Another birth story? Yeah, but this one is almost 4 years too late. I started this blog when Yiu Yiu was eight months old, so I don't have any entries on details of her birth and early months. It just struck me that perhaps I should also pen down Yiu Yiu's birth, whatever little that I still remember, to mark her upcoming 4th birthday.
So here goes…
October 24, 2005
Hubby and I went to see my obstetrician, Dr. G for my 37th week check-up, and when he checked my blood pressure, he said that it was elevated. It was the first time in my whole pregnancy that my blood pressure actually went up. Anyway, he sent us home and asked us to come again next week. The next week, my blood pressure was still elevated and there were traces of protein in my urine too. He also checked my cervix but I don't remember him telling us if it had already softened. He told us that my placenta was probably matured and calcified, and thus, would not be able to provide much sustenance for baby. He wanted to check the baby's heartbeat with the CTG machine, and hence asked us to be at the hospital early the next morning.
November 1, 2005
It was the morning of Deepavali, and when we arrived at the hospital at about 8am, I was promptly hooked to the CTG machine. At the end of the observation, we were told that baby's heartbeat was fine. He checked my cervix, but again, he didn't offer any information as to its dilation. Anyhow, he advised that we should schedule for an induction of labour, since I was already 38+ weeks. Being the ignorant first-time parents, it didn't occur to us to question the rationale behind his advice, but I guessed it had to do with my less-than-efficient placenta. Since it was already past 10am by the time we were done, he was reluctant to induce me on that day itself, as he was worried that there might not be an anaesthesiologist around should I had needed an emergency C-sect. So he sent us home and asked us to be at the hospital early the next morning.
Hubby proceeded to settle the bill and just as we were about to leave the hospital, hubby got a call from his nurse, telling us that Dr. G changed his mind, and decided to induce me then instead of waiting another day. Okay, so we went to the labour ward and by the time I changed into the hospital gown, it was just past 11am. I was put on a drip and I settled down with some newspapers and magazines. There wasn't much progress in the first three hours, and if I'm not mistaken, I was only 2cm dilated at 2pm. I remember thinking to myself that at this rate, I'd probably deliver only at 10pm, assuming my cervix dilates at the rate of 1cm per hour. The midwife then increased the dose of the medicine and I started feeling some contractions soon after. Somewhere along the way, I was given pethidine injection, which caused me to drift in and out of consciousness. From that point on, I couldn't really recall much. I remember trying to get some sleep, only to be awakened by each wave of contraction that got progressively stronger. I remember Dr. G rupturing the membrane, probably when I was about 5cm dilated. I remember hubby got really anxious with each progressively louder groan I made, and several times, he rushed out to get the midwife to check on me. And he told me later that at one point, the nurses got a little irritated and even reprimanded him, telling him that labour pain is like that, and I had to just bear with it.
When I felt the urge to bear down, I asked hubby to inform the midwife. She was half expecting that hubby is crying wolf again, but she frantically got into action getting all the things ready when she found out that I was already fully dilated. I was asked to hold and not push since the obstetrician was not there yet. I thought those few minutes were the worst throughout the whole process, having to fight the extremely strong urge to push. Looking back, I should have just gone ahead and push without waiting for my obstetrician, as I'm quite sure the midwife and nurses were capable enough to help me birth the baby. Anyway, when my obstetrician arrived, I started pushing and thank goodness, Yiu Yiu was out at 5.58pm, with just two pushes, as she was just a tiny (weighing 2.5kg and measuring 46cm) baby. Hubby was rather emotional towards the end and he actually shed some tears when Yiu Yiu was finally out.
She was immediately taken away for cleaning and I didn't even have a chance to lay my eyes on her. As I was still very sedated from the pethidine, I wasn't quite aware of what else was happening after the birth – I didn’t feel my placenta being delivered, neither did I feel anything while my obstetrician was stitching me up. I remember falling asleep after all that action, and being pushed to the maternity ward thereafter. My family came to visit at about 8pm but I was still feeling very groggy then. Mum cooked some ginger fried rice and though I was ravenous, I couldn't eat as I was nauseous, again no thanks to the pethidine. Which is why for my second birth, I told myself that I'd try to go without pethidine.
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
October 26, 2009
October 23, 2009
The Down Syndrome scare
The obstetrician who delivered Yan Yan was the second obstetrician we consulted during my pregnancy. What happened to the first? Well, we ditched him after he gave us a nasty scare about carrying a Down Syndrome (DS) baby.
At my 12th week check-up with the first obstetrician, Dr. T, he performed the nuchal translucency scan, and mine measured about 1mm, which is within the normal range of up to 2mm. At the 16th week, he performed the triple test. I got a call from him the very next day, informing me that the test came back positive, showing that I had an increased risk of carrying a DS baby. I was calm when I received the news, as I knew that the sensitivity of the test is only about 60%, and there's quite a high false positive rate. Nevertheless, I promptly trawled the Net for more information and the more I read about it, the more worried I became. I called him back the next day to discuss further, and found out that the results came back that my risk was approximately 1/200, while the normal risk for my age is approximately 1/350. He suggested that I do an amniocentesis, which I wasn't really keen on doing, due to the risk of miscarriage. All this happened just before our trip to Yogyakarta, so that totally spoilt my mood for the trip. But my gut feeling told me that my baby was fine, and interestingly, hubby had the same feeling too.
