Stitch Fix #2 Reveal - It's a good one!

I love checking out pinterest and peruse everyone's fixes.  These women have some beautiful fix reveals.  The photography and background is gorgeous, their fix ALWAYS fits well.. it is pretty amazing that a stranger that has never laid eyes on someone can choose clothing for someone else! 

Before we get started, what is stitch fix?

Stitch fix is a personal shopping experience where you pay $20 for a stylist to send you 5 different item that he or she (yes there are men stylists with Stitch Fix!) sends you, you try them out and you either buy or send back!  If you purchase one item, that $20 stylist fee actually goes towards the item so what do you have to lose?  If you purchase all 5 items, you get a 25% discount on everything plus the stylist fee is discounted from your total.  You can schedule fixes or you can manually request them -- so you can get them as often or infrequently as you want -- no minimum requirements ever.

How does your stylist know what to send you?

First you fill out a long profile asking about sizes and your needs -- casual, dresses, office wear -- and you fill out questions about what you would like to see in your fix -- bottoms (skirts, shorts, pants, dresses), tops (tanks, long sleeves, sweaters etc), outerwear including jackets and vests, shoes, accessories including jewelry and bags.  You also get to choose how much on their range that you want to spend for each category.  You also get to write your stylist a note -- do you have a special occasion coming up?  Need a new pair of jeans or a blazer?  You write that write in your message.  Mine says all casual items with natural machine washable fibers.  What can I say? I am a mom and need simplicity in my life.  And finally, you can link your pinterest board to your profile so your stylist can see what you would like to see sent to you. In fact, every single item I have in my fix was pinned (or something similar) on my pinterest Stitch Fix Inspirations Board.

If you choose to try out this personal stylist service, please consider clicking a link so that I can get a referral credit -- and if you like it, your friends can sign up and you can get a referral credit too! 

My Stitch Fix referral link

So without further ado, here is my amazing fix.  I have to admit, I cheated and peeked when I saw it was on the way... I knew immediately I would like everything except maybe the chambray shirt but I started thinking about ways to style this piece, it might just be a 5/5!!

Their trademark beautiful packaging with a sneak peak to your beautiful new duds.

The personal note from your stylist as to why they chose the items they did and they also recommend mixing items from the current fix or previous fixes to style these items together.  I have only gotten tops, so they aren't able to recommend an entire outfit yet for me.

Item number one I tried on was this gorgeous tank. I was so excited for this one.  I had pinned it but I wasn't sure how it would look.  The fit is so flattering on my less than perfect (okay let's be honest, totally squishy belly!)  Verdict KEEP!

I absolutely love this tank and I chose to style it with a pair of capris and sperry casual shoes.  This is a great outfit for me to wear to Disney and I think it is casual enough for disney, but I can still look stylish for photos!

I adore the print on this top!

 

Next up, I tried the next top I was very excited about.  This mixed fabric top looked promising.  It is loose on the front side.  It is casual yet chic at the same time.  Except the fit... It is a terrible fit on me.  The back looks super cute.  The front is too short and it just leaves me looking boxy.  Leaves nothing to be desired for sure!  Verdict -- SEND BACK FAST! 

I really wanted to like this.  I thought the idea was so cute... But this is why we try the styling service.  You don't like it, you send it back! 

But the back is so darn cute!

The materials are beautiful.

Next up is this gorgeous lace top.  Another one that I pinned this exact top on.  I love this top but I could have used a bigger size.  It is also a bit delicate for me to wear around kids and since we don't do fancy dates, I just think this would sit in the closet with the tags still on it.  Although the shirt is so blissfully soft, the lace is delicate.  Verdict -- RETURN

 It is an okay fit -- the length is long enough, seems okay in the chest, but could use more fabric in the midsection for me.  Would look great on another woman, its just 'okay' on me though.

Hugs me in all of the wrong places.

