Birth of Lexie Anne (29-12-2025)

On Monday 29th December at 2:05am, Brad and I welcomed our second beautiful daughter earth side. Our daughter Lexie Anne graced us rather quickly and intensely but equally as magic.

We encountered many big life events and changes in Lexie’s pregnancy which ultimately had a big impact on the end of our pregnancy and changed how I thought our birth may look.

At 29 weeks pregnant my family was faced with the sudden, shocking and devastating news that my dear Mum had metastatic cancer. This absolutely rocked our family, but unfortunately we weren’t able to process this news as Mum heartbreakingly passed away only a short 3 weeks later. Losing my mum at 32 weeks pregnant was absolutely shocking. Preparing to be a new mum again, whilst losing my Mum was nothing I could have ever imagined and has been absolutely heartbreaking. Grieving the deep loss of my Mum whilst preparing to welcome a beautiful new bundle to our lives was a huge juxtaposition and so tricky to navigate. Awaiting Lexie’s arrival brought us joy, anticipation and excitement to meet our new daughter but absolute sadness that she would never meet her Ma.

Beautifully on the day before Mum passed we were able to have a bedside ultrasound of baby girl next to mums hospital bed so that she could see and meet baby girl. We were all there as a family to share the meeting of our baby with Mum. I am ever so grateful to our midwife Jas and the antenatal clinic for being so accommodating and supportive of making that moment happen. It was a beautifully bittersweet moment. We were able to tell Mum our daughter’s name - Lexie Anne, the same middle name as her beautiful Ma. We were able to write her name on Ma’s arm where her tattoo for Lexie was waiting for her name. So that Lexie is with Ma forever.

I had mentally prepared to go in to labour around 38 weeks like I had with our first daughter Eadie but week 38 passed, so did 39 and I was left wondering and waiting when she would decide to meet us. We were lucky enough to have the support of private midwives again and on a home visit at 39 weeks I discussed all the pre labour symptoms I was having each day and night. I opted to have a cervical check and was 3cm and could be stretched to 5cm. All my pre labour symptoms was priming my body for labour, it was just a matter of time. Jas mentioned that this second time round could be quicker than my first labour of 4 hours and that with my body being primed it could only be short.

We prepared for this by having the birth kit in the car and some towels. This would be a good time to mention, our birth plan changed at 38 weeks from a planned home birth to a hospital birth. This was not for medical reasons for me or baby, but one of the midwives was going to be unavailable for our birth and so meant we now had to prepare for a hospital birth. This honestly threw me for six, especially with my headspace on the loss of mum. But ultimately the birth plan was for me and baby to be healthy and safe and for this time that meant at the hospital.

I remember messaging our midwife at 40 weeks saying I can’t believe I have made my expected date. It felt so surreal to hit 40 weeks and still not have our baby, this was also over the Christmas period too. It was Sunday night at 40 weeks, I was folding washing and on the phone to my Dad. I had been having some cramping while folding the washing, but that wasn’t uncommon with the prelabour symptoms. I remember Dad saying any cramps or contractions yet and I said, still nothing Dad. I continued talking to Dad while folding the washing and thought these cramps feel a little bit more regular than the other few days, but then the busy nighttime routine with our first daughter started and I didn’t think much else of it. I went to bed feeling fine and fell asleep okay. At 23:15 I woke to the feeling of wetness between my legs, I quickly rolled out of bed and realised my waters had spontaneously broken, at this point I had no cramping just broken clear waters. I rang our midwife Jas to inform her of my waters breaking, since I had no contractions just a period like cramping she encouraged me to try and get some rest and let her know if anything changes. I took a heat pack back to bed and tried to lay down. Brad had jumped excitedly out of bed, showered and was like ‘okay, so do we go now or do we wait’. He was full of excitement that baby girl was coming, I had to calm his eagerness and said it was early in the piece and we should try and get some rest. Our daughter Eadie was in our bed, I gave her a cuddle knowing that she was about to become a big sister.

