Welcome to the family!
Sometimes in life, it’s really amazing how things happen. Our baby girl is due on 16 November 2017 so she will come out anytime from now till 16 November 2017 if not we will induce labour on 17 November 2017. Maybe it’s maternal and paternal instincts. On Friday, I started to wonder how does contractions feel like and what are the things I should look out for in case I experience labour contractions. So I started to google for more information and even consulted my sister. Even Jianhui started to pack his bag to get ready to go hospital anytime once we were home from dinner.
I started to feel minor contractions more often since 7pm. It comes and goes and I guess that could be Braxton Hicks contractions. I could still walk and do normal things as per normal. However,
just when we were going to bed, I told Jianhui I started to feel stronger contractions and it kept on coming. We googled online about this 5-1-1 contractions rule (contractions come every 5 minutes, each lasting for a minute and this goes on for an hour). We tried timing the frequency of the contractions and the contractions do come at every 5 minutes. The pain is bearable just like menses cramps which I think is okay. Jianhui told me I should check if I am bleeding. True enough, when I went to toilet, I was shocked to see blood like menses! We called Dr Lim immediately and she suggested that we should go hospital immediately.
So I went to have long long shower (as I won’t know when I can wash my hair with nice smelling shampoo), blow dried my hair and we slowly get ready to go hospital. We could get a cab quite easily and it was a smooth journey to Mount E Novena.
We reached Mount E Novena’s A&E about 0045. I could still walk but they pushed me to the delivery ward via wheelchair. Immediately, they started to use CTG to measure baby’s heart beat and contractions. At this moment, the contractions are irregular and not that high. Dr Lim came about 1am to examine and my cervix is only at tip of finger, meaning my cervix haven dilate and still need to thin out a bit. She told us to take rest and she would examine me again around 8am before she goes to her clinic.
I couldn’t really rest as the contractions started to come more often but irregular. Sometimes it could hit as high as above 120 which will send sharp pain from my back to stomach. And my bleeding continued. It seems like my bleeding is not due to mucus plug but fetal distress. I kept on going toilet and walked around to feel better. Meanwhile, Jianhui rested on the sofa bed. He must be so tired as he had a busy week at work and yet we didn’t sleep at all to check in here.
In the end, I didn’t sleep much and it’s morning. We were really hungry so Jianhui went to buy my favourite peanut waffles for me. I didn’t expect this to be my last meal for the day. Lucky I ate the peanut waffles as the hospital breakfast wasn’t nice at all. The only edible thing was the bun which tasted like SQ bun.
After suffering so much in pain, I really feel like crying when Dr Lim came to examine me at 8am and my cervix only dilated 1cm. And my cervix needs to dilated to 10cm to be considered as fully dilated! My god!
Dr Lim came to examine me again at 1pm after her clinic has closed. And I was told that I was only 2cm dilated. After enduring the pain for so long without any pain killer, I think I will die of exhaustion if this goes on. After discussing with Dr Lim, I told her I will take epidural.
The moment I had confirmed my decision, nurses came and insert some tube to clear bowels. The effect was so fast that I was running to the toilet as I could feel the shit coming out! They also inserted a catheter to drain my bladder so that I will no longer need to get out of bed to pee. Seriously, the amazing thing about this tube is the bag got collect pee but I don’t feel a thing.
Thereafter, Dr Wendy Teoh came over to administer epidural for me. They gave me a consent form to read and it was so scary, talking about the side effects, etc. Jianhui was also chased out of the room. True enough, the whole process was so scary! I was supposed to cringe forward, back facing Dr Wendy Teoh. Then she did something to my spinal cord. And instantly I could feel electric shock all over my body. Then the most amazing thing is, I stop feel any contractions pain now! I do still feel a bit of tightening near breasts area. But the side effect is, I started to feel itchiness on my body especially my breasts area.
About 1350, Syntocinon infusion commerced after taking epidural. This contains oxytocin, which is a naturally-occuring hormone. The oxytocin will cause the muscle of the uterus to contract during labour so that the baby can be pushed out easily.
With the epidural, I feel much better and just rested on bed to prepare for the push later on.
