Thursday 31 October 2013

Sibling time

Big sister Kah Yen likes to be around with Baby brother Kah Soon, because baby brother makes her feel like she's a BIG GIRL, a title she is mighty proud of these days.





Tuesday 29 October 2013

My birth story (VBAC)

One of the best decisions we have made during my second pregnancy is to change gynae at the last month of pregnancy, in order to try for VBAC - Vaginal Birth after Cesarean. Though it has cost us a big sum (Our prenatal expenses almost tripled since we had to pay penalty to the first gynae for canceling the package), we had no regrets.

I had a successful VBAC and delivered my baby naturally 3 hours after checking in the hospital, without epidural. Though the pain of natural birth was horrible (Yes, it is!), it was an amazing experience I will remember for a life time!

27 Sep 2013, FRIDAY

My due date was 28 Sep 2013, Saturday. On Friday, I felt slight tightening of lower stomach. I didn't think it was the starting of labor as it was nothing regular, and there was no pain. I still went out for a walk in the morning with Kah Yen. In the evening there was a planned church seminar to attend. So I went. During the seminar the tightenings came and went a few times. I had a feeling my body is getting ready, cervix is probably dilating. But I knew it was still early. Thank God I was able to sit through the seminar, there were tightenings about 10 minutes apart, I managed through them by practicing deep breathing and drinking a lot of water.

27 Sep 2013, FRIDAY NIGHT

Friday night turned out to be a sleepless night. I developed a mild headache. Stomach muscle was still tightening, still not very frequent, so did not bother to time them. But it seemed more persistent than in the day, it came back every 8-10 minutes. I dozed on and off in between. By 3am it hurt a little to lie down, so I decided to get up and walk around the room for the rest of the night. Drank a lot of water and went to the toilet multiple times to empty the bladder. By the early morning contractions came at 5-6 minutes interval, felt like this could be the active labor stage, but still not very sure. Found some brown color discharge when I went to the toilet, it must be the mucusy discharge that blocks the cervix. So cervix was opening! This could be the day! 

28 Sep 2013, SATURDAY

Saturday morning contractions still came on and off, not very intense, can be managed by deep breathing and bending forward. I had my breakfast, then continued to walk around in the master bedroom while husband played with Kah Yen. He knew I was feeling uncomfortable, but he had no idea how far away I was from labor either. 

The rest of the day was spent alone in the bedroom. I continued to walk around. I tried not to lie down even though I was feeling quite tired. Firstly, contraction was more unbearable when lying down. Secondly, contraction was less frequent when lying down. I would like to speed up the contraction so I walked as much as possible. When the pain came I leaned forward on the edge of our bed and breath deeply. By the evening contraction was very regular and 4-5 minutes apart, and VERY INTENSE! I am pretty sure I was into action labor! But I am not sure how much I have dilated so I thought I'd wait until dinner was over to decide if heading for hospital.

Turned out, I had no appetite for dinner at all. Contraction was almost 3 minutes apart and was PAINFUL! That very night my mother in law was supposed to go out, I told her to cancel her appointment, and when husband and Kah Yen came back from playground for dinner, I announced "That's it! I need to go to the hospital!" which sent everybody into a hyper mode. Husband tried to have a quick bite after booking for the taxi, but he was too excited to even chew his food before swallowing. I went in for a quick shower - my last shower for a few days! Husband grabbed the bag and his DSLR, we told Kah Yen where we were going and gave her lots of kisses and hugs. And down we went.

I had 2 strong contractions inside the lift, and a few more inside the taxi. I managed through them silently.

28 Sep 2013, SATURDAY NIGHT

We reached the hospital at 8pm. I was sent to the observation room straight away and nurse came in to hook me on bed to monitor baby heart beat and my contraction. The pain almost doubled once I was lying down, I asked to come down and walk but was rejected by the nurse, who checked my dilation and announced I was 3cm dilated. Only 3cm! I was disappointed! I thought after a whole day's hard work (walk) at home I should have dilated to 9cm! They called my doctor to come in, who said a few words then left, probably thinking I won't be ready to deliver my baby till the next morning!

My contraction was still coming strong. At 930pm, they transferred me to the birth room.  Pain was so UNBEARABLE it was impossible for me to come down and walk. They won't allow me anyway. I screamed for half an hour and decided I couldn't take this any longer. So I ordered the nurse to check my dilation again. I was thinking if my cervix was only dilated to 4-5cm then I will ask for epidural right away. Good news! Cervix was dilated to 7cm - that was surely fast. And bad news? It was too late to admit epidural. But I was pretty encouraged by the speed of dilation, and it kept me going for another half an hour or so. Then I felt my water broke. And I started to have the urge to push. I shouted to the nurse while screaming in pain "Quick! I feel like pushing. Baby is coming out!" I was worried they have not gotten themselves ready and my baby was going to drop on to the floor!

They called the doctor right away who came in at around 11pm. They popped my legs up and the next thing I knew, after 3 rounds of pushing, baby was born at 1111pm.

It was amazing! I thank God for a fast, easy and problem-free delivery.

Friday 18 October 2013

Growing up to be a big sister

Words can't say enough how happy I am to see Kah Yen doing a great job as a big sister. 

Back when baby was still in my womb. She would touch my belly, kiss my belly (her way of kissing the baby) and sing songs to baby when I asked her to. Every night at the end of our prayer she would put her hand on my belly while I say a quick prayer for the baby. She was already fond of her baby brother before he was born.

Take away the first awkward encounter at the hospital when she was not sure what to do with her baby brother sleeping beside me, I'd say she is adjusting really well back at home to the arrival of her baby brother.

She touches him and kisses him whenever he is popped up on my lap and awake. She says to him "I love you baby. You are my baby." She helps me to take diaper and wet wipes when baby needs a diaper change. She is the first one to inform me when baby cries in the room. When I am breastfeeding, she tells baby "Don't bite Mummy's nipple, Okay? It's very painful." 

We are so glad she is so sweet, helpful and understanding.

We bought a new DUPLO Lego set for her as a gift from baby brother to her. She liked it very much. With the new Lego set she can build more things such as house, truck, fishing boat and aeroplane. Her favorite? - Houses.

At first she would ask us to build a big house for her and then a smaller house for her baby brother, because she is a big girl and baby is very small, according to her. We are happy that she always remembers to build a house for her baby brother, despite being smaller.


Then a few days later she suddenly declared "I am going to build a big big house so that I can share with baby brother!"

Big progress for a big sister!


Wednesday 9 October 2013

Welcome to the world!

Baby Teh Kah Soon (Zheng Jia Xin) was born on 28 Sep 2013, 2311hrs, exactly on his due date. He is a 3.09kg healthy boy.

Welcome to the world!