The Labour Story.. My Princess's Story
So I had finally delivered my precious princess. Alhamdulillah. It went as smooth and special as I had wanted.
Date: 14 April 2015
Time: 5.22 am
Venue: SJMC Subang Jaya
Weight: 3.37 kg
Method: Unassisted normal birth
I started to feel things were feeling a bit different since Sunday night, 38 weeks and 7 days. Prior to that, I had always wanted to have a Ramadhan run, but kept on failing at it since the weeks before. It was already at the tail end of Ramadhan, and the moment that I think I could (and since hubs was out too), the tummy was feeling different. So I scraped off the run, and did some cleaning and sanitizing instead. Used dettol to clean up the bath tub, the playpen, the drawer, those that will come in constant contact with baby later.
The next day, Monday, exactly 39 weeks, the braxton hicks started to feel a little different as well. It started to feel more than just tummy cramps, but with the association of back pain now. It was not that painful, but enough to put you unease. I had to hide it from my colleagues, for fear of unnecessary scare, when I know, with that kind of pain, it can even take 2 or more days. I did tell a few friends before the day ended, and some had predicted that I would deliver the day after. What's wrong with that? Well, I wanted to be able to settle off raya first before actually deliver, so the kids won't be left out from the Raya fun. I wanted to finish off some pending works, so I won't have to ask other people to carry on. I wanted to make sure that my kids will be well fed for the remaining fasting days.
It was Monday, with only 4 more days to raya. Some already started heading to the hometown. So I was hoping that the traffic would be clear. Having a lot to settle and not much handed over yet, I stayed at the office until past 5.30 that day. My prediction was all wrong. The traffic was even worse than usual. Hubs had iftar outside. So I will have to settle the food for me and the kids. Bazaar is not our thing this Ramadhan. I cooked most of the time this time around, if we don't have any plans outside. The pain started to feel more consistent, but still bearable of course. Being consistent, I knew it will come along soon. Reached home only at 7, only managed to take off the tudung, then straight away to cook. Had asked my maid to fry the fish earlier on, then I went to prepare the sambal ikan. Very simple dish, as long as I get to eat. This is also one of the Ramadhan blessing this time. There's no need to have a very fancy food, as long as u have something to eat, it's a blessing enough. And yes, I was having my contraction still. Then to add to the chaos, Qays wanted to have the spaghetti. We had spaghetti the day before, the boys always liked bolognaise spaghetti. So I used the lefover sauce, adjust a bit here and there to add the sauce, with sausage and all as that's the only possible thing within that duration. Voila, 2 separate dish, less than half an hour, in between contractions. I had started timing my contraction in the car using the baby bump app, so I continued on while in the kitchen.
So, tarawikh was also like that. If I had expected a contraction was coming, I would hold the prayer until it was done. Alhamdulillah, tarawikh was completed until the 27th night. Alhamdulillah, syukur, I managed to perform tarawikh for all 27 nights. Those I might have done lesser might be the witir. Something to improve next year. Also, I may have missed few tahajjuds. Also to be improved next year. Ramadhan is all about increasing your spiritual and I hope I had done just that.
I had worried that I would have trouble sleeping, with all these contractions started to come along. But I slept quite well until about 2 am. Hubs dozed off almost right after reaching home outside from iftar, which might be a better thing for him as he would need the energy for when labour started. 2 am was the time that it got painful and I couldn't sleep anymore. What's very special about the 2 am of 27th Ramadhan, 14 July 2015 was that, it also started to rain. then, after a while, my alarm went on to indicate tahajjud prayer time. I sensed that it was the night of Laylatul Qadr. Hubs first question when woken up was how many minutes apart? Yeah, we are calm and well informed like that. I know I'm the type who doesn't progress too quickly with my labour, I would only proceed to the hosp when it matters. So the contraction timer was in use again, and it still shows a gap of 10 minutes apart. I asked hubs to go back to sleep, went to get ready in case I suddenly need to. Knowing that I couldn't sleep anyhow, I performed some prayers. It was the most spiritual labour progress on a very beautiful Ramadhan morning. I only hope that my deeds are accepted.