Upon our return from Yogyakarta, we seeked a second opinion from Dr. R, a former professor who specializes in problematic pregnancies. In our first consultation, he told us that his method of screening for DS was slightly different. He would perform a different blood test in the first trimester, and if the blood test indicated an increased risk, then only would he measure the nuchal translucency. He questioned the wisdom of doing the triple test, which is less sensitive compared to the nuchal translucency scan with 80% accuracy – it's like taking a step backwards. But since my triple test results came back as such, he couldn't refute the results.
Anyway, he offered to perform a thorough anomaly scan to look for structural abnormalities associated with DS - primarily the head, heart and kidneys. After looking at the scan, he told us that all the major organs looked perfect to him. He also said the distance between the thumb and index finger for a DS baby is normally far apart, and the thumb is normally very small (if I'm not mistaken). But my baby didn’t show any of these characteristics. In a nutshell, he reassured us that the baby should be fine and the chances of her being a DS baby is <1%. He didn't think we should bother with doing an amniocentesis. But he did caution us that two of his patients (28yo and 30yo) who had all normal test results and scans, turned out to be DS baby. But to us, as long as he opined that our baby was fine, we were reassured. After all, he's seen enough complicated pregnancies, and has the experience to predict with reasonable certainty whether the baby was normal or otherwise. And after his good prognosis, had our baby really turned out to be a DS baby, then I suppose it's really God's will.
I didn't have the courage to share this earlier, lest the worst really happened. Now that all's well, I thought perhaps it's a story worth sharing and preserving.
I should also add that I'm truly blessed that Dr. R agreed to take me in as his patient, as he normally doesn't accept new patients planning a normal delivery. His new patients are mainly complicated pregnancies, or those planning a C-sect birth. He had told me upfront that he would follow me through to 20+ weeks, after which he would pass me on to either of his two partners. As he was still seeing me by my 30th week, I asked him if I should start following-up with his partners. I was pleasantly surprised when he said that since he had been seeing me thus far, he'd follow through with my delivery. I guess I've to thank my lucky star, and THANK YOU Dr. R, for being such a patient, kind and gentle doctor.
At my 12th week check-up with the first obstetrician, Dr. T, he performed the nuchal translucency scan, and mine measured about 1mm, which is within the normal range of up to 2mm. At the 16th week, he performed the triple test. I got a call from him the very next day, informing me that the test came back positive, showing that I had an increased risk of carrying a DS baby. I was calm when I received the news, as I knew that the sensitivity of the test is only about 60%, and there's quite a high false positive rate. Nevertheless, I promptly trawled the Net for more information and the more I read about it, the more worried I became. I called him back the next day to discuss further, and found out that the results came back that my risk was approximately 1/200, while the normal risk for my age is approximately 1/350. He suggested that I do an amniocentesis, which I wasn't really keen on doing, due to the risk of miscarriage. All this happened just before our trip to Yogyakarta, so that totally spoilt my mood for the trip. But my gut feeling told me that my baby was fine, and interestingly, hubby had the same feeling too.
Upon our return from Yogyakarta, we seeked a second opinion from Dr. R, a former professor who specializes in problematic pregnancies. In our first consultation, he told us that his method of screening for DS was slightly different. He would perform a different blood test in the first trimester, and if the blood test indicated an increased risk, then only would he measure the nuchal translucency. He questioned the wisdom of doing the triple test, which is less sensitive compared to the nuchal translucency scan with 80% accuracy – it's like taking a step backwards. But since my triple test results came back as such, he couldn't refute the results.
Anyway, he offered to perform a thorough anomaly scan to look for structural abnormalities associated with DS - primarily the head, heart and kidneys. After looking at the scan, he told us that all the major organs looked perfect to him. He also said the distance between the thumb and index finger for a DS baby is normally far apart, and the thumb is normally very small (if I'm not mistaken). But my baby didn’t show any of these characteristics. In a nutshell, he reassured us that the baby should be fine and the chances of her being a DS baby is <1%. He didn't think we should bother with doing an amniocentesis. But he did caution us that two of his patients (28yo and 30yo) who had all normal test results and scans, turned out to be DS baby. But to us, as long as he opined that our baby was fine, we were reassured. After all, he's seen enough complicated pregnancies, and has the experience to predict with reasonable certainty whether the baby was normal or otherwise. And after his good prognosis, had our baby really turned out to be a DS baby, then I suppose it's really God's will.
I didn't have the courage to share this earlier, lest the worst really happened. Now that all's well, I thought perhaps it's a story worth sharing and preserving.
