Deliver with me @ Mt A 🤪

If you have been following up on my posts, you would know that I had to be on bed rest due to my short cervix since 28 weeks. It was tough, but we pulled thru 10 weeks!

On my 38 weeks, I was due for a regular check-up with my gynae. To be honest, I hated going to my gynae appointment because we always had to wait!!! We waited close to 3 hours this time 🙄 I was getting increasingly annoyed as I'm heavily pregnant and sitting on a soft sofa ain't working for me.

As much as I like my gynae and not his clinic process line, I swore I would not go back if I were to have my second child.

Anw, 3 hours later, we headed in and got myself another cervix check 🥲🥲🥲 . My gynae happily said, "OK, please go to the hospital tomorrow at 8am. You are 3cm dilated, but if your watering breaks or you bleed tonight, please rush to the hospital. I will see you there."

That's when reality hits us. WHAT?! TOMORROW?!

My husband and I panicked internally. Hub asked the gynae at least 6 times, so tomorrow, confirm ah 😅?

After asking 101 qns on the delivery process, the birth plan, and what not. We left the clinic hastily!!!

Started calling my parents, informing them we will be delivering tomorrow!!

Hub had to make lots of work arrangements because he had so much planned already. Thereafter, he informed his family, and everyone got really excited!!

We quickly went back home and packed our hospital bag. Yes, we super last min!!! But generally, we got all the things ready, just not packed.

Told my helper that we will be heading to the hospital tomorrow, and depending on the room type available, if it's a single room, my husband will not be coming back home. So, there is no need to wait for him to come home. She got emotional and hugged me, and she said that she would pray for my smooth delivery. I almost cried because she barely joined our family, prolly only less than 2 weeks?

The next day, all prepped and ready (not really, but I guess that's the only way out for the baby, right!!!). We were contemplating if we should have breakfast at home before heading to the hospital because it's still too early. And as far as we know, natural delivery means we can still have our food.

But being pregnant 🤰means I'm constantly hungry. I quickly took two pcs of bread and inhaled my milo before leaving the house. AND IT WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE.

We reached Mt A, slightly before 8am, went to level 5 where their delivery suite was! We ain't quite sure what to say or do, so we stood outside the reception area, and thankfully, one of the nurses signalled us to go in! We told her our gynae asked us to be admitted today at 8 am. She asked for our names and then guided us to the labour room. To be honest, I got no idea which room number which side it was cause I'm low-key panicking. I simply followed blindly!!!

I was then asked to change to the delivery gown, with absolutely nothing inside.

At 8.20am, the nurse came in to insert the medication to allow me to clear my bowel. I gotta admit, I wasn't expecting this, but hellllll, it was uncomfortable! Before the nurse left, she said it should take about 5 mins to react, so standby to go to the toilet! But I felt like pooping in less than 2 mins!!!! I went straight in and bombarded the toilet.

At 9am, my gynae walked in smiling and said I'm still 3cm dilated, and he will proceed to break my water 💧 bag. Quite uncomfortable but bearable. In less than 5 mins, I felt the gush of water flowing through. At the same time, another nurse came in to inject the oxytocin to induce the birth.

The nurse will also regularly increase the dosage to allow contraction to kick in. So once the drip starts, we should be expecting 1cm dilation every hour. Before the gynae left, he said, "Please get epidural once it becomes unbearable."

I'm thankful he wasn't very persistent in me getting the epidural right from the start. I wanted to experience how contraction feels like (don't bash me), but given that I might not have a second one. It's important to at least know how it feels right!!!

The nurses also set up the CTG, which monitors the baby's heartbeat and my contractions. Sadly, my gynae didn't allow me to have anything to eat because he wanted to play safe! Just in case, emergency interventions (c-sect) are required. Which means my 2 pcs of bread gotta last me till labour 😔

The first few hours went by with both of us joking and chit chatting around. At about 11 am, I told my hub to go down and get his brunch before the real deal happened. I mean, we don't know what time I will be fully dilated and ready for labour. But he gotta fill his stomach first! Otherwise, he might faint 😳 while I deliver his child. HAHHAHAAH

Initally, the contractions felt pretty similar to menses cramps. It comes and goes. At 11.30 am, I felt the contractions getting closer and stronger. I could feel the pain coming at me at every 1-2 min! I looked back at the CTG chart, and it's going like 📈📈📈📈📈.

