Baby Louisa Has Arrived!

Baby Louisa arrived in the early hours (0216 hrs) of 8 December 2007.

(funny....coz that's exactly what we were talking about 1 week ago at Aunty Jenny's poh piah party - That "sekali" Baby Louisa wants 8 Dec).

Mummy pushed Baby Louisa out...after 11 hours of labour (with epidural, of course).

Baby Louisa weighs 3.482kg at birth, and measures 49cm long. Her head circumference is 34.5cm. (Gosh, I'm amazed at how I managed to carry her, esp at the last few weeks of pregnancy - I was still going shopping...remember?. AND how I managed to push her out of me.)

After the delivery, we were finally sent to the ward (Ward 82, Bed 22) at 0400+ hrs. Well, here's Baby Louisa's birth story...

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It all started on 5 Dec 2007, Wednesday.

I was on MC that day. Spent the day at home, re-decorating the home and clearing some stuff (strong nesting instinct). Decided to meet up with Daddy for dinner at Causeway Point, despite the VERY VERY heavy rain. Took a bus there (the bus was SUPER crowded, but the driver was nice. He made other passengers give up seat to me before he drove off.)

we had dinner at Siam Kitchen, and I was planning to finish up the ice cream at home for dessert. After dinner, it was a trip to NTUC to get some stuff. Went home, had some coconut juice (supposed to be good for "cleansing" the baby - and it really works!).

Then....at 3am on 6 Dec, I started vomitting really badly. The rest of the day went by, with both of us down with the runs. It was scary. I mean, Baby Louisa is due the next day only! and this has to happen now??

So Daddy took me to the hospital on the night of 6 Dec. I felt really weak (after the runs). I was strapped to the CTG and Baby Louisa's heartbeat was monitored. Hmmmm, heartbeat still VERY strong. Good! We decided that it was best to admit into KKH for monitoring, in case Baby Louisa decides to come out that night, and especially since I am still feeling weak.

7 Dec came....no strong contractions yet. I am STILL 2 cm dilated (an increase of only 0.5cm overnight). How? My gut feeling was telling me that Baby Louisa does not want to come out yet. Not until the week starting 10 Dec. But, 7 Dec is the full 40 weeks of pregnancy. Any later would pose some risks (albeit low). By then, with the drips and the good hospital food (surprising, eh?), I was feeling much stronger.

To induce or to wait....that is the question.

We decided that since Baby Louisa is exactly 40 weeks already, we might as well induce her out. Many others want to carry a foetus till 40 weeks, but don't have the chance to. So what more can we ask for? We shall not complain.

So here goes...

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7 Dec 07

1515 hrs: Made decision to induce labour (there goes my dream for a totally NATURAL labour)

1540 hrs: Pushed into the labour ward (nurses found it amusing that I could still be smiling while being wheeled in)

1600 hrs: Gynae bursts waterbag (oooh...so much water)

In the meantime, still SMS-ing my friends.

After waterbg burst, OMG! Strong contractions!! I have never felt such strong contractions before. It was "oooohhhh......" but not those sharp pains kind (so, bearable, in my opinion).

1615 hrs: Epidural administered (ooh...what sweet relief. Pain? What's that? You can pinch me, tickle me...and I won't feel a thing.). Oxytoxcin drip (to induce labour) and other necessary drips administered.

Now, we wait. In the meantime, Daddy arrives, played soothing music for me to relax, he went for his dinner, I had LOTS of sips of water for my dinner and supper.

About 2000 hrs: Baby Louisa's heartbeat dropped suddenly. It was distressing (for me and Baby Louisa). Cried buckets. Doc stopped the oxytoxcin drip as it was probably the cause for the drop in Baby Louisa's heartbeat.

2200 hrs: Still not fully dilated (in between, had a few VEs done, and dilation was around 7 to 8 cm). 2nd dosage of epidural administered.

2330 hrs: Still 9 cm dilated. Baby Louisa also not engaged.

Finally, at about 0210 hrs: Fully dilated. Baby Louisa engaged. Started pushing. Gynae came back in.

8 Dec 07

0216 hrs: Baby Louisa is out!

I am so tired.....

Gynae says she is one clean baby...guess the coconut juice thing really works!

In between all that time, I was SMS-ing friends, watching TV, joking with the nurses, drifting in and out of sleep and suffering from the side effects of the epidural. The nurses couldn't help but laugh..."still can SMS. Still can smile and laugh."

:-)

Baby Registry

Like wedding registries, a baby registry serves the same purpose...to allow friends of the parents to get them stuff that they would prefer to receive (for the baby, of course). (Well, at least they won't be stuck with 30 new sets of newborn clothings etc...hahaha) Not so much of a practice over in this part of the world...

Should I start one? Initially, I had thought of just listing down the stuff I am considering getting for Baby Louisa. But then another thought struck me. What if Baby Louisa received 2 or 3 of the exact same item? Wouldn't that be worse? Besides, starting a baby registry in a particular store, means people would have to go there to pick out their items. More often than not, we find that in Singapore, it is possible to get the same item, at a much cheaper price elsewhere (compared with the store where the registry is located).

Anyway, I'm not sure how a baby registry would go down with some people. So, chuck that idea.
What we have not gotten for Baby Louisa yet though...are these few items:-

(a) Car seat - Saw one (Aprica brand) that is for newborns up to 4 yrs old (or X kg - I can't remember how heavy). Sounds like a good and worthwhile investment, since it can last that long...
(b) Stroller / Pram - The Combi brand seems really light. Will definitely need to get one, just not sure when. Now, I'm worried Baby Louisa's back and neck are still too soft for a stroller. But without one, it may be tiring to carry her around...
(c) Baby bouncer - Fisher price type? Looks really cute. Think she will enjoy the toys hanging there...
(d) Baby thermometer - Braun brand? It looks good. Should we get one now or wait till those post-Christmas sales? Hmmmm....

Just washed the mosquito net last night. Not sure how useful it will be...hahaha.

Oh, Baby Louisa is now 3.3kg...(have I mentioned that earlier?) What would her weight be when she comes out? Would she look like Daddy or Mummy?

It's Not Easy to be a Mummy

Being a Mummy is not easy....Regardless of what they say about the joys your little one brings you.

I'm sure there will be many joy-filled days, which makes every "tough" time worthwhile.

Firstly, when starting to be a Mummy, we have to endure all the body pains, body aches, loss of appetite (for some), nausea, morning sickness, giddyness, breathlessness etc...all that while waiting 40 weeks for baby to pop.

Then, at the "popping" (labour) stage, a Mummy has to endure the painful contractions and the delivery pain (when pushing baby out), and risk complications occuring. And this can last for several hours.

After delivery, a Mummy must next endure the pain from recovery of the delivery wound and bear with recuperating after a traumatic experience (bearing in mind that traumatic need not be a bad thing. Just major changes the body has to go through in a short period.), while nursing her newborn at the same time. During this time, a Mummy has to put up with other pains - engorgement, sore / cracked / bleeding nipples - and still persist through all these, in order to give the best food to the newborn (breastmilk). There is also the sudden change in hormones (which is one factor for post-natal blues) that a Mummy has to contend with. This may take years to recover from.

On top of all these pains, there's the occassional housework to do.

It really is not easy to be a Mummy.

(sometimes, I can't help but feel like "blaming" Eve for tempting Adam with that forbidden apple. If not for her, perhaps women need not go through such pains...)

Time to Wake Up

Mummy's thoughts:-

Perhaps it's the change in hormones. Perhaps it's stepping into this new role called motherhood. Whatever the reason, I can feel the change. The maternal instinct is strong. The "nesting" instinct is strong. I feel very strongly, the need to keep the home impeccably neat and clean, especially for Baby Louisa. Anything that's not necessary or UGLY (asthetics-wise) should be thrown away. Why do I need empty boxes lying around and taking up space? Put things in those boxes? But then I'll never look at the contents if I put them in a box, so might as well just throw everything. (Out of sight, out of mind). Even if I do need boxes, the boxes should look NICE, contributing to the overall welcoming look of the home.

When things look ugly, a few other consequential things/events can take place (isn't this similar to what they term The Butterfly Effect?):

(a) you don't feel like going home, because it's neither comfortable nor welcoming;

(b) as such, your mind and body will never feel completely rested;

(c) hence, you feel tired, restless, unable to focus, all the time;

(d) which would lead to irritated-ness, inefficiency, ineffectiveness, unproductivity (at work or time spent with significant others);

(e) which may also lead to inability to handle emergency situations, if and when they occur.

And one will just sink deeper and deeper.

Throw things away = a waste of money? Maybe. But hey, I look at it as part of the process of clearing up and preparing oneself to make more money. I mean, if (a) to (e) happens, how can one expect to be living a meaningful life, while making more money (being efficient and good at work etc)? When (a) to (e) happens, one will be "fighting" too many battles, that the impportant issues are side-stepped, and life becomes less meaningful. One may end up not achieving as high as what one can really achieve - one's full potential. Then one will fall into depression and start to wonder "How come others can achieve this and that, but I can't?"...etc. Then all the more, one will be wasting money, and wasting opportunities. Who's to blame, at the end of the day?

Strangely, these are the thoughts, emotions, conviction, that the pending arrival of Baby Louisa had awoken in me. How am I preparing for Baby Louisa and providing the best for her? When I can't even get my own act together, properly. Maybe I should have seen all these much earlier. Thank God I see them NOW. I guess part of God's plans for me, through the blessing of Baby Louisa, is for me to wake up. She has shown me something new.

It's time to wake up.

Good girl...

Baby Louisa is a good girl. She listens to Mummy....hehs.

Went for gynae visit on Saturday. Still 1.5cm dilated. Hmmm, now it seems like she may wait till after 07 Dec (or so grandpa says).

I'm trying to enjoy the last few days of her kicking from within me...because, once she's out, she won't be kicking me from inside. I'm savouring that ticklish sensation when she moves her arms and feet up and down my left side (yeah, Baby Louisa is lying on her sides, on my right - she's facing my left). Each time she stretches, that lump will "pop" out....oooohhh...so fun!

We (Baby Louisa and Mummy) went shopping again today. Yup, 4 more days to Baby Louisa's arrival and we're still shopping. Hahaha...We bought the Black Wood Fungus, the Huai Shan and more of those bathing herbs. Oh! And we also managed to buy Christmas presents for Baby Louisa's Uncle and Aunty.

Well, as nervousness sets in, Mummy needs to shop to take away the anxiety. Have labelled all the herbs and other food stuff, stuck my "preferred" menu on the fridge, so I think the confinement 'nanny' should be able to handle it. If cannot...then I have nothing to say.

But Baby Louisa has been a very good girl, supporting Mummy in everything Mummy does. The aches and pains in the joints still persist. It's getting increasingly difficult to even get out of bed, just to visit the loo. (of course, the proximity of her cot to my side of the bed is one factor too...). The contractions are getting stronger, but still not close enough to be the real thing. Baby Louisa is still comfy inside Mummy...enjoying herself.