The end of confinement

Finally, the one month of residential imprisonment has come to an end. The pain of being locked up within the four walls made even visits to gynae and paed such a welcoming change. I marked the days down on my calendar and looked forward to each visit. ( an opportunity for me to smell some fresh air, wear some clothes that have already gathered quite some dust and to sit in the car to take a look at the world out there).


Then again as the D-day approaches, nolstalgia kicks in.Mum's going home.

The Whole Story

Alright, here's the story of LABOUR.

Well, some people said that labour could happen days before the real pushing and heaving. I guess that's the way for my case. About 5 days before the 'real thing', I went to the gynae for the normal check and he told me that I've dilated for about 2cm and IT could happen soon. That started us anticipating but in vain until 15th Feb, I had some show. I called the gynae and he told me to monitor. The time was close. Again nothing happened. We still went shopping cos I reckon hospital is nearer to Mt Alvernia anyway.

We went home and wondered when the real call would be. At 4.30am, I felt like I needed to pee and then I felt a huge gush coming on. I JUMPED out from bed. (something which I haven been able to do for months! I wonder where that surge of energy came from.) I stood rooted and started holding on to the towel which was already placed nicely beside me in preparation for this moment. I shouted for hubby to wake up. I just shouted, 'waters broke, Waters broke, how? I cannot walk!' He woke up and turned on the lights and asked me to just walk to the toilet although it meant that the water will leave a trail. I went to wash up while hubby mopped the floor. He showered and changed while I took a bottle of chicken essence. Then we made our way to the hospital.

Somehow there was this calmness after the initial shock. Total peace tinged with excitement. We made our way to the car and decided to drive through Mcdonald's for a quick bite before labour begins. Mum said that the contraction pain will only come after the waters have finished flowing so we thought that gives us some time to play around:P. We bought bf but I was gan jiong so could't eat much. so we shared a burger.

We arrived and checked into the delivery suite by 5.30am. Thank God for the perfect timing. Just one hour later there would have been heavy traffic. Just one hour later, hubby would have gone to school. Just one hour later, the pain would hvae come on.

6am- The contractions began. I managed to hold on for 3 hours. Tried using the laughing gas but it was rancid. I'd rather endure the pain than smell that cursed thing. My contractions was strong and steady. Unlke most people mine lasted one minute for every contraction although it was just 'early labour'.That probably contributed to the great pain and faster dilation I guess. When the gynae came and check, it was already dilated 5cm. And after 3 hours, I knew I just couldn't hang on to the end already. I knew my threshold was just a few more steps away. We discussed promptly and decided on the epidural. Epidural was PAINFUL. When the jab went through the spine, I let out an agonizing cry/scream/groan... I can't decide which. Hubby had to stand outside the room but he was right at the door assuring me that he's just there and he'll come back in once the procedure was done. I curled up and never for once felt so vulnerable and weak. I grabbed the bedsheets, buried my head and cried. The cursed medication took half an hour to take effect. That half an hour was bad. Thank God, the anaesthetic kicked in soon enough and we both slept like a baby for another 3 hours.

Gynae came by after three hours. We woke up. He checked and announced that I was 10cm dilated and ready for pushing. We were shock! That was really fast. Hubby said he needed to go toilet first! He rushed to the toilet while the nurses got me into position. Then the endless pushing came. They down the dosage of the epidural by half so that I could feel the contractions to aid pushing. I pushed for an hour with hubby supporting me and counting for me and the nurses cheering me on. It was very tiring and at the end of one hour the doc said I needed help. He decided to use the vacuum. He gave me some medication to up the contractions as well. This time round I began to move into sub- consciousness already. There was only one thing in my head. Push hard so that baby can come out naturally so that i do not need to undergo C-Sec. I saw a group of people surrounding me shouting in unison 'PUSH' and hubby's voice going 'deep breath in and push, 2,3,4 ,5,.6.....' Then someone said the head is out and hubby exclaimed, I can see the head! And with one hard push, something came out. I didn't know what... I just slumped back on the bed in a daze. Someone then threw a baby on my chest. I looked at the baby and I started crying very very hard. I guess it must be some kind of a relief to get her out.Hannah doesn't look too familiar too. I thought I would have laughed in joy but that was not the case. The stitching went on for almost an hour. I hear noise, heard baby crying, hubby talking to me.. nurses walking around. Then Gynae told the nurses to get ready for blood transfusion. Said that I lost a lot of blood. Then nurses asked if I've done that before and so on... I answered in a daze totally weakened by the entire process. Then just as I began to feel a lil' worried of what a blood transfusion may entail, the nurse came back with a report on my blood count and gynae mentioned that I am picking up very quickly so although my blood count was very low I can do without the transfusion. Thank God.

Baby was cleaned and brought to my breasts for feeding. Somehow she had the basic instinct as mentioned in the books that I read. She just suckled on after the nurse helped to latch her on. We took our first family portrait. With daddy in joy and happiness written all over his face. With Hannah's eyes closed, probably still oblivious that she's in the world now. With mummy pale as a ghost but trying to smile as brightly as possible so that she can look pretty. (vanity). The rest as they said, is history.