Until about 3.30, the pain was getting more intense and I felt the urge to poop. That means nothing else but labour sign. The contraction was still about 10 mins apart, but I knew hospital would need to set something up etc. So I woke the hubs again, and got ready to move. I had wanted to wait for as long as I can so I can settle the kids' sahur, but no luck there I guess. The maid even managed to ask what to prepare for their sahur, as if she never prepare anything for them before. Before I left, managed to snap the final bump pic, a ritual that I had since Qaisar, which somehow gave a good indication of the labour timing.
One of my crazy thoughts is to try to emulate Kate Middleton's maternity/post labour look. She wore heels post labour. I have no problem wearing heels to the very last minute. But wearing it while having a contraction at almost 4 am is totally unnecessary I guess. So there goes my final chance to wear heels up to the labour room.
So we went straight to the labour room. No one offered me wheelchair of course, but I didn't mind, cause I manage the pain better standing up. The contraction got consistently 5 mins apart the moment we got in the car. Unlike during Qaisar time, where it was still widely apart when we were heading out to the hospital. So the walking journey up was filled with intense contraction. Once I was secured on the bed with all the CTG machines in tact, I was already 8cm dilated. The nurse, quite alarmed with my dilation progress, quickly highlighted the rest and set everything up. They didn't even waited to get my file ready and straight away asked me for my vital information, one of it being whether I have any kind of infection, which I do, and had worried us weeks back on the day our car got into an accident. I had GBS, and it can pose a critical threat to the baby if left untreated. So I shared the info with the nurse and they administered the antibiotic drip as the remedy to my condition. It was the first time that I got a drip on. 8 days post labour. I still feel some pain on my veins from the drip's tubing.
It was exactly 4.15 am when I told hubs that I was 8 cm, as he was down parking the car. Lucky he managed to grab some bun and milk for his sahur. While he was up, he dared ask whether he can go have a quick sahur at the mamak shop. Of course I didn't let him.
The labour didn't progress much after that, until they decided to break my waterbag. It was the first time, from all 4 pregnancies, that my waterbag was purposely broken. Upon then, it was 9 cm and pain started to get unstoppable. The bed started to transform into a labour bed. Where the bottom portion of the bed was pulled out, to ensure that the doctor can come close to your groin. Some parts were pulled out, so you can put your feet on. There was some handle to put your hands on, which was really helpful during the pushing.
I was asked to push at around 5 am (only 45 mins after they first checked my dilation at 8cm). After the few pushes, I didn't feel an extreme sensation at 'the opening'. I started to lose hope of delivering without a vacuum. But the nurse kept on saying very good and other words of encouragement. Never thought that this kind of words really help at that moment. Physically, I think it wasn't progressing well. But having to mistakenly, if not actually, told that you are doing good somehow boosted my confidence level. Knowledge and focus is the key here. This is almost the first time that I have major control, if not fully control on my labour progress. I managed to think during the pain. I managed to recite the doa of "Lailahaillaanta subhanakainni kuntu minazzalimin" over and over again. I think I have never actually been able to in any of my labour process before. I managed to think about focusing on my breath, channeling all the effort downwards than upwards (somehow, during the pushing, you are actually retracting rather than pushing it out). Dr Siti started to put the blue covers on my legs and bottom. She also put the yellow rubber boots, apron etc on. So far, from 3 different hospitals that I have delivered, SJMC is the only hospital that has this. With the setup, I started to think of the worse, is she planning to use the vacuum on me. But the instructions for pushing to me was all the same. So I tried to focus to what I need to do. It took me several contractions, and several pushes within 1 contraction before I actually, finally able to bring the head of my baby out. It was another conscious effort to bring the shoulder and the rest out, and another conscious effort to push the placenta. Of course, placenta was the easiest, but I had to wait for a contraction and push it out still.
