January Reflections - And Baby Makes 4

Since becoming a mother, it seems like I've got a lot to reflect upon - things that happened, my feelings, etc, etc. Hence, I've decided that every month I will dedicate a post, aptly named Reflections to describe my feelings for that month. It's also my way for staying in touch with my emotions and share my feelings with everyone.

Since this will be my inaugural post, I shall reflect on our new addition - And Baby Makes 4.

Hey, aren't you wondering that it should be 3 instead of 4? That's cos we have Enzo, our lovely golden who has become way too much a part of us to be excluded.

Sometimes you wonder how a someone so small can command such immense attention, a cry, a whimper and we are up like a shot checking on baby, regardless how exhausted we can be. Is this what they call maternal instincts? I know not cos since I've given birth, I've yet to feel such feelings kicking in as yet and yes, although I love my new baby, I hardly feel a strong bond with him, not yet.

All am feeling now is total exhaustion and sometimes helplessness. I believe this is jus a passing phase and I'm sure I will feel all motherly in time to come.

Enzo seems to be taking the new addition well too. But it seems the most surprising thing is how quickly the HB is settling into his new fatherly role. Well done and I'm proud of you, hun!

Kimi's 1st Bath @ Home

Kimi did not take to water like a duck. But after a few splashes, he seems more comfy in the warm waters.

Friends, Relatives & Pressies Abound!!

My stay at TMC was a lovely one. The nurses at the Labour Ward were fab and gave me constant encouragement during my long labour. However, the nurses on the floor were a tab disappointing, maybe cos I was given a room on the children's floor and not the maternity ward as they ran out of rooms. The food was good too!

(left - Mum, me and my lovely nieces, Claire & Sarah)

(Above, left to right - David's mom, Daniel & Cindy, David's Aunty)

(left - Sarah & Claire)

Thanks to all who brought us well wishes, gifts and ang pows!!! Yipee!! Haha, I sure do sound like a greedy mummy!

(left) A collection of some of the gifts.. couldn't capture all.

(below) Gifts from Norway

A Collage of Kimi's Birth Images

Its funny how you can never get enough of looking at your baby - he is perfect!!

Welcome to the World, Kimi - A Day of FIRSTS!!

Birth Details :-

Birth Date : 17 January 2007

Birth Time : 8.46pm

Kimi’s weight : 3.405kg

Length : 50cm
Head circm : 34cm

(Above) Kimi just after birth - FIRST PIX

(left to right)
1) At the weighing station - FIRST WEIGHING,
2) Being cleaned up - FIRST CLEAN-UP

(left to right)

1) A clean happy boy! - FIRST SMILEY PIX

2) FIRSTcuddle with baby & FIRST PIX WITH MUMMY!

(left) FIRST family portrait








(left) FIRST day @ hospital

My Birth Story

(left to right) - Birth Room, Me just laid down after pre-birth preparations before the onset of contractions









8:55pm Proceed to labour ward.

9:20pm Gynae arrives and checks cervix, still 2cm. Next thing I know, feel gush of warm fluid rushing out. Asked gynae did he just break my water. Thought he was going to insert pessary for inducement. However, gynae said no need to induce, break water and let labour start. Well, ok …

10:10pm Proceed to birth room 3 to wait out. Quickly msg hb to come to keep me company.

10:30pm First feel of contractions. Bearable. Let it pass.

11:00pm Contractions are FINALLY coming hard and fast! Breathing exercises, tahan tahan.

12:00mn Contractions driving me nuts. Gasp for etonox. Gas making it worse. Decides not to use it. Doesn’t help much too. Concentrate on breathing exercises, yet again.

12:20am Situation not too good. With every contraction, finding it harder and harder to breathe. Can feel lungs starting to wheeze – asthma acting up. Shaking from the pain too. Hb asks me to take epidural and not to tahan anymore. I told him never mind, I want to try to tahan.

12:45am I finally throw in the towel! Cannot risk elevating my blood pressure too and decides not to be hero. Hb quickly informs nurse to call for anaesthetist.

01:15am Epidural administered.

06:10am Goodness!! After so many hours, only another 1cm dilated making it 3cm. I thought with epidural, dilation would come swiftly! I was so wrong!

07:45am Still 3cm dilated. Epidural wearing out. Feeling the pain. Where’s the nurse?? What happened? I thought not supposed to feel pain? Not sure, ask nurse. Nurse said supposed to feel some pain. But such piercing pain?? Why then should I spend money for epidural to feel pain. Agitated. Want to speak with Anaesthetist to confirm.

09:45am Gynae came. Some improvements – 4 to 5cm dilated. Phew!

10:00am Put on drip to increase contractions. But epidural wearing thin and am already on max, how?? Never mind, Anaesthetist coming later.

11:50am Still 5cm dilated.

