Labour diary

7th Feb 2008
First day of chinese New Year, was 38 weeks preggy... Count down to the year of mouse but Teddy still not ready to come and be the first bb of the mouse year....Or else will have lots of sponsors and $$...Hee Hee... Busy visiting and enjoying the CNY goodies, forgotten to slow down abit, by the end of the day I was dog tired...


10th Feb 2008
Fourth day of CNY, sneezing all day long...With every forceful sneeze, my ribs shot sharp pain thru my spine...Hopefully will get better like my usual sinus attack...


11th Feb 2008
Fifth day of CNY, no sign of labour...But my cold got worst, my nose was so congested that I need to breathe with my mouth....My nose seems to be on protest all the time during this pregnancy...Both my previous pregnancies it was clear...


12th Feb 2008
Sixth day of CNY, today is my appointment with the Gynae at Thomson.... Hopefully there's some progress on labour...But was not well as phlegm had turned green, suggesting I am having an infection in my throat...Was all goggy at the clinic, and Ted was not moving much from yesterday too....Or I am too sick to notice...



10.30am
My turn to see Dr Tan, she checked my throat and put me on antibiotic.... She also found out that my blood pressure was dangerously high...Since Ted is not moving much, she want me to stay in the observation ward for CTG (a device to check on bb heart beat and movement) and monitor my blood pressure....If I am not wrong my bp reading is at 170/100, that's very high....






11.00am
I was all set up in the observation ward....Checking on Ted's movement by pressing a button on the signal when there's one.... Had done this before with Mel....Taken my medicine but still not better, my nose still very congested...Daddy was told to have lunch first, while I can only starve and wait for doctor's advise...

11.30am

Every half an hour, the bp machine will check my blood pressure....Still on the high side.... Ted did move a bit but very slight ones...Drowsy from my medicine, maybe??

12 noon

Dr Tan came to check on me, She wanted me to be admitted.... Rest for a day and induce tomorrow as bp still not better....Meanwhile will remain in the observation ward till advise....Daddy will have to go settle my admission and bring my overnight bag from the car....Lucky it was in the car or else daddy has to drive all the way back and fetch it...

2 pm

No getting better for my blood pressure...Ted still not moving much too....I was really drowsy from my cold medicine and very hungry and thirsty......Dr Tan was here again, and she decided to induce me right away, as bp was very unstable, to avoid any unnecessary complications....She insert a tablet into my vaginal to soften the cervix....Next, tried to break my waterbag....As Ted have not engage into the pelvic yet...She's unable to break despite several attempts....This process was so painful and scary for me, I was dead silent and looking blankly at the ceiling.....Thinking how am I going to get through the whole labour process later, when this is already so painful...I was thinking about epidural already....My threshold of pain is really limited....Both pregnancies with Nat and mel was with the help of this wonderful pain relief....I was told to rest, until 4pm, hopefully by than the cervix is wide enough for her to break the waterbag easily, despite Ted not engaging....Sweat!!!

2.30pm

Start experiencing contractions already.....Felt like mild stomach cramps and was about 10 to 8 mins apart....Time ticks by slowly.....

3.30pm

Contractions still mild but was closer....And I was only allowed a sip of milo.....Arghhh!!!

4pm

Nurses start preparing to shave me below and insert fleet to clear bowel....After clearing my bowel and clean up myself abit....I am ready to go thru the next step of preparation for my labour....Was fearful but when I think of meeting Ted soon, I told myself to be brave for him...

4.15pm

I was being moved to the labour ward....Contractions now is getting more forceful and 4 to 5 mins apart....Better let the nurse know that I want to opt for epidural, but they says had to consult doctor first...

4.30pm

My nose was still very congested, and was very tired and weak without food.... Was told that I cant have food if choosing epidural...haiz...But managed to get a sip of water.....

5 pm

Finally Dr Tan was here, told her the contractions was quite painful....When I thought she's just checking how many centimeter my cervix had dilated, the next thing I know, I felt a tickle down my legs, she had broke my waterbag with ease....But this was followed by very strong and painful contractions.....She informed me that I have dilate 2 cm so far .... Will be awhile before I am ready, and she'll arrange for the anesthesiologist to come for the epidural....But the pain was quite unbearable when she left us....

5.15 pm

Contractions was getting stronger and unbearable, I had lost count of how far apart it was, as it seem lasting forever....Shouting at daddy to get anesthesiologist asap....cold sweats ticking....With each contractions, I felt water gush out from below....I was squeezing daddy hands and moaning loudly....Losing track of time...

5.25 pm

The anaesthesiologist arrived, but I was already in so much pain that I cant keep still.....She was very encouraging, teaching me breathing methods, blowing short breath....I need to keep very still for her to insert the needle thru my lower spine for the epidural to work.....I managed to do it but the pain was too much to bear.....I felt an urge to bear down and felt Ted moving down lower thru his birth canal, while Dr is trying her best to get things done....Another involuntary push move Ted down further....

5.40pm

Finally, everything was set for the epidural and I was put on a drip.....I felt relieved when the pain slowly wears off....When the midwife check on me below....She was surprised that Ted has crowned....Meaning she can see his head from my vagina already....Thats explained why I was in so much pain as I am ready to give birth anytime now.....It comes as a surprise as everythings had happened so suddenly.....

5.50pm

Dr Tan rush up to the labour ward from her clinic, exclaiming how fast I am progressing....Dr Tan, Midwife and nurses prepared themselves and passed me the oxygen mask to inhale when a contractions comes......Daddy was told to stand beside me and support my back when I push.....

6.00pm

I am almost there, the epidural starts working very well now, as I only felt movement but not pain....Everyone was facing the monitor for the final contractions to come bring Ted to us....Dr Tan give me a signal and urged me to push......

6.07pm

Finally, the moment everyone was waiting for has come....With a final push.....Ted ARRIVED!!!

His neck was coil round two times by his umbilical cord....No wonder not moving much!! Luckily its not very tight and thankful to Dr Tan's decision to induce birth asap....

6.10 pm

Dr Tan delivered my placenta and stitched me up....When I'm done, Ted was put on my breast to start feeding....I felt dog tired and contented when I saw my bundle of joy....Daddy was overwhelmed!!! Calling everybody announcing the birth of his son.......