Waiting away from home.

Having a baby in any of the territories has its challenges. Of course, women have been having babies well before provincial and territorial lines were drawn up, but there are issues other than just getting the baby out of the womb.

When I was pregnant with Hunter we were living in Kugluktuk, Nunavut. I left, as all pregnant women do, at 36 weeks. I opted to head to Edmonton instead of Yellowknife, so I could do some barge shopping while I was out. It was hard being away from my home for so long. Matt did not join me until I was 38 weeks, staying in Kugluktuk to work. It was alright since I had friends in Edmonton and the barge shopping kept me quite busy. I had a very rough labour and delivery making me very happy I was at such a good hospital that was prepared to deal with it. Since I worked for the GN, most of my flights were paid, I received a per diem of over $80 a day for 25 days, as well as having a suite in a hotel paid for those 25 days. We had to pay Matt's travel down though.

Now it is nearly two years later and we have moved to the Yukon. There is just a small health centre in Faro, like most communities in the Yukon, so pregnant women come into Whitehorse to give birth. Since Hunter arrived early, I was asked to come into Whitehorse a bit earlier than the usual two weeks. The government pays for our mileage and gives us $75 a day while we are out. There is a free place pregnant women can stay while waiting to give birth, however you cannot stay there if you have a child with you. We have lucked out in finding a fairly cheap place to stay, but of course it still puts us out money to be here. Matt is using vacation and banked time to be here with me. I knew that I would not be able to keep up to Hunter on my own.

I am happy to have my baby here at the hospital. I am not keen on delivering a baby in a community that has no doctor and has no real supplies for delivering babies! If anything were to go wrong we are a long way by road or even medivac to help. I am a bleeder and am more than content to have a doctor and back up there for me if needed.

Our last week has definitely had its ups! We have met some new friends through this blog, been swimming, dogsledding, invited for supper and lunch, as well as renting movies for the first time in almost four years.

But it has also had its downs. These nine days have also been exhausting. I know other people we really dislike living in our small community are just waiting until their next trip to the bright lights of Whitehorse. We really aren't in that category at all. I love the peace and quiet in our small town. Everyone here seems to be going at full speed (and not using their blinkers!) It is hard to live out of your suitcase. Hunter has been out of sorts, and it doesn't help that he has had a pretty bad stomach bug this weekend. I have had a cold this week as well. We are watching hours upon hours of tv and eating out way too much.

There is also the stress of what the heck do you do with your toddler once you do go into labour! We have no family here and are just starting meet people. We have really lucked out though. Plan A is a girl from Faro who is going to high school here who can look after him if it is evening or weekend. Plan B is another blogger that we actually just met for the first time. Hurray for amazingly friendly people in the blogging world. I really don't know what other people coming in do! I am just thankful we have some plans in place.

I am looking forward to heading home with toddler and newborn in tow. Also happy that I only want two kids so we will not be going through this stress again. Now if only Skeletor would make its appearance sooner rather than later... but I do think baby had dropped in the last day!

Thank you to the wonderful people that have been the bright shiny spots in our last nine days! We have really appreciated all of the kindness sent our way.