Hello everyone, I have popped. Yes, like finally right!
Was flooded with loads of love and well wishes on FB, thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and pardon me for not able to reply you guys individually. We went through a rough week with Leah being hospitalized with serious jaundice. She didn't latch on well on the first night and when I thought she was doing better on the second day, her bilirubin level rocketed sky high to 332 (she was 113 when we brought her home) and had to be hospitalized for phototherapy.
Yup I know jaundice is common among newborns but I was too emo to deal with it like a cool mom when her face and body turned yellow. My heart hurts so bad that I totally broke down and cried. I should have seen it coming and supplement her with formula. I felt like I've failed as a mother to protect my child.
We've been making trips to the hospital daily to cuddle her and deliver breast milk.
Tonight is her 3rd night away and we really pray hard she could come home with us tomorrow.
Ok enough of emo stuff, let's get back to Leah's birth story :)
It wasn't the kind of labour I thought I would go through.
As this was my second time, everyone was telling me it's gonna be a breeze and even my gynae said it will probably only take half of the time I did with my first baby.
My gynae arranged me to get induce on my edd 14 October.
Love my ward :)
Ward 82, Bed 21.
We reported at the delivery suite at 6am not knowing what's gonna happen to me. I just knew they are going to insert a prostin tablet in me as i've yet to dilate and I need to dilate til 3cm before they can start inducing me with the oxytocin drip.
Nurse: Ok, I'm now going to insert the first prostin to help you kick start your labour. If it doesn't work, you can go back to your ward and wait for the second one. The max we can give is 4 tablets and if you still have not dilate by then, we have to send you for csect.
I jitao blur. "Huh, you mean this prostin thingy doesn't work for everyone?"
Nurse: Yah... some people need 3, some just need 1 and some doesn't even dilate after putting in 4.
Siao liao. Stress level went up. This is not what I signed up for. If I wanna get cut up I would have chosen elective csect at the first place.
Okay long story short, I was only 1cm dilated after the second tablet and was scheduled to take my 3rd one the next morning.
I was having regular contractions but only 1cm dilated.
The next morning at 6am, I was back at the triage for my 3rd prostin. My gynae dropped by to see me when they hooked me up to the CTG. He checked that my dilation has opened up to 3cm. YES!!! FINALLY! He got me transferred to the labour ward on 15 October, 10am for the oxytocin drip. I took the epidural shot though I was in bearable pain, wanted to save the energy for pushing afterwards and thank God for that epidural because it was only 18 hours later then I was dilated to 10cm and ready to push.
My gynae appeared from nowhere, holding something which looks like a plastic cap. He said though I was fully dilated, the baby's head wasn't low enough in my birth canal. It's either I wait (until I don't know how long more) for baby to move downwards or I accept the use of the vacuum extractor.
Going to die already. Look like a siao charboh.
Didn't have any food/drink for the past 20 hours.
I wasn't really keen with the vacuum because I was worried that Leah might have a ugly bullet head. But this whole delivery episode has been going on for days and I really wish to end it asap and went ahead with assisted delivery.
On 16 October, 4.30am: Leah came out after 3 pushes. The feeling was heavenly.
Happy birthday, our dear little princess!
She's 51cm long and weighs almost 3.5kg.
With Dr CK Khoo.
My little doll :)
I've waited so long to meet you, you naughty little pumpkin!
She is so perfect.
It's so worth it.
Back in the ward with our new bundle of joy.
With daddy!
This is only the beginning.
Our sleepless nights starts now...
Side note: I realised many people can't pronounce Leah's name. The staff at the polyclinic and hospital get it wrong all the time. Her name was written as Leah Chan on her health booklet and we get people calling her "Lee Ah Chan", "Lit Chan", "Lin Chan". Really got so difficult to pronounce meh?
