After a hectic 8 days since Titus arrival into this world, i finally get to sit down to write down this birth story. I was sick with high fever and bad flu since 22nd June and was hospitalized as we were worried for the baby. Thank God everything was fine after monitoring me for 8hours. And I was discharged the same day. Quite a drama before my birth story.
While i was napping on 25th June, i felt a gush of water coming out from below. Immd i woke up and rushed to take my shower. As there wasn't any other signs, no contractions, no other water dripping..i decided it may be a false alarm. I called up KKH and was asked to go down immd in case its water bag rapture. I called up dear and ask if he can come back to fetch me since i don't wish to waste $ on cab if it turns out to be a false alarm.
6pm - Dear came home and off we went to KKH. Checked into Level 2 Delivery Suite immd. Was strapped to the CTG to monitor BB's heartbeat and my contractions. Nurse checked me and i was about 4cm dilated. My gynea was informed.
6.30pm - Gynea came, i din feel anything else except for my bad flu. Gynea checked and told me i am about 4.5cm dilated. He told me I'll probably give birth by 10pm. He admitted me into the labor ward immd. I was just thinking, OMG, this is really happening...after a long 39 weeks, i am really going into labor.
7pm - Checked into labor ward, gynea came and told me he'll burst my water bag. It was done in a niffy and i flooded the bed till it nearly became swimming pool. Gynea was shocked too.
7.30pm - Contractions started coming in...after a few rounds of contractions (and biting hubby's hand), i requested for epidural. Actually i told gynea i wanted it even before contractions started, but the doctor for epi came only at 7.30pm...resulting in me still having to suffer some contractions pain.
8pm - Epi-dural or Happy-dural as i call it was administered. No pain was felt during the injection..quite skillful doc i feel. I was in happy lala land thereafter, watching tv and chatting with hubby. Only prob was i couldn't eat and the only food i had for the entire day was a cup of milo and bread. I was starving by then and could only take sips of water. Still in very bad flu.
1am - The nurse checked me almost every hour...with happy-dural, VE doesn't hurt at all..so i din mind much. Even when she insert the catheter, i don't feel anything. What a great invention! Anyway, she told me i am already fully dilated and she proceeded to ask me to practice the pushing method. I am supposed to push only when contractions come which is difficult as i don't feel much with happy-dural. Gynea instructed to lower dosage of the epi so that i can feel the contractions. Grrrr....i din even get to use the extra dose button.
Gynea arrived after i tried a few push..by then baby was already crowning. Admire hubby's courage as he actually looked down there to see baby's head and he did not faint.After a few more pushes (which isn't that easy afterall as i was down with flu and needed my mouth to breathe...but can't as i need to hold my breathe to push), baby Titus is born @ 3.716kg, 53cm long.
Post delivery, i was feeling awful as epi effects have worn off. I started to shiver and vomit due to the medication which helps me stop bleeding. I din have the mood to carry my baby. Rested while gynea deliver my placenta and stitch me up. I could see blood spurting when he is stitching me. The placenta looks disgusting also...wonder why people would want to bring it home. Oh ya, hubs had the honor of cutting the cord.
Moved into my ward at 4am...i could finally eat and drink but i was too weak to eat anything...only requested for cups of warm milo. The next morning, i was supposed to do my first pee. With the help of nurses, i went to the toilet, but blacked out on the toilet bowl and somehow ended up on the floor. When i regained consciousness, i had pee-ed on the floor and all i could hear was the nurses talking to me. Scary experience for me.
Everything else went well and i was discharged on day 3. Sighx, wished i could stay longer..the ward is really comfortable.
Last look at my preggie tummy.
The little milk monster - 1st day on planet earth.
Tried as hard as i might, milk supply could not catch up and poor Baby Titus was admitted to KKH for mild jaundice. I blamed myself for being so insistent on TBF. But Titus managed to withstand jaundice till day 7 which i feel is a great feat already. Cried when i know he have to stay overnite in KKH for phototheraphy. But we visited him in the evening to pass the nurses my EBM.
Received call from the nurse that Titus jaundice level dropped from 304 - 208 in 24 hours! Great job boy!! The healthy level to go home is 260, he did better than that. Happily we went to fetch him home.
My cute little milk and poo monster. Son, if you happen to read this in future, you poo really loud. LOL.
Prof Han: What do you do?
Me: Marketing.
Prof Han: Oh..marketing for groceries or what.
Me. .....
I wonder if i looked like PRC to him or what..but he started speaking in mandarin to me during every visit. Well, my mandarin standard isn't that bad so i just leave it. Either Prof Han is really hardworking or he is really popular, his clinic is always packed and he always finish his consultation really fast...like 5mins for each patient. There was once i was eating a waffle halfway and entered his office, i complained that i waited so long till i am hungry, he told me then that he hasn't even have time to go toilet or take dinner...its already close to 9pm by then.
What touched my heart was on the labor day. He came up to the observation area to see me after the nurse informed him and asked, "where's my patient?" And requested to move me to labor suite immd after confirming I'll give birth.
After breaking my waterbag, he went home. And he came back to hospital at 1am in his home clothes and shorts. LOL. The nurse told me i got a kiasu gynea...apparently he kept calling to check on my status and was on the way to hospital even before the nurse informed him of my dilation. His timing was just nice...in time to see my baby's crowning. The labor process was completed within 30mins after he arrived. I din expect giving birth to be so smooth.
Another funny thing is he told me he still have a morning op tomorrow. The way he say it is very funny."明天我还要看别的女人." Oh ya, he was really positive i could deliver a big baby naturally when i told him i am worried baby would grow to 4kg if i wait too long. He told me his wife delivered naturally a 4.7kg baby...but that is their 7th child! Yes, he has 7 children...pei fu.
The next day, he visited me in my ward in his OT outfit...really looks like ninja turtle as what some mummies commented. Haha...what i admire about him is his passion for his job. No matter how busy or tired he may be, he never fails to put on a smile...and he even smiled when Titus was born. I guess bringing life to this world must be a joy to him.
I had to gatecrash his clinic as my wound is causing me pain...he saw me and did not charge, really nice of him considering his busy schedule. I do look forward to seeing him if i ever get pregnant again...thanks Prof Han for making my pregnancy a smooth & unforgettable experience!