Wanna hear about her birth?
In the early hours of 9 June (about 12am plus), I started to feel rather intense Braxton Hicks contractions. I’ve been having them more than with Sean, so I thought maybe this time, it was just, well, more intense. I happily went to make myself a cup of Nissin Cup Noodles (Laksa flavor), and shared happily with Steve, all the while, having the mild contractions. When I realized that it didn’t go away even at 2am, I thought, yes, so this is it then…
The contractions got more intense and spaced in regular intervals, each lasting up to 30 seconds. Quite painful actually, thinking back now..Steve and I was so worried that the baby may arrive anytime soon, as what they say, the second one’s contractions will come swift and fast and before you know it, baby can be here! So we explored the various options:
1) To wake Sean up and drop him off at my mum’s place then head to hospital?
2) To wake Sean up and go to hospital together?
3) To wait it out till 7am when we can drop Sean at school and head to hospital.
Bizarrely, we chose option number 3! Risk-taking parents we are.
As the hours passed, the contractions started to get unbearable. It was worse when I was standing up. The minutes ticked by, I kept telling baby to stay put first, give us a few more hours to settle her gor-gor. 6am came and I quickly went to take a bath. Gathering all the stuff, we swiftly woke Sean up and carried him to the car, with him still in his pajamas and all.
I must say I am so so grateful for Sean to be so cooperative that morning. He was woken up abruptly at 6am plus and we just told him that “Mei-mei is coming out soon”. And he woke up with such a big smile and he even uttered a lazy “Yeah!” He didn’t demand for me to carry him, which was what he would have done on any normal day if we wake him up forcibly. He drank his milk in the car, didn’t give us any troubles whatsoever along the way. We reached his school and told his teachers about my impending labour and asked them to change him into his uniform. It was at this time that Sean turned abit teary, cos all along, he thought he will be coming along with us to the hospital to see Mei-mei! We told him Daddy will bring him to see her later after school. Sean was very sensible and didn’t kick up a fuss. We left him in the hands of his trusty teachers (who were excited too about the situation!).
But the more bizarre thing is, we actually stopped by Ya Kun in the same building to have breakfast. Yes, I had breakfast, bread and coffee, with contractions setting in every 5 minutes or so. Weren’t I afraid of going into labour in public? What the heck was I thinking of then? Shouldn’t I head to the hospital quickly? And my hubby was my partner in madness. Siao one right.
So we checked in NUH at about 8am and I was wheeled to the delivery suite. In the toilet, I realized that there was show. I think it was only then that the fact dawned upon me that: this is it, baby will be coming out today!
I was checked and was only about 1-2cm dilated. This reminds me of my labour with Sean, which was the same as in I was checked-in with only very minimal dilation, and that the progress to full dilation took a long time. The nurse told me to walk about to quicken dilation. And it did, but the contractions were so painful. This time round, I was allowed to eat, unlike with Sean’s, I wasn’t allowed even a morsel of food. But it was really irritating when you are in the middle of contractions and the nurse actually came up and asked what style (Chinese/Western) of lunch/dinner I want for the day. At that moment, I really want to shoo them off, but guess they are just doing their job.
When the nurse checked again at about 2pm, I was disappointed to find that despite the pain, I was still only about 2-3cm dilated. I was told that they will break my water bag to quicken the process. It was really amazing – I could literally feel a gush of water flowing out when the gynae poked me with her fingers.
The contractions heightened at about 3pm, and it was too unbearable for me that I told them it’s time for them to administer epidural on me. The anesthetist came styled with a funky bandana. And I was prepped for the poke. I was told to curl up by my side, and to stay still as much as I could, as any slight movement when the needle goes into the spine could risk paralysis. Tough chore, because I was really in much pain from the contractions and I really wondered if I can tolerate it all and minimize any wincing in pain. To make matters worse, I was still stricken with a very bad and itchy cough which has been with me for already a month. So you can imagine my worries about staying still...
