The Labour, part 2

I think before that injection, the on call doctor checked mommy out and found I hadn’t dilated much and felt that the second membrane was still intact. She was so rough with sticking her hand in and using whatever apparatus to break the membrane it made me cry. When she was done I saw this bloodied clamp/scissor like thing she passed on to the nurse. I was shocked and looked at daddy and he looked weirded out looking at the thing.

From then, I made up my mind that doctor was to never step into the room again, and told the midwife so.

After that it was dozing in between pain. It was really strange, when the contraction hits, I’m wide awake and in pain, then when it subsides, I’m dozing away. I welcome it really, gave me a chance to recover and relax.

I hoped for us to be out of there before the midwives changes shift because we’re so comfortable with them already.

Everything else was pretty much a blur after that. I remembered being checked several times, I remembered being asked if I needed the toilet, yes, needed to empty the bladder and was told won’t feel a thing, they lie, I could feel the catheter going in and out! I remembered being asked if I got that sensation of needing to take a dump, no. Most of all, I remembered being in pain, but now I don’t remember how the pain felt.

After several hours had gone by I was glad when they checked to see how far along the cervix dilated, and it was only 6cm! I was so annoyed, and that was when they emptied out the bladder, and checked again and I was 7cm dilated!

The time between going from 7cm to 10cm I don’t remember. Just being in lots of pain. I do remember hearing the midwife saying everything else had dilated, just this one bit left.

After asking me over and over whether I am feeling the urge, I finally felt the urge. During this time my eyes were shut tightly because of the pain, yet I could feel everybody was getting to their battle stations.

Next thing I knew daddy was holding mommy and I heard someone telling him how to hold me. I heard someone told me to hold my legs. I felt my legs being held by someone or more and was told to push against their hands. And I was aware there seemed to be more people in the room.

I was right, there was a cheerleading squad cheering mommy on to push! It was weird, strange and supportive. I think somewhere in the back of my mind with the pain in front thinking, gosh, I wasn’t expecting this…

The pain I felt wasn’t what I expected ‘the ring of fire’ to be. I thought that meant the vagina opening as baby makes it way out. What I experienced was a burning sensation all around the pelvic! There was really nothing I could compare it to. I didn’t know at what stage baby was at. I thought baby was still in there and mommy was trying to push you out just to get through the canal.

At one point, I opened my eyes and saw the doctor, I yelled out to get her out of the room. Daddy said she was ready to use the vacuum just to pull you out!

One of the midwives asked mommy if I want to have an episiotomy done, she kept on saying it’ll make the delivery easier and mommy won’t feel a thing. In the end, mommy gave in worried baby probably hadn’t crowned. They lied again, mommy felt them cutting, twice! And mommy said so too. I wondered how they reacted when I said that.

Then another urge came to push, and mommy pushed hard and it literally felt like a plug being pulled out because out came baby with a pop! I was surprised, I didn’t expect it was that…easy? Soon? Quick. Painful but fast. I remembered looking at the clock on the wall when it happened, 1.28pm. Half an hour before the midwives changes shift.

They held you up to me and I saw a purplish baby covered in vernix and crying. They gave you a quick wipe down and placed you on mommy’s chest and I immediately breast fed you.

Apparently at that time daddy was told to go outside and get a breath of fresh air, he said there were lots of nurses in the room and he left and made calls to your respective grandparents.

When he came back mommy was being stitched up. You got taken away and I had to verify your name tag they were going to put on you and at the same time felt the local anesthetic injection they gave me, I could feel the needle going in at two places down there. Then, for some reason what I didn’t get was that I could feel every single needle stitch! You should’ve heard mommy, it was ‘OW OW OW’ all the way. Had to bite the towel I had with me to bear the pain. It took the nurse an hour to stitch me up.

During that time, a nurse gave daddy your cleaned and neatly wrapped up placenta and he put into the cooler bag we brought.

I asked for an ice pack to try and sooth the bits down there afterwards and got dressed and put in a wheelchair. I was just feeling exhausted and wondered if I could move. We left the labour ward with mommy in the wheelchair with a nurse pushing the chair, another nurse carried you and daddy at my side.

