ANDRE'S BIRTHDAY: 6TH OCTOBER 2009

My birth story:

5.30 AM Woke up feeling rested. I thought i wouldn't be able to sleep, like the night before my wedding. But i did. Took a bath, had a little food. I'm excited but very nervous at the same time. Hope nothing kok up.

6.40 AM Left home. Went Novena to pray for a while. When i was trying for a baby, i prayed a lot to Mother Mary and St Joseph. I hope they can pray for me for a smooth and safe delivery.

7.15 AM Reached KKH. I didn't even feel like i'm in pain or heavily pregnant. I was walking briskly in a 大摇大摆 manner. Went to the delivery suite and informed the nurse that Dr Chee asked me to checked in. Barely glimpsing my file, the nurse ask me to go another room to insert tablet for dilation. I asked her how long it will take, she told me 2 hours and my husband had to wait outside. I was like "Kaoz... wish hubby could be with me throughout." Then i thought it was strange cos Dr Chee said i'm already 2 cm dilated and she'll break my waterbag to induce. I asked again, the nurse checked my file and said "Oh, like that huh, then you can go delivery suite already." Me and dear were like #$%^%&(**^^%#$. What a start to the day!

8.00AM Dr Chee came in, looking ever so glam. Waterbag burst. Now i know whats the feeling of warm water dripping out. She checked and announced i'm 2.5 cm dilated. Disappointed, still a long long way to go

8.30AM Put on drip to induce labour. Start with small small dosage.

9.00AM Looked around the room. There's a small TV there with HBO, but the TV signal was very bad and not many interesting shows. Brought out my rosary to pray, and nodding off at the same time.

10.00AM Starting to feel contractions coming in waves about 2-3 mins apart (I thought book say its 5-6 mins??!). Room starting to feel stuffy. Pain sia. Dear was logging in the internet, working and answering emails. When he was done, he wanted to book BBQ pit for Andre's 满月。

Kevin: So dear, what's the difference between BBQ pit 1 and BBQ pit 3?

Me (writhing in pain): Grrrrrrrrrrrr! DEAR! this is not the time to ask this kind of question!

11:30AM: Buay Tahan liao. Asked for epidural. Was informed the anesthetists is busy with another patient, will come round in 1/2 hour time. Orrr... what to do. Dr Chee came by. What a relief to see her. 3 cm. My eyes big big look at her, after writhing in pain, and you tell me 3 cm. At that point, i made up my mind completely for epidural.

12:00 PM Relief! Epidural inserted. Not pain at all. I still thought i was going to feel a rod stab into my back. But ok leh. Start to feel warm feeling going down my legs.

Me: "So dear, you were asking about what BBQ pit thing?"

1:00 PM Epidural is self control. Was informed if i start to feel pain of level 1-2, just press the button and i'll get relief in 2-3 mins. Cool! Slept for a while, and dear went for lunch. Woke up at around 2pm and starting reading forum.

2.45 PM Nurse came in to check. 4-5 cm. Wah... so slow. Looks like can wait till 9-10 PM liao at this rate. Cleared pee. I didn't know i had accumulated so much pee cos i'm not allowed to drink anything. Then i realized all the water is from the glucose drip. The epidural made me lose all feeling.

3.00PM Suddenly 3 nurses run in. Was wondering what's the commotion. The monitor seemed normal all along so i thought nothing was wrong. They informed me that baby's heartbeat had dropped, but it's ok now. Did a quick check. 9 cm. Told the mid wife, dun bluff la, how can within 15 mins from 4-5 cm become 9 cm? Told her i buy her coffee if really 9cm. But it's really true. Till now, i only feel pinches of pain and i was still surfing the Internet when the nurses came in.

3:12 pm: 9 cm dilated. Still kay pohing in forum

3.30PM Dr Chee came. Suddenly the room transformed into green garb within seconds. Ask to push. No feeling how to push? But Dr Chee and team's cheerleading was good. I felt so encouraged and energised. Suddenly i wished there is some feeling at least i know what to do. Was told not to press for epidural anymore, but just when i was starting to have some feeling, the epidural machine auto-release a new batch of medicine into my blood stream. Haiz... so i just blindly push till all the sounds in my ears disappear. Baby's heartbeat was dropping again. Dr Chee see so difficult, and i see her took up the scissors. I knew she was going to cut me but i was not scared.

4:05PM Took a deep breath and pushed with all my might. Suddenly, i felt a pop, and next moments just flashed by so quickly. Next thing, i heard the most wonderful cry in the world and Dr Chee was holding my little boy, beaming away saying "All there, it's a boy!" Baby weighed 2.848 kg, 48 cm.

4:09 pm: Dr Chee settling the umbilical cord. Daddy did the inauguration (剪彩）

4:11 pm: 1st hugs from mummy. Erm, i didn't know what to say except "Hi Andre, be good boy ok? Don't cry"

4:16 pm: All cleaned up and looking dazed. Andre was not scared at all. Right from birth, his 2 big eyes were alert scanning the world around him. Must be wondering why is it so bright suddenly. Andre scored and APGAR score of 9 pretty fast.

4:05-4:30PM Dr Chee cleared me up. That's the beauty of epidural. You don't need to suffer from episotomy, pain from stitching, catheter for pee and most importantly labor pain. Breastfeed for a while, but i was feeling so giddy. I felt like 95% of my energy had been pushed out.

5:33pm : 1-1/2 hours after birth. Little boy absorbing the whole world. I couldn't pinpoint who he looked like initially until Kevin says that baby looks like his dad. He's right, baby is a mini-grandpa. Only baby's eyes look like me.

4:30-6:30PM Rested while being observed in the delivery suite. I was feeling hungry and couldn't wait to be sent up to the room. Started throwing up. Meanwhile, start to hear a lot of newborns wailing into the world. Hehe, my Andre must have taken the lead.

7:30PM Dad and mum came. I was still feeling gong gong. No appetite.

8:30PM Kor kor , sao sao and jie jie came. I had more or less recovered and energetic and happy like a hare.

7:51 pm: With gong gong and po po
7:52 pm: With dad

9:39 pm: With Dua Yi

Oct 6 2009 is a milestone in my life. It's the day i become a mother. As i stare into my beautiful child, I can't help feeling so lucky and blessed. i caught dear's eyes welling up as he look at our child (i never see him so touched before). This child of ours has found his way to our hearts and implanted deeply. Thank You God.

(On a side note, KKH quite kok up. They actually adminster me a painkiller of the same class i'm allergic to. Luckily nothing happened! Otherwise....)

Updated on 26th Dec 09: Kevin and I recalled today (@ 3 months), how hectic and inexperienced we were when baby first came. We were cooing over our child on the 1st evening when baby burped some milk out of his mouth/nose. We paniced and paged for the nurse. The nurse came and swiped away the snoot nonchalantly with a tissue. We have indeed progressed since.