The story of labour. It is an experience that one can never imagine without having gone through it. That night, I smsed my mum to thank her for giving birth to me. I guess one has to go through the pain to understand that completely. The immensity of the entire experience is never overrated. It is a high price and great sacrifice. A mother's love.

Our lil princess

The process of labour is a perfect experience to blog. But not today. 10 hours is too long to be documented in a few minutes. For now, just a glimpse of Hannah.

V-Dae Baby?

We went to the gynae on Thursday as scheduled. Did CTG as usual and to the nurses' excitement, the contractions were regular and was aout 5-7 minutes apart. Dr. asked me if I could feel the contractions... I only felt the tightening and breathlessness whenever that happened. He did a check and said that the cervix was very thin, I was already 3cm dilated. He predicted Hannah to be out ANYTIME. Said, I might see some show from the mucous plug and waters may break or once the contractions get too unbearable we should admit to Mt A. He said he probably won't have to see us at the clinic again... but just in case... he gave us an appointment on Monday.(But he seemed very sure that baby will be out in the 'next two days'.

Whoa! The impending wait seemed coming to an end. Suddenly when he mentioned all that, we were on cloud nine. Hannah's finally coming! Two days! Cool! It could be tonight even! Two days would meant 13th, 14th or 15th.
Then the great countdown begun once again.

The contractions came on stronger. I could feel the regular tightening and the accompanying backache. The dull lower backache that went away only after the contraction eased.
Nothing else happened on the night of 12th Feb.... 13th Feb... and now it's 14th Feb. Will Hannah be a V day baby? Or post-V day baby? Or do you think we will be seeing the Gynae's face again on Monday? What a game! :P
Anyway with the weight and immobility and the knowledge that I will be stuck at home for a month very very soon, I began to shop online. I am simply addicted to buying books from the online library.

The Home Library Online is a site set up by this home schooling family based in Singapore - Loyang to be exact. The mother of 4, home- schooled the kids and also sell books online. Those books are cheaper because she waived the shipping charges and because she has used them before, the books are all nicely selected already. I was on a shopping frenzy! I ordered 20 books! I have bought 2 from her previously so I am assured of their reliability. Can't wait for the books to arrive. Then I can start reading to Hannah. hahaha... yea, read to her books about Vincent Van Gogh and the sunflowers.... Monet... Picasso... (seriously, I bought a few books on these famous artists. My interest on these painters sparked off from my research while coming up with the Arts curriculum for the school. And these books are actually written for children in the form of picture books. So I think they will be woderful resources to keep and to broaden Hannah's knowledge.:)

Here's the list of new books I've bought:

1) A Chocolate Moose for Dinner - Fred Gwynne

2) There's a Frog in My Throat: 440 Animal sayings a Little Bird Told Me - Loreen Leedy

3) One Potato: A Counting Book of Potato Prints - Pomeroy Diana

4) Favourite Poems of Childhood- Philip Smith

5) A Child's Garden of Verses - Robert Louis Stevenson

6) Anholt's Artists- The Magical Gargen of Claude Monet

7) Anholt's Artists- Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail

8)Katie Meets the Impressionists - James Mayhew

9) Kaite and the Sunflowers -James Mayhew

10)Mike Venezia- Michelangelo (Getting to know the World's Greatest Artists)

11) Mike Venezia- Rembrandt (Getting to know the world's Greatest Artists)

12) Are you a Butterfly? - Judy Allen

13) Are you a Dragonfly? - Judy Allen

14) Are you an Ant? - Judy Allen

15)Are you a Lady bug? - Judy Allen

16) Are you a Bee? - Judy Allen

17) A Mink, A Fink , A Skating Rink: What is a noun?- Brian Cleary

18) Dearly, Nearly, insincerely: What is an Adverb? - Brian Cleary

19) Lives of the musicians: Good Tims, Bad Times (And what the Neighbours Thought)

20) One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale - Demi

Time to get a new bookshelf man! My collection of books is already oozing out from the current shelf. BUT books are treasure that is worth the keep and investment. I love books!

39 weeks and counting

This lil baby is going to have her buttocks squeezed by EVERYONE. Me included. She is kind of like daddy and mummy. Very contented with the way things are. Not too keen to step into a whole new world unless necessary. Guess baby must either be:
1) SUPER contented with the security and warmth inside the womb
2) SUPER clever knowing that once she's out, she would have no more good food but MILK.
3) SUPER lazy because she knows she has to work really hard to get herself out through the birth canal.
4) SUPER cheeky, playing hide and seek with daddy and mummy.

I wonder.

Anyway she's getting lower by the day. I can feel her descending almost each day. My feet are beginning to swell more. Weight gain has become stagnant already. Total weight gain: 11kg. All signs of labour. So we shall all hold our breath and wait.

My gf said when you are nearing your EDD, you just can't wait to get the baby out. It seems like baby has been in there forever. BUT once she comes out, you will be so fatigued that you wanna squeeze her back! lol. That's human nature I guess, whatever's on the other side of the pasture is always better. I shall learn to enjoy each moment.