We went back to the maternity ward and placed in a bed by the window which mommy was happy with because it was nice and bright. Mommy gingerly got out from the chair and was helped in bed, you were placed in the bassinet that was next to the bed. Nurses left leaving just you, me and daddy.

Daddy stayed for a bit to make sure mommy was comfortable and had you in my arms, he left to send your placenta to your paternal grandparents for burial and would bring mommy’s hospital bag when he’s back.

You and I snuggled up and fell asleep.

Welcome to the world baby.

Love,

Mommy

The Labour, part 1

Hi Baby,

We got to the hospital about fifteen minutes past 7, mommy was feeling very relaxed… in between contractions. Daddy managed to find a parking space and we made our way to the maternity ward. Daddy wondered whether we should go to the labour ward instead, but mommy felt contractions wasn’t strong enough to warrant heading straight there.

The duration it took from leaving the house to walking to the maternity ward resulted in daddy having very squeezed fingers as mommy held on to him when the contractions hits. When we waited for the elevator doors to open up, a bed was pushed out of the elevator, a person had passed away as the blanket was pulled over his face and they were heading towards the surau for the body to be cleansed. We stepped into the elevator and I thought it was poignant that there I am in the stage of about to give birth to life and there was a life taken.

When we got to the ward, mommy had the sudden need to pee and headed straight to the toilet and told daddy to tell the nurses what had been happening. When mommy was done and made my way to the nurse station daddy said we might need to go in straight away after they check mommy out.

I went into the room and a kindly old nurse helped mommy onto the bed, the attending nurse checked the cervical opening and said it was about 4-5cm already and timed mommy’s contractions to every ten minutes apart. She left the room and the kindly old nurse helped mommy off the bed and even massaged mommy’s back because of the pain when contractions hits.

When mommy came out of the room and back at the desk where daddy’s been waiting all these while, the attending nurse was on the phone with the labour ward, and was told mommy should go in. The nurse told us to wait while they get someone to take us there. In mean time mommy sat down and watched the going on in the maternity ward while daddy went outside for a breather. That was when I sussed out the ward was split into two, one side held the expecting mommies and the other held the mommies who just gave birth.

While waiting a nurse took mommy’s blood pressure and body temperture. Daddy came back in and not long after a nurse told us to follow her and she had mommy’s prenatal records in her hand.

We got to the labour ward and passed by the waiting area where several anxious looking daddies were waiting. We pressed the doorbell and waited. After a while the nurse said the other nurses must be busy inside and told us to wait there while she went around the side to let us in.

The door opened and mommy stepped in while daddy had to wait outside for a while until he gets called in. Mommy was feeling slightly anxious and followed the nurse in. We walked a short corridor and I was ushered into a room. A midwife said mommy need to take off everything and put on the gown provided and then they’ll hook me up. I figured better head to the toilet first because we don’t know how long the wait is. The midwife told mommy where the toilet was and told mommy not to lock the door just in case. While in there, mommy changed into the gown.

Back in the room - Room No. 3, mommy got onto the bed and another midwife strapped mommy onto a CTG machine and hooked mommy up onto an IV saline drip. After I was all hooked up only then was daddy allowed to come in and we waited.

I thought maybe I could snack on some crackers and bread to keep energy up, but wasn’t allowed any food darn it. Fortunately mommy also packed a milo drink and I had sips of that in between contractions, good thing Auntie Elaine reminded us to pack a straw for easier drinking. Daddy got to eat the cheese sandwiches mommy packed for him, so it was good that he got something to eat as we don’t know how long we’ll be there.

The midwife who attended to mommy was very nice, she monitored mommy’s contractions and noted that they were short, about 35 seconds. She said I needed the contractions to be at least 40 to 45 seconds. After an hour of monitoring she decided to help mommy’s contractions she injected something (mommy forgotten it now, I remembered it that time…) into the saline solution and hooked the tube to a monitor and she punched in ‘2’ and every half hour the number doubled.

At first mommy wasn’t too bothered with the contractions, was still able to hold a conversation with the midwives and daddy. Daddy was good, he ended up being a consultant for the midwives regarding loans and such and they asked him lots of questions.

