Cameron's story...

How much do you remember your labour experience? Deana & Joyce shared theirs and prompted me to share too! I think its a good idea to write it down, coz 3 years after my 1st child, I couldnt recalled exactly what happened until someone asked me... even that took me a while to get the bits & pieces together. My gynae said jokingly, that human tend to forget painful experiences... that's why they give birth to more kids... hahaha!

My EDD supposed to be on the 19th April.. but in my 37th week, I had a strong feeling that I would be in labour by the 5th April (Same time as my mom's bday). A day before my 38th week, on the 4th of April 2008...

2.30am ~ Went to bed after surfing the net for CDs... (yah, I know! muhau!)

4.00am ~ Got up to go weewee... Got my bloody show!

7.00am ~ Took my bath, washed my hair (knowing the confinement regime... urghh!! I might not able wash it for 30days..), got ready my labour bag, drank a glass of Glucose water (recommended by MIL) & prepared soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Sempat lagi blog (have time to blog)! and finished my third rinse of the prefolds I bought from miabambina.com.

8.30am ~ went back to sleep. Contraction very very mild.

9.30am ~ Awaken by lil C, asking if I was ok. Told him that today, MaMa & PaPa needed to go and see doctor as MaMa wasnt feeling too well. Lil C replied,"Just like yesterday? MaMa have to stay with doctor and I will visit you when it's dark???" Hehehe.. funny.. he relates things that had happened as YESTERDAY! Called SMC for appointment. Contraction was still very mild and irregular.

11.30am ~ Met up with my gynae. Did a VI, baby's head was still high up, dilated 4cm. Went to do my CTG and baby was doing well. Admitted to the ward. Walked and walked (so they said, walking would make the labour an easy one!), till I got so bored. Decided to have a nap. Contraction was still very mild. (DH also curi tidur)..

1.30pm ~ My aunt, who is working in SMC came and visited us.. Suddenly, there was power black-out and the hospital was running using gen-set...

3.00pm ~ A nurse came into my room, and introduced herself.. "Hi, I am nurse C, I am your dedicated nurse from now until 8pm.. hopefully you'd deliver before that and I will assist you during the delivery!" Walaueh.... syok nya... so professional!. like watching ER.. Then, she asked me to go to the labour room, which was just next door as the gynae wanted to see me...

Entered the labour room, I saw the doc & nurse was checking the power sockets.. There was still power cut-off and they were testing the power socket if it was working... Scary thoughts came, imagining if there was no electricity at all, what if I needed an emergency c-sect... *breath in & out... needed to stay calm, silly thoughts!! * but really, what ifs...

Gynae did a second VI, dilated only 5cm. Broke my water bag (ewww!!! like rich, thick, hot flush running through!) Stayed in the labour room, continued my walking session. haha! This time, contraction became slightly stronger, and within 10 mins apart.

5.00pm ~ Got bored! Contraction was 7mins apart and the dedicated nurse came to do another VI. I was still 5cm dilated! Oh boy! This was going too slow, I thought! I heard another nurse said, "Belum lagi bah kan, saya mau beli kuih dulu!" (She wont deliver so soon, I am going to buy some cakes first).. Sampat lagi! Another nurse said that maybe the baby wont come out due to the date : 04/04 (According to the chinese belief, 4th is not a good day). Maybe baby is waiting till midnight! Gulp!!! Oh no!

5.30pm ~ Nurse came and asked me if I have any urge to push. Well, contraction has been quite regular, i.e. 5 mins apart; but no urge yet. I got tired of walking, I decided to lie down and was strapped by the CTG again.. hmmmphh.. DH was being nosy, kept reading the meter from the CTG (baby's heart beat & the contraction rate). He would tell me when I was experiencing a contraction... oh doh!!! I could feel its coming lah! So far, the contraction reading went up as high as 80; according to the nurse, it could shoot up to 120... The funny part was, when the contraction was coming, hubby suggested to do the breathing "pant, pant, blow" thingy... we kinda forgot how / when should we do it! hahaha!! And he wanted to test run it on that time itself!!! arghh!! I wanted to scream in pain, at the same time I laughed because it was so awkward!! Silly us! yeah! I could still laugh!!! The nurse kept asking if I wanted to take any painkiller. I told her not necessary. She made a remark, saying that by looking at my face, it's either I wont be due so soon or I just have a high tolerance towards pain... hahaha!!

6.00pm ~ Ok, this was the time when the contraction came and hit me real hard!! I have to close my eyes to bear the pain, and did my breathing quietly. Hubby was kind to massage my feet (hehehe.. I prepared him for that! Syok!) Another VI, this time its 6cm dilated... 6cm only??? another 4 more to go? I thought. This could take forever.. Still no urge to push! By this time, my thighs were shivering! I was panicky coz I could imagine it would be a looooong labour and I might not be able to wait too loong! I was worried that it might take another 10 long hours (I dunno why I think like that).. and I might not have enough energy to push.. and might go through c-section! I dont wanna go for c-sect!!!

Hubby noticed that I got panic and scared. I didnt how what to do and almost in tears. He asked how can he helped. I told him how I felt and asked the nurse to give painkiller to calm me down. The nurse gave pethidine..

6.15pm ~ FINALLY, I felt the urge to push.. Took a long breath! Tahan first!! Told the nurse about the urge and she smiled. She called the gynae... I couldnt hear what she said but informed her about my situation.. I was trying to defocus myself on the pain... "Doctor is on her way", the nurse trying to comfort me..

6.25pm ~ My second urge to push!! I tried to keep my mind off from pushing.. Doctor wasnt there yet... But the contraction was soooo intense, I cant really take a deep breath and I pushed.. I felt there's a blop came out of me.... I was stunned!! I looked at dh and he said, baby's head is out! OMG!!! The thought of my V terkuyak was ...*speechless* The first delivery (lil C's), I had an episiotomy and I didnt even feel it.. and second one (baby's), it tear naturally. eww!! (But later then I realised that natural tear less pain and heals faster!)

Then, I hear my gynae rushed in... I felt relieved! I just close my eyes and let the doc do her job.. I felt that she hold baby's head and brought him out. I didnt have to push anymore.. hmmm... (Later also I found out that baby was so tiny that it was kinda easy for the doc to take him out from me).. All I could hear was doc instructing the nurses what to do, including collecting the baby stem cordblood...

Then, its time to stitch me up.. it was painful compared to my first one.. I closed my eyes and heard baby's cry.. Nurse was cleaning him up and brought him to me after that.

My first encounter with baby C : I saw him, but I was too sleepy (I think due to the painkiller). I just smiled and called, "Baby!! Hello Baby!". He turned and looked at me... Wow! He recognised my voice.. Hubby noticed too! I was overwhelmed!

Doc was still busy doing the stiches.. I closed my eyes and dozed off.. A while after that, the nurse woke me up and brought me to my room.. I continued my sleep.. closed my eyes.. but I heard people came in and out.. I just couldnt be bothered.. I was too tired and sleepy..

Baby C having his first milk, an hour after he was born..
mmm.. my mom's best!!!