Close up of the lace detail

The chambray shirt -- When I saw it on the peek, I thought "No Way!!" but that is the beauty of this.  I tried this top on and and I didn't hate it.  I think I would need to size up.  I think I did okay styling it, but it wouldn't get a lot of love in my closet.  The material of this is ... like heaven. I cannot even explain how soft this material is... It is like clouds surrounding you.  It is amazing and I am really picky about fabrics.  Verdict - RETURN

Couldn't decide if I was thin enough to do it belted, so I tried it belted and unbelted.

Close up of fabric/print

Finally, this dolman was what I consider my do-over for the last dolman. I love the way dolmans look but the last one just wasn't working for me.  My chest took up all of the extra fabric and it was no longer a dolman. This one, I had pinned on my board and it has this band that will work now and when I lose 20 lbs.  The band hides that squishy belly so well. I was unsure if it was too tight or if the fit was good, but upon posting a photo on the B/S/T group, apparently, I am just really critical on myself and I should keep this top!  It is super soft and feels wonderful.  

So what do you think?  Do you think Chelsea knocked it out of the park?  She had a lot of my rules she needed to follow and she followed every single one.  Just because the fit is off, does not mean she didn't do a great job!  I think she did fantastic.  I wish all of this looked wonderful on me, but even when I choose my own stuff off of the shelf, I don't pick things that fit every single time (or even half of the time! LOL)

Also, today was my Ipsy delivery too!  What is ipsy? It is a $10 a month beauty bag delivery service.  They send you a cute bag filled with full sized beauty goodies.  This month was a fun one.  The bag alone makes me smile monthly but I have gotten many really wonderful products in this little bag.  My favorite was a hair product that was full sized and it costs $18 at kohl's to purchase this one item and yet I got that and 4 other products plus a cute bag-- all for $10!

If you want to check out Ipsy, I do get points for you joining! So please use my referral code if you are interested!  Ipsy Referral Code

That is it for now! I still need to post a step-by-step packing of the 5 coolers of 2,000 ounce of breast milk that went to the preemies milk bank 2 weeks ago. I already have 5 more sitting in my garage for next week too!  It's crazy how quickly that milk stacks up.  I also got the most darling photos of Ms. A in the last week.  One of her and her daddy before Valentines where he declared that she is his, forever.  Of course she is.  She will always have a Valentine in her mummy and daddy!  Also, I got one today of her smiling this gorgeous smile.  She truly is darling but I feel like it was so long ago that I delivered her.. it almost doesn't seem real anymore.  Such a beautiful thing -- surrogacy!  <3

Answering questions is something I love to do!

Back in November 2014, I said that anyone could leave an anonymous comment about any questions they might have and I would be happy to answer them.  Recently, with the Stitch Fix post, I had recently joined a Stitch Fix B/S/T group and shared my story with those ladies.  There was a lot of interest about surrogacy in that group and anyone that knows me, knows I love to educate about the process!

With that, I got a comment today from one of those lovely ladies and I would love to answer Anna's questions! So hello Anna and thank you for asking questions that I am sure everyone else would love to see answered!


Here is Anna's original post:

Hi! I found you through a stitch fix group where you posted your blog :) I would love to know how your husband and kids felt about it! Having just had my second I know a pregnancy (temporarily) changes the dynamic for the whole family and is a sacrifice by us all! They must be very supportive...but what were some of the questions you answered to your kids about it? Also how did you emotionally prepare for giving away the baby that you had carried and nurtured for 9 months? I'm not trying to be negative by any means that is just a huge sacrifice and a huge gift to this couple. I can only imagine how hard it was--or was it something you were prepared for since that is the whole premise of this process? Also did you create the birth plan that you wanted or did your couple have a say in it? If they had wanted you to do a c section but you wanted a natural birth who gets to say what happens? I suppose all this is worked out in the contract. I have started at the beginning and am excited to read through your whole blog--thank you for sharing so people like me can learn more about the amazing journey of surrogacy!




