At 05.25 (GMT) on Wednesday 13th March 2013 in the hospital of St. Peters, Chertsey, Surrey our third child, and first son was born weighing 8lb 13oz (4.01kg). Unlike his sisters he doesn’t seem to have inherited the Badger ears but does have the Bagnall nose as so will have to learn the Bagnall nose rub.
Now usually this is where we would officially announce his name and explain any meanings (if any) behind the choice of name. Unfortunately Lucinda and I cannot agree on a name. Now you may think that we have had nine months (and at least 5 knowing that he was a boy!) to make this decision but the names we had on the shortlist don’t seem to suit him. That may sound a like strange and maybe it is the sleep deprivation that we are both experiencing but we will take a few days to reflect but rest assured you will be the first to find out.
His arrival in this world was relatively straightforward. Yesterday afternoon Lucinda started feeling some discomfort that she likened to period pains. We were not convinced until later that evening that this was it. Yes, he was a couple of days late but that means nothing. However Lucinda’s parents were put on standby for baby sitting duties I explained to Éowyn and Amélie that it was possible that Bilbo bump (the nickname that he has had in the womb – and one we are fighting against it becoming his real name) wanted to come and meet them. If he did then Mommy and Daddy would go to hospital and when they woke up Nanny and Granddad would be here.
It was about 23:30 when we decided it was time, Nanny and Granddad came round and we drove to St Peters. Maternity triage was full and we had to wait for over an hour before Lucinda was examined. The midwife recognised Lucinda and so when the examination confirmed that it was action stations she took us up to the labour ward and managed to secure us a pool room for the water birth that Lucinda had craved.
So it was 0130 and we were in labour. Although triage was full the labour ward seemed relatively empty. Thus the student midwife (Georgina) that was accompanying the midwife was able to spend a lot of time with us. She was very bubbly and gained our confidence which was crucial during the birth.
With a water birth it is very much hands off for the midwives and so it was with Bilbo Bump’s birth. Lucinda was guided through the birth by Georgina, who was excellent, but it was down to Lucinda who once again went through the whole of her labour with her TENS machine and then when she was in the water: gas and air, it is not a good idea to use a TENS machine in water! The birth was relatively quick, even without the assistance of gas and air and we were soon holding our son. Once again Lucinda was immense and I was very proud to be her husband.
The beauty of having an early morning baby is that we were able to be discharged by early afternoon and so for the first time, Lucinda (and the baby) did not have to spend a night in the hospital and we were able to be a family straight away. So we left St Peters in the bright sunshine of a cold March afternoon (indeed our arrival at home was greeted with a short sharp snow shower!) and headed for Nanny and Granddad’s to introduce the new addition to his sisters, his Nanny and Granddad and Nanny Fran, who had driven down from West Bromwich as soon as she heard that she had a grandson.
So Baby Bagnall was born on the 13th day of March, in the year 2013 and weighed 8lbs 13oz. With all these thirteens flying about I don’t think that he will suffer from triskaidekaphobia. Indeed he has been born on a rather auspicious day, not only was the comet Panstarrs visible in the Northern hemisphere but it was also the day that the Roman Catholic Cardinals chose a new Pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Jorge Bergoglio the Archbishop of Buenos Aires was voted Pontiff and has chosen the name Francis I. He is the first Pope from Latin America and with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI it means that for the first time in nearly 600 years there are two living Popes. A momentous time.
So Éowyn and Amélie will have to share this website with their brother and I will attempt to keep you all up to date with the growing pains of our growing family. Lucinda and I would like to thank you all for your kind messages and look forward to introducing our son (and announcing his name) to you all in the coming weeks and months.
Peace and Love
Baggie
And here are the photos I am sure you have all been waiting for:
