Dearest Family and Friends
57 Cumberland Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Phone Number: +1 415 738 2112
Nadine: 415 595 0023
Colman: 415 871 9920
Skype: nadinemellor
September Highlights
Waiting
Would this Baby Ever Arrive?
Weekly check-ups, usual exercise routine, sorting, ticking off the list, packing bags, getting everything required and finishing off work – all constructively occupied the first half of September. The due date of 16th September came and went; as the second half of the month wore on, everything that needed to be done on the list was being ticked off so I had nothing much to do - an odd feeling for me – having finally finished work and went on maternity leave on the 24th. We were increasingly impatient to meet Baby, particularly my mother, who was getting very ‘toey’, having arrived to help out 5 days after the due date. Every old wives tale was deployed:
hot curries (yes both Thai and Indian), nipple stimulation, sex, pineapple, raspberry tea, hopping around the place, swimming, evening Primrose oil, yoga, cinema outings (3.10 to Yuma (violence), Once (romance), and In the Shadow of the Moon (moonlandings), Mexican food, sesame oil, Pilates, housework, mantras, two sessions of acupuncture, letters to Baby, acupressure, creative visualisations, hypnobirthing exercises, having my membranes stripped twice (not waters broken but doctor's finger up cervix and poking) and sheer will all failed to work… So it was looking ominous that induction would be the outcome.Esme arrives!
Thursday 27th September
Until Wednesday 26th September when we went to see 2001 A Space Odyssey at the local Castro Theatre – a fabulous art deco emporium which has retro and often camp film schedules. Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece is fantastically bizarre and much of his message is cryptically obtuse, but the music and trippy visuals are fabulous. The film ends with a baby in a bubble floating towards the Earth. We went home to the silvery light of the Harvest Full Moon.And so I awoke the next morning at 4am with abdominal cramps but thought not much of it. I’d had these before, particularly after the acupuncture sessions. I dozed until 6. I was quietly reading in bed when my waters broke at 7.45. Alarmingly they were dark green, indicating the presence of meconium – the baby had passed a stool in utero. This is potentially dangerous as Baby could ingest it. Our neighbour, Patrick, drove us to St Lukes where we were admitted at 8.30am.
Contractions started almost immediately - 2 minutes apart and intense from the get go as they seized my body – it is remarkable how much noise one can make in extremis! After examination I was found to be only 1.5cm dilated. We were told we would be here for the long haul and the meconium meant they were watching the baby like a hawk. I was put under constant surveillance with foetal heart, contraction, blood pressure monitors strapped to me, an IV drip inserted so a pole came with me at all times, and another attachment on the baby’s head plus an oxygen mask, and a TENS machine on my back.
By lunchtime I was dealing with the contractions more efficiently and was more relaxed, breathing through the surges – although had thrown up 3 times. We played music all day, alternating between ‘slow baby’ and ‘fast baby’ playlists, lovingly pre-prepared by Colman. He was simply wonderful throughout - romantic, supportive, thoughtful, loving, good-humoured, unfailing and steadfast. He and our doula, Reise, massaged my feet as I rocked on the nursing chair or bounced on the birthing ball. My favourite position overall proved to be bending right-angled over the bed.
Our midwife, Emily, was concerned the baby was not reacting appropriately. The medicals want to see the baby’s heart rate increase during contractions, and this wasn’t happening. So she advised Pitocin to induce further, stronger contractions, an amnio wash and forbade a shower as they wanted continual monitoring. Dismayed, Colman and I asked for time out. When she returned we were told that the baby had perked up so no amnio wash nor pitocin was required, and yes we could have a shower – great. After the shower, I was examined at 2.30pm and was now 4cm dilated which was progress but we were again warned it would take a long time and we all mentally prepared ourselves for a midnight delivery.
So I requested a dose of the opiate Fentanyl. Bliss. I lay down for the first time for an hour while the contractions came and went and I was able to relax between strong surges – still 2 minutes apart. Colman lay beside me and kept up the affirmations and mantras to encourage me to relax and open. After the 1st shot wore off, I had another, expecting more lying on the bed action, but Reise and Colman told me to stand up, keep moving and dance around the room to keep the baby moving and hurry things along. By 6pm Emily came back into the room to say she was finishing her shift and good luck for the rest of the evening. I felt the need to go to the loo or something and the nurse said let’s examine you and see how you’re doing. And to astonishment she said there’s no cervix left – time to push! The Birth
So paediatricians, doctors, baby warmers all came bustling into the room. My mother had originally expressed no wish to be there for the actual birth, as this would be too embarrassing for both of us, and was mentally planning a get away at 6/7pm. But events overtook her. And so the birthing stool was placed between Colman’s legs and I squatted down on it; Reise held my right hand and my mother my left. A new doctor, Dr Li, sat on the floor in front of me and held me with commanding eyes, instructing me to push down on her finger – all the while I was emitting primal whale like bellows. 
It was 15-20 minutes of pushing before I could feel the head between my legs, hair matted and damp. And then Baby slithered out at 6.47pm – dark pink, covered with vernix and blood with the surprisingly thick blue-white cord attached to the midriff – and yes a girl!
