Announcing baby Ashton's arrival...@ week 38, 5 days..

I have yet to update about the past week's event, and have already pop.. so much happened this last week..

Jadelle was ill with phlegm and running nose.. and cried for me at night and vomit out phlegm at night..

Then maid arrived on Saturday.. so much to teach her..

Sunday was reunion's dinner with AK's extended family.. we joked about me eating the good stuff before i pop.. ate crab, yusheng, seafood etc.

Observed Nora, my new maid.. abit slow and not much detail about caring for my girl.. but need to give her time, only 2nd day.

Hope Lily can help out more when i am back home.

my birth story:

1:30am: tummy ache.. no pass motion past few days.. cleared my bowels 2x.. but still feel like going toilet..

6+am: wake up to go toilet again... poo another 4x.. but still feel unclear.. and totally unlike jadelle's time of menstrual cramps..did not associated it with contractions.. until.. the feeling stretched until the spine..

7:30am: Woke up AK, he was due to wake up for work anyway.. "dear, i think i having contractions leh.. past 1 hr got min. 6-8 times.."

but not sure of how regular it was, so asked him to shower n i monitor.. 7 minutes interval..

8am: called gynae for advice.. pretty confirmed it is contractions! but no show, no water bag bursting.. by this time, Jadelle has woken and knew that something was up! she had abit of biscuits with mummy..who gobbled down cereal oats and bird's nest..

9am: by this time, Lily and AK's parents came over already.. we gave Lily a list of instructions to show Nora basic stuff done in blk 38... hope we don't overwhelm her..

9:45am- 10am: we leave blk 38.. Jadelle cried.. wants mummy to go with her to ye ye's car.. mummy whispered to jadelle that doctor wants to help didi to come out from mummy's tummy.. so we go find doctor first.. later, didi will say hi to her..

10:30am: told AK to turn into Geylang Bahru hawker centre.. it's my last chance to grab watever i want to eat! Ate Thai coconut, mee rubus, chwee kueh.. and suddenly we both missed Jadelle.. feels upset without her being around.. until contractions hit.. every 6-7 minutes.. AK & I contemplated going to the clinic first or straight to Mt. A..

11am: decided to go straight to mt. A.. by then, i was moaning softly and grabbing AK when contractions hit.. every 5-6 minutes.. but still tolerable.. checked into delivery suite 8.. 5 cm dilated! Nurse say it's my last chance to decide for Happidural or not.. i knew i can go without it.. but was afraid that i will push too early.. the urge to poo.. very strong.. so i opted for it.. but this time, not much time to rest..told anesthesist about last round's event to warn him.. he was confident not due to epidural.. i ask for normal dosage.

12 noon: AK start to get nervous..he estimated another 3-4 hrs?

12:30pm: Chandra checked me.. burst water bag.. Iwas surprised at the lack of water.. so much for expecting a gush like jadelle's time into the toiletbowl!

1:45pm: suddenly felt contractions through the epidural.. was surprised.. as the screen did not show any contractions.. was very puzzled.. intercom the nurse.. she checked..10 cm dilated.. flurry of activity suddenly.. all nurses started to panic and get busy... my bladder was super full from the coconut.. and um, caught the nurse by surprise.. the floor was wet before she can capture it properly into the urine bag..

was quickly taught how to push..

next wave..push push push.. was surprised.. it all came back naturally.. baby head became juz behind perinium..

one more wave.. push push push.. every one got excited..

another wave.. chandras say it is going very well..

and another wave.. chandras say likely he can stretch me without episiotomy.. ask me to push gently.. but he overmotivated me.. so happy can go without episiotomy.. i push too hard.. and got a little tear.. everyone got a scare.. thought the baby will fly out.. darn! stitches again! heng this round iz small stitch!

1:56pm: Baby Ashton Kwok arrived! 3.020 kg, 47cm tall, double eyelids.. screaming into the world.. Chandras put him on my lap.. this round, i am much more lucid.. saw my boy arrived. saw the placenta.. didn't know it was so small..and saw umbilical cord.. i thought i saw it around his shoulder..

AK asked gynae to cut the cord.. everyone was puzzled and he explained that he gotta be fair to Jadelle as he did not have the chance to cut her cord.. OOHH... the labour ward's team's reaction... AK was so relieved that this round was so smooth..

i latched Ashton's on once the epidural tubes were removed.. he is a good learner.. looks like i dun need to pump so much if i want.. will try to do tandem pumping to increase milk storage supply.. otherwise, i will be darn tired in the months ahead.. not used to carrying a 3+kg baby again..

We rested and waited nervously for jadelle to come.. next story..