When the needle was poked in, the anesthetist said “Ok, this is going to feel abit uncomfortable, I’m going to administer the epidural now..” OMFG! Split seconds later, I can feel a shot of tingling sensation going down the left side of my body. The best way I can describe the sensation is, it’s almost like an electric shot – which you can literally trace its movement snaking down from the hips to the toes. I tried my best to stifle a violent reaction by reflex, so I blurted “Leg, pain!”. The anesthetist comforted me and said it would be better soon.
I was told to give some time for the epidural to work. In the meantime, the contractions were coming swift and fast, and very, very intense. But soon, I gradually felt that the right side of my lower body is feeling numb, but not so for the left. Strange…I told this to the anesthetist when he came in to check on me, and he said that it’s common that the epidural would take longer to work on certain nerves. He said maybe he will increase the dosage. By then, I was quite petrified at the thought of potentially feeling the full scale of pain on the left side. But after the dosage was increased, I eventually lost sensation of my lower body. Everything seemed so surreal because I couldn’t feel anything at all, yet I can imagine all the changes happening in my body then.
At this point of time, it was already about 5.45pm. When the nurse checked, I was already fully dilated and that I am ready to push and baby can arrive ANYTIME now. But the thing is, Sean is still in school. We have not made any arrangements for anyone else to pick him up. *NOTE: My MIL is in Malaysia. My parents are sick at home (father just recovered from stomach flu, and mother’s turn to kena the bug, read previous post). We explored the option of asking Steve’s brother to help pick Sean up, but were concerned that Sean would fuss and not cooperate at not seeing Steve instead. So I told Steve to faster go pick Sean up, I will tell Mei-mei to wait for gor-gor to arrive first. At the same time, I told Steve to get his younger brother to come to NUH to take over Sean when he’s here so that Steve could be with me for the final push.
While Steve was away, I was really concerned that I would suddenly feel the urge to push and that Steve would not be able to witness the birth of Mei-mei. I stroked my bump (which is no longer at the same position but had moved much lower down) and told Mei-mei to wait for Daddy and Gor-gor…
The minutes ticked by. The kind midwife was very understanding about my situation and comforted me, telling me to not worry and that Steve would definitely reach here in time.
And indeed, before I knew it, Steve opened the door and told me that Sean and his brother and sis-in-law are outside, waiting. I then told the midwife to get my gynae here, as I’m ready to push now.
My gynae arrived in minutes. Everything was in place. I remembered watching my gynae wash her hands with the brownish-eeky soap thingy. She came over soon and observed. The nurses put up my legs on the straddle and I was told to practice pushing. I sucked in all my breath and gave a big push. Gosh! I can feel the pressure of “something” coming out, but no pain at all! “Good job!” my gynae and nurses encouraged. After a while, I was then told that it’s time for the real thing and I was again told to push with all my might. I remembered pushing like my life depended on it….and the gynae said the baby’s crowning! I was told to push again, and again, and again…I remembered pushing more times than I did for Sean, and my face by then was all tomato red. “She’s coming out…! Good good! She’s coming already!” was what I heard. And with one last little push, I feel something sliding out and then cheers! Baby Summer is here!
She was placed straight away onto my chest…and there and then, at that moment, all worries and concerns about me not being able to love her as much as my Sean, about her abdominal circumference being on the 5th percentile, about her not gaining enough weight...they all seems so insignificant, because Summer is just so perfect.
And now, close to 6 months has gone by in a blink of an eye. Summer is growing well (on 100% breastmilk, but of course :)) and is ready to go onto semi-solids. Sean just had his year-end concert and he danced so well as a penguin, even walking off stage after the performance in “penguin steps”. He’s amazing my boy!
Time passes by too fast, isn’t it? So quick that just when I want to stop by and take a breath, it’s time for yet another milestone to reach.
We are still coping, the four of us little family, without a maid. Things can get pretty tough sometimes, but with some understanding and patience, they do progress like a well-oiled machine.
I told Steve recently that I want to have another kid.
“3!” I said.
3 would be perfect.
But till then, I have my hands full, and my heart ever so full with love for my two kids.
Sean and Summer.