It took a while before I stopped saying subhanAllah and masyaAllah once the baby was with me. They put it on me right after gotten out, with all the blood in tact, and that was the most enjoyable feeling. Gosh I love the feeling and I so miss the feeling already. She felt so slippery with all the blood and cried out so loud. How I wish I can capture that moment, freeze the feeling I had at that time to be treasured again later. But such is life. And this write up here, is all I have to document and capture everything. Hence, the gory, unnecessary details.
I heard the doctor asked my hubs to cut the cord, which he did as always. They took the baby away to be cleaned up. Then Dr Siti went on to finish her business of stitching me up. Only then that I made conversation asking whether I was vacuumed, which she confirmed didn't. But she had to cut me a little, as the perineum was too thin from previous scarring. Maybe 3 previous episiotomies from assisted delivery is too much for me to have a delivery without an epi. The baby was away from me during the stitching, which I think is a bit different than my experience in DEMC. I think I was happily nursing the baby while being stitched. I can't exactly remember with the first 2. See, that's why I feel the need to mention every single thing no matter how boring the fact is. This labour story write up is more for personal recollection. I want to remember every single details, and this is my best shot at it.
The moment when the needle first went in, there was a slight pain. After that it was nothing but some tingling feeling. I tried to reach out for the gas, but it wasn't necessary. Hubs didn't know whether to azan or qamat and to which ear for a girl and had asked the nurse. He then proceeded to do just that, I hope it's the correct way and then I heard his sobbing. It is surreal really, to finally have a baby girl in our arms. Allah is always the best planner. He made it known to us that we were expecting a princess since she was still 5 months gestation. And it was fully confirmed without a hint of doubt. But still we reserve some benefit of doubt, to not put our hopes too high, and got turned down in the end.
While being stitched, I has asked the doctor to allow me to do a breast crawl, something that I just came across last week I guess, while lazying around on the bed. Now that I come to think about it again, I feel so grateful that Allah grants me enough sanity during this labour, managed to think well throughout the process, and has finally put up this specific request. Dr Siti translated it as skin to skin contact with the nurse, and that's what I got. My baby girl was very noisy, so I didn't want to have so much drama so I kind of assisted the breast crawl a bit. Well, at least I had a chance at promoting early bonding and getting my girl to reach out first than to be fed, all while she was at her most alert state. Every newborn, when placed on the mother's abdomen, soon after birth, has the ability
to find its mother's breast all on its own and to decide when to take the first breastfeed. It was quite surprising that she really suckled hard and for quite sometime even. She even cried loudly when they had to take her off to do the routine baby recording and checks.
Date: 14 April 2015
Time: 5.22 am
Venue: SJMC Subang Jaya
Weight: 3.37 kg
Method: Unassisted normal birth
I started to feel things were feeling a bit different since Sunday night, 38 weeks and 7 days. Prior to that, I had always wanted to have a Ramadhan run, but kept on failing at it since the weeks before. It was already at the tail end of Ramadhan, and the moment that I think I could (and since hubs was out too), the tummy was feeling different. So I scraped off the run, and did some cleaning and sanitizing instead. Used dettol to clean up the bath tub, the playpen, the drawer, those that will come in constant contact with baby later.
The next day, Monday, exactly 39 weeks, the braxton hicks started to feel a little different as well. It started to feel more than just tummy cramps, but with the association of back pain now. It was not that painful, but enough to put you unease. I had to hide it from my colleagues, for fear of unnecessary scare, when I know, with that kind of pain, it can even take 2 or more days. I did tell a few friends before the day ended, and some had predicted that I would deliver the day after. What's wrong with that? Well, I wanted to be able to settle off raya first before actually deliver, so the kids won't be left out from the Raya fun. I wanted to finish off some pending works, so I won't have to ask other people to carry on. I wanted to make sure that my kids will be well fed for the remaining fasting days.