I should also add that I'm truly blessed that Dr. R agreed to take me in as his patient, as he normally doesn't accept new patients planning a normal delivery. His new patients are mainly complicated pregnancies, or those planning a C-sect birth. He had told me upfront that he would follow me through to 20+ weeks, after which he would pass me on to either of his two partners. As he was still seeing me by my 30th week, I asked him if I should start following-up with his partners. I was pleasantly surprised when he said that since he had been seeing me thus far, he'd follow through with my delivery. I guess I've to thank my lucky star, and THANK YOU Dr. R, for being such a patient, kind and gentle doctor.
July 31, 2009
My birth story
(This post contains some graphic photographs. Read on only if you won't faint at the sight of blood.)
July 22, 2009
I woke up at 4.45am for a pee, and when I went back to bed, I suddenly felt this rather strong contraction. I waited for the second, and the third, and the fourth…just to be sure that it's no false alarm again. By then, the contractions were coming fast and furious, about 3 – 5 minutes apart. I quickly woke hubby up, and a moment later, we were on our way to the hospital.
I settled into the labour room at about 5.30am, while hubby sorted out the admission. The midwife performed a vaginal examination, and it was so anti-climatic when I was told that I was 5cm dilated. I mean, it's been a whole day since I was at the obstetrician clinic and I was still ONLY 5cm dilated??!! Anyway, I was strapped to the CTG for foetal heartbeat monitoring and I asked for it to be removed the moment it was done, as I wanted to remain mobile for as long as possible. The contractions were quite bearable and I tried to cope by changing positions, and some relaxing music on my discman (not iPod unfortunately, haha!).
At about 7.15am, the contractions were becoming very intense and I felt the urge to bear down. Another vaginal examination revealed that I was already 7 – 8cm dilated. I asked if it was too late to ask for pethidine, and there was a chorus of YES! They offered me gas and it did take the edge off the contractions. My obstetrician arrived shortly after and I was already fully dilated by then. However, it appeared that the baby's head hadn't descended low enough.
Strangely, at this point, the urge to push had totally dissipated, so I had to just push whenever I felt a contraction coming. I had forgotten how to push effectively and after several waves of contractions, I still couldn't push baby out. By then, I was already feeling rather tired, and my obstetrician asked if I wanted to try vacuuming. I asked to take a short rest and after 2 – 3 waves of contractions, baby finally made her appearance at 7.45am.
Baby was placed on my chest immediately after birth while the nurses placed a suction tube into her mouth and nostrils, and throughout the second stage of labour when the placenta was being delivered.
Shortly after, the nurses wrapped her up and checked her weight, etc. before passing the baby back to me. I put her on my chest and she immediately suckled like a pro.
In fact, she suckled twice before I was transferred to the maternity ward at 10.15am. Baby was then cleaned up in the nursery and checked by the paediatrician.
July 22, 2009
I woke up at 4.45am for a pee, and when I went back to bed, I suddenly felt this rather strong contraction. I waited for the second, and the third, and the fourth…just to be sure that it's no false alarm again. By then, the contractions were coming fast and furious, about 3 – 5 minutes apart. I quickly woke hubby up, and a moment later, we were on our way to the hospital.
I settled into the labour room at about 5.30am, while hubby sorted out the admission. The midwife performed a vaginal examination, and it was so anti-climatic when I was told that I was 5cm dilated. I mean, it's been a whole day since I was at the obstetrician clinic and I was still ONLY 5cm dilated??!! Anyway, I was strapped to the CTG for foetal heartbeat monitoring and I asked for it to be removed the moment it was done, as I wanted to remain mobile for as long as possible. The contractions were quite bearable and I tried to cope by changing positions, and some relaxing music on my discman (not iPod unfortunately, haha!).
At about 7.15am, the contractions were becoming very intense and I felt the urge to bear down. Another vaginal examination revealed that I was already 7 – 8cm dilated. I asked if it was too late to ask for pethidine, and there was a chorus of YES! They offered me gas and it did take the edge off the contractions. My obstetrician arrived shortly after and I was already fully dilated by then. However, it appeared that the baby's head hadn't descended low enough.
Strangely, at this point, the urge to push had totally dissipated, so I had to just push whenever I felt a contraction coming. I had forgotten how to push effectively and after several waves of contractions, I still couldn't push baby out. By then, I was already feeling rather tired, and my obstetrician asked if I wanted to try vacuuming. I asked to take a short rest and after 2 – 3 waves of contractions, baby finally made her appearance at 7.45am.
Baby was placed on my chest immediately after birth while the nurses placed a suction tube into her mouth and nostrils, and throughout the second stage of labour when the placenta was being delivered.
Placenta and umbilical cord - organs that provided sustenance for baby for the past 40 weeks
Shortly after, the nurses wrapped her up and checked her weight, etc. before passing the baby back to me. I put her on my chest and she immediately suckled like a pro.