For mommy the midwives were great, whenever mommy’s contractions hits one of them would massage mommy’s back and another would massage mommy’s tummy. The cramping feeling in the tummy wasn’t so bad compared to the killer back pain I was experiencing at the same time. The stronger the contractions the worse the back pain got. While they were doing that they also said a doa so it was most comforting spiritually.

Physically, I was doubled up in pain. I thought the N2/O2 mixture was enough to help, man I was wrong. At one point I even asked daddy if it was just a placebo effect. The tank was next to the bed and I used a mask to inhale the gas, it reminded me of my diving breathing apparatus. The mask also served another purpose, because daddy was sitting a bit away from mommy, I used the mask to knock against him to get his attention to get him to help massage mommy’s back. Daddy at that time, somehow was asleep! He said the gas did it.

Prior to that, the midwife told mommy if I like she could also give mommy an injection to help with the pain, pethadine, and mommy that time didn’t think I’d need it, so said maybe later when I really need it. About the time when mommy was about 6cm dilated after several hours of being in pain the midwife asked again if I wanted it because if I take it any later something something… I think that it’ll be too late for it to work was the reason. I said yes because the back pain was getting unbearable. I vaguely remembered a needle being stuck in.

To be continued...

The 3.30am Wake Up Call

Dear Baby,

By the time I'm writing this, you are already in my hands. But before we proceed any further, let's continue on from the last post just so we're keeping to the linear time line.

Mommy tried going to bed and found sleeping horizontally was difficult, and daddy used the large cushions from the tv room to prop mommy up almost upright and I was able to fall asleep.

About 3.30am I woke up. The cramping was getting uncomfortable, and I could feel like there was an open and shut valve going on down there. Could it be, I wondered? I went to the toilet and sure enough after several days of wearing a pad just-in-case was now soaked by a clear fluid. I know definitely that wasn't pee. Changed pad and figured it'll be a while and tried to get back to sleep.

The crampings were in regular intervals and I thought this must be it, but for how long? Sleeping was hard and at one point caught daddy singing in his sleep. I must remember that so I could tell him when he wakes up later. After finally giving up trying to sleep mommy got up and kept busy.

I cleaned the kids litter, filled up their bowls, swept the tv room, tidied up, did the dishes, showered, and packed snacks and sandwiches for daddy to bring as we don't know how long the wait was going to be. In between doing all this, whenever the pain hits I doubled over, as the back pain was getting to me. After the pain was gone I tried to do as much as possible before the next pain hits. I noticed the time between pain was shorter too.

I texted Auntie Elaine what I was experiencing and about 6 in the morning she called up, asked how I was doing and what position I could get into to help ease the pain. Since we had to go to the hospital anyway at 7 I woke daddy up and told him I'm having contractions and my water broke. All of the sudden he was wide awake and asked when did it happen? Told him about 3ish. Why didn't I wake him up earlier he asked, because there was no point I replied.

Which was true, why get woken up so early and we rush to the hospital when contractions are far apart? I'm better off staying at home and keep busy, besides, I have no intention to get to the hospital so early and we do have a 7am appointment anyway and I didn't bother. Hehe...

We left the house at 7 and made our way to the hospital, I was happy because didn't have to stay over night, didn't need to get induced, contractions were happening, I feel ready, so exciting!

Love,

Mommy

Mommy's Back!

Hi Baby,

Yay, mommy didn't have to stay at the hospital tonight! Yes, the thought of it was stressing me out. I couldn't stand the idea of being stuck in a place just so it'll be convenient for them to see me the next day.

This how the day went, got another cervical sweep. Mopped the bedroom and was half way through the tv room when the massager came. Had to grab a shower and hair wash first because we're not sure if you're going to be around by today. Had massage done while upright so gravity will help keep you pointing down. Took in laundry that was hung up this morning. Daddy came home. Mommy kept self busy until it was time to go to the hospital - after several negotiations with daddy why mommy should just stay home.

We got to the hospital and went to the ward. The nurses there told us that we could negotiate home leave after the doctor checked mommy out. They told us to wait in the day ward as they'll strap on the ECG machine to check how baby is doing. Mommy had to wait a while as the machine was being used elsewhere and one of the beds in day ward was missing. Daddy had to go back to work and mommy kept busy with sudoku puzzles to pass the time.

