Son of Robert and Helen Davies
Born on the 4th of March 2012, at the Portland Hospital
Weighing 8lb 7oz, Brother to Mia (10), Lucy (9) and Olivia (7)
first met Rob many years ago, when I was eighteen. We went out for a while, and then spent the next few years bumping into each other now and then. We finally became a couple again eleven years ago, and, shortly afterwards, our eldest daughter, Mia, came along. I don’t think we ever sat down and discussed how many children we wanted, it just sort of happened!
Lucy arrived eighteen months after Mia, and the age gap kept everyone on their toes. Then came Olivia, two years later. Three seemed a good number. How stunned were we when I discovered I was pregnant last summer? We thought we were either too tired or too old! We grew more excited after we told the girls. They were even more surprised, because they didn’t realise that mummy could get pregnant again – they thought her baby days were a thing of the past.
Fourth time round I was more tired, but also more sensible about having early nights. I was also far more sick early on in this pregnancy than any of the others. I was more stiff as, because of time, I didn’t swim or carry on with pilates or yoga. It was a big mistake! I developed swollen ankles at around 35 weeks and from 20 weeks I had to sleep sitting up, which was slightly alarming to Rob – seeing me sitting bolt upright in the middle of the night! My bump this time was very forwarding facing and more uncomfortable.
I was particularly uncomfortable for the final few weeks, as I’d started to dilate, and Tom’s head was facing my back. I was so uncomfortable that I had a sweep at 39 weeks. I went into the Portland on the morning of Sunday the 4th of March, after a restless night and a few false alarms. Rob was with me, enjoying the papers and the rugby on the television. The second stage took about ten minutes, in the water, with Rob’s hand being squeezed very hard, and a few unrepeatable words!
After the birth, I held Tom in my hands, while we were still in the water. I was in awe of him already. His sisters came to the hospital – they were utterly besotted, and so happy to see that he was a boy, and to see something so small! We all came home a day later and his sisters couldn’t do enough for me or Tom. I had to devise a routine for who helped with what, otherwise life would have been a bit tricky.
After learning it three times, I knew that the only way to survive the first week was to sleep in the morning while he was asleep. My mother-in-law did the school runs, and I recovered and slept. I think, being in my forties this time, my recuperation time took longer, and I was far more stiff and sore. I started pilates again when he was 20 weeks old, and the stretching was invaluable.
If I had felt as I do now with my fourth child, when I had my first child, I think I would have enjoyed her first year much more. Then, I was tired, and stressed, and constantly worried about whether I was doing the right thing. I think my experience has led to Tom being very happy and very content.
Tom is very chilled, and so happy, with beaming smiles when anyone gives him attention, especially his sisters. They take it in turns to help out with bottles and changes – I have three, mini, trainee nannies!