She was placed on my breast for a minute – Colman cut the cord – enough time to see her wonderful wide dark slaty blue eyes blinking and staring around the room. She was then whisked to the paediatrician who cleaned her up and pronounced her totally fine despite the meconium. When asked what we were calling her, 
Colman replied Esme May, and then told me I always got my own way! [Picture is of Reise] By 9pm the three of us were alone in the room in slightly dazed amazement just with our new nurse, Erica, who had charming task of clearing up all the blood and gore produced during the birth – I did lose a fair bit of blood and had torn a little.Babymoon
Delight and Wonder
And we were enraptured by Esme, our little precious bundle – 7lb6oz and 19¼ inches – dark hair with a tuft that stuck up on the crown, a little turned up nose, sweet pointy chin, petite hands, longish slender legs (not Mellor legs at all!!) with a miniature version of Colman’s feet (although without his webbed toes). Esme is named after my mother’s mother’s mother and 
May for Colman’s great-aunt who was a big presence in his family. She latched on very quickly. That night we slept badly with nurses checking up on us every 3 hours and I felt a little dizzy from the loss of blood and sore from the exertions of labour. At Hospital
Her first full day, Friday 28th, was spent hanging out and dozing with her parents who were getting a handle on feeding, changing, sleeping, photographing our gorgeous bundle, 
and avoiding panic at every little gurgle, sigh and snort. Mum came for most of the day and soothed Esme who was unsettled in the morning. Early evening our first visitor arrived – Jen Daniel – who said all the right things about Esme being beautiful and perfect. 
Esme passed her hearing test and had her first bath - hilarious as several student nurses were being shown around at the time and their teacher was this characterful lady from the Deep South with exuberant jewellery and nails to match, with a relaxed pronouncement-making mode of speech. That night we slept much better.
Our final morning in the hospital was spent checking items off the list of facts we needed to know, shamelessly nabbing receiving blankets, applying ice packs to nether regions, and meeting up again with our midwife, Emily, who admitted if she’d known we would give birth so quickly she’d never have gone home - 
apparently the full moon always sees a spike in births and while we had been in labour another 4 babies had been delivered around us. We also had a message from my pre-natal doctor, Dr Norrell, who was really excited to hear our news. As we prepared to leave the room I burst into tears realising how much love I had for my beautiful baby girl.The taxi ride home – all of 7 blocks down Dolores – was wondrous and magical. The sun was shining.
The taxi driver was silent. Esme stayed latched on to the breast from the hospital lobby to our front door steps. Colman and I held hands, totally thrilled and amazed and emotional and brimming and delighted to be a brand new family. Our thoughts have been with Cindy, Adam and Cain throughout this time and still are.
Top
Visitors
Visitor of the MonthMum came to stay 5 days after the due date and had ample time to adjust to the time difference, help clean the apartment, revisit the de Young museum, wander around Crissy Field, do the washing and ironing, go to the Chinese Historical Society of America, cook up a storm, go shopping, treat me to dim sum in Chinatown, and come swimming with me. She was an enormous help, a fount of knowledge and we really appreciated her being here – and it was very special that she stayed for the birth to hold my hand against her original instincts!
Visitors and Good WishesWe spent time with Armani and her charming and friendly parents, Louisa and Ron, in the weeks before Esme’s arrival – they were over from London for the birth of Marcus, due 2 weeks ahead of us, who showed up one week late. Colman took on Geoff, Ron, and their friend Simon at poker, and was pleased he only lost $10, playing against such card sharps.
Adam and Jen took time out from their 
busy social schedule our first day back at home (it was a full on weekend of SF activities which we'll partake of next year) and were our first home visitors providing champagne, flowers, cake – yummo – it was lovely to be able to show Esme off. The next day Sophia and Ava came to see her and brought gorgeous alphabet cards. 
Ava held Esme very carefully as befits such a big girl of 4½. 
We have been really touched at the emails, texts, cards and gifts from you all which are gratefully received and mean a great deal, especially as we are far away from most of our family and friends – THANK YOU. We are overjoyed at our good fortune
and how lucky we were during the delivery and that we have such a healthy baby. She is no trouble at all, totally adorable, exquisitely precious, and sleeping and feeding are going well.Top
Labor DayA big US public holiday – this year on the 3rd September – and we celebrated by visiting Kristan and Steve and meeting their new perfectly behaved baby, Soren, sleeping beatifically in his bassinet while we had a very jolly brunch. Very apt to be with them on Labor Day!
Seasonal Event of the Month
The new annual Park(ing) Day was on the 21st September. Public car parking spaces become temporary parks. If you like the park, feed the meter is the slogan. This installation, Bocce in the Park, is on Valencia outside the Ritual Roasters Café. The idea is to highlight that 70% more time/money/resources are spent on cars and parking than is spent on public parks and green spaces. Restaurant of the Month
I took Colman to the local legendary Italian, Delfina, for a final posh meal the week before Baby due. The restaurant is so popular I could only get a reservation by booking a month in advance and then only for a Monday night. To start with Colman partook of the salt cod mantecato with walnut oil while I went for the prosciutto San Daniele with figs and parmigiano. For mains I enjoyed the California halibut with melted leeks and lemon caper butter – yummmm – while Colman had the Paccheri al Amalfitana with white sea bass – a pasta dish where the sauce was made with a wonderfully delicate fish stock. For pudding I had the signature chocolate pannacotta; Colman chose the dessert wine, Passito Albano di Romyre. We had a lovely romantic dinner and look forward to the next occasion, whenever that may be!
Wine Tasting of the Month by Mission Boy
Mural of the Month
Seen in Balmy Alley, one of the Mission's most famous outdoor art galleries which has lots of political themes - and I thought this one most appropriate!Bumper Sticker of the Month
Bush Deserves a Fair Trial
Stencil of the Month
Yours in a Bliss Bubble
Love and hugs
Nadine and Colman xxx
Top