My husband met me when I already had a nearly 2 year old and I was in the process of being a surrogate with my first couple.  I told him "This is a dream of mine, like it, love it, or leave it!"  He chose to love it and me.  But this isn't typical.  Surrogates should have complete support from their significant other/spouse because IF things get bad, that is their main support.  It is bad enough when something goes bad in your own pregnancy, but when you add the element of another couple to the dynamics of a pregnancy, you are adding a lot more emotions and feelings as well.  It can be exhausting trying to balance life in general but also having to cultivate a relationship and consider everything on both sides can be draining.    We fortunately had a pretty text book surrogacy -- physically and emotionally.  My husband is a Marine (but you already know that!)  We have moved 6 times in 6 years and with that, many of my dreams of careers have been crushed.  I have always dreamed of becoming a nurse.  This hasn't been able to happen due to not having enough time at any duty station to complete a program so because I have followed him everywhere, he supports me in my dreams and surrogacy was one of them.  He was a huge support!  HUGE.  He did everything for me.  Rubbed my back and feet when they hurt.  Talked me through situations and gave me the best advice or sometimes just listened.  There were times I was cranky, or I couldn't sleep.  There were periods of time where I had to have pelvic rest or to be completely candid, had no interest in any relations.  Surrogacy is not for the faint of heart -- for anyone.  Even husbands.  But he took it all in stride and was just really supportive about everything.

My kids were really wonderful through it.  Leah was my little side kick.  She was the only one that ever felt Baby A move.  She would come over and talk to my belly.  She was really in tune with the whole pregnancy.  She is 8.  She also loved L because L is very stylish and gorgeous so Leah connected to her right away. She always wanted to buy little gifts for the baby and the parents when we would go shopping but she new it was more like a 'cousin' to her and not one of our babies unlike her little sister.  Weston is 5 and many times, he saw that it was a burden at times.  When E&L were here in September, it happened to be the weekend of the Richmond Nascar Race.  Weston wanted to go to the race, but we had plans with E&L.  He said "Mom, can't you just give the baby to them already so we can go to the race?" So he understood how this baby would come out and go home with someone else but he also knew that sometimes, this baby made mama crabby and he didn't like that.  Piper knew there was a baby in my belly.  She was the least aware of how it would play out though. She had never experienced a baby coming home with us so I am not sure that she anticipated the baby coming home with us either.  But now, she is aware of how baby A fits in all of this.  When I pump, she still asks me if I am pumping for Baby Aggy.  Also, the other day we were looking through my phone for photos of cinderella and I had a lot of photos of Aggy in my phone.  Piper looked at the photos and said "I love baby Aggy.  I want to hug her.  She's my best friend."  It broke my heart and made it soar all at the same time.  So they have been great but this is hard on them too!

The emotional preparation to 'give away' the baby as you stated was not hard.  Surrogates usually phrase it as "giving the baby back".  It is like babysitting-- you love the child, you want the child to be safe, but you are okay when mom and dad come at the end of the day to take the baby home!  It was not hard for me to separate myself from the baby one bit.  actually it is surreal to think I grew this baby under my heart and yet I have not one little iota of maternal instinct or feelings towards her.  The hardest transition was going from being pregnant and talked to often by the IPs to being updated occasionally. I think most surrogates would say that they miss the close relationship with their IPs more than they miss the baby. 


The birth plan was kind of a long process and it was really in depth for us.  Some surrogates get to call all of the shots with their birthing plan and the parents get to make the decisions once the baby was born.  But I have always held the premise that "This is OUR story".  That included the birth and the birth plan.  My doula sent me and the IPs a questionnaire and we uploaded it to a google doc.  From there, we all tweaked answers to our satisfaction and the doula put the birth plan together.  Of course the plan is just a list of wishes and anything could change at any moment, but we were all happy with what we would like to see.  As for if the surrogate and IPs don't agree on medical interventions, that CAN be addressed in the contract and you should only match with those that agree with your ideals of delivery. I have recently seen that a set of IPs are requesting a surrogate that would consent to a scheduled C-Section from the beginning.  I would not be an ideal candidate for that couple so I would not match with them. If someone changes their mind about their wishes, then it is usually deferred to medical advice.  The doctor gets to make the ultimate decision and there is room in a contract for a second opinion should someone require one.