Vital stats: Weight - 3.7kg, Length - 52cm, Head circumference - 34cm
Back in mummy's arms
In fact, she suckled twice before I was transferred to the maternity ward at 10.15am. Baby was then cleaned up in the nursery and checked by the paediatrician.
All cleaned up and fresh like morning dew
Flowers from papa and Yiu Yiu
Overall, I had a wonderful, drug-free birth experience, just as I had always wanted it to be. I was alert throughout the whole birthing process, including stitching of the episiotomy, save for a few moments of grogginess after inhaling too much gas. I even had breakfast in the labour room after the birth, and received my first visitors in my room at 11am.
It was very different compared to my first birth where I was induced and had pethidine injection. The pethidine made me really sedated and I was basically drifting in and out of consciousness, not to mention the nausea that followed. The way they handled the baby after birth was also very different. Yiu Yiu was taken away for cleaning up the moment she was birthed, even before I had a chance to look at her. If I remember correctly, I didn't even hold her in my arms till I was transferred to the maternity ward – but then, I'm not sure if it was due to my semi-conscious state. The only memorable part about my first birth was the ease of pushing Yiu Yiu out – she was out with just two pushes. But then, she was only 2.5kg at birth, compared to her sister at 3.7kg.
It was very different compared to my first birth where I was induced and had pethidine injection. The pethidine made me really sedated and I was basically drifting in and out of consciousness, not to mention the nausea that followed. The way they handled the baby after birth was also very different. Yiu Yiu was taken away for cleaning up the moment she was birthed, even before I had a chance to look at her. If I remember correctly, I didn't even hold her in my arms till I was transferred to the maternity ward – but then, I'm not sure if it was due to my semi-conscious state. The only memorable part about my first birth was the ease of pushing Yiu Yiu out – she was out with just two pushes. But then, she was only 2.5kg at birth, compared to her sister at 3.7kg.
July 29, 2009
Days leading up to the birth
Saturday, July 18
Term +1. I was already 2.5cm dilated but surprisingly, there are no contractions at all. ZILCH!
Monday, July 20
Had lunch at Jaya One and swung by my obstetrician's clinic to ask if it's OK to wait another week before induction. He advised against doing – his reasons being baby will continue to put on weight and I may have difficulting delivering her. Furthermore, the risk of stillbirths increases with each week post-term. He also told me that the theory of +/-2 weeks was derived before the advent of ultrasound scanning to determine gestational age, and many O&Gs do not subscribe to that anymore since ultrasound scans these days provide an accurate estimate of gestational age. I decided to heed his advice, as just last year, a colleague lost her stillborn daughter, who weighed 4.5kg.
I started feeling fairly regular contractions, 20 – 30 minutes apart at 8pm, increasing in frequency to about 10 – 15 minutes apart by 10pm. I was quite sure I would need to go to the hospital soon, and was contemplating whether I should call my elder sister, who's staying nearby, to stay the night in our house and watch over Yiu Yiu, just in case we needed to go to the hospital. But then, I fell asleep and nothing happened.
Tuesday, July 21
I got a little worried over the lack of action last night, despite the earlier contractions and sms my obstetrician early in the morning. He asked me to see him in the clinic just to ensure that everything is OK. Surprise surprise, I was already 5cm dilated, and I'm still perplexed at the lack of contractions.
I had taken leave as there was a fire drill in the office and since hubby is also on leave, I suggested we go shopping, hoping that the walking will help to speed things up. We even caught the 11am Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince early bird show, my first movie since Kung Fu Panda a year ago.
We had already made arrangements for Yiu Yiu to stay overnight at the babysitter's house, as we had to be at the hospital at 7.30am the next morning. I felt guilty for leaving her at the babysitter, for i should be spending more time with her, today being the last day that I'm exclusively HER mum. From tomorrow onwards, she’ll have to share her mum with her mei-mei. We visited her in the evening, and out of the blue, I thought, "What the heck! We can always send her to babysitter early tomorrow morning before going to the hospital." I asked if she wanted to go home with us, but she said, "It's OK mummy. I stay here tonight because I listen to you." Ha ha…as if, I guess it's like an adventure for her, because even yesterday, she asked if Apek (that's babysitter's hubby) will be sending her to school.
Back home at night, I just rechecked my hospital bag to ensure everything is packed. And there were still NO contractions.
Term +1. I was already 2.5cm dilated but surprisingly, there are no contractions at all. ZILCH!
Monday, July 20
Had lunch at Jaya One and swung by my obstetrician's clinic to ask if it's OK to wait another week before induction. He advised against doing – his reasons being baby will continue to put on weight and I may have difficulting delivering her. Furthermore, the risk of stillbirths increases with each week post-term. He also told me that the theory of +/-2 weeks was derived before the advent of ultrasound scanning to determine gestational age, and many O&Gs do not subscribe to that anymore since ultrasound scans these days provide an accurate estimate of gestational age. I decided to heed his advice, as just last year, a colleague lost her stillborn daughter, who weighed 4.5kg.