We're seeing the gyane again tonight. Let's see what he's gotta say. Two nights ago I couldn't sleep and I got so frustrated that I told hubby I'm going to get Hannah induced out! haha.. Now that I've got a full night of rest, i'm more rationale. Shall let the doc. decide what is the best for this lil' one.

9 days to go

I did not expect myself to last till this day. I thought the trend runs in the family, that I would deliver on the 37th week just like mum and sis. Looks like every pregnancy is different after all.
EDD is 18th Feb and it's 9th Feb today. I haven't felt any signs of her coming. Well, I do feel her great descend actually. The pressure on the entire pelvis area. The difficulty in walking. The weight. But I don't feel any contractions that are painful - yet. The water bag is still intact too.

I have however, moved on from impending impatience to the serene calmness in my state of mind. I reckon this is beyond my control anyway. So just enjoy the moment and the leave and wait for God's perfect timing to arrive.

Meanwhile I shall enjoy the freedom and all the time in the world to do what I like and get all ready for our lil princess to come by... or should I say big fat princess? :P

No she's not out yet

We visited the Gynae last Thursday and I was put on CTG. Guess what, it reflected contractions! Twice, 20 minutes apart! Yes! She's coming! I was told uring those antenatal classes that once the intervals become 10 minutes apart, we should proceed to the hospital.
Excitement. Gynae gave me all the necessary document for admission.
Went home. Nothing happened. Concluded that what the machine has detected was probably braxon Hicks. After all, I didn't feel any special sensation.

Next night, 5 plus am, I felt contractions again. I was like, " Bring it on, baby!". Waited. Another milder one came along. Kept my fingers crossed. Once more and Iwill wake hubby up.
Nothing.

When are you coming out Hannah? Mummy's getting a little impatient...
1) I want to see your face.
2) You are getting fatter.
3) I am getting heavier.
4) I am increasingly 'penguin-i-fied'. I waddle about like one these days.
5) I want to HIT the GYM and SWEAT!!!! (Gosh I haven't perspire for 9 months? Maybe I am accumulating it for the Big day, labour!)

Check out what I've found on the net:

step1* Walking
*Walking is not only great for your body but it can also help you to bring on labor. Walking helps your baby to get into the right position to help labor start naturally on its own. It has also been said that it brings on the release of oxytocin, helping you to go into labor. You need to use caution however and not ever exert yourself. You don't want to be so tired from walking that you are exhausted during labor. You are going to need your energy!

Step2* Acupuncture
*Acupuncture is the Chinese meditation method that is used for many different reasons. Acupuncture is said to relax your body and stimulate your energy while helping your to heal in different ways. it is safe for baby as well as mom, and some surveys really do insist that it works to bring on labor. So if you can handle thin needles going into your skin in different areas around your body you can give this a try.

Step3* Sex
*Even doctors tell you that sex can help bring on labor. As long as your water has not broken you can try having sex with your partner and it is said to help bring labor on in three different ways...* It helps to stimulate the uterus* Sex can release oxytocin (the hormone that helps you go into labor,) semen contains a high * Semen contains high level of prostaglandins which helps to soften the cervix and begin dilation.Of course sex may be a bit difficult at this stage of your pregnancy but it can help you to go into labor. Make sure you are as comfortable as can be during sex at this stage.

Step4* Nipple stimulation
*Stimulating your nipples can produce oxytocin that brings on labor. You or your partner can either rub or roll your nipple gently for a period of time to release oxytocin. Although my doctor told me that this method does in fact work but for some reason it makes your contractions come on heavily. Of course each woman is different and doing this may lead you and your partner to having sex which also brings on labor.

Step5* Eating spicy foods
*Although there is no proven evidence that this theory works, many have said that it worked for them. If you are not used to eating spicy foods then use caution since it can give you heartburn and even irritate the bowel.

Step6* Meditation
*Relaxing your body and mind is a good way to help ease yourself into labor. If you are totally relaxed imagine that you are going into labor and your imagination and subconscious mind may end up taking you there. It has been thought to work well for many. The more relaxed you are the better for you and baby anyway, so there is no reason why you should not try it. You can take a relaxing bath to help relax you or get a massage, anything that completely relaxes you will help ease you into this mode.

Step7* Raspberry leaf tea
*This method is recommended to be used in the final weeks of labor since it strengthens your uterus and helps prepare it for labor. Having a couple cups of Raspberry leaf tea can help prepare your body for labor and it does taste great as well.

Step8
When you are at the end of your pregnancy so many people are giving you advice to help ease you into labor. Just know that when your body is ready it will happen and if you are overdue you can talk to your doctor about being induced. Don't try to hard to make yourself go into labor, the longer baby is in the womb the healthier she/ he will be. Once your labor comes on you will surely know!Make sure you talk to your doctor before trying any methods since some can be harmful to baby. Remember there are two of you in this labor and not just yourself! Baby knows when it is time and your body will let you know.Good Luck and remember that no one is pregnant forever, so relax!

This is great comfort!