I hope that answered all of your questions Anna!  IF anyone else has any questions, feel free to post them anonymously!  I will answer them honestly and I promise to not get offended with any questions.

Also, Anna -- feel free to find me in that group and PM me if you have anymore questions or just want to chat about surrogacy in general. I can talk about surrogacy until I bore people -- Really, I can!! 

Video from the entire process & Crying Doula's Birth Story!

I made this little video to show photos from the entire journey. I am no master at making videos but I did what I could!  The first song just sounds perfect for our journey.  We counted on each other the entire time and we were such a great team!  It is certainly bittersweet that the journey is over now, but I am so happy to have taken the path to get here.  Surrogacy is a very life enriching journey for everyone involved!

Here is Crying Doula's version of birth. One of the things she didn't add in there was about our quiet time in the bathroom. I found myself in the bathroom about every 10 minutes during the birth.  This is where we had our most private conversations and she checked in on how I was doing emotionally and physically where I didn't have to hide my thoughts from anyone.  Having a doula is an amazing thing.  Having a doula for the surrogacy was necessary for me.  Gaining a friend out of it... priceless!!

The Birth of Baby Teacup from the Perspective of “The Crying Doula”

In September of 2015 I received a few notifications on Facebook where I was mentioned as a referral for a local woman looking for an “excellent doula” for a “unique situation” with availability near Christmas.  I gave it some thought and decided that if I felt a good connection, I would be willing to be available at Christmas for a special birth.  Fortunately, when I reached out, I met Melanie.  As all of you know as her friend or even just getting to know her through the blog—she is an incredible, selfless, and strong woman—and agreeing to support her during Baby Teacup’s birth was an easy decision.  When she shared with me that she was a gestational surrogate I was nervous as I knew very little about surrogacy but honored at the same time to be able to support such an incredible woman and gain knowledge about surrogacy in the process.  The excitement got even sweeter when I read her blog and got to know L&E through her beautiful words.

 Melanie and I had a few prenatal meetings where we got to know one another, discussed her birth preferences, and she taught me Surrogacy 101.  What I found was that not only was Melanie an amazing client but became such a dear friend which is always a blessing in the military world.  I also enjoyed getting to know L&E through email as we all worked together to create a birth preference plan which encompassed Melanie’s birthing wishes and L&E’s wishes for Teacup.  Birth plans are sometimes controversial in the hospital birth world as birth is unpredictable and sometimes doctors and nurses can view these well-intentioned plans as rigid lists that set birthing women up for disappointment when or if things don’t go as she has put into writing.  That being said, with the uniqueness of Baby Teacup’s birth, having a flexible birth preference plan in place made the most sense to ensure Melanie, L&E, myself, and all of the care providers had an idea about the vision L&E had for the birth of their daughter and for Melanie’s care during her birth.

             

As the end of November/beginning of December approached Melanie and I shared some phone calls that will forever be some of my favorite memories!  It appeared Baby Teacup was eager to join this world but it was hard to tell just when that would be.  I had the opportunity to hang out with Melanie in triage for a bit for an assessment which gave me a nice peek inside the labor and delivery wing the hospital that she would deliver, which is gorgeous!  We also met an amazingly kind nurse that night that left a lasting impression on me through her gentle and compassionate care of Melanie.  Melanie and I also spent a lot of time discussing when to have L&E travel in and it was a hard decision for Melanie to contemplate and one that she did not make lightly for fear that she would give them the “go ahead” and Teacup would settle herself back into her cozy environment. Fortunately, when she gave them the “go ahead” it wasn’t much longer before Baby Teacup would join this world.