Finally the machine was back and a nurse took mommy's body temperature reading, had to do it three times, the first two readings said I was having a fever, the third reading was normal. Machine strapped on and I don't remember how long I was left for, according to the length of the print out probably about half an hour from the looks of it. The print out I noticed showed alot of peaks on both the fetal heart rate and uterine contractions, readings were good I was told. While waiting to see doctor the nurse informed mommy she already got a bed ready, near the toilet, that's good news for me.

Then mommy met the junior medical officer who is the on call doctor, and she explained to me about what will happen, she contacted the specialist team mommy is assigned to and the on call doctor was told to check on tummy and at first she was suppose to do a cervical check but was told not to and a senior medical officer will do that instead.

And so mommy got onto the examination table and she pressed down by the crotch to feel where your head is positioned and she listened to your heart beat, loud and clear. During that time mom chatted with the doctor asked her lots of questions regarding her profession and I think she quite enjoyed the attention because she was happy to answer them. She took note that I wasn't sure about the 1st period date that determines the due date because right now, two days difference is a lot.

While waiting for the senior medical officer, a kindly nurse massaged mommy's back as I was getting off the table, so sweet of her to do so, she has been working for 40 years already and she was retired but got taken back to work again.

The senior medical officer finally came, and she was covering the specialist whom I was assigned to. She told me they will not be doing any vaginal examination today as the specialist will be seeing me tomorrow after their meeting and when they start their rounds at 8am. But before that I would need to have an ECG reading done for the specialist to see and that means being strapped in at 7am. She asked if it's possible I come in later in the evening to stay the night for the early morning reading tomorrow.

Mommy asked for home leave as I would feel more comfortable being at home tonight than being at the hospital and just come in early tomorrow for the 7am strap in. The doctor asked one of the nurses if that's ok and the nurses was ok with that. My antenatal charts were taken and I have the small appointment card with a note regarding tomorrow. It beats watching the clock as Auntie Elaine said.

I learnt from the doctor, whom I've engaged in a conversation as well, that they banned formula milk in the ward as they are trying to encourage breast feeding unless there's a medical reason. I learnt that the health centre here practice term date plus 4, as their safety benchmark for babies to be delivered, it varies from country to country depending on the population studies, like in the western countries they go up to term plus 14. They review their policy every year to keep in line with the WHO. Doctor was impressed that mommy even bothered to ask and observed that mommy done a lot of reading regarding pregnancy.

I remembered what one of my colleague told me yesterday that if I wanted daddy to be there when you are born I have to tell the doctor, and fortunately I told her and she took note and explained to me daddy is allowed to be in the room but if a surgical or instrumental procedure is required daddy have to leave the room. When I told daddy this he said, why, so there won't be any witness to their malpractice? For all you know, daddy could be right, makes them nervous, hahaha.

And just before I was done, the doctor reminded just in case any of the three signs happen tonight, come straight over - show, water, regular contractions.

Mommy was so happy I get to go home tonight, just so happen at the same time when I was told I could go daddy texted saying he'll be over soon, I called him up and told him what happened and he came to pick mommy up and we went home!

I'm feeling more contractions now, but from what I'm describing to Auntie Elaine it's more like my contractions aren't established regularly yet because during dinner I could feel at least three within twenty minutes and then a while before the next one. Mommy was also having dinner standing up as sitting down is uncomfortable. So glad we brought the exercise ball for mommy to sit on after as we're at your grandparents in mata-mata with the kids.

So it's early bedtime for mommy tonight since have to get up early tomorrow. Let's see what tomorrow brings... or later tonight. Auntie Elaine said real contractions is happening if it wakes mommy up from sleep. Will it happen? In middle of night rush to hospital? Bags ready and daddy had already strapped in your car seat. We're ready, bring it on!

love,

Mommy

Still Here...

Hey Baby,

You're missing a beautiful sunrise, I was hoping you would be around to see it by now...