At 1600, Dr Lim came over again and know what? My cervix is dilated to 2.5cm only! What? Dr Lim recommended to burst my water bag and up the Syntocinon infusion to increase the contraction and to make it more regular. True enough, Jianhui told me my contractions become strong and more regular strong contractions!
I was really hungry by now so i drank about 6 mouthful of milo. Bad decision. I started to vomit milo and yellow fluid. Side effect of epidural. That’s why they don’t allow you to take any food after taking epidural.
The wait continued. Jianhui and I find it unbelievable that our baby girl still don’t want to come out. We also started to wonder maybe she decided to come out on 12.11.17 instead.
At 1810, I started to have fever of 38 degree Celsius. As I have allergy to panadol and aspirin, they can only use cold compress on me. It’s like 一波未平一波又起.
Luckily, when Dr Lim came at 1835, my cervix finally dilated to 6cm. Yeah! Finally got some progress!
Just when we were wondering maybe our baby girl decided to come out on 12 November 2017 instead, the nurse started to buzz around 8pm. A senior nurse came over and it seemed like my cervix was fully dilated. She and other nurse started to prepare me to do the pushing. When the contraction comes, they will ask me to give a push. Seriously with epidural, you don’t know how to push hard. You tempt to give face expression only.
After a few rounds, they told me they saw the baby’s hair and they called Dr Lim to come down. We did a couple of pushing and baby is not out yet. In the end, we did the final pushing and with the help of the vacuum, Lexuan is born on 11 November 2017.
Immediately, they put Lexuan on me and she is full of shit. Haha. Aiyo, this girl is like her mummy, wanna come out Liao still shit.
As I look at her, the feeling is really amazing. She is my daughter. I really feel like crying when I see her as we have been waiting for so long to have her. And now, she has come to this world.
Both Jianhui and I are parents to this beautiful angel in my arms.
I really feel very very shag after this whole 20hours process. And I feel so weak. I was basically shivering in cold as Dr Lim was doing stitches. Nurse didn’t really want to cover me as I was having fever, but i was literally shivering in cold.
The PD, Dr Mark Loh came to examine Lexuan. She weighs 3.12kg, quite a big baby I would think for my size. Most importantly, she is healthy.
Dr Lim finished the stitching and know what? I started to vomit non stop again. So Dr Lim gave me medicine to stop the nausea and I was feeling super uncomfortable with the itchy breasts so I asked for medicine too. Now that baby is out, I can take the medicine I think haha.
We had to stay in the delivery room for a while. Finally, around late 10pm, somebody finally came to clean me up. And I feel much better instantly. Then they pushed us to ward 902. Jianhui went to register some stuff for baby and do the receipts claims at business Centre. While waiting for him, i fell asleep. When I woke up, i was feeling really hungry, so I ate crackers and milo. Feeling very thirsty and tired.
Basically, I feel like shit. I can’t bathe (and you wouldn’t want to bathe with your wound down there). The needles on my left hand (for the drip and epidural) makes me very uncomfortable and you feel weak from head to toe. You experience backache. You feel hungry but there’s nothing to eat. After my own experience of giving birth, I think it is not a good idea to visit the mummy and baby in hospital. As the mummy needs rest and she is probably also in her cui state that she doesn’t really wanna see anybody. Haha.
Just when you wanted to have a really good sleep, you will need to wake up every 2-3hours for breastfeeding. Even Jianhui was feeling so tired as he didn’t rest well also.
This must be my most shag day ever. Going through up and downs for the whole 20 hours. But it’s all worth it as we welcome our baby girl to our life.
Lexuan, welcome to Chong family!
* I am very lucky to have such a good husband who has been giving me very strong support for the whole pregnancy to delivery. He's simply the best and I am sure he will be a good papa too. Also, I am thankful for the support and love from my family and friends who have been feeding me with food and gifts. Lastly, I would like to express great appreciation to Dr Charles Lim, Dr Lim May Li and all the staff in Mount Elizabeth Novena helping in every other way to ensure Lexuan is delivered safely. The great experience in Mount Elizabeth Novena has helped me to lessen my pain by making my stay a comfortable one.
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Angeline winks
at |2:37 PM|
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