Two plus two: Kate's birth story

I’m highly inspired, after reading the birth story of another, to write about Kate’s. I started the blog after her birth and I don’t think I ever had that down on record. Before Jake’s arrival, where I’ll probably become even more muddle-minded (the husband says, quite blatantly that I’ve become “dumber” bleahh), I’ll like to have it down on record what I remember about the princess and her coming. [Warning: post is really long and may be boring – to you anyway]

Her EDD was 16 September 2009. I stopped working a week (or two? Oops, cannot remember already!) before then and spent the days lazing away. While I was quite happy to be off work, I recall being really bored during this break. While I could fill the days with as much as I wanted to, the husband was, unfortunately, very busy at that time and couldn’t spend as much time as I preferred with me. I was lucky though, that the bestie was back in Singapore then and not working and living near me so we did several sessions of walks and makan sessions. I remember feeling heavy and hot all the time (flashback 1: the bestie visiting me because I was too hot & bothered to go out. She bought maccas and came to my air-conditioned room where we just hung out watching tv and chilling, while indulging in fatty food).

I remember talking plenty of cold showers when I felt like it because I was feeling so hot! I also remember feeling bored. There was only that much I could eat and hang with the bestie and towards that final stage, I was not inclined to go shopping or do anything overly adventurous either (too uncomfortable). So I stayed home and willed time away. I remember doing plenty of housework. I remember doing plenty of laundry, sweeping, mopping. I also remember feeling very happy every time it was evening because the husband will be home and I just yearned for his company.

(I wonder how much of this is legit since it’s nearly 2.5years ago and it’s really purely based on my memory!)

14 September 2009 (Monday night): With all that leave I took with me not knowing what to expect, I was getting a tad bored. I remember talking (complaining) to the husband about that (not knowing what to expect) and I told Kate “baby, give Mommy a clear sign when you’re coming, ok?”. Afterall, that was my first birth and I truly didn’t know what to expect. That night, I was awakened and I think I felt a twang or something. I wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but it felt like cramps, but mild ones only. They continued for a while though, so I told the husband about it. But because it wasn’t seemingly serious nor whatever, I was able to go back to bed and so did he.

15 September (Tuesday): The husband asked how I felt and I told him “ok – nothing already”. He told me that he had to go to work but he will get in touch with me once he’s done. I had already arranged to go to the Botanical Gardens for a walk with a girlfriend, and I went ahead with her to do it still. Through the day, I didn’t feel anything else, just crampy (& hot & bothered & heavy) and I remember walking quite a fair distance (ok, maybe I didn’t walk. I probably waddled, really). When the husband came home that night, he asked if I was ok and I reported to him what I did in the day and we went to bed. O yes, I remember watching tennis during this period as there was some tournament league going on then (random!) That night, I was again awakened by cramps. They were more uncomfortable this time round and the best way I can describe these cramps were that they felt like this tightening of pain all the way around my body; i.e. the entire circumference of my back through to my tummy. Every time I felt something, I’d grip the husband’s hand tightly and it was a long and uncomfortable night.

16 September (Wednesday): The husband was off work today (yay!) and we had lunch planned with the bestie. We went ahead to pick her up and headed to Holland Village for lunch. I had wanted to eat at Marmalade’s for their linguine and dessert and was shattered to find out that they had moved out of the HV premises. We still ate there though, and by this stage, my contractions were coming and going through the day. I was really uncomfortable and had to take deep breaths every time I was hit by pain. After lunch, we headed to Ikea (air-conditioning!) just to walk-about and by this time, I remember having to grip the bestie’s hand everytime a contraction struck. It was painful! By the time we headed home that night, I was exhausted and while I don’t remember for certain, I’m guessing that I was probably not-very-nice-tempered by this time. I recall the husband telling me to go to bed and sleep away the pain (it’s not something that you can sleep over though, by.the.way.) but there was little I could do any way and I was really tired so I did try to go lay down. (While writing this, I can vaguely remember the discomfort and pain!) So anyway, I still kept gripping the husband’s hands very tightly everytime I felt the pain and he was my faithful time-keeper. We knew, by this stage that I was undergoing labour and having contractions, but we were also conscious (doc’s advice) that I shouldn’t go to the hospital too early because I may get sent home if it’s a false alarm. We did make a call to the gynae that night and shared with him my symptoms the past 2 days; he said to come in tomorrow morning. So with that, I had little choice but try to force myself to go to sleep.

At lunch with the bestie and the husband's finger (hah). In between contractions, I managed to grimace. Look at how tanned I was then! I swam every week! (Boo, poor terrible contrast to now where I swam ONE time through this pregnancy.)

In the car. I needed love and support, and refused to let go of the husband's hand.

17 September (Thursday): I think it was about past midnight that the husband said that my contractions were regular – every 5 minutes. We were uncertain whether we ought to head to the hospital, but seeing how uncomfortable I was, we decided to go. I took a quick shower, picked up my hospital bag and we were on our way. While I was stepping out of the house, I was still asking the husband “should we really go? what if it’s not for real yet?” and in the car ride, we were monitoring whether or not the contractions were still coming regularly.

2am: I checked into the hospital. The biggest relief came when after all the need-to-dos (changed into hospital gown/ administration etc); the nurse did a check and announced “you are 5cm dilated”. I think that was really the BEST thing to hear at that point in time! Imagine the pains I’d gone through and if I wasn’t making good progress?! Gee! I also remember feeling lost as they didn’t allow the husband to sit by my side always in the “waiting room”. I much preferred if he was with me, always. Because I was already halfway dilated, they got ready to wheel me into the delivery suite. The nurses asked if I wanted epidural and while I hesitated for a while whether or not to have it (I thought I may be able to do without because I was already at the halfway mark!); I still opted for it. I had some side effects of the epidural like uncontrollable shaking but it was mangeable. I was also cold. I think it was a good choice because I had relief (no pain!) and though the hospital wasn’t exactly a hotel-stay, the husband and I did manage to have poor sleep till morning. The nurses will come in to check on my blood pressures and contractions and dilation every 30mins or so. It was a tiring, sleepless night but at least, I was no longer in pain. In fact, I’m not sure of the dosage they gave me, but I pretty much didn’t feel anything from the point of receiving epidural – yup, all the way till Kate popped!

They first introduced this (dumb) gas thingy to me. Didn't do anything for me at all.

8+am: I don’t really remember if this is all accurate, but I do know that when I saw my gynae, he was all cheery and after the night of waiting, it was great to hear him say “you’re ready!” OMG I was HOW excited! The midwives and nurses all bustled to activity; they started teaching me how to push and I really tried but because I couldn’t feel anything, I wasn’t sure how much I was doing at all! The gynae had to break my water bag and he said that there was meconium, so he had to use suction to aid the birth. Everything happened really, really quickly and amidst the nurses’ yelling (ok, they weren’t yelling but in my mind, what I remember was a very busy room bustling with plenty of activity!) and me trying to push and whatnots, I delivered my daughter at 9.30am.

I remember they placed her in my arms immediately and my first reaction was to weep – from happiness, disbelief and happiness that I did it! It was really the most amazing feeling in the world! I rubbed her little limbs and stared at her tiny wrinkley face – it was surreal. The nurses told me to latch her on and I did, and she started to suckle – so cute! Then they took her away to wash her and weigh her and whatnots.