Apart from waking up with sore hips and changing sleep position, we're still here. Was hoping to get into labour after the cervical sweep mommy had yesterday (didn't feel a thing). Was told conditions were perfect, cervix dilated to almost 2cm after the sweep, and seeing the bloody discharge after, uterus tightening. I was looking forward to the regular contractions happening so I could keep count.

Woke up this morning to Auntie Elaine messaging your daddy to ask if I'm alright, she advise mommy to have a hot drink and toast to keep energy up in anticipation. Since achy hips is bothering me decided to get up anyway, daddy is still asleep. Decided to do a load of laundry and going to mop the floors after this. Hopefully mommy moving around will trigger it.

We still have time before we have to go hospital. Contractions, kick in already!

Mommy

Hi Baby,

Auntie Elaine came over for a visit today, according to her, you're in position and mommy was 75% there already, and good chance we'll be seeing you tomorrow if all goes well. I hope so :-D

Your stuff to bring over to grandma's are all ready. Including the detergent for your nappies. I just need to pack my stuff to bring over to grandma's.

Did last minute work at office, room is all clear, took ball back home, table all neat, good thing work due end of August so when I'm back at work still have time for that.

Mommy took the afternoon off and spent it cleaning the drains around the house, clean and clear drains now! Yay! Great workout!

I feel much better now, also had a last massage. Daddy's working late finishing work anticipation of you coming. Auntie Elaine also said to make sure mommy eat and get rest where possible.

Breathe through tummy and bear down as if going to the toilet...

Love,

Mommy

Sigh... and More Clothes

Hi Baby,

Mommy been crying on and off, upset with this whole change up, I guess we were so into the idea of baby coming on a certain date and a wrench got thrown into the gears that it just threw me right off. Trying to adjust and shift. With great difficulty. Pretty stressed about this, but that's not going to help is it.

Mommy said to daddy, can I just skip going to the hospital tomorrow? He said, if doctor says we go, then we'll go. Phooey. I still don't see how being stuck in a hospital setting is going to help me feel relaxed enough to have baby.

My massages had been stepped up, to help with starting labour. Auntie Elaine gave mommy raspberry leaf tincture now on top of the raspberry leaf tea to give the uterus a kick start in contracting. Had some contraction but not enough to render me speechless, that's the contractions we're looking for, one that makes mommy just stop talking and moving as the pain washes over.

I forgot to mention Auntie Eliza lent us some newborn baby outfits for you, I think we have enough for now for the 3-6 months stage, all depends on how fast you grow. After that we'll need to get bigger outfits.

Will have to start moving your basket and diapers over to grandma's house.

Looking forward to baby coming, but naturally...

Love,
Mommy

Induced?!

Hi Baby,

Yesterday was a frustrating, anxiety ridden experience. It was the first check up at the hospital with the gynacologist. This is what happened...

Mommy was told I have a 9am appointment. Daddy took half day off from work to bring us to the hospital to the Obstetrics and Gynacology Unit of the hospital. We got there about 8.45am.

We had to wait for an hour before I was called and got given my appointment card and number and do the routine check of weight, urine and blood pressure. And even then I had to wait for ages for the nurse to check the BP, there was no semblance of who's turn was next. There was a possibility I might have cut someone but I wasn't sure, I was pretty fed up with all the waiting by then. Good news, weight went down slightly, not by much, must be because hadn't had breakfast.

So, I thought, great, now we got that part over, all we need is to see the doctor and then all of us can go for breakfast!

Boy was I wrong, we were told to go into another room to wait. I walked into a waiting room filled with women in various stages of pregnancies and some with babies looking somber and bored. Mommy was the only one with a book in hand. I was no 5023, the numbering system says servicing 5000. Oh goodness...

Daddy came and waited with mommy, we tried to keep ourselves entertained with sudoku, daddy telling stories and commented some of these women got tummies larger then mommy, and we wondered who did the translation of this hadis regarding the virtues of breastfeeding because the english part sounded wrong. Every time the number system dings to call for the next patient mommy just had to look, it was moving so slow!

By the time it was mommy's turn it was already past 11am. I was hungry, fed up waiting for so long, I missed the community clinic we used to go to (in and out under an hour), and I wondered if we should go private for the next baby just so we wouldn't waste time waiting. I couldn't wait to leave so we could eat!

