D Day

We went for the checkup before Dr Karen went on leave on 12th. Baby has grown to 3.1kg but she's still facing up. Dr Karen asked if we want it to be as natural as possible and asked if we still want to induce but EG decided that we'll just wait till everything is ready before baby decides to come out. So she told us the standby gynae will be Dr Maha when she's not around. Dr Maha had quite good comments from one of my colleagues too.

EG and I went for last minute CNY shopping in Jusco to buy some CNY cookies in case anyone coming to our place to visit, or even if there's none coming, we still can have it for ourselves. :P... We walked from 6pm+, had Nando's (one of my favorite) for dinner, had my favorite Hokaiddo ice cream, and started our shopping all the way till 10pm+.

The next day, when I woke up at 10am, I felt some pain on my back and I couldn't really sleep well. I went toilet and there's some pinkish blood show. Quickly I called EG and he asked if I'm doing well. So, we decided to wait some more since I have read in blogs that some mothers were sent home even though they have bloody show.

I still made some breakfast for EG, and I faster ate my bak gua, pineapple tarts and drank one more cup of milk for my baby in case she decides to come already. I called up Dr Maha and told her my condition. She mentioned that when the contraction is every 30 minutes, I should go into hospital soon. However, my contraction has been for every 20 minutes but I didn't tell her. :P. But i asked her "Is there any double charge if I were to deliver on public holiday like tomorrow?" And she's very funny and answered me very cooly that "No.. Why do you think Dr Maha will charge you extra?"... Well it did make me paiseh a bit but of course I just said I wanna make sure of this.

I quickly check all my stuff to bring to hospital. EG still went and washed his gate since CNY is coming. :P... And by 1pm, we were all relaxed and settled. Still, I dun want to go hospital yet as I dunno if they will reject me and asked me to go home. It'll be a waste of time esp. since I'm staying not near. So I washed my hair, relax and time my contraction, and watched Armaggedon together with EG.

At 3pm, contraction is almost every 10 minutes. And everytime it happened, my back hurt. There were also 3 times blood show. So 3pm+, we have decided (reluctantly) to go into hospital after calling them up.

3.30pm - I reached Island Hospital. The midwife ran CTG for half and hour and told me that the contraction is now every 5-6 minutes. After checking with Dr Maha, I'm not allowed to go home and need to be admitted to wait for active labor. No dilation yet.

4.30pm - Doing nothing in the room with EG. He brought a novel along to kill time. It's boring. I tried to walk in the room since they said walking will ease labor.

6.30pm - Dinner is served. I told EG to buy himself some dinner as well so he bought some nuggets from nearby McD. So kesian, that's his reunion dinner food that day. EG checked with the nurses and found out that he cannot stay overnight with me since we chose a double bedded room and the latest he can stay is up till 10pm. I was worried that I'll need to call him to rush to Island hospital IF I were to labor after 10pm. :(. Dr Maha came to check on me and told me that I had to wait for active labor since I'm not staying near, and commented that my baby is not small.

9pm - Contraction got heavier and heavier. Everytime it happened, my back hurt like mad. EG was trying to massage my back for me everytime it happened and it made me feel better.

9.30pm - We called in nurse to check again. CTG showed that my contraction is every 2-3 minutes apart. It's time to go for labor! Midwife checked and my dilation is 2cm. They asked if I want epidural I said no.

10.30pm - This might be the longest wait in my life. The contraction was bad and my back hurt like mad everytime the contraction happened. I wanted to give in for epidural and I told EG that. Midwife checked, and told me that I'm already 5cm dilated. No point putting epidural anymore. She said that my pain threshold is quite high and suggested laughing gas and a jab that will reduce 30% of my pain. I remembered she told me, "Believe me OK Winnie. It'll make u feel better.." I was in such a pain that I just said "OK.. OK... do what u think is right!"

11.30pm - The gas and the jab did make me feel better, but the back pain was still terrible. The midwife told me that everytime the contraction happened, baby will try to turn to face down. And that's why it hurt me so much as it's hitting on my back. Midwife also told me that the graph has been showing very good pattern and if baby were to face down, I would have been delivered by then.

12.30am - Active labor started. Contraction got heavier and more painful. Water bag bursted. I closed my eyes to try to relax and breathe in and out as much I can to relax myself. But the pain on my back is still killing me. Midwife kept calling my name and telling me not to fall asleep. I kept telling her that "I'm here... I'm not sleeping" and I told EG I'm just trying to relax myself.

2am - Bearing down feeling came. Midwife asked me to push whenever the contraction came. Oh that's so painful and I tried so hard to push but baby doesn't come out. She told me everytime I pushed, she can feel baby's head but when the contraction is over, baby's head went back inside.

2.15am - Dr Maha came. I was asked to push again but to no avail. :( ... Dr Maha said the baby is now facing side way. 2 midwives came to help by pressing my tummy and it really hurt. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain and I screamed, tried to look down and asked EG "What is that?!". EG's face was really helpless - I know how he felt since there's nothing he can do to help me. He told me, "Don't look, it's vacuum.." Then Dr Maha told me she's trying to vacuum baby out and told me to push some more. I tried, but it just didn't happen.

2.3oam - Dr Maha told me to push again and if it still doesn't happen, she's going to go for c-sect. I tried again but baby just doesn't come out. I have already dilated 9cm by then. She told EG that baby is already distressed and everytime contraction happened, her heartbeat dropped.

2.45am - Dr Maha told EG that I'm not going to make it. She asked midwives to call in all the anesthetists for c-sect. I still remember clearly that I told EG: "I'm sorry dear, I'm so sorry." EG told me it's OK it's OK. We always joke about him asking me to check our finance situation during delivery. Dr Maha told me: "It's ok. Some babies are meant to be c-sect..."

3am - I was wheeled to operation theatre. I heard Dr Maha explaining to EG why c-sect had to happen. The pain got worse and I still feel like pushing. Dr Maha told me not to push anymore. I was already screaming in the theatre due to the unbearable pain. And I kept asking when is the anesthetists coming because I just want to get out from the pain ASAP. The last thing I remember in the operation theatre was someone telling me, "Winnie, I'm giving you this oxygen..."

4am+ - I woke up. I felt a drop of tear at the side of my eye. Must be the pain. Felt super dry in my throat, and felt like throwing out. I tried to tell them that I was going to vomit but I couldn't talk. I tried so hard to tell them and finally someone heard what I said. They used something to suck out all the mucus from my mouth. I asked if my baby is OK - I dunno who was around me actually, they told me yes baby is OK. I was wheeled back to my room. EG was already there. I asked him the same question: "Is baby ok?" He said yes. I asked him, "Does she have any mark on her face?" He said: "No... Dun worry dear.. everything is OK!"

Dr Maha told Eg that he couldn't stay for long. I told EG to tell the nurse to bring me my baby for breastfeeding after they clean them up. He did that, kissed me on my forehead, told me to rest, and told me he'll come tomorrow early morning, and he left.

Nurse brought my lovely and cute Eunice over at 5am and I breastfed her for the first time after she's born for the colostrum. She can suck well! =)

So, we're officially parents now!