 |
| Final day at the office. Meant to be just weekly bump pic |
It was Monday, with only 4 more days to raya. Some already started heading to the hometown. So I was hoping that the traffic would be clear. Having a lot to settle and not much handed over yet, I stayed at the office until past 5.30 that day. My prediction was all wrong. The traffic was even worse than usual. Hubs had iftar outside. So I will have to settle the food for me and the kids. Bazaar is not our thing this Ramadhan. I cooked most of the time this time around, if we don't have any plans outside. The pain started to feel more consistent, but still bearable of course. Being consistent, I knew it will come along soon. Reached home only at 7, only managed to take off the tudung, then straight away to cook. Had asked my maid to fry the fish earlier on, then I went to prepare the sambal ikan. Very simple dish, as long as I get to eat. This is also one of the Ramadhan blessing this time. There's no need to have a very fancy food, as long as u have something to eat, it's a blessing enough. And yes, I was having my contraction still. Then to add to the chaos, Qays wanted to have the spaghetti. We had spaghetti the day before, the boys always liked bolognaise spaghetti. So I used the lefover sauce, adjust a bit here and there to add the sauce, with sausage and all as that's the only possible thing within that duration. Voila, 2 separate dish, less than half an hour, in between contractions. I had started timing my contraction in the car using the baby bump app, so I continued on while in the kitchen.
So, tarawikh was also like that. If I had expected a contraction was coming, I would hold the prayer until it was done. Alhamdulillah, tarawikh was completed until the 27th night. Alhamdulillah, syukur, I managed to perform tarawikh for all 27 nights. Those I might have done lesser might be the witir. Something to improve next year. Also, I may have missed few tahajjuds. Also to be improved next year. Ramadhan is all about increasing your spiritual and I hope I had done just that.
I had worried that I would have trouble sleeping, with all these contractions started to come along. But I slept quite well until about 2 am. Hubs dozed off almost right after reaching home outside from iftar, which might be a better thing for him as he would need the energy for when labour started. 2 am was the time that it got painful and I couldn't sleep anymore. What's very special about the 2 am of 27th Ramadhan, 14 July 2015 was that, it also started to rain. then, after a while, my alarm went on to indicate tahajjud prayer time. I sensed that it was the night of Laylatul Qadr. Hubs first question when woken up was how many minutes apart? Yeah, we are calm and well informed like that. I know I'm the type who doesn't progress too quickly with my labour, I would only proceed to the hosp when it matters. So the contraction timer was in use again, and it still shows a gap of 10 minutes apart. I asked hubs to go back to sleep, went to get ready in case I suddenly need to. Knowing that I couldn't sleep anyhow, I performed some prayers. It was the most spiritual labour progress on a very beautiful Ramadhan morning. I only hope that my deeds are accepted.
Until about 3.30, the pain was getting more intense and I felt the urge to poop. That means nothing else but labour sign. The contraction was still about 10 mins apart, but I knew hospital would need to set something up etc. So I woke the hubs again, and got ready to move. I had wanted to wait for as long as I can so I can settle the kids' sahur, but no luck there I guess. The maid even managed to ask what to prepare for their sahur, as if she never prepare anything for them before. Before I left, managed to snap the final bump pic, a ritual that I had since Qaisar, which somehow gave a good indication of the labour timing.
 |
| Before headed out, to the hospital and labour room |
One of my crazy thoughts is to try to emulate Kate Middleton's maternity/post labour look. She wore heels post labour. I have no problem wearing heels to the very last minute. But wearing it while having a contraction at almost 4 am is totally unnecessary I guess. So there goes my final chance to wear heels up to the labour room.
So we went straight to the labour room. No one offered me wheelchair of course, but I didn't mind, cause I manage the pain better standing up. The contraction got consistently 5 mins apart the moment we got in the car. Unlike during Qaisar time, where it was still widely apart when we were heading out to the hospital. So the walking journey up was filled with intense contraction. Once I was secured on the bed with all the CTG machines in tact, I was already 8cm dilated. The nurse, quite alarmed with my dilation progress, quickly highlighted the rest and set everything up. They didn't even waited to get my file ready and straight away asked me for my vital information, one of it being whether I have any kind of infection, which I do, and had worried us weeks back on the day our car got into an accident. I had GBS, and it can pose a critical threat to the baby if left untreated. So I shared the info with the nurse and they administered the antibiotic drip as the remedy to my condition. It was the first time that I got a drip on. 8 days post labour. I still feel some pain on my veins from the drip's tubing.