I started feeling fairly regular contractions, 20 – 30 minutes apart at 8pm, increasing in frequency to about 10 – 15 minutes apart by 10pm. I was quite sure I would need to go to the hospital soon, and was contemplating whether I should call my elder sister, who's staying nearby, to stay the night in our house and watch over Yiu Yiu, just in case we needed to go to the hospital. But then, I fell asleep and nothing happened.
Tuesday, July 21
I got a little worried over the lack of action last night, despite the earlier contractions and sms my obstetrician early in the morning. He asked me to see him in the clinic just to ensure that everything is OK. Surprise surprise, I was already 5cm dilated, and I'm still perplexed at the lack of contractions.
I had taken leave as there was a fire drill in the office and since hubby is also on leave, I suggested we go shopping, hoping that the walking will help to speed things up. We even caught the 11am Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince early bird show, my first movie since Kung Fu Panda a year ago.
We had already made arrangements for Yiu Yiu to stay overnight at the babysitter's house, as we had to be at the hospital at 7.30am the next morning. I felt guilty for leaving her at the babysitter, for i should be spending more time with her, today being the last day that I'm exclusively HER mum. From tomorrow onwards, she’ll have to share her mum with her mei-mei. We visited her in the evening, and out of the blue, I thought, "What the heck! We can always send her to babysitter early tomorrow morning before going to the hospital." I asked if she wanted to go home with us, but she said, "It's OK mummy. I stay here tonight because I listen to you." Ha ha…as if, I guess it's like an adventure for her, because even yesterday, she asked if Apek (that's babysitter's hubby) will be sending her to school.
Back home at night, I just rechecked my hospital bag to ensure everything is packed. And there were still NO contractions.
July 18, 2009
Term +1
It's funny how everyone tells me that second birth will normally be early, and I had actually mentally prepared myself for an early birth. However, July 17 had come and gone, and yet, there are still no signs of baby. She's probably too comfy inside the womb and wants to stay on a little longer.
This morning I went to see my obstetrician as he wanted to make sure that there's still adequate amniotic fluid, and that baby is still thriving well. Everyone is still in good order and when he checked my cervix, he asked if I was sure I wasn’t having any contractions yet! Apparently my cervix has effaced. Embarrassingly, I don't quite know how normal labour contractions feel like, as Yiu Yiu was born after an induced labour, as I developed pre-eclampsia and proteinuria towards the last two weeks of pregnancy. I did feel some tightening this morning, but I brushed it off as baby moving vigorously in the limited space of my womb.
Anyway, he booked me for induction of labour next Wednesday – that's the day he performs all his planned deliveries, either via Caesarean or induction - if things are not moving along. However, he is confident he'll see me in the labour ward before Wednesday. I certainly hope so.
For the record, baby weighs 3.4kg from the scan (Yiu Yiu was only 2.5kg at birth), and mummy has put on only 11kg. However, I started at 6kg heavier compared to my first pregnancy. I'm hopeful that with breastfeeding, I'll be able to lose all these excess weight in the next couple of months.
This morning I went to see my obstetrician as he wanted to make sure that there's still adequate amniotic fluid, and that baby is still thriving well. Everyone is still in good order and when he checked my cervix, he asked if I was sure I wasn’t having any contractions yet! Apparently my cervix has effaced. Embarrassingly, I don't quite know how normal labour contractions feel like, as Yiu Yiu was born after an induced labour, as I developed pre-eclampsia and proteinuria towards the last two weeks of pregnancy. I did feel some tightening this morning, but I brushed it off as baby moving vigorously in the limited space of my womb.
Anyway, he booked me for induction of labour next Wednesday – that's the day he performs all his planned deliveries, either via Caesarean or induction - if things are not moving along. However, he is confident he'll see me in the labour ward before Wednesday. I certainly hope so.
For the record, baby weighs 3.4kg from the scan (Yiu Yiu was only 2.5kg at birth), and mummy has put on only 11kg. However, I started at 6kg heavier compared to my first pregnancy. I'm hopeful that with breastfeeding, I'll be able to lose all these excess weight in the next couple of months.
July 03, 2009
All ready for the big day
The clothes, traditional cloth diapers, mittens and booties, handkerchieves, bibs, and bouncinet nettings have all been washed…
The presents (from Yiu Yiu to baby and from baby to Yiu Yiu) are wrapped up…
Shopping is completed for miscellanous small items like cloth diaper fasteners, waterproof mattress pads, disposable diapers, cream for nappy rash, wet wipes, cotton, etc.
The hospital bag is packed…
A selection of names has been chosen…
All that's left now is counting down the days…
The presents (from Yiu Yiu to baby and from baby to Yiu Yiu) are wrapped up…
Shopping is completed for miscellanous small items like cloth diaper fasteners, waterproof mattress pads, disposable diapers, cream for nappy rash, wet wipes, cotton, etc.
