Year 2000, December 5th ~ 2330hour
As usual, I was getting ready to tuck into bed so I went to the loo to empty my bladder. Being at 38 weeks pregnant, going to the loo can be as frequent as babies waking up for feed. That’s when I noticed… I had a show!!! Ooh… feeling exited, I know this is IT! The little guy is going to come out soon!
I told hubby immediately after coming out of the toilet. Then I started pacing about in the room, packing what I need to bring to the hospital. Yeah, being lazy me, I hadn’t yet packed the stuffs even though the Ob-Gyn’s clinic nurse had given me the list of items, during my 7th month antenatal check up, that I should bring along for the delivery. Luckily I had asked hubby to fix up the baby cot weeks ago.
After packing most of the stuffs, we weren’t sure whether we should go the hospital right away or wait till next morning, so hubby suggested asking mum and dad. We were told since I hadn’t started contractions yet, there was no hurry to go to the hospital. Anyway, the hospital is only 5-10 minutes away.
We retired to our room. It didn’t take long for hubby to start snoozing away. I tried to sleep, but couldn’t due to the excitement and anticipation of how the delivery would be. First time mah!! Of course exited, but funny I was not really nervous. I guess I just couldn’t wait to cradle my bundle of joy! My brain was very active; knowing how forgetful I am, I tried to think and think again if I had missed out any items to be packed. Checked one time… checked two times… checked three times… think… think… think… Okay, enough… I think I’ve got it all.
Relax, I think to myself while trying to clear my mind off to sleep. When I was about to doze off, I felt a slight tummy cramp, like the cramps during menstruation. It’s not painful, but made me very uncomfortable. I didn’t know this is actually contraction because nobody told me how it feels like. Anyway I dozed off only to find myself awaken by the cramps some 2 hours later. So the whole night I was like sleep-wake (due to cramp)-sleep-wake (due to cramp)… As the cramps were getting more and more frequent, it was really difficult fall asleep again.
Time seemed to pass so slowly when one is not sleeping well. At about 0500hour, I timed the contractions and found that they were about 10-15 minutes apart. The contractions were also getting too strong so I woke hubby and told him, “I think we have to go to the hospital now. My contractions are 10 minutes apart. Go ask dad.” We woke mum and dad to tell them of my contractions’ frequency; they think it’s time we go to the hospital. As I was walking from the front door to the car, one contraction came and I had to pause to hold onto the pillar at the side. Hubby drove the car and mum came with us to the hospital.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the nurse pushed a wheelchair and asked me to sit on it. I told her I could still walk but she insisted I sit on it. She wheeled me to the labour ward while hubby and mum were doing the admissions. Then I was asked to change into the cotton hospital gown... yeah… those that are very thin and only have strings at the back for tying. If I recall correctly, the strings are at the back of the neck and around the waist. So if you don’t tie properly can even see your butt :P
In that gown I felt so naked. Some more with the cold aircond, nipples are so pointy without bras to cover them up. I got up the bed in the labour ward; the senior nurse there proceeded to check my contractions, dilation etc. Then she told me I’m still in the early stage of labour; only 1.5cm dilated.
I don’t really remember the sequence of the events; but I know I was asked whether I have passed motion.
DG : Err… yesterday got. But don’t know still got any left or not…
Nurse : Would you want me to …(I forgot what the procedure it’s called)… so you can pass motion?
DG : Emm… yeah… I guess so. *heheh… I wouldn’t want stool to come up while I was pushing the baby later. How embarrassing that would be!!!*
It was an uncomfortable experience. Imagine having some liquid pushed through your anus. The feeling is very geli * still shudders when think of it*… It works like enema; after awhile, you’ll feel a stirring to want to pass motion.
I was also asked if I want to eat something, i.e. bread and Milo. I said yes because I figured I will need to have strength to push later. Hubby and mum came in to check on me and left shortly after.
By now it’s about 0800hour. My Ob-Gyn came and checked me. Dilation was only 3cm. So he ruptured the membrane to try to hasten dilation. I felt a gush of warm fluid flowing out; the nurse scooped it with the kidney dish. Then the doctor annouced there’s meconium in the amniotic fluid. The nurse showed me the fluid in the kidney dish; it was stained with dark greenish stuffs.
...To be continued
As usual, I was getting ready to tuck into bed so I went to the loo to empty my bladder. Being at 38 weeks pregnant, going to the loo can be as frequent as babies waking up for feed. That’s when I noticed… I had a show!!! Ooh… feeling exited, I know this is IT! The little guy is going to come out soon!
I told hubby immediately after coming out of the toilet. Then I started pacing about in the room, packing what I need to bring to the hospital. Yeah, being lazy me, I hadn’t yet packed the stuffs even though the Ob-Gyn’s clinic nurse had given me the list of items, during my 7th month antenatal check up, that I should bring along for the delivery. Luckily I had asked hubby to fix up the baby cot weeks ago.
After packing most of the stuffs, we weren’t sure whether we should go the hospital right away or wait till next morning, so hubby suggested asking mum and dad. We were told since I hadn’t started contractions yet, there was no hurry to go to the hospital. Anyway, the hospital is only 5-10 minutes away.
We retired to our room. It didn’t take long for hubby to start snoozing away. I tried to sleep, but couldn’t due to the excitement and anticipation of how the delivery would be. First time mah!! Of course exited, but funny I was not really nervous. I guess I just couldn’t wait to cradle my bundle of joy! My brain was very active; knowing how forgetful I am, I tried to think and think again if I had missed out any items to be packed. Checked one time… checked two times… checked three times… think… think… think… Okay, enough… I think I’ve got it all.
Relax, I think to myself while trying to clear my mind off to sleep. When I was about to doze off, I felt a slight tummy cramp, like the cramps during menstruation. It’s not painful, but made me very uncomfortable. I didn’t know this is actually contraction because nobody told me how it feels like. Anyway I dozed off only to find myself awaken by the cramps some 2 hours later. So the whole night I was like sleep-wake (due to cramp)-sleep-wake (due to cramp)… As the cramps were getting more and more frequent, it was really difficult fall asleep again.
Time seemed to pass so slowly when one is not sleeping well. At about 0500hour, I timed the contractions and found that they were about 10-15 minutes apart. The contractions were also getting too strong so I woke hubby and told him, “I think we have to go to the hospital now. My contractions are 10 minutes apart. Go ask dad.” We woke mum and dad to tell them of my contractions’ frequency; they think it’s time we go to the hospital. As I was walking from the front door to the car, one contraction came and I had to pause to hold onto the pillar at the side. Hubby drove the car and mum came with us to the hospital.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the nurse pushed a wheelchair and asked me to sit on it. I told her I could still walk but she insisted I sit on it. She wheeled me to the labour ward while hubby and mum were doing the admissions. Then I was asked to change into the cotton hospital gown... yeah… those that are very thin and only have strings at the back for tying. If I recall correctly, the strings are at the back of the neck and around the waist. So if you don’t tie properly can even see your butt :P
In that gown I felt so naked. Some more with the cold aircond, nipples are so pointy without bras to cover them up. I got up the bed in the labour ward; the senior nurse there proceeded to check my contractions, dilation etc. Then she told me I’m still in the early stage of labour; only 1.5cm dilated.
I don’t really remember the sequence of the events; but I know I was asked whether I have passed motion.
DG : Err… yesterday got. But don’t know still got any left or not…
Nurse : Would you want me to …(I forgot what the procedure it’s called)… so you can pass motion?
DG : Emm… yeah… I guess so. *heheh… I wouldn’t want stool to come up while I was pushing the baby later. How embarrassing that would be!!!*
It was an uncomfortable experience. Imagine having some liquid pushed through your anus. The feeling is very geli * still shudders when think of it*… It works like enema; after awhile, you’ll feel a stirring to want to pass motion.
I was also asked if I want to eat something, i.e. bread and Milo. I said yes because I figured I will need to have strength to push later. Hubby and mum came in to check on me and left shortly after.
By now it’s about 0800hour. My Ob-Gyn came and checked me. Dilation was only 3cm. So he ruptured the membrane to try to hasten dilation. I felt a gush of warm fluid flowing out; the nurse scooped it with the kidney dish. Then the doctor annouced there’s meconium in the amniotic fluid. The nurse showed me the fluid in the kidney dish; it was stained with dark greenish stuffs.
...To be continued
posted by domesticgoddess at 7/28/2005 03:56:00 pm
Hey...DG,
So exciting to hear your story..!! almost like relieving mine..! hehehe!!
btw.. can you link me in my new name .. Baby Bok Choi please..?? thanks.. :)