Nevermind, it's an experience, let's go see the doctor.

Mommy got one word, she was a cow. Very impersonal and snappy. I can understand she had a busy morning, but she lacked empathy. Everything she said was a matter of fact, no deviation of possibilities, and didn't even care what I think or whether I had any questions. I wasn't having any of that, I threw in my questions anyway, but it was met with 'you-dare-to-question-my-judgement?' kind of thing. As a matter in fact, so far with having met two gynacologists from the government, I am inclined to make a judgement they all need their bed side manner checked. Come on, I am a first time mother and you are the one with all the knowledge here to help me understand what's going on. And don't bloody assume I don't know nuts because some of us actually read up on these things.

Well, she said I was tall and will have a good size baby, 3kg plus. Due date was suppose to be today as it corollates with the ultrasound scan and if I'm not into labour by the fourth day, I will be admitted (friday) for induction the next day (saturday). Why can't I be admitted on a Sunday for induction on Monday? Because the team won't be working on sunday. I didn' think it would've made any difference... I was told I have a week after due date before I have to be induced, I said. No, you have four days, she said. The method they'll be using is inserting prostaglandins to soften up the cervix. Then she sent me for an ECG reading at the day ward. Today. Now.

Day ward? I have to stay? The whole day? Do I? It was already 11.30am.

I got a client to meet in the afternoon at 2!

A kind nurse took mommy's file and informed the nurses at Ward 14 regarding the ECG. She informed us she will get one of the hospital help to take us there. We went through the clinic using the elevator and popped up in the labour ward, as we walked through it I saw lots of doors with labels, labour room, operating room, pre eclampsia room, went through a small waiting lounge where there happen to be several anxious looking fathers, passed by a family and overheard one lady talking about someones complicated pregnancy, and realised we're on the 2nd floor.

Ward 14 was towards the back, passsing by the Infant Intensive Care Unit, and we went through the side door. Apparently Ward 14 is the ward where mommies and mommies-to-be are put, I didn't know that. The helper passed mommy's file to the nurses at the station and a trainee nurse took us to the day ward, which was just a room with two beds and a sofa. We passed by lots of beds filled with women and some with their babies. Mommy laid down on the bed and got strapped in. I asked how long will it take for the ECG machine and we were told if the reading is good, whatever good is, it'll be ten minutes to twenty at the most. Mommy still hopeful we'll have time for lunch at least before daddy has to head back to work.

I was lying on my back, not sure whether I was allowed to move or change position. Looked around the room and figured they could've made this place a bit more cheery. Posters with thick black tape surrounding the borders about breastfeeding was hung on the walls. Saw a wall outlet with missing front and wondered what the heck was that suppose to be? In the day ward was also another lady and she was sitting on the sofa and heard a nurse checking in telling her to eat as lunch was being served.

Daddy settled in the chair and we waited. He told mommy about what the machine was doing and what was on the print out. I kept on asking daddy how much time had went by already as the print out kept on getting longer and longer. By the time it was almost half hour daddy went out to the nurse station and a nurse came in to check on mommy and declared, baby's asleep, let's change position, only now you tell me I thought. Daddy said he's going to step out a while, and I decided to just nap it out. It was another twenty minutes or so when a nurse finally unstrapped me and said I was done. Great, does that mean I can go now? Apparently not, the ECG reading needed to be signed off by a doctor and since it was lunch time no one is around and we would have to wait until they are back. By then it was almost 1pm.

Daddy told mommy to eat the lunch that was provided so I ate, mommy rarely ate rice but yesterday I finished the whole thing, was that hungry. Daddy went off to check while mommy ate, another different lady was also waiting in the day ward (the one earlier had left), she was waiting for her blood result and overheard a nurse mentioning something about her thyroid.

Then the nurse came back with mommy's sheet. She managed to get a doctor to sign off the ECG print out, told us how grumpy the doctor was when doing so (what's up with these doctors? Did they miss their bedside manner class while studying?) She checked on what was written in mommy's sheet, since mommy will be admitted she told us the best time to come, 8am or by 2pm so the doctor will have time to check mommy out while they make their rounds at that time. Useful to know.