The hospital bag is packed…
A selection of names has been chosen…
All that's left now is counting down the days…
June 07, 2009
Preparing for the new baby
I have been taking things very lightly this pregnancy, as I had assumed that since this is the second time around, we would be more experienced and besides, we already have most of the things we need. However, while going through the checklist I prepared during my first pregnancy, I realized that there are still many things that we need to attend to, even though it’s true that we can recycle many things.
There’s the baby clothes, traditional cloth diapers, mattress sheets, blankets, bouncinet, etc to wash. I’ve just managed to dig these out from the store room but I realized that I can’t wash them just yet – coz I’ve got no place to keep them. That calls for a trip to Ikea to shop for a chest of drawers to keep the baby’s day-to-day stuff. There are also other small items like cloth diaper fasteners, waterproof mattress pads, disposable diapers (still contemplating whether I should go green and opt for the modern cloth diapers, but I’m just to lazy to want to learn the intricacies of cloth diapering), cream for nappy rash, baby nail clipper, wet wipes, cotton, etc.
And then, there’s the decision we have to make on whether to buy two more baby car seats (we currently have one each in hubby’s and my car – and we’ll need one more in each car for the new baby) or to buy booster seats for Yiu Yiu, so the current car seats can be used by the baby. Our only concern is that Yiu Yiu is still too small to fit snugly into the booster seats, but if we buy two more baby car seats, we’ll still need to upgrade Yiu Yiu to a booster seat some time in the future, and we’ll be stuck with four car seats then.
I still have five more weekends to settle all these before the baby is due to arrive, that, of course, assuming she doesn’t decide to make an early appearance. And I had better start packing my hospital bag, just in case.
There’s the baby clothes, traditional cloth diapers, mattress sheets, blankets, bouncinet, etc to wash. I’ve just managed to dig these out from the store room but I realized that I can’t wash them just yet – coz I’ve got no place to keep them. That calls for a trip to Ikea to shop for a chest of drawers to keep the baby’s day-to-day stuff. There are also other small items like cloth diaper fasteners, waterproof mattress pads, disposable diapers (still contemplating whether I should go green and opt for the modern cloth diapers, but I’m just to lazy to want to learn the intricacies of cloth diapering), cream for nappy rash, baby nail clipper, wet wipes, cotton, etc.
And then, there’s the decision we have to make on whether to buy two more baby car seats (we currently have one each in hubby’s and my car – and we’ll need one more in each car for the new baby) or to buy booster seats for Yiu Yiu, so the current car seats can be used by the baby. Our only concern is that Yiu Yiu is still too small to fit snugly into the booster seats, but if we buy two more baby car seats, we’ll still need to upgrade Yiu Yiu to a booster seat some time in the future, and we’ll be stuck with four car seats then.
I still have five more weekends to settle all these before the baby is due to arrive, that, of course, assuming she doesn’t decide to make an early appearance. And I had better start packing my hospital bag, just in case.
April 29, 2009
Yiu Yiu and the pregnancy
I haven’t been writing about Yiu Yiu’s receptiveness towards the baby. We’ve been psyching her since we found out about the pregnancy and she’s pretty excited and eagerly looks forward to the arrival of the baby. Whenever she remembers, she’ll kiss my tummy when she wakes up and before going to bed, and wishes Good Morning and Good Night to the baby, respectively.
We’ve tell her that she’s gonna be a big sister soon, and that we’ll need her help around the house when baby arrives. And she tells me that she’s a big girl now, and can carry baby when she comes out. I’ve also been reinforcing to her that when baby comes, the baby will love her and she must love the baby too, and that I’ll love them both. Hopefully, this will mitigate any jealousy that may arise, since I’d definitely not be able to spend much time with her then.
When asked if she wants a baby boy or baby girl, here are some of her answers:
Answer 1:
Yiu Yiu: Baby girl.
Mummy: But if baby comes out and it’s a boy how?
Yiu Yiu: Then you give me another baby girl la.
How I wished it were that easy my dear!
Answer 2:
Yiu Yiu: Baby girl.
Mummy: Why you don’t want baby boy meh?
Yiu Yiu: Don’t want! Afterwards baby boy will be naughty like Yihao.
Hahaha!
Answer 3:
Yiu Yiu: I want a baby boy and a baby girl.
Mummy had also hoped to have twins - boy and girl together...unfortunately no such luck!
Whenever she drinks milk from her bottle, she wants me to cradle her like a baby.
Yiu Yiu: Mummy, carry me like baby and drink milk milk.
Mummy: You big girl already still want to carry like baby meh?
Yiu Yiu: Aarrgghh! Carry like baby and drink milk milk.
Mummy: Next time baby comes out already how to carry you and baby together to drink milk milk?
Yiu Yiu: You carry baby to drink your nen nen (breastmilk) first, then when baby finish only carry me to drink my milk milk.
On sharing
When she eats anything, she’ll ask me if baby wants to eat or not.
Whenever I mention that some of her clothes are getting smaller, she’ll quickly say, “Keep for baby.”
When asked if she can share her toys with baby, she willingly says yes.
I hope these are signs that she’s really willing to share her stuff with the baby.
We’ve tell her that she’s gonna be a big sister soon, and that we’ll need her help around the house when baby arrives. And she tells me that she’s a big girl now, and can carry baby when she comes out. I’ve also been reinforcing to her that when baby comes, the baby will love her and she must love the baby too, and that I’ll love them both. Hopefully, this will mitigate any jealousy that may arise, since I’d definitely not be able to spend much time with her then.
When asked if she wants a baby boy or baby girl, here are some of her answers:
Answer 1:
Yiu Yiu: Baby girl.
Mummy: But if baby comes out and it’s a boy how?
Yiu Yiu: Then you give me another baby girl la.
How I wished it were that easy my dear!
Answer 2:
Yiu Yiu: Baby girl.
Mummy: Why you don’t want baby boy meh?
Yiu Yiu: Don’t want! Afterwards baby boy will be naughty like Yihao.
Hahaha!
Answer 3:
Yiu Yiu: I want a baby boy and a baby girl.
Mummy had also hoped to have twins - boy and girl together...unfortunately no such luck!
Whenever she drinks milk from her bottle, she wants me to cradle her like a baby.
Yiu Yiu: Mummy, carry me like baby and drink milk milk.
Mummy: You big girl already still want to carry like baby meh?
Yiu Yiu: Aarrgghh! Carry like baby and drink milk milk.
Mummy: Next time baby comes out already how to carry you and baby together to drink milk milk?
Yiu Yiu: You carry baby to drink your nen nen (breastmilk) first, then when baby finish only carry me to drink my milk milk.
On sharing
When she eats anything, she’ll ask me if baby wants to eat or not.
Whenever I mention that some of her clothes are getting smaller, she’ll quickly say, “Keep for baby.”
When asked if she can share her toys with baby, she willingly says yes.
I hope these are signs that she’s really willing to share her stuff with the baby.
April 27, 2009
Into the 3rd trimester
Woohoo…another 10 weeks or so to go. Baby now weighs about 1kg, which is just right for her gestational age. There you go, I’ve just let the cat out of the bag. Yup, we should be expecting a girl, and here's how she looks like.
I’ve gained 5kg so far, and I’m pretty happy…haha…less weight for me to lose post-partum. But then again, I may just balloon up in this trimester.
Nevertheless, I’m starting to feel the heaviness of the bump, especially when getting out of bed. Either that or my joints are getting looser as I feel my whole body aches each time I get up from the bed. It’s also getting increasingly difficult to squat. I don’t quite remember having these kinds of problems in my first pregnancy, maybe it’s due to the fact that I’ve not been exercising at all this round. During my first pregnancy, I swam at least twice a week, as we were staying in a condo then and had easy access to the pool. Now that we are staying in a landed property and with a toddler to mind, I just don’t have the motivation or the energy to drive to my sister’s apartment down the road to use the pool. I just pray that the lack of exercise would not result in a difficult labour.
At 29th weeks now, I’m still having bouts of nausea, especially when I’m hungry or when I’m too full. It’s as if there’s a limit to my stomach capacity and if I overfill it just a tiny wee bit, it’ll overflow. Whenever Yiu Yiu sees me having one of my retching episodes, she’ll ask “Baby kick(s) your throat ah?” :-) But otherwise, my food preference is back to normal.
We haven’t been very meticulous with this pregnancy compared to the first one. At that time, I was diligently reading the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” book chapter by chapter, as the pregnancy progresses. I also never missed reading through the weekly email updates from Babycentre but this round, it’s been almost zilch in terms of reading up, except for a few quick reads when I needed information on foods to avoid during pregnancy or supplements during pregnancy. And up to now, we haven’t given much thought to what we need to buy and/or prepare for the new baby. Heck, we haven’t even started thinking of names either. Gosh! Now I feel like I’m sooo neglecting this pregnancy, even though we waited much longer before we were finally blessed with this baby. I wonder if it’s just me, or is this the case with most parents for their subsequent pregnancies?
Nevertheless, I’m starting to feel the heaviness of the bump, especially when getting out of bed. Either that or my joints are getting looser as I feel my whole body aches each time I get up from the bed. It’s also getting increasingly difficult to squat. I don’t quite remember having these kinds of problems in my first pregnancy, maybe it’s due to the fact that I’ve not been exercising at all this round. During my first pregnancy, I swam at least twice a week, as we were staying in a condo then and had easy access to the pool. Now that we are staying in a landed property and with a toddler to mind, I just don’t have the motivation or the energy to drive to my sister’s apartment down the road to use the pool. I just pray that the lack of exercise would not result in a difficult labour.
At 29th weeks now, I’m still having bouts of nausea, especially when I’m hungry or when I’m too full. It’s as if there’s a limit to my stomach capacity and if I overfill it just a tiny wee bit, it’ll overflow. Whenever Yiu Yiu sees me having one of my retching episodes, she’ll ask “Baby kick(s) your throat ah?” :-) But otherwise, my food preference is back to normal.
