When we changed our flight ticket departure date after knowing of Emily's EDD, I thought that 1.5mths from her EDD is enough for us to get ready. As the day draws closer, plus the fact that my gynae is going to be away from 28th Apr till 8th May...and my hoped date for Emily to arrive on 1st May was really quite slim, we opted to go for elective induction on the 26th Apr. Delivering anytime after 1st May would mean that my confinement period will stretch till when Ww is away and there is less time to apply for the visa which takes 4-6 weeks. We don't want any hiccups at that part. So....despite me feeling uncertain about having her to arrive early (but safely early cos she'll be considered full-term then), we went ahead on 26th Apr.
We were slightly more prepared that way, I could prepare Eliza and go through all the things that will happen in the days following the delivery, tell her what to expect etc. She'll definitely have to stay over at my mil's place which is quite new for her and without mummy & daddy so i was uncertain how she'll fare.
Anyway on 26th Apr, we had my gynae appointment at 2pm. I had to go eat Mos burger cos i was craving for the coffee milkshake. (I faintly remember that we ate Mos burger on the day before Eliza arrived). Dr Tan measured Emily from the ultrasound scan to be about 3kg and doing well. I was concerned that usually early induction or those that have no medical reasons ends up in c-sections and the risks. He did say that there are recent research proving otherwise, also because the babies, though full-term, are smaller and show less complications. Anyway we did go ahead with it (obviously!). That day was really quite a busy day! There were about 3-4 mums-to-be going to be induced. wow...maybe it was because my gynae was leaving the day after eh? We had to wait till about 4pm for the person before me to be done at the CTG. By then, after inserting the pill (Prostaglandin) and checking, i was already 2cm dilated. Like everyone says, that the 2nd time labour will be much faster, my gynae expected me to come back in around midnight or earlier. (after 11pm would be ideal so that the hospital charges us for the next day fees instead).
So we took a bus back to my mil's place for dinner. Eliza was to stay there for the night which at some point she found it quite fun. When we told her that Emily's going to come out soon, she laughed. yeap...laughed. I couldn't quite decipher whether she was happy that finally Emily is coming or that she can't make out what to expect, that's why she laughed. Anyway we went back home to pick up more things Eliza needs. I bathed and packed my bag. I wanted to eat curry puffs and we eventually took bus 518 and headed to Orchard for curry puff from Old Chang Kee. Oh...and to satisfy my other craving, i finally managed to drink my fav Mos coffee shake. Actually on the way there in the bus, i was feeling the contractions. They were bearable and probably about 10min apart. This time round i really felt the contractions. During my 1st delivery, I think i didn't really feel the contractions till my gynae broke the waterbag.
Anyway, we arrived at Orchard, found Old Chang Kees and I ate to my satisfaction. By the time we were at Mos burger drinking the coffee shake, I felt that the ache from the contractions and wanted to go off to TMC. I don't want to be stranded in Orchard with painful ones! At least we'll be at the hospital when it really hurts. By the time we arrived at TMC, it was only 9+pm. So we waited at the lobby....till hopefully 1030pm or later. By 1030pm i wanted to check in already...we waited at the admissions but the person in front of us took so long. Fortunately, a staff came by, asked a few questions and sent me to the delivery ward to get ready while Ww does the admissions.
At the delivery ward, I was sent to go change and strapped at the CTG to monitor baby's heartbeat and the contractions. The nurse came by and asked a lot of questions, which was asked again by another nurse. Meanwhile, for what seemed like a long time, I was just lying there and watching the CTG machine waiting for someone to come by and tell me what else to do. By the time the nurse sent me to clear my bowels, the contractions were stronger, so i had to do those breathing exercises to kind of take my mind off the pain and relief it.
By about 1215am, Dr Tan came by to check how i was. By then i was 4 cm dilated. He also broke the water bag to get the process going faster. He said that i was in active labour so should be ready about a few hours or less. Meanwhile, Ww was still doing the admissions (it took so long cos he was sent to the family room and no one called him for a long time). Ww finally came at 1230+am (i think), while we chatted, I had to stop talking and do the breathing exercises cos the contractions were really getting much more intense. It came to a point when i had to ask him to call the mid-wife and he still asked me for what matter. I think at that point the contractions were getting much more intense and I probably did feel a bit like pushing. So when the mid-wife came and did the VE, i was 6cm dilated and they finally did send me to the delivery ward. (the last time i remembered we were already at the delivery ward for quite a while).
Gosh...on the way there, even though it was short, the pain was getting worse. Somehow, i dunno why i didn't consider epidural then. Anyway, the mid-wife asked me if i wanted to use the laughing gas, and she said to keep breathing in and out...it's how it works. Basically, the gas makes you feel soooo drowsy that it takes your mind off the pain. Then again, it would say it makes one feel delirious, to the extent that i don't really know what is going on. Not that i bothered at that time...i just needed to tolerate the pain. And what seemed like moments and no pushing at all, baby Emily was out. Ww said she kinda slipped out (cos she's so small!) Later on Ww told me that the mid-wife had to hold baby's head till Dr.Tan came to receive the baby. Somehow i vaguely remembered someone say not to push yet or something...then again, i can't remember if i had pushed or not. See....delirious.
It was a great relief to hear Emily's cry and to be out of that delirious state and out of the pain. Interestingly, I didn't have the medications like the drip or any other medication like the last time round. No episiotomy either but there was a slight tear and so I still had 1 stitch. Thankfully, this time round the recovery is so much better and less painful. Except...I felt the stitching. *shivers* Probably not as bad as the labour pains, but a different pain. (I did wonder at some point if there will be any pain relief if i had to have an episiotomy, there is anyway which i later found out) After all i wasn't on any pain relief so generally i felt everything.
Stats:
Emily's weight - 2.755kg, measuring 49cm long and 33cm head circumference
compared toEliza's weight - 3.205kg, measuring 50cm long and 33cm head circumference
Thank God for Emily, for a smooth delivery and it IS possible to do without epidural.
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