We left the hospital and daddy managed to get to work on time and mommy went home to pick up the kids and orders of the client, and dropped off the kids at your granny's place and was at work just after 2pm. I hoped daddy managed to get lunch.

So, sharp contrast between mommy's experience with the community clinic and the government hospital. I hope the next experience with them in a few days would be better than that. Fortunately there were those individuals that were nice, hoping to meet only those nice ones, as so far having baby had been a pleasant experience, and I would like it to continue by the time baby comes out and after that.

Baby, are you going to come out now or when they make you? Mommy don't like the idea of being induced, because if the ripening of the cervix isn't going to work they'll put in something stronger and it will be more painful. I was hoping we could experience all this naturally. But somehow medical science thinks they always knows best. I don't see how me being admitted and staying in bed is going to help with speeding up labour and I would like to avoid having a C section done at all cost. I'm not keen having to stay more than one night in the hospital either. I hope there's a private room available for us. Mommy is packing in Terry Pratchett as part of my entertainment, I should've learnt how to knit or chochet too, it would've been a brillient way to pass the time...

Come out soon! Before they start inducing :-s

Mommy

Last Clinic Check

Hi Baby,

Today apparently, I think, was the last clinic check up we'll be doing for you. Mommy sent daddy to work and went straight to the clinic, much earlier than I usually go and to be expected the parking area was crowded, had to walk a distance just to get to the clinic. Interestingly there weren't a lot of mommies waiting for their check ups. Gained just under a kilo, I suppose that's good news...

Got scheduled to see a doctor by the nurses as according to my due date which is next week. The doctor referred me to see a gyne at the hospital and a nurse made the appointment for next tuesday, so mommy will have to go to the hospital next week to see the gyne... if you're not yet out that is.

I asked the nurse what should I be bringing to the labour ward for you, and she said 3-4 nappies is enough. Great! I can take out the extra 20 I packed. A wrap with a hood for you, and 2 change of clothing for baby she said. There's a chance if mommy give birth in the morning, I could be out by the afternoon, all depends on how mommy and baby is doing.

I asked how many maternity pads should I be bringing, and she said the whole pack just in case mommy gets an episiotomy (touch wood that'll happen) she advised every time I go to the toilet I should change the pad to prevent infection to the stitches.

If baby is late, we get up to a week, if still no sign, then they'll induce. Ack!

So, deadline looming... you're not the only deadline I have to worry about. I must get the rest of the deadlines out of the way before you come along. You be good now.

Mommy got massage later, pressure points to trigger contractions, one of the few things to be done...

Love,

Mommy

Belly Casting

Hi Baby,

Tonight mommy and daddy had an interesting time, daddy had to suddenly become all crafty since I was unable to do it... Daddy had a 101 class on how to use plaster gauze. It's the same stuff that hospitals used to make a cast when mending a broken bone, it goes rock hard after you wet it and it dries.

We went through 5 rolls of the stuff and it's a good thing too that the kit came with plastic sheet to protect the floor as it was wet and plaster drips everywhere. And the cats were curious of what we were doing and had to nose around as well. As the layers got put on me the cast just got heavier, and I had to cradle it so it wouldn't fall off as daddy was still putting on the layers to make it strong. Fortunately he got to wear gloves so he managed to keep his hands clean...

It took us almost one and a half hours just to do it, by that time the cast was coming off my body and I needed the toilet, daddy was cleaning up that time and I had to wait for him so he could hold onto the cast while mommy rushed for the toilet.

The cast still needed to dry fully so we stuffed it with newspaper for it to hold it's shape as it dries so it wouldn't collapse under it's own weight.

After it cures properly, I'll leave it for a few days, then the cast will be sanded smooth and mommy will be able to paint it. The next decision is to decide, what to paint on it... hmmmm....

Thanks to Auntie Nadia for giving mommy the belly cast, when you're grown up, you can see the shape of mommy's body when I had you inside!

Interestingly after I took the cast off and had a look at it, mommy was kinda surprised it looked smaller than I expected... Haha....

Daddy got brownie points for doing this, hehehe... love you sweetie xoxoxo

Love,

Mommy