My Birth Story - Baby Chin Ming

These are photos taken in the hospital on Day 1:

These are photos taken at home on Day 3:

Baby Chin Ming was born at 39 weeks exactly at 12.37pm on 19th October 2007 after a long long wait. I was supposed to be induced on 22nd Oct if he's not coming out over the weekend but I guess he couldn't wait till then and decided to make use of the weekend for mummy to rest :)
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Thursday 18th Oct 2007

8pm:

Reached home with my 2 boys and starting to feel contractions coming on. I wasn't overly alarmed as I had a few times of false labour which ended up with the contractions subsiding, so didn't alert anyone. Played with the kids and waited for hubby to be back from work.

9pm:

Hubby back from work. Told hubby about my contractions and I started to time it. 8 mins apart. I thought it was still early and continued with my routine of tucking the kids to bed and taking my shower and even ate some supper.

Friday 19th oct 2007

1am:

Contractions still regular at about 8 mins apart, though it was getting more intense. Told hubby that he should be prepared to go to hospital tomorrow and he panicked and started to clear his work. I retired to bed and tried to get some sleep.

3am:

Managed to steal some sleep and woke up to time my contractions. 7mins apart now. Have a very strong feeling that it's going to be time soon but knowing my dilations comes in very slowly, it's still too early to head for the hospital. Decided that I should hold till the morning after I send the kids to the school and my mum's place before heading to hospital. Hubby woked up sensing I was awake and asked if it was time. Told him to get some sleep while I do something to occupy myself since I can't sleep.

4am:

Got out of bed for hot shower. Packed my bags for last min items as well as school bag for ds1. Couldn't sleep so I surfed the net and updated my MP3 player.

6am:

Contractions are 5 mins apart and getting intense. I can still hold out and told hubby that will have to head to hospital once the kids are ready to head out of the house at our regular time of 7.45am. He went back to catch little more sleep. I chatted with my SIL over msn, updating her of what's going on.

7am:

Hubby woke up for shower, woke the kids up, shower ds1 and prepare him for school. Ds2 still in slumberland. Contractions 5 mins apart still. Though contractions are intense, I'm not sure if I should head to the hospital for another long wait.

7.45am:

Head out of the house and drop the kids at my mum's place which is 5 mins away. Contractions 4 mins apart.

8.15am:

Reach KKH. Can't walk when contractions are coming in, have to stop periodically against the wall. The nurses thought I was in labour when I walked into the delivery suite seeing how much pain I was in. I was amazed at myself for holding out for so long. Nurse wants to do a VE but I declined, prefer to wait till my gynae comes in. They pushed me in for observation while hubby heads out for breakfast and coffee, knowing that there's still plenty of time till the gynae comes in.

9am:

Gynae comes in and annouced I was 3.5cm dilated and contractions 3-4 mins apart. Decide to get me into the labour ward and burst the waterbag. Hubby returned from breakfast.

9.30am:

In delivery suite with waterbag burst. Told all that I will not be taking epidural or any other meds. Waited for the time to come.

11.30am:

Contractions 1-2 mins apart but gynae says not there yet as dilation only 7cm. Have to hold on for a while more till I am more dilated and I try with all my might to contain my pain and urge to push. Had to start using the laughing gas to relax myself and helps the dilation to progress faster.

12.30pm:

Time finally come and my strong urge to push starts to set in. The nurses alerted my gynae who came in very quickly when I just started to push. In 2 pushes at 12.37pm, Baby Chin Ming was out and his loud booming crying voice filled the whole delivery suite. I told hubby to hurry over and check the baby while the gynae was busy with me. Hubby said the baby looks different from my other 2 dss.

Finally everything was over. Was glad to made it through without epi. Gynae ordered them to prepare lunch for me in the delivery suite but before I could eat anything, I went into slumberland and didn't wake up till 2pm and baby was already out for tests and hubby was sitting comfortably in the armchair next to me watch HBO on TV. Seeing I was ok, he went out for lunch while the nurses cleaned me up before we head up to the ward at 3pm. I was alert after that for the whole day and was glad when my family came to visit us with my 2 dss. Was discharged the next day morning to head home.