            

 On December 14^th Team Teacup had a beautiful brunch together to meet one another and snap some fun photos, as you saw previously on the blog.  This was a great way to put faces to names and really ensure everyone was ready to work together to support both Melanie and L&E as Baby Teacup entered the world.  We also had a lot of fun watching E chase Piper around the neighborhood and park and I think it gave L a tiny glimpse of her future.  It was a sweet moment.  We parted ways with plans to get together later in the week for tea in Old Town Alexandria.

              

As luck would have it, Melanie knows her body and Baby Teacup was showing signs at Melanie’s doctor’s appointment on the 16^th that she was ready.  Melanie could now feel comfortable knowing she had called L&E at just the right time to travel in and have a bit of time to get settled before the journey ahead.  Melanie messaged me that morning that they were sending her to labor and delivery and with that I put my kiddos on the bus and headed her way. 

When I arrived everyone was in good spirits! L&E had run home to gather their belongings, Melanie was getting settled and comfortable in her beautiful birthing environment, and Kurt was helping set her up with love and encouragement.  I was eager to know the plan and excited that the nurse and doctor(s) that were caring for Melanie really were interested in the birth plan and were ready to ensure both Melanie and L&E felt supported in welcoming Baby Teacup.  Melanie was calm, collected, and her usual cheery self, making everyone laugh with her wit and humor!  

The morning and afternoon progressed rather easily and light-heartedly as we laughed, talked about life, and stories of how quickly Melanie’s other births were.  We all anticipated Teacup would arrive before dinner.  Melanie had a steady flow of care providers and hospital staff coming through to check on her, make sure all of the plans for both Melanie and L&E were in place, and at one point the baby nurses were even jokingly “fighting” about who would call dibs on being a part of this amazing experience.  It was all in great fun.  As Melanie and I had already had big plans to get pedicures that day, in true doula fashion, I whipped out some nail polish and prepared those toes for the big day!  I don’t think the doctors or nurses had ever seen a patient so easy-going, laid-back, or comfortable during her labor as to be in such a great, laughing mood and enjoy a pedicure during the experience.  Melanie had promised Nurse Sanchez she would be delivering Baby Teacup prior to shift change so the team was ready and excited.

As evening approached, shift change came and went, and hunger set in, things got a bit more serious.  Melanie was still her sweet and happy-self, of course, but she was ready to hand Teacup over to her loving parents so she could enjoy a nice juicy steak, baked potato with all the fixin’s, and maybe some broccoli.  Nurse Monica thought broccoli might be too gassy which made us laugh even more as we debated which dish Melanie should order from Outback Takeout because most certainly Teacup would be here before they closed.  We somehow began taking bets on how big Miss Teacup would be since she decided her grand entrance was necessary three weeks early…little did we know, Nurse Monica means business when it comes to winning bets! She got out some paper, a pen, and recorded everyone’s guesses with a right to change her guess since she was the nurse!  This is how the early evening went, light-hearted, easy, and so much laughter…but as late evening approached the discomfort began to really set-in.  (Melanie adding this -- None of us guessed that teacup would be as big as she was either!  We were all in the lower 7-8 lb range)

Melanie had been quite active throughout the labor experience getting up and down to use the restroom often, stretching and standing, lunging and rocking throughout the day.  As things became more uncomfortable in her lower back and pelvis Melanie had a sneaking suspicion that Baby Teacup just might be positioned posteriorly but the midwife neither confirmed nor denied this and said to just keep moving and stay positive.  Intuition sure is a powerful thing!  So we got the birth ball out and Melanie kept moving, rocking, swaying…I asked if counter-pressure would help and we tried that with no relief.  She asked if I would try the double hip squeeze and voila!  That was what her body needed.  I have tried this with several other women and she was the first to find it helpful and necessary.  Once this began she absolutely needed that pressure and relief the hip squeeze provides to cope through her contractions.  She began getting quite shakey, nauseous, and even lightly pushy so we though with certainty that transition was here and got L&E ready…but it was just not the case yet.  At this point Melanie had been in labor for over 16 hours, had only water, popsicles, and jello for nourishment, and had very little sleep the night before so it was normal to expect that she was exhausted but at the same time, she was determined and ready to work hard to bring Teacup into the world.  We got the diffuser going, beautiful music going, dim lights, and talked quietly and gently as Julie pushed one hip and I pushed the other and Melanie breathed beautifully through each contraction.

