birth story of jerome

this post would have been a week 38 update of the pregnancy, but it will be about Jerome’s  birth story instead.

 

and a drama one maybe.

 

23 Jan (Wednesday)
my gynae visit was due. it’s been a week since I bumped into the sharp edge of the table in the office and was told I would deliver within the next 7 days. it was the 7th day and the predicted delivery didn’t happen (at least not yet) but I was having contractions more frequently than ever, coupled with this dull cramp in the lower abdomen that I never had before. 

 

it was a busy week for der and he had asked if it was OK if I went for the check up myself. I wouldn’t hear of it because I had the feeling that I might be scheduled for delivery the next day and insisted he came along.

 

turns out, when I saw the gynae at 4pm, I was still 2cm dilated but he could feel loads of contractions while checking the dilation. I was to go under the ctg machine for monitoring before he decides what his next course. the ctg machine was occupied so we went for a quick bite since the boy was hungry. when we got back, I was strapped to the machine and der decided to go shopping (!!).

 

before the 20mins was due, I heard my name being called by the doc and the nurse came in to check on me. the next thing I know was that the Dr got out of his office, checked the ctg scan, turned to me and said that his machine showed that I’m having contractions and that I was to follow him to the hospital.. his exact words, “where is your husband? call him, tell him I’m driving you to the hospital and have him get a postnatal appointment, go home take your hospital bag and meet you at the hospital.”

 

i scrambled out of the bed in shock, called the husband (who also got a shock), headed to the car park and then into the car of my gynae. 

 

how bizarre is that?! I didn’t even get to see the husband.

 

enroute to the hospital, I was feeling rather stressed up because the doc kept turning around (I was in the back seat) and asking if I was feeling OK every few minutes. he also kept asking me about the time (probably to keep my mind off the pain/contractions) and engaging me in conversations. truth is, while the contractions are stronger, it was bearable. the traffic was bad and I was feeling the stress since I knew the doc had a scheduled c-sect that he’s running late for. amidst all the conversations and him weaving in and out of traffic, we nearly got into an accident. he slammed on the brakes and all my stuff flew! got the shock of my life literally. the car in front is turning and braked suddenly and in the split sec, the doc turned and asked if I was OK.

 

luckily for the both of us, no accident. phew!

 

I was busy texting wenmei, joce and Candice in a group chat and some other girlfriends of mine to keep myself distracted from the bad traffic and the contractions for the rest of the journey while the doc was telling me that the nasty knock on the edge of the table in the office probably triggered my early labor.

 

reported to the labour ward and I think it was about 6pm. the husband appeared around 6.40pm and I was about 3cm dilated, but still.. no regular contractions.

 

the doc left me for more monitoring after his checks and told me..maybe I could go home instead. right after he left shortly, the contractions were getting regular and the ctg plotted a nice little graph.

I instagrammed it and said.. I think this is it! the doc came back thereafter and affirmed my thoughts. told the husband to proceed with the admission while he burst my water bag.

 

I was still feeling OK and cool at that point in time and decided that maybe I should just forget about going au naturale and opt for epidural instead and enjoy the childbirth. I happened to read an article about pain relief during child birth a few days ago and the headline kinda got to me – why suffer when you don’t have to? 

 

so, when the husband got back from the admin procedures (I think it was about 7.30pm), I told him let’s just go for epidural. shortly right after that, the real pain kicked in.

 

OMFG. 

 

the contractions started coming in fast and furious. each wave coming stronger and stronger and I think they were 3-4minutes apart. I started grabbing the husband’s hands to tide through each wave and lumped with relief with each passing wave.

 

the epidural was no where in sight, but the contractions were thrashing me up quite badly so I asked for the gas to help tide me through. it was a weird feeling because I kept having the urge to push amidst the pains, and I was like losing control of my bladder/bowels. I have no clue if I was peeing or if it’s water from the waterbag, and I kept telling the husband I think I pooped (but I didn’t) and it was apparently the mucus plug. I kept breathing in the gas and I didn’t think it helped in relieving the pain, more like turning me into this delirious person that have no clue what I was doing/saying and I kept asking the husband – when is the epidural coming?!

 

when the epidural finally came (think it was only 30mins since I asked for it), I was screaming non stop – I want to push already!! I want to push already!! I cannot hold it in anymore.. the mid wife did a check and I was like 9cm dilated.

 

pardon my language, but I was like.. WTF?!

 

4cm to 9cm in super sonic speed. I think the anesthetist was shocked as well, and just casually said.. wow, you are progressing very fast.. just relax. I’m gonna give you epidural now. (like it matters anymore).

 

I obviously couldn’t keep still. the contractions were still ripping me up, and while I felt the needle being poked into me, I was losing myself and dont seemed to have control over my bladder as well. I just kept feeling like I was urinating all over but I really cannot tell if I was hallucinating at that point in time. I was trembling in pain at the same time and grabbing to the gas mask tightly, trying very very hard to continue breathing.

 

I don’t know what happened there after. I vaguely remembered being pushed to the delivery ward, was very sleepy and delirious from the gas and told the husband that I am very tired and want to take a nap. in the delivery ward. no clue how much time has passed since I was being wheeled in, but I got sober after a while and started talking to tbe husband and telling him that the contraction pains were 10-fold as compared to the last pregnancy… and I took a picture while we waiting for the gynae to come deliver me. in between, the mid wives were coming in and out of the room checking on me while there is this bearable pressure on my perineum.

 

when my gynae came, he was in shorts and T-shirt and I figured he probably delivered a few babies, headed home for dinner and a bath before coming back to deliver more (there were 2 more patients after me). he just put on the apron, changed out into boots, sat down and casually told me to push. I did 4 (or maybe 5) and baby was out. this time round, I could also hear the snipping of the scissors while the episiotomy was being done. tiny, tiny snips of the scissors.

 

10.03pm, Jerome is born.

 

and guess what’s his hello gift to mummy? peeing fountain into the air on mummy’s tummy while the husband cuts the cord. this kid, sure knows some fanfare to announce his arrival.

 

the usual checks on baby was done while the cord blood is being collected and i was stitched up thereafter.

hello world!

 

I think he looks like Jerry! he weighs 2.62kg and a whole 300g less than his elder brother at birth.

our first family shot (minus Jerry)

everyone said I made childbirth look like a breeze in the above photo. it’s really anything but it, so husbands, do appreciate your wives for the 9-10months of pregnancy and the laborious process of birthing.

 

and there, the birth story of my second born. my first major achievement in 2013 – a dragon baby.

 

p.s. post delivery, the gynae was surprised that there wasnt a urine catheter on me! that explains the losing bladder sensation that I didn’t get during the birth of my first born. the midwife just mumbled something about no time to put cos I progressed too fast.