Half an hour later at 2340 I opened the contraction timer app, because things were starting to get started and I had hopped out of bed and was kneeling on my knees, leaning against the bed with a sway. I had remembered I assumed this position last labour. My contractions were 6 mins apart and within a short further half an hour they were alternating between 3-5 mins apart. By this time I was already in the shower, on all fours in the bottom of the shower with the warm water on my back. I also liked this position in my first birth. At this point Brad knew he needed to message Jas at 0020 as things were moving quickly. I was starting to struggle to talk with the contractions and I knew things were moving a lot quicker this time. My sister was going to come and stay with Eadie, however being an hour drive away she wasn’t going to make it, Brads parents were on standby and thankfully answered the phone and were at home within 10mins. I remember vividly his Mum coming into the bathroom telling Brad that my contractions were only 2 mins apart and that we need to get moving to the hospital. Brad replied and said ‘I’m trying Mum, they are coming so quick we fighting for time to get her out of the shower’. He was running around packing the bags and things on the list I had prepared for him. I remember Brad looking me in the eyes and saying ‘I know you want to stay in the shower darling , but after this next contraction we need to get you out, we need to get to the hospital’. I reluctantly nodded. Getting out was challenging, the contractions were rolling one after another and I only had short window to try and get dressed, then move to the car. Jas arrived at 0115 as I was walking to the car, she walked in the door, I remember feeling a huge sense of safety and relief. She said ‘we have to get going darling, this baby is coming’. She said she will follow us in her car and any worries to pull over. I gave Eadie a kiss goodbye and Sailor a pat. Brads Mum wished me luck and Brad’s Dad said ‘how on earth are we going to get you up in the car girl’. I ended up in the front seat, straddling the headrest, facing the back. Not one ounce of safety, but that was the only manageable way. Thankfully there wasn’t much traffic so early in the morning, and we got every green light. The drive in was challenging, I felt so much pressure in my bottom and I could feel this baby coming. I was trying with all my might to keep this baby in and not have her on the side of the road. The boost button on the TENS machine was my absolute saviour on the drive in. I had my eyes closed the whole way, I said to Brad, I need to push soon and he said ‘we are going up the hospital hill, we are nearly there’.

We arrived at the hospital at 0140. Getting out of the car I had a huge contraction and I could feel all the pressure in my bottom. I was getting contractions in my front pubic region but also a lot of pressure in my back. Brad and Jas were linked arm in arm with my trying to escort me to the hospital, I had to stop still every minute to have a contraction. Jas said to Brad ‘we need to get her inside, it’s too cold out here to have a baby’. I remember saying ‘I cannot walk, I cannot move’. I vividly remember thinking all I want to do is getting down on all fours, but man that gravel looks hard. Jas rang antenatal and they brought out a wheelchair to escort me inside. The midwife said ‘sit down and we will take you inside’. I said ‘I can’t sit’, all the pressure was in my bottom and I needed to push. I straddled the wheelchair on my knees, the whole time my eyes remained closed. I had a further 2 or 3 contractions on the escort in and had to stop and stand for each one. Finally I arrived into birth suite at about 0155. I remember feeling such relief that I had made it to birth suite. So naturally I relaxed a touch and I felt I needed to push. I remember wanting to balance myself and hold onto the bed, but it was one step out of reach. Within 10 minutes I had stripped off, had a cold flannel for my forehead, was down in a deep squat with the unforgettable deep ring of fire to my vulva. Within 2-3 big pushes Lexie was born at 0205. She came fiercely and intensely. My beautiful midwife Jas caught Lexie and was able to pass her up to me through my legs.

I remember being in complete shock that she was here and that I had just given birth. My active labour was 1 hour 40mins and my mind couldn’t catch up to what had just happened. The adrenaline had given me the shakes and I was so bamboozled that I had just given birth and that our beautiful Lexie Anne was here. It was surreal and so magical.

I opted for the syntocin injection to birth my placenta as I had really awful back pain and was unable to sit, stand or lie and get comfortable. I was struggling to hold Lexie and was wriggling in pain. Once I had birthed the placenta, that back pain dissipated.

I was then able to have skin to skin with my beautiful daughter and allow my mind to catch up with the last few hours. Lexie was calm and peaceful, she breastfed straight away and that time together was magical. I felt mum so close by me, during that moment. I had photos of mum with me, I had put on mums wedding rings as I went into labour and was wearing a beautiful bracelet gifted to me by my sister to remind me that her and mum were by my side. Our little piece of Mum had come back to earth in Lexie’s soul.

Lexie came out very bruised to her face and back of her hands and it was thought she came out with her hands up against her face. It was for this reason that I ended up with a severe second degree tear. I was so grateful to have been blessed with an incredible Dr on overnight who was able to assess it to be second degree rather than third and do an incredible job with stitches.

We were then able to have a couple of hours just Brad, Lexie and I together. Jas went home for some sleep and rest. I was able to shower while Brad had skin to skin with Lexie and we enjoyed some warm toast and a cuppa made by the midwife. We were itching to get home and elected to have an early discharge from the hospital. We had to wait for the morning team to review my stitches but we were home by 10 in the morning. Waiting for us was our Eadie girl with my sister and my Dad. Such a beautiful, bittersweet moment introducing Lexie Anne to them but so beautiful to see Eadie meet her baby sister.

We had a slow restful day at home, being cared for by Brad, my sister and my Dad. Jas and Lewin visited us in the afternoon and for the days and weeks after. We were so grateful to have such beautiful postpartum care at home.

Postpartum has been challenging, navigating this beautifully vulnerable, raw time without Mum here with me, but we have been surrounded by so much love from our family and friends and all together as a new family of four xx