 

After several hours of coping but really feeling exhausted after so much energy and hard work Melanie made the decision to ask for an epidural.  We had discussed during her prenatal visits that epidurals can be wonderful tools to assist in relaxation and progression when exhaustion sets in and she was certain Teacup would make a speedy grand entrance so we didn’t focus much attention on epidurals but we knew that this was something Melanie was open to should a need arise.  When Melanie decided she wanted the epidural I, like I do with every client, wanted to make sure that she was confident in the decision and there was nothing else she wanted to try before calling the doctor in.  Melanie is extremely educated about birth so I had no doubt that she was making the best decision and I quickly got Nurse Monica to find the anesthesiologist.  Unfortunately, I don’t think he had ever seen a double hip squeeze before and I certainly couldn’t stop them so I squeezed during every contraction right up until he administered the medication.   He was patient and understanding but of course my hands were dangerously close to his “work space” so I understood his hesitation.  All in all though, he, like most of the other staff, was very willing to accommodate Melanie’s needs for comfort.  I didn’t tell Melanie but inside I was JUST a bit nervous as this was the first epidural I had witnessed.  I have had two epidurals and several spinal taps so I am not unfamiliar with the process but generally speaking my clients either have to be alone in the room with the staff as support or have their significant other as their plus one during this experience so I felt both honored to be part of yet another educational opportunity and experience and nervous that I wouldn’t know exactly how to support Melanie best during the procedure.  Fortunately, it went as planned and Melanie, like always, was amazingly strong during the entire thing.  Unfortunately, once the medication began to set in, only one side of Melanie’s body was numbing up.  I continued hip squeezes and encouraged Melanie to rest between contractions.

            

 Right around 4am Melanie told me she was feeling the urge to push and asked if I could get her nurse quickly (as we know when it’s time for Melanie, it is time!) and she came in and checked and I gently reminded her of the section of the birth plan that says not to speak the forbidden words (hint hint: labor down) so with that they said “okay, then let’s see what you got…” and said “whoa, wait, get everyone in here!” so I hurried and texted L&E and Julie and told them it’s REALLY TIME and to hurry! I got Melanie’s (dead—haha!) right leg and Nurse Monica got the other.  If it tells you anything about the mood, Nurse Monica was STILL joking about me having the “bum leg” and her having the “easy” leg at this point and while Melanie was still working incredibly hard she managed to chuckle a bit!  She is such a STRONG woman!  So, with that all of my attention focused to Melanie.  I could hear that there were a lot of people in the room but my only focus was on her.  She gave several mighty pushes then suddenly the resident froze—my heart jumped—and the next thing I know I hear “shoulder dystocia” and the nurse is pushing me to force Melanie’s leg up to what felt like her ears!  It was the first dystocia I had witnessed and after the minor little freeze up, the team moved like the experts they were and applied suprapubic pressure and sweet little Teacup was born quickly into L’s arms.  Melanie and I looked at each other with a “whoa, I don’t know if L&E realized what just happened” look but it explained so much of the discomfort Melanie was feeling.  Then, L came over and shared sweet baby Teacup’s name and hugged Melanie and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.  I made the mistake of “bragging” to Nurse Monica about how I have not cried at a birth (other than my own) and when the special moment came the tears just began to flow…hints the nickname, “The Crying Doula”.

