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."

:-)