12:00pm Shaking and vomited a large bowl of water and gastric juice. Getting worried as baby’s heartbeat dips whenever I get a contraction. Nurse contacts gynae. Gynae said not to worry and continue with stepping up of the drip.

01:00pm Anaesthetist drops by to check on me. Apparently, the 2nd shift nurse did not follow her instructions hence I had to endure painful contractions. Dr Tan gave nurse an earful. She then explained to me that I should not feel any pain and she also didn’t want me to feel any pain so that I would not be stressed and have my BP elevated. She said I should only feel pressure not pain. Ok, understood. Dr Tan then instructed the nurse to use the new vial of stronger painkiller when the current one finishes.

02:15pm Gynae comes by again and increases drip as he says that contraction not strong enough to push baby out.

03:11pm Senior midwife comes along, checks my cervix - 6 to 7cm dilated and confirms that baby is facing outwards instead of the normal back to front. Cervix also a little swollen as baby head/face is ‘stuck’, difficult to move down. This explains the super long and painful labour. Never mind, I will endure. How long also never mind as long as baby is ok and I don’t need a c-sect.

05:20pm I am so tired, thirsty and hungry. Gynae is here again to check on me. Gosh! Still 6 to 7cm dilated. Gynae breaks the news that if I still can’t dilate or make any progress by 7 to 8pm, I will have to go for c-sect.

06:00pm Frantic. Don’t want to go c-sect after enduring all these. Intermittently, asks for direct epidural shots as feeling the sharp pains again. Realised that the nurse still using the old vial. I asked her why didn’t she changed yet and she said there are still some left. Told her, to change it immediately as I can’t be bothered to finish the old one as not effective enough! Duh?? At this stage, still bother to be so economical and endeavour to finish one before using another meh??

At this time, I am feeling as if someone is tearing me apart and breaking everything below my waist and as if my pelvis has exploded!

06:05pm Start to pray and use Mrs Wong’s deep relaxation method as I can’t sleep although I’m so tired.

07:45pm Waiting for American Idol to come on, hope to watch so can take my mind off. Nurse walks in and checks my cervix - 8 to 9cm dilated and baby very low already - great!! She then asks me to try pushing. Ok, prop up everything. Teaches me how to push and away I went. We did 3 sets of 3 pushes. Nurse said I could push very well and asked hb to come to the front to see baby’s hair as I pushed.

08:30pm Gynae arrives and prepares all his stuff.

08:46pm Gave 3 pushes. On 3rd push, Kimi was on my chest! Delivered in 5 mins assisted with vacuum.

So glad and thankful that I could go the natural way. The pushing and delivering was easy but the wait from 1cm to 10cm was agonising!! My total labour hours – 22+ hours not including the time I checked in!!


So was it worth it? YES!! Especially when I called out to Kimi while he was on the warming table and he turned to my voice direction and SMILED!!!

Hi, I'm Back!

After a super long hiatus, I'm back ! I hope that I can start blogging now that Kimi is more settled.

Before I start rambling again, my birth story as promised will be up in the next post.

39 Weeks Today and Inducing Tonight!!!

Just came back from Dr Gordon's ... finally, we will be seeing some action... My cervix has softened, baby is engaged and am 2cm dilated!!!

Hence, we have decided not to continue the waiting game and will check in to the hospital tonight to induce baby.

I'm all excited, nervous and scared rolled in 1. Going to get some rest now and will share my birth story later!

Officially A Giraffe!

I am 38 Weeks 3 days today and am officially a GIRAFFE!!!

Went for another round of check-up at Dr Gordon's. Again, he didn't want to check my cervix for dilation. He also said according to the scan machine, I am due on 15/1/07... wow! that's a few days more, I'm so excited!

Hence, he advised that if our little one still do not come by next week, I will have to be induced next Friday, 19/1/07. He hopes that I will go into labour the next few days ... ok, let's pray that there will be some actions over the weekend, else it's back to Gordon's clinic on Tues!!

The Waiting Game Has Begun ...

Guess Kimi has other plans - he wants to choose when to arrive in style?? Or is he too comfy in mummy's tum-tum??

Dr Gordon has decided that we need not induce as the amniotic fluid level and placenta is holding up well so it's best we wait it out. But I have to increase BP medication dosage as BP still high. But good news is that baby may come early next week! So let's keep all our fingers and toes crossed!

Hence the waiting game has begun and there goes my hope of having a 11/1/07 baby!!

Will update after check-up on Friday.

Unripe Cervix

Went for check-up today to see if cervix is ready for induce on 10/1 but unfortunately... it is tightly closed! Sigh... Have to see Dr Gordon again on Tues to check the next move.. Hopefully by next week, cervix would have ripen and we can bear our fruit of labour - Kimi!!!