Leia’s Birth Story…

After almost 2 months, I finally found little pockets of time to work on a post about Leia’s birth story. Leia’s birth probably caught A LOT of you by surprise… I didn’t tell people about it (even close friends or relatives), and those people who knew were those that see me frequently. Even so, when enquired, I usually tell them I am fat (till they finally figure it’s not). And then I go “Tadah!” with this IG post on 24 Feb, 2018, about 5hrs right after I have given birth.

What that also means is that this pregnancy is not documented, at least not on the social media front. WHY? A lot of you asked me. Well, I was busy with work a lot the whole of last year. I hardly posted anything on social media other than my travels. Speaking of travels, I also travelled a lot. I was pregnant when I was in Penang, Hokkaido, Bangkok (twice!), and in Surabaya Indonesia where I also trekked up Mt Bromo with Leia inside me (much to the horror of many, including my guide). And because of her, I had to give up the Mt Semeru trek due to high altitude and also the Tu Lan caves expedition in Dec because I am way too big to do anything like that by then! Was quite bummed but I guess another day, another time. It being my 3rd pregnancy, I also didn’t want the fuss over me or the pregnancy, so I usually deny when asked unless they are right in front of me. Because really no need. And then at some point, I thought it would be quite fun to just announce the arrival of the baby just like that. I did however, dropped a little hint on my Goodbye 2017, Hello there 2018 blog post, right at the end of it, still keeping things ambiguous.

Through it all, it made me observe human behaviours and I mostly felt that people needed to know things to curb their own curiosities more than anything else. There were a lot of talk behind my back about whether I was pregnant or not, but only a few approached me and asked. And if you are one of those who asked and I said no, no offence, I just wanted to keep the pregnancy a surprise! And those who knew, the gender was also kept a secret. I think the suspense drove people nuts, so many tried to trick me in spilling the gender, others are making guesses each time they see me, there were even rumours that I was expecting twins! Like seriously?! Is that how rumours spread? I just had a lot of fun keeping people in suspense. My question is – is it really important for you guys to know? It’s not like it’s gonna impact your life you know? I also didn’t like the idea of people congratulating me that my family is complete because I am having a girl. That’s your perception, not mine. For the record, I prefer to have a boy *if* I can choose, and regardless of gender, my family is complete. Thank you very much.

And then there is my pet peeve. Being 3rd time mum, I STILL CANNOT STOP PEOPLE TOUCHING MY PREGNANT TUMMY UNANNOUNCED! There are times where I dodged it successfully, like how I jump out of the way (literally) when the homestay host in Ranupani village put out her hand to touch it, or when a stranger in the lift at the hospital tried to put her hand on my tummy, I took 2 steps away from her much to her shock. But the closer relatives, or friends are the tougher ones. I always have been vocal about my thoughts of people touching me, and even blogged about it before and consistently share FB post about “not touching a pregnant mum’s tummy”… I’m still being molested all the time. ARGH. What is it that people don’t understand that you just can’t anyhowly touch other people’s body parts. Not when one is NOT pregnant, so why the difference when one is pregnant? Over the CNY festivities, I kinda cursed blessed people openly by telling them they are going to get pregnant because they touched my tummy. You’re welcome. (LOLOLOL)

So, Leia was a big baby and at week 35, she was already at the 3.2kg mark and my pelvic was hurting a lot from the weight and pressure. There are days I barely could walk, and my legs were numb all the time, and I had so much difficulty trying to get out of a chair at work after sitting down and I went on hospitalisation leave in preparation of Leia’s arrival. I expected her to come maybe in week 37/38 since she was so big.

Nope. That was not the plan she had. She stayed well right in, up to the CNY weekend (week 39), she was already around 3.5kg. On my week 38 & week 39 checkup, my gynae strongly recommended that I induce the baby since she was getting really big and I might have problem delivering her naturally. But she’s definitely going to be my last baby, and I wanted her to come naturally (never had it with the 2 kids before). So, I waited.. and decided that if she didn’t come before her EDD, I will induce her on her EDD. And she really didn’t make her appearance.

And so, she was planned to be induced on the 24 February 2018 at exactly 40 weeks!

I had a different gynae this time round and Thomson Medical was not an option, so I chose to deliver at Mt E Novena where my doctor practise at. On the 23rd Feb, I went binge eating all day, clocking in all my favourite food, headed home for a long, nice bath for the last time in a month. Took this one last picture before I left home pregnant for the last time past midnight, weighing my heaviest ever at 70kg, and obviously late for check in. I was such a whale in size.

And still in the mood to goof around while waiting for admission.

I think it was almost 1.30am when we got into the delivery/waiting ward. I must say I am pleasantly surprised that it is a nice, private room all to myself, along with a arm rest that can be converted into a bed so that the husband and I could rest proper! In my previous experiences at Thomson, the waiting area is different from the delivery area and it was hard to rest with many others in the area screaming in pain and all the husband had was a chair to sit on (p.s. that’s at least 5 years ago, not sure if things has changed).

Looking like a beached whale here. I had my temperature taken and changed into the hospital gown and strapped to the CTG machine. I was having contractions at every 8-9mins interval (wasn’t feeling it at all!), and I spent the next 20 minutes getting in touch with the feeling when the contractions kicked in. So, I conclude, they could just be a slight tightening of the tummy, or a sharp pain in the pelvic region. You think being a 3rd time mum would know this right? Nope. I totally have no concrete clue though I sometimes suspect that I am having contractions when there is a sudden sharp pain. I was also expecting an enema to be performed, but hey, no! They just asked if I passed motion the day before and left me as it is. I always thought it’s a compulsory procedure!

And the birth time line goes something like this:
2+am: The nurse checked the dilation (1.5cm) and inserted the inducing pill and sent me off to bed.
6.05am: The nurse came in again to check on my stats, and proceeded to insert the IV on my hand.

7am: Doc came and checked on me. Dilation is about 2cm. She proceeds to break my water bag and announce that there is meconium in the amniotic fluid and that the level is moderate. Since baby’s vital stats are still looking ok, she say I could still try for a natural birth, but if any moment that the baby is in distress, she will have to do an emergency c-sect for me.

Monitored my contractions for about 15 mins while discussing with the husband on pain relief. I decided to opt for epidural.

7.27am: I signed the indemity form for the epidural and waited for the anaesthetist to arrive. Meanwhile, the contractions were getting stronger and stronger. When the anesthetist came in about 15mins, she put me on the laughing gas before administering the epidural. This was a different experience from what I had in Thomson Medical. I never had laughing gas for the epidural, but I kinda welcomed it as it made me relax and I almost felt like dozing off.

7.55am: This was the last selfie I took with the time stamp. I know.. still can selfie right? Whatever happened there after was just waves and waves of contractions, and me psyching myself for each wave to pass and the next wave to come.
It didn’t go on for very long. And I think in between, the epidural doses got increased 3 times, but I could still feel the intensity of the pain and my legs weren’t numb. And I feel like the baby was coming. The pressure was very intense and I couldn’t hold it in. The nurse checked the dilation and said I was 6cm along, but the baby’s head is very very low and she will call for the doctor and see what the doctor have to say.

[this was when I was super thankful I chose to deliver in the hospital that the doctor is based at – to have the doctor appear within minutes because sometimes, one really cannot wait!)

[Warning: Next few paragraphs might be too graphic and too much detail]

The doc arrived in just a couple of minutes, and checked. 6cm indeed, but baby head is already at the “door”. The doctor took a look at me and then declared that maybe I can start pushing the baby to force the cervix to open. I didn’t object and was just trying to deal with the waves of contractions that was coming at me (and possibly screaming). Before I know it, my legs were up in stirrups, the contractions were just very intense and the doctor just told me to start pushing whenever I feel the contractions and the pressure.

And push I did. Like very intense pushing as though I was severely constipated. I could feel my face turning red from the ordeal. I could feel the doctor’s finger moving around the baby’s head. I could feel the baby making very slow progress and wondering to myself if I can even possibly deliver her naturally… With each push, I dug my fingernails into my thighs and tried harder. With each wave of contraction, I pushed with all my might and even did several pushes within 1 contraction when the doctor said, “You can still push, don’t waste the contraction. Go!”. Just when I was spent and on the verge of giving up, der went, “Almost there baby. Jia you! I can see the baby head already!!” I tried another 2-3 pushes and the baby was out, just like that. Less than an hr after epidural was administered. With loads of screaming no less.

And all 3.85kg of baby glory. Say what?! I thought the baby was only 3.5kg!

I remember being overwhelmed with emotions and was tearing non stop and thinking to myself “Why am I doing this again?!”, but was in total awe and in love when the huge baby was left on me while the time is being recorded and before being carried off to perform the usual checks. A total emotional wreck.

And the first thing der had to say about Leia, “She has got DOUBLE CHIN!”

I glanced her from afar and proceeded to do a few more push to deliver the placenta, and getting stitched up. Talking about the stitching, my legs were only slightly numb at this point and I could feel each poke of the needle and was going “Ouch, painful!!!” at the doctor. I was given laughing gas to cope with the pain while she stitched me up, the entire time my head was spinning and thinking, “WHY SO MANY STITCHES AND TAKES FOREVER?”

I know. Me and my delirious thoughts. But I wasn’t imagining. The perineum tear was really quite bad (as I found out later).

And there you have it. Leia’s birth story. And I fall in love all over again.

P.s. By the time I got wheeled to my hospital ward to rest, my legs went totally numb. Like thanks. I don’t need it already. =/

The birth story of all my 3 kids can’t be more different. Here’s Jerome’s birth story and Jerry’s birth story and I am so totally done with pregnancies and giving birth!