Overdue Pregnancy 40 weeks + 3 days

Yup, still pregnant. Supposed to have lecture in the morning and meeting in the afternoon ( ya, I can still still be this busy), but the another lecturer is kind enough to take over the briefing as he is worried that I will be overtired. The meeting is cancelled too as other member can't make it due to personnal reason and clash with another more important meeting.

Today I still need to go through the routine urine test, weight and BP check. Urine test, as usual is normal, BP wise, increased a bit to 110/69mmHg. Weight wise, increases by 0.5kg to 77kg, but I doubt this reading as I can't really stand well on the weighing scale without my tummy touching the display screen. I try many times and the reading fluctuate between 76.5 to 77kg.

This is the only time I feel anxious for a gynae appointment. Is the cervix opened yet? Will I be asked to admitted rightaway? Is the baby still doing ok?

Anyway, ultrasound and CTG is done, baby is doing fine, amniotic fluid is still adequate. Baby is engaged now and I am glad that the cervix is opened by 1 cm ( Finally!). My gynae ask if I would like to be induced the labour by next Monday or Wednesday, I pick Monday simply because it worth more for my husband paternity leave :). But both gynae and I do hope that I will be labour anytime before that without having to be induced. Praying hard, praying hard...

I am on MC starting tomorrow and then maternity leave next week no matter what. :)

Overdue Pregnancy 40 weeks + 2 days

I am still pregnant till now. Unlike the previous weeks, I felt more tired and getting more sleepy during the days. I do feel some light contractions, or should I just call it as Braxton Hicks. However these contractions are not strong, it come and go so I doubt I will in labour anytime soon.

I am anxious. I do, even feel a bit disheartened. The waiting game is making me feeling like the day is getting longer and longer. I drag to go to work as I expect I am at home around this time and its seem pointless to start anything at work. So i just the clock goes by doing some readings and minimum routine daily work at office.

My mood is getting low. One of the thing that can help distracting me is blogging, shopping and shopping. I do hope to get holidays to go to catch a movie or even two, but I don't feel safe to drive alone now. My sis and husband can't really take leave and my mother in law is not a suitable company for movie or shopping. I am also getting more worried, as the later the baby is out, the more time I will be doing confinement alone as my mother in law will be away at 3rd week of April. Hence my mother in law could only be with me for around 2 weeks for confinement only. From my first experience, I was not quite settled until after I finished confinement.

I am counting baby movements every day. In one hour time I can already feel 10 movements already which I record between 8.30am to 9.30 am. I don't need to record further movements but it give me reassurance that my baby is still doing ok inside my womb.

Today as I read "Our daily bread", I learn that I should just let HIM rule.

Hopefully my cervix is already opened tomorrow during the gynae appointment and baby is ready to be out.

Guide to self making hooded nursing cover

This is consider the supplementary instructions to the original intruction provider mama monster From my experience, it took me a while to understand the instructions until I draw out to visualise it. Hence I think the pictures drawn out below will help especially for the amateurs. This is also for my records so that I can remember how to make it again.

The ingredient required is
1 yard (~ 1 meter) of fabric,
16 inch of boning,
2 metal D rings,
thread and fabric marker.

For the fabric, the shop where I made the purchase has fabric width as long as 45", if to save money, may even ask for 3/4 meter only as we only need 26". Of course, this depends on the pattern of the fabric so that you can judge the orientations to cut the fabric accordingly. Here are the stepd for making the nursing cover.

Pregnancy at 39 weeks

Frankly I hope I am at home with a newborn by now. However, I am still not in labour yet. If follow the first delivery timing, I should be in labour room by now.

Anyway, this time my record 76.5kg. I gain 1kg in 1 week time! I think it must be the food and cakes I wallap when I attend the seminar last week. My most hated urine test is even getting harder to be performed. Normal test still. This time, my gynae examine my tummy and found baby is a bit lower this time, so at least the baby is dropping. I seem to feel some stiffening and painless contraction so my gynae check the cervix opening. "Very close still" she said, to my disappointment. My cervix is just so stubborn to thin or ripe, urgh! As I am very near to my due date, CTG is performed to listen my baby heart beat to ensure that I can still carry well beyond due date ( though I hope not). After spending 20 mins, I am glad that the fetal heart monitoring remains normal.

Then we discuss the possibility of labour induction. According my my gynae, I can still stay pregnant till 10 days past due date, meaning labour should be induced if I have not delivered before 8th April. During this time, I should monitor baby movement to ensure there are 10 counts within 12 hours.

Now I am thinking of other conventional ways for stimulating the labour which I found from babycentre: nipple stimulation and "husband help". I probably should walk more like I did last time by frequent shopping. Finger cross, I pray that I will be in labour within this week...please...

Self made Nursing Cover

During the Chinese New Year season, I visited a friend. She was also breastfeeding her son for 5 months plus then. One interesting things she showed was the hooded nursing cover which she asked her neighbour to make for her. She was kind enough to pass me the extra boning that she had and the website which gave a tutorials on how to make one ourselves.

Being amateur in tailoring, I could hardly understand the instructions until I draw it out accordingly to visualise. As I went to SS2 to have my hair cut, I dropped by one of the shop to get a fabric. I looked for 100% cotton as I thought it should be cooling. Hence the shop keeper recommeded me Japanese cotton as it was better quality. As much as I wanted to have cute pattern, the price really put me off, about RM39/meter! If that's the case, I better got one from here. Since this was just a try out, I got a man shirt like pattern japanese cotton at sale price of RM15/meter.

Then my next move was to look for someone who got sewing machine to sew for me. I thought my babysitter got one but hers couldn't make a straight line hence I resort to a tailor shop. I cut the fabric accordingly ( with extra 6" from the recommended length and width) so that it would be easier for me to explain to the tailor. So on saturday afternoon, I brought the fabric and the boning and the instruction print out to the tailor shop. I even drawed the line to show the connection point. After waited for her to entertain other customer for 1/2 hour, finally I got the chance to talk to her. However, while I was halfway showing her, suddenly she raised her voice " you are wasting my time you know, unless you pay us RM20, otherwise you get your friend to make it for you..." She kept emphasize and repeat "waste our time", "RM20". I really got upset and even got the urge to cry. I hold back and decided I shouldn't be mistreated like this. So I just bought the D-ring and asked her to machine sew the 2 straps and left the shop. But I won't come to this shop anymore.

Instead of looking for people to help, I decided to hand-sew it. My mother and auntie were tailors and I basically grew up in a tailor institute. Ya, I did have some regret for not picking up the skill while having the chance but no time keep regreting. Anyway, after spending 2 days plus burning midnight oil, I finally complete making my very first nursing cover!
Here is my pride:

Here is the supposed view if I wear the nursing cover. The boning form the hood which allow me to see my baby and let the baby see me while nursing. :)

Will try to put up the picture for better illustrations on making the nursing cover if got time.

HE Birth Story Part 3

The Pethidine was really making me drowsy and sleepy. I remembered my vision was a bit blur and I was weak, probably the contraction pain plus the pethidine. A staff nurse came to do the routine fetal stress test again. Each session lasted around 20 mins I think. However, I couldn't really stayed in one position, I had to turned left, then right when contraction pain started. When the nurse came, she found the test result was abnormal suggesting that the fetal could be in distress now, so she wanted to run the test again to confirm.
However, this time I felt that there was a strong force pushing downwards. I told the nurse ( I tried to recall the malay words that I used to describe but I really couldn't remember). Then she called in a few more nurses, one of the experienced nurse touched my tummy and asked me if something was pushing down. I said yes. Then she checked the cervix opening, it was 2.5cm wide (in my mind: huh!, after such long hours of suffering). All of sudden, everything was happening in a rush ( I think, it was not because of the opening but the pushing force). The nurse quickly put me on a wheel chair, and wheeled me to the lift. On the way, they kept telling " don't push...don't push..." and I kept saying " I don't want to but its pushing, its pushing!". The 'arguement' continued till I was put on the bed in labour room. They checked the cervix opening again, I remembered the nurse said 4 cm. I really hold on the voluntary pushing, the involunatary force really pushed strongly.

Finally my gynae came, she checked the opening and counting " 5, 6, 7,8,9, ok!" I was put in semi sitting position with my thigh lifted up. "Push!" I could feel the contraction force coming, I took a deep breath and push......while exhaling. After 2-3 attempts, baby head should be crowned but not out yet. My gynae put in a urine catheter and empty the bladder and asked me to push without hesitation ( as I probably was holding back due to some bowel movement too :P). So I pushed 2 more times, finally the head was out, another push! then I could feel the baby slipped out and being put on my tummy. I was so happy! and even tried to calm the crying baby. My hubby then was passed the scissor to cut the umbilical cord. Then I had to push another time to let the placenta out with little effort. Then the nurse took the baby and showed the private part to me and asked " what baby is this?" "girl" I answered. ( This reminded me a joke which in some cases, the mother may answer, baby cina, malay or indian, ha!)

After the cleaning and weighing ( HE birth weight was 2.91kg), baby was put into my arm again. I could see this little girl was already curious withe outside world, her eyes was opened and looking here and there. I put her to my breast and the breastfeeding journey began...

First (3rd) movie out with HE

As I wish, today I manage to go Motherhood expo at Midvalley, with my colleague. Nothing much to buy though there were many value buy there. I got myself Carriwell seamless bra and emroidery print for T-shirt for HE. Then I head for the afternoon seminar. Great lectures! Bravo to the organizer for getting such dynamic and humorous lecturer.

As the seminar end at 6pm, I have planned to watch 'Alice in the Wonderland' at 7pm through internet booking. This is the first time hubby and I bring HE along to watch movie after she is beyond 6 months old. We have brought her to movie when she is around 2 months plus and another time, I think around 4 months plus. At that time, I dare to bring her out as I could keep her quiet inside the sling by breastfeeding her. She could sleep through at least half of the movie time. However, this time it is considered to be her first movie with mommy and daddy as she is old enough to watch and probably appreciate movie. :)

Initially I expect her to be quite noisy ( one the reason that I dare not bring her for movie till now). She does though, shouting " Cat!", "Rabbit!", " what is that?", "why the light is off?" during the initial period. Later she manage to sit still and watch the movie through, and enjoy the popcorns and mineral water. :)

I think I can plan more movie day out with HE in the future.

Pregnancy 38 weeks

Another week has gone, and I haven't delivered yet. I do hope that I get to attend the motherhood expo this Friday and the seminar this weekend. My gynae also will only be around during weekday, otherwise another gynae will attend to me should I deliver.

My weight today recorded 75.5kg, 0.5kg less compared to last week. According to the doctor, it meant that I will be delivering soon. Hope that will happen 4-5 days later. Although I seemed to have lost some weight, the expected baby weight increased to 3kg.

However, the nearer it is to my due date, the more work I seem to get. Just today, I have meeting the whole morning, then student teaching the whole afternoon. Then I receive a letter today to attend another meeting tomorrow afternoon. I have tried to pass over all the tasks to my colleague but some still need my presence and follow up.

Lets hope everything goes smoothly and well. I pray that the delivery will be much easier and less pain this time. No jaundice in baby anymore please.

HE birth story part 2

My gynae came to check on me. still 0cm opening. As I had stated that I wished for no IV access, hence she put in the pitocin into my vagina. So far the fluid was still clear hence we still can wait. After that, I did feel a little bit contraction and discomfort but not quite pain yet. I lied on that bed, bored, flipping the same magazine over and over again. 2pm, my gynae came again. Still 0 cm! The cervix was so stubborn! Second pitocin was inserted again. Fluid remained clear (phew, otherwise I had to go for C-sec).

However, everything remained the same when my gynae came 2 hours later. Hence, my gynae tried something different, half tab of another drug was inserted. I was advised to take a jab of antibiotic, Augmentin as my water broke for around 12 hours since then, without this prophylaxis, the baby would likely to be kept hospitalized after delivery due to risk for infection. At the end, I had no choice but had a branula attached anyway.

The drug was indeed a strong one. Within half an hour, I came to know what was labour pain! I hardly have mentrual cramp, but this was the worst mentrual cramp alike pain that I had ever experienced. I could feel the muscle at the pelvic area being pulled to the side! Pain! I couldn't and refused to take dinner. When my mother in law came, she scolded my hubby for not feeding me ( poor him :)) Then she asked me to breath in and breath out whenever the pain came but don't shout. It did help! Thank God that the contraction pain was in a all or none pattern. When the pain came, I would breath in and out steadily. When the pain was gone ( for 1 minute or 2 only though), my mother in law would feed me some rice with soup. Thinking back, I had to be thankful to her cuz the food would give me energy to push later.

Around 6pm, gynae came to check on me again. This time there were some cervix opening (finally!). i thought such great pain would merit a great opening, however, it was merely 1.5cm ( what?!). She offered pain relief and I agreed to take IM pethidine as the contractions was really painful and I couldn't tell how much longer I could bear it on my own. However, what other experienced mothers said were true, pethedine couldn't really help, instead it made you feel drowsy. However it also made me slept through, that somehow helped me to bear pain while having some sort of rest.

Pregnancy 37 week

My legs were not swollen throughout the last pregnancy unless I had walked alot and stood for too long.
However, this time roound, my legs already look swollen even during second trimester, and it got worse just 2 days before reaching 37 weeks. Sometimes I can even feel some mild pain. After 2 days of swelling, it has subsided as I check just now.
Anyway, my gynae follow up become once a week now. My gynae doctor couldn't get a clear view of my baby face shape as the baby is facing my spine. Hence the scan picture are mainly tummy ( I think). So far my BP are ok and urine test is normal too. Today my weight record is 76kg! (Hopefully it increase slowly and won't reach 80kg at time of delivery). Estimated baby weight is 2.7kg.But Dr says the actual weight can be higher. I do hope so as bigger baby is easier to be taken care, but provided the delivery can be easier.

HE and bread story

HE likes to eat bread with strawberry jam and she will insist to spread the jam on the bread herself, and top with another piece of bread.

One night, she asked again to have bread with strawberry jam. Knowing that she won't be able to finish 2 pieces of bread, I asked her to settle with one bread alone by folding it to half. As expected, she insisted and I asked her to promise to finish all. She nodded. Not surprisingly, after a few bites, she didn't want already. I got angry and scolded her.

Me:" I told you already, you won't be able to finish!"
( He still looked at me innocently with her cheeky smile)
Me:" Ok, give it to me, and from now on, no more strawberry jam!"
( She cried then...If I remembered correctly) and I put back the jam bottle into te fridge, not allowing her to open by putting my hand on the fridge door to resist her opening.
Me: " You quickly finish this bread. I am angry already!"
( I separated the bread, fold it and pass back to her. She took though.) Then I just left her to finish off hanging clothes.

After sometimes, I realized the bread was no more in her hands, suspiciously I checked with my hubby if he helped to finish or not. Hey, she did finish all!

However, from then on, whenever I said I was angry with her or scold her, then she would say
:" Mommy angry En didn't finish. strawberry. no more strawberry..." regardless the cause that I scolded her for. I tried to correct her it was another matter, but she would repeat the same sentense again, with innocent expression and cheeky smile. sigh....

HE was afraid of door opening

Whenever HE hears the front door is being opened, she would quickly jump into my arms and said " pa..pa..." ( in pronuciation, it means scared.) Although I tell her that its daddy coming back.

Just now
HE :" Daddy is not coming back, is it?" ( Hubby is away in Japan)
Me :" No.. he is... do you want him to be back?" HE nodded.
HE:" Last time I was afraid when door was opened..." ( I am surprised that she know how to use'last time')
ME :" How about now? are you still afraid?"
HE:" No more...as 'choo' is no more?"
ME:" choo? who/what is choo?"
HE:" uncle..."
ME:"where, auntie's house?" ( bad thought creep up in my mind, but she turned her head.)
HE:" There...but no more now already."
Me:"..." ( hm..anyway no more, will ask her again when she is bigger then)

HE birth story part 1

Its getting near and near to my EDD for this second baby.
I remembered I was crazily going shopping everyday 1week before my EDD for HE. The EDD was supposed to be 7th May, so few days before that, I had many public holidays from Saturday till Wednesday.

One day before the delivery, I managed to catch the latest movie of Spiderman 3 and shopped at One utama till 9pm. I didn't need to get up to pee during midnight when I was having HE. However, on that very night, around 4 am, I needed to get up with urination urge, then I felt a gush of water between the leg! Quickly I went into bathroom, and the pinkish fluid just flow, not containable with pad at all. As what I read from book, I was supposed to wait till there was contraction and frequent enough before going to hospital. Hubby and me waited for the timing, but I could hardly felt and sense any contraction at the tummy. I took a bath ( while still could before being prohibited after delivery). Around 6 am, I decided to sms my gynae and asked her if I should go to hospital despite no contraction. Unexpectedly, rightaway I received her reply and asked me to go to hospital at once!

While at the PAC, a male doctor came to attend to me. Though feeling really shy to have male other than my hubby to assess that part, what to do. " 0 cm" he said " you didn't pass motion before coming is it?" he sounded scolding rather than just asking( In my mind, I thought that doesn't matter anymore?"), plus emotionless despite a new life was coming! Another MA who was also going to be my massage lady during confinement also came to see me too, she touched my tummy and said " hm...will come out very soon?" ( Was she trained for that?). After doing the fetal heart test, I was asked to do urine test and weight again ( 70kg if not more, couldn't remember exactly, but for sure touching 70kg).

As there was no opening yet, I was admitted to ward first. It was around 7 plus am. One thing I missed packing into mama bag was reading material, I was so bored in the ward and got nothing to do, there was nothing much good TV programme to watch at such early morning also. No wonder patient got depressed more as they stayed longer in ward, it felt like purposeless. There was no contraction felt still till 10 am.

HE Persuasion Power

Are children born naturally with good persuasion power or they learn from adults? They can just get adult to do what they wish with their starry eye and innocent face.

One day, as I was at the computer, HE approach me
HE:" Mommy, I watch "aircon" , ok?" ( aircon refer to a VCD that teach the items in a house)
He :" Mommy, once only, only once...ok?"
(the best part is, she tilted her head, with smiley face, sweet voice, and......with her hand rubbing my back gently, it really melted my heart.)
She got what she wanted eventually. But I was amazed how she learned the body language. Children, they learn real fast, sometimes I felt its hard for me to catch up. Before I managed to finish reading the chapter of the book, they were already leap beyond that.

Peer Rivalry

Today I received 2 missed calls from the school teacher. I called back but engaged. Wonder what happen, then my babysitter mentioned to me that HE was biten by another girl in school. Oh no! Although I understood that this situation was not uncommon in preschool, I felt sorry for my daughter.

When I picked her up, she showed the bite mark on her right arm.
Me: " Who bite you?"
HE: " J*****?"
Me: "Did you cry?", HE nod her head
Me:" Did you hit J*****?" HE nod her head!
I asked again to check the chronology of the event, but I couldn't get clear answer ( expected also)

Then the teacher told me what was the situation though none of them really witness the incident. But the teacher suspected that it could be a change in behaviour of that little girl as her mother was expecting too.

I was glad that HE appeared to be happy, talkative girl still. However, what worry me was that she kept quiet after she was biten. At this age, she was still not good in hiding her sad face, which prompt the auntie to find out what happen, but she still refused to tell until another teacher asked her. I am concerned that my girl seems to be a reserved person, I have to make sure I am close to her so that she is willing to share and keep communication open. I have to remind myself constantly that one day she may shut communication off if hubby or I am not careful in keeping the bonding.

HE negotiating power

Hubby was packing for his trip to Hokkaido ( which I really wish I could go :( ). As he brought the red hand carry bag with wheel, rightaway HE wanted to take it.

HE :" HE's one" ( with her hands tapping on her chest)
Me :" No, its daddy's one."
HE : "HE's one"
Me : "Daddy's one"
HE : " Daddy bought for HE's one, right?" ( with her innocent look and smiley face)
Me : " Daddy's one, for him"
HE : " Daddy carry for HE to pull, right?"
Me : " ...."
HE : " Daddy carry and HE pull, ok?"

She still thought that's her. Hope she would know how to share things with her little siblings later.