We haven’t been very meticulous with this pregnancy compared to the first one. At that time, I was diligently reading the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” book chapter by chapter, as the pregnancy progresses. I also never missed reading through the weekly email updates from Babycentre but this round, it’s been almost zilch in terms of reading up, except for a few quick reads when I needed information on foods to avoid during pregnancy or supplements during pregnancy. And up to now, we haven’t given much thought to what we need to buy and/or prepare for the new baby. Heck, we haven’t even started thinking of names either. Gosh! Now I feel like I’m sooo neglecting this pregnancy, even though we waited much longer before we were finally blessed with this baby. I wonder if it’s just me, or is this the case with most parents for their subsequent pregnancies?
April 11, 2009
Sunset at Parkroyal Penang
I chanced upon the lovely hue of the sky during sunset today while I was in my room at the Parkroyal Penang. Quickly took out my compact camera and snapped a few shots. This happens to be my favourite among the few, so just thought of sharing it.
In case you are wondering, no, I’m not on holiday in Penang. Sigh! It’s another working weekend for me! I’ve been working three weekends over the last four weeks, and can you believe it, all three weekends happened to be in Penang, and two in Parkroyal itself. I’ve got another event in Parkroyal on the last weekend of May, but by then, I’ll be in the 33rd week of pregnancy, so I surely can’t fly anymore. So perhaps I can escape that one :-)
In case you are wondering, no, I’m not on holiday in Penang. Sigh! It’s another working weekend for me! I’ve been working three weekends over the last four weeks, and can you believe it, all three weekends happened to be in Penang, and two in Parkroyal itself. I’ve got another event in Parkroyal on the last weekend of May, but by then, I’ll be in the 33rd week of pregnancy, so I surely can’t fly anymore. So perhaps I can escape that one :-)
February 28, 2009
Mid way through my pregnancy
This week marks the mid-point of my pregnancy – I’m already into the 20th week. In my last visit to the gynae, which was about three weeks back, I had not gained any weight. At this point in my first pregnancy, I was already 8kg heavier. I’m quite happy with the way things are, weight wise, as I started at a much higher baseline, 5kg more compared to my first pregnancy. I’m hopeful that my weight at full term will not exceed that of my first pregnancy.
We did a thorough anomaly scan at the 18th week and everything looks good – from baby’s head circumference, heart, kidney, spine, ribs, hands, fingers, feet and toes. Baby’s weight was 254g then. I could also start feeling baby’s movement since the 18th week.
Symptoms wise, this pregnancy is slightly different compared to the first. I had much less nausea and vomiting, unlike my first pregnancy when I had a vomit bag hanging over my head for the first five months J. The only food I could tolerate then was pork/chicken and salted egg porridge from the neighbourhood coffee shop. This time around, the hunger pangs were much more prominent, and there were times in the earlier months where I still felt hungry after a heavy bak kut teh lunch! Thank God that phase has passed coz it felt really terrible feeling so hungry, and yet trying not to eat too much.
In terms of food, though I normally loved seafood, I couldn’t stand the sight of fish or prawns during my first pregnancy. This time however, I have an aversion towards vegetables and soups.
People say that if the pregnancy symptoms are different, then the baby is likely to be a different sex. Also, Yiu Yiu really looked like a boy when she was younger (people will not fail to ask if she’s a boy, even when she was wearing a pink suit which says “Papa’s little girl” or “Grandpa’s princess”), and people tell me the next one would be a boy. But truly, girl or boy, all we’re asking for is a healthy baby.
We did a thorough anomaly scan at the 18th week and everything looks good – from baby’s head circumference, heart, kidney, spine, ribs, hands, fingers, feet and toes. Baby’s weight was 254g then. I could also start feeling baby’s movement since the 18th week.
Symptoms wise, this pregnancy is slightly different compared to the first. I had much less nausea and vomiting, unlike my first pregnancy when I had a vomit bag hanging over my head for the first five months J. The only food I could tolerate then was pork/chicken and salted egg porridge from the neighbourhood coffee shop. This time around, the hunger pangs were much more prominent, and there were times in the earlier months where I still felt hungry after a heavy bak kut teh lunch! Thank God that phase has passed coz it felt really terrible feeling so hungry, and yet trying not to eat too much.
In terms of food, though I normally loved seafood, I couldn’t stand the sight of fish or prawns during my first pregnancy. This time however, I have an aversion towards vegetables and soups.
People say that if the pregnancy symptoms are different, then the baby is likely to be a different sex. Also, Yiu Yiu really looked like a boy when she was younger (people will not fail to ask if she’s a boy, even when she was wearing a pink suit which says “Papa’s little girl” or “Grandpa’s princess”), and people tell me the next one would be a boy. But truly, girl or boy, all we’re asking for is a healthy baby.
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