I quickly WhatsApp my hub and said, "I think I need to get the epidural soon!" I was hoping to hold on until he returned from his lunch! But at 11.45 am, I couldn't take it anymore because it's hurting so bad that I want to laosai (diarrhoea). I pressed the nurses bell and asked for epidural. The nurse laughed and said "haha finally! I have been waiting!!"

I laughed, and she told me it would take about 30 mins for the anesthesiologist to come. While waiting, hub came back, and I asked for his hands! I needed some support to push through each contraction.

12pm, anesthesiologist came, and we are finally getting the pain relief. Hub was asked to leave the room, and my doctor asked me to lie on my side (curled up), and most importantly, he got me to watch my tiktok/Facebook video, etc. He wanted me to be distracted. Before he got started, he told me he would try to make it as painless as possible

And I gotta give him 5/5 for doing what he promised! No pain at all! The epidural line was placed so nicely that the numbness hits both legs equally. This means there is no need to keep flipping me around LOL. Hub came back and peaked at the epidural needle and went on saying WA VERY THICK LEH & went in quite deep sia!!!

I'm like .... thanks for the update 😅 not that I want to know, but it's good to know that I'm such a brave woman. Braving through all dem needles and pins. To avoid having both mummy and baby blood pressure to plunge, my doctor decided to start the epidural at a low. This means I should still be able to tell I'm going thru a contraction, but without the pain. I agreed because I wouldn't want the baby's blood pressure to plunge and jeopardise the natural delivery.

Once the epidural hits, I managed to catch some sleep! Just imagine waking up at 8am & not having any food since then. I was already so exhausted. At about 1pm, I started feeling more pressure and slight cramping (which is uncomfortable). I told the nurse, and they increased my epidural dosage while waiting for the epi to take effect. I felt stronger cramps, so I called the nurse and told her that I'm feeling stronger cramps and a little back pain. The nurse then decided to check my cervix and said, "Oh no, you are already about 7 to 8cm dilated. No wonder the epidural effect wasn't relieving you of the pain. You are dilating faster than the relief."

At that very moment, I'm like ..... wow. So ... it's almost time to deliver?? To be honest, I was kinda scared! The nurse went on to call my doctor. She returned after 20 mins and said the doctor would come around 5-6pm. We will check with you every hour to see your progress.

At about 3pm, I was almost fully dilated at 10 cm. But my doctor felt that it's still too early to push, given that this was my first child. He instructs the nurses to check in and see if the baby head drops a little more. He wants to make sure that no vaccum or forceps is required, I guess??

At about 5pm, a midwife came in, started to prep the delivery suite with all the instruments, and ensured everything was sterile. Thereafter, she told me that the doctor is on his way and would like me to start pushing. THAT CAUGHT ME LIKE???? WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE PUSH WITHOUT THE DOCTOR.

She went on to explain that oh no no, usually for first child, it's very likely you will need to push for a very long time. Since you are already dilated, then we should slowly pace and start pushing. When the doctor comes, he can then make the episiotomy and get the baby out.

So, at about 5.15pm, we started prepping ourselves for the push. Like what we always see on TV, yes, you put your legs up and wide open. My midwife started explaining how she needed me to push.

1. Do sit up!

2. Hold up my legs!

Each contraction will call for 3x 10 seconds of pushing. And being a first-time mom, I honestly have no idea if I'm doing it right!

And about 10x of contraction, we have our lil one crowning at the entrance of my vjj. My husband had the honour to look at it from the front. What an experience! This whole process took us about 20-30 mins? & because our doctor is still not here..... we waited about 20 mins in the delivery suite with my legs wide open and a baby crowning at my vjj.

The moment he arrived, we went straight to work. After several pushes and help from the nurses, bb is born!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my husband for supporting me verbally and also supporting my neck while I try to push! I could feel all my blood vessels working very hard.

I cried when they placed my little one on me. At that very moment, all the pain and pushing were worth it. ✨️

Thereafter, comes the painful part. While hub is taking photos of the baby, sharing the news with the family and admiring his baby. My doctor was painfully stitching me up, and he told me that due to the baby's head, there is some tear further to the episiotomy. My heart sank! I was hoping there wouldn't be any tear, but well, it is all worth it for my baby!!

&&& note to all father to be ... DON'T look when the doctor is stitching your wife up. JUST DON'T.

We were then left in the delivery suite for observation for almost 2 hours before wheeling back up to the ward.

I must say, the nurses & midwife at Mt. A were one of the kindest people. They made me feel so much calmer, and the whole birth experience was great (besides the pain, all else was great).

Let me share my 2 night experience with Mt. A in the next post!