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My EDD given by my obstetrician was 24 April 2006 but somehow I had a feeling my baby was going to arrive somewhere around 18 April (a week early).
Being a new mummy, I seriously have no idea how would a real contraction feels like. I mean mummies who had experienced Braxton Hicks would at least able to gauge when the *real* thing arrives. For me, despite how much reading I did, I just cant tell.
So when my first contraction came on 14th April around 11pm, I was at lost. I was in dilenma not knowing if it’s the real thing, or should I call the hospital, what not. Since the pain was still managable, I brushed it aside comforting myself that I would be seeing the obs in the next coupld of hours anyway so need not worry. Afterall, I can tahan la…
On the 15th April, I reached Glens @ 8.30am for the scheduled Doppler’s scan to ensure my baby’s umbilical cord was not circling his neck. Waited for 2 hours before my turn came. The whole procedure (mere 15 mins) costed me RM240!!
Waited for another hour or so for scan result. I was getting very aggitated by then due to the long wait. After collecting the results (all good), I rushed upstairs to see obs. He checked me (yeah.. all mummies know how obs check la..) and confirmed my cervix was not dilated. So, I was asked to go back home and rest but he pre-empted me, be prepared for the big day in the next few days at most.
I stayed home all afternoon (sooo unlike me.. Sat is my shopping day), keeping silent most of the time due to the pain. Eventhough the pain was still bearable but imagine getting hit evey 20 mins or so is certainly no joke. Seeing the pitiful face of his wife (mo lei san hei), hubs suggested we go MV in the evening for dinner. I wasn’t too keen to go out in fear what if.. my water breaks la, what if my contractions suddenly become unbearable, this and that…but I was desperate to get out of house. SO, MV we went.
We whisked through few hours in MV easily. When we got home, my contractions were in the interval of 10 mins once. I had a sleepless night…
‘D’ DAY - 16th April 2006
I didn’t sleep well the whole night. Hubs was getting really anxious by then especially after seeing his usual chatter box wife became a quiet mouse. He was urging (nagging me literally) me to go hospital but somehow I procrastinated the need again and again brushing it off as possible false alarm. Not giving up, hubs dug out my pregnancy books and start reading up on the labour symptoms. I seriously don’t know what got to me, somehow I just wasn’t keen to go hospital eventhough my contractions were very regular by then (siow liow) and as if I have no better things to worry about, the one silly thing that came through me was “whether or not the hospital has a single exec room for me if I deliver earlier than my EDD” *slap head* :P.
Anyways, I finally gave in to hubs persistenty. Grabbed my labour bag (all packed long time ago) and zoom-ed to Gleneagles.
The midwife strapped me up for a CTG scan which lasted half an hour. I could see the graph going up and down up and down. She came back, looked at the graph and quickly *checked* me and confirmed my cervix was 3cm dilated. Phew!! The time has come. I am READY!!! It was 3pm.
Hubs got really excited and panicked same time I think upon hearing the confirmation. Hubs kept asked me if I was okay.. if I need anything, if this if that… Of course, me.. by then all curled up because of the pain couldn’t entertain hubs much. I could only return a silent smile. I asked the midwife, when can I deliver and where is my epidural!!! She said usually cervix will dilate 1cm every 1 hour. That means I have to wait for 7 hours at least?? and that anesthetist baru on the way???
At 4.30pm, the anesthetist finally arrived. Performed the epidural procedure and voila… miracle miracle. The pain was relieved from me instantly. Geng!!!
By then, my cervix was 6cm dilated.
Midwife came in again at 6.30pm. Guess what… IT’S TIME.. my cervix was 10cm dilated. My obs was summoned in and two midwives were in room to assist. The transformed the earlier cosy-like room into a real labour room and suddenly I was asked to push. I really don’t know if I was doing the right thing. First time ma.. and I was shivering badly (I later found out it could be the effect of epidural analgesia). Blur cat hubs then held my hand and guess what he asked me.. “Bee, you cold ar??” Duh..
Anyways, I did not answer hubs. I pushed and pushed but midwives said I wasn’t pushing hard enough. Then, the panic bell came when obs told me he would need to use the suction method because my baby’s umbilical cord was circling his stomach resulting a low heartbeat.
My heartbeat raced, my eyes rolled big when I heard what obs said. I was all puzzled by then.. I thought I just paid RM240 to ensure the umbilical cord was nowhere near the neck, abdomen, limbs etc etc??? “Mm hai kum hak kua”?? (so unfortunate??)
Arrggh…thanks thank goodness, the whole process went really well. At 6.48pm sharp, Ryan came into the world and was immediately laid on my chest… it was such a wonderful sight….he was so tiny then weighing 3.4kg.
Me on the other hand was overly exhausted. Everyone in the room looked busy. Hubs was busy admiring his offspring, taking pictures; obs and midwives on the other hand were busy with the stem cell procedure. What about me? I laid there looking around and very much relieved it all went so so smoothly…. 