to change the canister I waited for the final push and just as it came his body dived out of Faye and into the pool where the midwife quickly handed him to me for skin to skin. The chord was long enough so we could delay its clamping and with the cut of the scissors I took him fully onto me.
After the birth my parents arrived and we all just spent time with little Miles- the boys especially so caring and kind to him, holding him gently and talking sweetly to the baby wondering if they could be his new friend.
They had said goodbye to Bob the bump a few days ago- we had talked about a new name for the baby - and now they did their best to make him feel welcome- just as they had all made me feel so welcome a little over a year ago when we all first met at a social in Rugby for what was going to be the start of this life changing adventure.