 Like superwoman, Melanie recovered quickly and was back to asking for her steak and baked potatoes shortly after she was cleaned up and comfortable.  Unfortunately, Outback was indeed closed but they managed to find her a breakfast menu and she was able to order as much as her sweet heart desired.   We packed up and moved everything to the postpartum area where they had yet another generous sized room.  It didn’t take long before the amazing Melanie was up and moving around situating her things, showering and freshening up, and reflecting upon the events that had just transpired.  I left Melanie to rest while I went home and got a little sleep myself before coming up to spend some time with her later that day.  When I arrived Melanie gifted me the most beautiful essential oil diffusing necklace and balance oil.  In true Melanie fashion, she had so thoughtfully and kindly taken the time to have something so special personalized for me.  Once again, I got a little teary eyed! 

 I cannot thank Melanie and L&E enough for the honor and privilege to be part of this amazing experience.  I have learned so much about surrogacy, special birth experiences, and made an incredible friend in the process.  Melanie truly is one of the most remarkable women I have ever met.  Every decision made during the pregnancy and birth Melanie carefully considered what was best for Teacup, what L&E would like for their daughter, and last, what her feelings were in the matter.  She is always putting others first.  She is without a doubt one of the most dedicated, sincere, and genuine people I have ever met.  I know it was meant to be that we end up meeting through the birth of Baby Teacup and become forever friends through the process.  

To check out the services that Melissa offers through her business, please go to her FB page and 'like' it Anchored in Hope Facebook Page and her business website Anchored in Hope

Birth Story from IFs Point of View

This was written on 12/28 -- just over a week after Teacup was born while everyone was still here local to me.  <3

There's 3,662 miles and five time zones between London and The East Coast of The United States. On May 12th, earlier this year, that distance evaporated instantly when Melanie told us that her doctor had confirmed first heartbeat. From then on a day hasn't gone by when we haven't thought of her, and the baby she was carrying. Our baby. Teacup.

Two weeks ago L and I were in London. Teacup was due to arrive at the end of December. We were due to fly just before Christmas, and all seemed well. Then, on Thursday 10th it became clear that Teacup was getting impatient, and so, on Melanie's counsel, we dropped everything and by Sunday evening were in DC. 

Monday was quiet. Tuesday too. Then, at 8pm, a sprint to the Hospital, only for Melanie to be sent home at midnight. Back to the hospital at 8am for more tests, at which point Melanie's Doctor made the call to induce, and just like that, she was admitted, and we were on. A fortnight earlier than planned, but when it's time, it's time. Especially when it comes to babies.

Melanie's previous deliveries have been relatively straightforward. But Teacup - to borrow a phrase - was made in The U.S. from British parts, so nobody knew what would happen next.

Melanie was ready, the Hospital Team were ready, The Crying Doula and The Photographer were ready. But Teacup wasn't ready. Time went on. Afternoon became evening. Light became dark. The night shift took over from the day shift. Teacup still wasn't ready. In fact she was so not ready that her heart rate was never any higher than normal for the entire sixteen hours of Melanie's labour.

Credit for this calm goes to Melanie herself, obviously, and the FBCH Nursing Staff, but also to Melissa, our amazing - occasionally tearful - Doula, and Julie, our photographer - initially - turned assistant birthing coach by mid afternoon. These two were there for Melanie - and Teacup - all the way. Gentle, loving, experienced, and wise, they gave everything, selflessly, and L and I are truly grateful.

Then, at 4.00am, something changed. Maybe Melanie's willpower finally woke Teacup up. Maybe she decided that it was time to come out and find out out what all the fuss was about. Maybe she just wanted a cup of tea. And by 4.30 she was here. Suddenly. Not without drama. But ultimately healthy and well. Which was all that everybody in the room wanted. And all that L and I have ever wanted.

From Melanie they took Teacup directly to L. Skin on skin. Mother and daughter. Nothing more natural. Nothing more miraculous. For a split second she was the youngest person on the planet. For us she will always be the most important person in the world.

And now it's our job to take care of her. Melanie and Team Teamcup could not have been more professional, could not have shown more love. Melanie and her family could not have been more welcoming and warm. Melanie - Super Melanie as she will always be to us - could not have done something more miraculous. Now it's up to L and I to carry on the story and make all y'all proud.