So I really didn't manage to keep up with blogging during the pregnancy and the new Little Song has already arrived. So I shall try now to keep up with updates on the Little Songs.
So here is my birth story.. warning.. I am a doctor.. so it can be pretty detailed!!!
I must admit I was slightly apprehensive in the weeks leading up to Baby T's birth. Somehow, having gone through it once before made me think of 'what could go wrong'. Surprisingly I wasn't really thinking about the pain in labour.. but all the complications that could happen. Yes, welcome to the mind of a doctor.
So I worked up till almost week 37. Huffing and puffing along. I hated having to order radiology tests for patients as the radiology department is all the way on the other side of the hospital from the psych ward.. so I would have to waddle at a snail's pace all the way from one end and back. I got flowers and gifts on the last day. Was really nice. I like 6 month rotations as opposed to 3 month ones as you feel more belonged.
So then the waiting game began... week 37... no news.. week 38... nup... week 39... *twiddling thumbs*... I had a few occasions where I would start contracting.. even once where I was contracting 3-minutely.. but the contractions never intensified or became more frequent.. I even gave up timing them after 2 episodes.. and of course the groin pain worsened.. couldn't turn in bed at night.. kept having to wake up to pee.. I think my record was 5 times in one night... had to go at least every couple of hours. :/
I actually made it to my 40 week appointment this time! I was actually 40+1 at that appointment. Contrary to many people saying that subsequent babies are normally early, F actually told me that in practice, most of her friends, and her included went later with the 2nd bub. So much for getting my hopes up. So at that appointment, Dr T asked what I wanted to do... by that appointment... somehow all the paranoia had subsided and I had pretty much decided what I wanted to do. Haha... it was like.. induce me PLEASE!!! I think one factor was that Dr T does not do inductions like how we do them where I work.. he uses what he calls a gentler method... that involves a hormonal gel in the morning.. the waiting to see what happens... before actually using oxytocin through the drip straight away... plus he told me at the 39 week appointment that all seemed well enough to go ahead if I wanted to.. so we managed to get an induction slot for the next day! Dr T asked if that was too soon for me... and I was like.. definitely not!
So the next morning.. at 40+2 weeks, the hubs and I trundled to the hospital at 6:30am.. ok fine.. we were late... I somehow set my alarm to 6:30am instead of 5:30am.. then I had to shower and wash my hair... wake the hubs up.. have the breakfast that mum insisted we eat (big mistake!)... got the paperwork done when we got there and went up to the labour ward... had a chance to have a good look around this time since I was well in labour when I was there with Nat and in complete agony so all I wanted was a bed to lie down in...
Got ourselves settled into the room.. had a CTG done.. then Dr T showed up... inserted the gel... and the wait began.. wasn't too long to wait.. initially the midwife said the pains I was experiencing were from the gel... but they were becoming worse.. the initial plan was for Dr T to come back at lunch time to break my waters.. to speed things up... so I decided to use the hot shower.. since I'd abandoned the wheat/lavender bag at home... and the pain just got worse.. I was literally cooking myself with the hot water... it actually felt quite good.. at about 9am I asked if I could have an epidural NOW.. Dr T had told me I could ask for an epidural at anytime I wanted... even before he came back to do an ARM... but the midwife offered panadeine!... good grief... but she went out and checked and came back and told me I could have the epidural if I wanted.. then she felt my belly and said.. hmm.. those are good contractions.. hur! I could have told you that ages ago!!!
So they get the anaesthetist on call.. somehow I managed to sit up through getting a drip put in and the epidural put in while seated.. I refused to sit up with Nat... was a lot happier with this epidural... it actually took most of the contraction pain away... only felt the pain in my right rib and my pubic bone.. strangely enough.. but at least I wasn't screaming the house down once the epidural kicked in. :P
So midway through the epidural.. another midwife appears and goes.. hmmm.. maybe you are quite close from the way you are sounding... so they check again... 9cm...almost 10.. but my waters have not broken and the head needs to descend a little more... well.. at least I am not in agony anymore at this point!
After this things become a little blurry... the midwife goes.. oh I better go inform your doctor... then after a while she looks at the CTG and says my contractions seem to be regular but short.. and I am thinking... NOOOOOO... I don't want the oxytocin drip!!!... but they pick up... checked again and she told me I could start pushing (now I really wish I attended a refresher antenatal class cos I couldn't really remember all this stuff from Nat!)... so Dr T arrives... decides to break the bulging amniotic sac that causes a minor flood... Also had to have ANOTHER episiotomy.. and well... the epidural.. while it takes away the contraction pain.. it sure does not take away the pain down under when the baby's head is pressing on the perineal floor!! But anyways.. after the cut... Dr T delivered Baby T's head. The midwife had asked me earlier if I wanted to touch his head as it was emerging and I was like all.. oh no!!
And so we welcomed Baby T (yes, we used the obstetrician's name) on 28/11/12 at 11:54am. (: Baby T weighed a whooping 4175g. Seems that the Songs are all big babies. Oh wells. Dr T joked that it was so quick that he was meant to come back to do an ARM... and the midwives said.. technically you did do an ARM! And delivered the baby at the same time. (:
