My final phase of labour

2am: Checked in St Helier's Labour Ward. I was 2cm dilated. Midwife advised us to get some rest as the next check will be at 6am.

6am: The morning shift midwives arrived- Lorraine and Amanda. My contractions are now more regular, I was 4cm dilated. The midwives had to strap me in with the fetal monitor but the reading was unstable as I moved a lot.

9am: The consultants came to visit and advised to put a proper hearbeat monitor clipped on baby's head for better monitoring. At this stage I started to use my gas&air.

From then onwards, I did not remember what time it was or who came by. All I can recollect was being very high on my gas&air and how I squeezed Hubby's hand every time a contractyion came. I also remembered Hubby giving me sips of water and lucozade in between contractions.

I remembered asking permission to have something to eat since I haven't had breakfast, but got refused just in case I needed a C-section (which made me more determined to tahan the pain). I also remembered getting into upright positions which helped ease my back pain and I kept remembering Haidan's face to ease the contraction pains.

11am: Consultant came in to check on me and I was already 6cm dilated. My water broke. Consultant found that my waters contained meconium.

12pm: I feel very strong urges to push but I wasn't fully dilated. I was begging them why am I not allowed to push but Hubby told me to just take in deep breaths. I think I did make loud noises and probably swore a bit - not sure coz too high on gas&air.

12.30pm: I was getting really irritated to push baby out. The consultant came in and gave the midwives a go ahead to proceed. Hubby saw baby's head crowning and I remembered pressing down and pushing as much as I can. I was so determined not to let the baby get stuck (and lead to distress and lead to forceps or emergency c-sect), that I just pushed without even waiting for the contractions.

12.53pm: Baby Hairee was born!



From then on, I was totally numbed out and high and could barely remember the placenta being out and had stitches coz I did tear. But it didn't matter coz I did it - I finally get to give birth naturally!!! I got my VBAC wish!!!

And Alhamdulillah, baby Hairee was given the all clear after his meconium scare and I could hear his sweet cries as I cuddled him. Baby Hairee Alief Hasli was born at 2.76kg, 50cm on 30.03.11 at 12.53pm at St Heliers Hospital, Sutton.

My first phase of labour

7am: Started to feel the early mild contractions. Felt like period cramps. Timed it - it lasts 35-40s and is 5-10minutes apart. Coping with breathing. Had a 'show'.

9am: Had breakfast and said goodbye to Haidan as he was whisked off to nursery by Atuk & Nenek. Gave him the longest morning cuddle, just in case I won't get to see him later :(

12pm: After a short nap, had a shower and had Mee Bandung with root-beer float for lunch. Can still feel the mild contractions but not as consistent as this morning. Could it be false alarm? Still have my 'show', so am wearing a pad now.

2pm: Off to St Heliers for my consultant appointment for a membrane sweep. The consultant decided to NOT give me a sweep since I am progressing (yeayyy!!!).

7pm: Contractions seems to be more regular during dinner time, each lasting 40s every 5-10 minutes. So I scoffed down as much A&W root beer float as I can just in case, eheh...

12am: Contractions still 40s every 5-10 minutes but intensity is getting stronger. Managed to watch the whole episode of CSI with Hubby before Hubby called in the hospital to say we're coming.

My hope for a VBAC

My official due date was yesterday, 25th March 2011.

Unfortunately, baby was too comfortable to even give me the slightest sign that it's ready to come out. Unlike with Haidan, who came 2 weeks early I am quite surprised I'm still pregnant.... (especially when I have announced to every person I know that most likely baby is coming earlier than my due date!).

Hubby and I went to see the Consultant at St Heliers yesterday for a check-up. I was quite disappointed that Dr Croucher was not free and a junior doctor, Dr Anne saw me instead. She said baby is in perfect position and baby's heart rate is active and good. She also did an internal examination, giving me a slight sweep which released my 'show'.

Dr Anne is quite confident that labour should commence within the next couple of days, but if it hasn't then I'm due to come back on Tues 29th for another internal sweep. If all else fail, I have a C-section booked for Tues 5 April 2011 - (41w + 4d).

On one hand, I'm getting quite fed-up being pregnant as it is getting more difficult to rest and sleep. My backache is getting worst and I'm irritated with my sudden stuffy nose. I'm also worried that the longer the baby arrives, the less time I have with Papa & Mummy helping me out.

But on the other hand, pushing my C-sect date to 10 days could give me the chance to experience the natural birth I have always wanted. The chance to give birth the way nature intends to without medical intervention and hopefully letting my body recover naturally. I am really praying that my wish for a successful VBAC will come true. I have done more research now on VBACs and am ready mentally (and hopefully physically) to face natural birth with minimum intervention. I plan to just use gas and air at the very end of labour (>7cm). My hope is that I can dilate and progress OK within the next 10 days to avoid having another miserable C-sect experience.

Sigh... come on baby, let's work together now OK.... Mama so can't wait to see you sayang.

Can we fix it? Yes, we can!!!!

Haidan, the mat-kepoh-chi, insisted to help his Atuk out with the DIYs using his Thomas screw driver.

Time is near and help is here....

Papa and Mummy arrived yesterday, Alhamdulillah. Haidan was so excited his Atuk and Nenek is around, it was a struggle trying to put him to bed last night!

To be honest, I'm so relieved that they are around coz it makes staying home juggling a cheeky toddler while carrying a huge bump a lot easier.

I have 5 days to go to due date and am already feeling the slight twitches of contractions a.k.a Braxton-Hicks and sleeping has proven to be really uncomfy. I get cramps and feel so kebas on my leg and hips every night and my back aches every morning I wake up from bed.

I really hope that I get to give birth naturally this time around coz I want to at least experience it. I know it will take a lot of pain bearing, but I'm willing to give it a go without epidural this time. Hopefully just with gas and air. I am watching One Born Every Minute religiously to get myself mentally and physically prepared for labour.

Insyallah I pray all will go well.... amin.

ooooohhhhh.... me like this

As an incentive to 1 of my 5 2011 resolutions, this little gadget here has caught my eye. It would be perfect to materialise my Projek-Celik-IT goal wherever I go:



The Ipad 2 with 3G

Me like....

Me want....

Me need....

Project Bathroom Completed!

Since the last update, my bathroom project has progressed in full steam! Here are the updates...

Main wall tiling continued:


Mosaic tiling completed:


Heater installed and tested:


Shower wall tiling:


Power shower installed:


Laminate flooring completed, new sink and WC installed:


Shower screen glass installed:


And finally, adding the finishing touches... I present to you our new guest bathroom a.k.a family shower room:



Hip Hip Hooorrrraaaaaayyyyyyy!!!! (Clap Clap Clap)

Happy Birthday Papa

Happy times

Was going through some old photos and can't help not posting these pics - we took it when Sutton was hit by heavy snow on the second week of Dec 2010.




It was such a fun day playing in the snow as a family, siap dengan gayung semua (hehehe Melayu tak???)

I remembered Haidan was so excited and loved the snow so much, his fingers were all numb from the cold coz he didn't want to stop playing.

Sigh.... not sure we'll ever see such heavy snow again. Happy times.....

You know It's not too long now...

.... when it's a struggle wearing socks in the morning to rush to work!

OMG, time passes so fast. I'm gonna be 38 weeks this Friday - which means baby can come anytime now!

Yes I do feel a lot heavier and definitely more restricted when I move about. Though to be honest, I think I did quite OK with my weight gain this time around as compared with when I was carrying Haidan.

Firstly, I am all bump. Yup, my tummy seems to extend forward as the weeks go by... as compared to being 'wide' sideways when I carried Haidan.

Secondly, my weight gain is steady. I started of at 62kg and now I'm 70kg after 9 months.... as compared to baloon-ing from 54kg to 74kg when I carried Haidan.

Thirdly, I have virtually no stretchmarks on my tummy.... as compared to horrible red 'kena-cakar harimau' all over my tummy, hips and arms when I carried Haidan.

Hmmmm.... maybe I didn't eat as much as before and obviously Haidan kept me on my toes most of the time. Of course i'm grateful that this preganancy is going well, Insyallah.... but I'm also sad because I'm really gonna miss being pregnant.

I told Hubby that most likely we'll stop at 2 kids given the financial & support limitations we have in the UK. So, it will be sad when the time will come for me to pack-up all my maternity stuff. I did regret not taking more pictures this time around though.

Project Bathroom Update

My bathroom suite from Bathstore has arrived (hoorrraaayyyyy!!! clap! clap! clap!). Kesian gak lah the delivery men had to go up 2 flight of stairs to carry everything up to Mama's room. The shower screen itself was 60kg hokkayy... Hubby and I checked the orders and all complete! Well done, Bathstore - we were very happy with the service overall :)
The same week, Steve, our electrician came over to wire the new supply for the electric shower. We then found out that our house's wiring was a mess and posed a fire hazard waiting to happen. So, we ended up re-wiring the whole house! Anyways, it's all sorted now and I'm happy - at least i know the house is now safe.

On 21st Feb 2011, Natig officially started our bathroom construction work. After 1 week, this has been the progress so far:

Before:


Wall tiles removed:


Bath-tub & sink removed and piping work started:


Cabling and water supply for electric shower fitted:


Wall re-plastered & base for shower tray fitted:


WC removed, shower tray fitted and tiling work has started:


Progress is so far so good. We're half way there :)