Wairarapa’s first baby in 2022, Nico Auron Hume. PHOTO/MARY ARGUE
MARY ARGUE
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When contractions started five weeks early, Monique Hume wondered, “Braxton-Hicks or baby?”
But as they crept closer together on New Year’s Day, she could no longer suspect false labour.
This was the real deal.
She and her husband Nathan made a beeline for the hospital.
The arrival of Nico Auron – Wairarapa’s first New Year baby – at 1.13am on January 2, answered the question once and for all.
The Humes were more than a little surprised to welcome their second child five weeks early but said they were doing well.
Nico weighed a healthy six pounds but needed a stint in Wairarapa Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit to help with initial breathing difficulty and treat a touch of jaundice.
Now home from hospital, Monique said Nico was being doted on by two-year-old brother Luca.
“He [Luca] has been very good with him,” she said.
Monique said her first child had been two weeks overdue, leading her to believe January would be a time for relaxing and preparing for baby number two.
“I thought I had a whole month to sort things out,” Monique said.
“But no.”
Monique said they were visiting family in Eketahuna when the first signs of labour started.
She said as they continued, she began timing the contractions.
“I was still thinking ‘it’s too early’, but they were getting stronger, and I knew it shouldn’t be this painful.”
She said at 8pm, the contractions were less than five minutes apart, so she and Nathan made the call and went to the hospital.
Monique let out a deep sigh when the nurses confirmed go-time.
“I was not mentally prepared,” she said.
“But it was all over so quickly.”
It was a completely different labour from her 12-hour marathon with her first child, Luca.
Monique said staying in hospital under covid visiting restrictions had been hard for Luca, but the nurses and midwives “were great”, and Nico had continued to put on weight.
He had gained 80g in the last two days.
Nathan said he and Monique moved to Masterton from Wainuiomata in September and had been enjoying the lifestyle and proximity to grandparents.
The pair had met while working at the supermarket in their home town Nelson.
Nathan said he had heard Monique was a gamer and was intrigued.
“Girl gamers weren’t very common. And she doesn’t remember this, but I said to her, ‘you’re the perfect woman’.”
Two babies and 14 years later, the pair contemplated who Nico resembled most.
Nathan was confident his son was his spitting image.
“Yes,” said Monique. “But he has my nose.”