It was exactly 4.15 am when I told hubs that I was 8 cm, as he was down parking the car. Lucky he managed to grab some bun and milk for his sahur. While he was up, he dared ask whether he can go have a quick sahur at the mamak shop. Of course I didn't let him.
The labour didn't progress much after that, until they decided to break my waterbag. It was the first time, from all 4 pregnancies, that my waterbag was purposely broken. Upon then, it was 9 cm and pain started to get unstoppable. The bed started to transform into a labour bed. Where the bottom portion of the bed was pulled out, to ensure that the doctor can come close to your groin. Some parts were pulled out, so you can put your feet on. There was some handle to put your hands on, which was really helpful during the pushing.
I was asked to push at around 5 am (only 45 mins after they first checked my dilation at 8cm). After the few pushes, I didn't feel an extreme sensation at 'the opening'. I started to lose hope of delivering without a vacuum. But the nurse kept on saying very good and other words of encouragement. Never thought that this kind of words really help at that moment. Physically, I think it wasn't progressing well. But having to mistakenly, if not actually, told that you are doing good somehow boosted my confidence level. Knowledge and focus is the key here. This is almost the first time that I have major control, if not fully control on my labour progress. I managed to think during the pain. I managed to recite the doa of "Lailahaillaanta subhanakainni kuntu minazzalimin" over and over again. I think I have never actually been able to in any of my labour process before. I managed to think about focusing on my breath, channeling all the effort downwards than upwards (somehow, during the pushing, you are actually retracting rather than pushing it out). Dr Siti started to put the blue covers on my legs and bottom. She also put the yellow rubber boots, apron etc on. So far, from 3 different hospitals that I have delivered, SJMC is the only hospital that has this. With the setup, I started to think of the worse, is she planning to use the vacuum on me. But the instructions for pushing to me was all the same. So I tried to focus to what I need to do. It took me several contractions, and several pushes within 1 contraction before I actually, finally able to bring the head of my baby out. It was another conscious effort to bring the shoulder and the rest out, and another conscious effort to push the placenta. Of course, placenta was the easiest, but I had to wait for a contraction and push it out still.
 |
| The boot that Dr Siti used |
It took a while before I stopped saying subhanAllah and masyaAllah once the baby was with me. They put it on me right after gotten out, with all the blood in tact, and that was the most enjoyable feeling. Gosh I love the feeling and I so miss the feeling already. She felt so slippery with all the blood and cried out so loud. How I wish I can capture that moment, freeze the feeling I had at that time to be treasured again later. But such is life. And this write up here, is all I have to document and capture everything. Hence, the gory, unnecessary details.
 |
| Just few minutes old |
I heard the doctor asked my hubs to cut the cord, which he did as always. They took the baby away to be cleaned up. Then Dr Siti went on to finish her business of stitching me up. Only then that I made conversation asking whether I was vacuumed, which she confirmed didn't. But she had to cut me a little, as the perineum was too thin from previous scarring. Maybe 3 previous episiotomies from assisted delivery is too much for me to have a delivery without an epi. The baby was away from me during the stitching, which I think is a bit different than my experience in DEMC. I think I was happily nursing the baby while being stitched. I can't exactly remember with the first 2. See, that's why I feel the need to mention every single thing no matter how boring the fact is. This labour story write up is more for personal recollection. I want to remember every single details, and this is my best shot at it.
The moment when the needle first went in, there was a slight pain. After that it was nothing but some tingling feeling. I tried to reach out for the gas, but it wasn't necessary. Hubs didn't know whether to azan or qamat and to which ear for a girl and had asked the nurse. He then proceeded to do just that, I hope it's the correct way and then I heard his sobbing. It is surreal really, to finally have a baby girl in our arms. Allah is always the best planner. He made it known to us that we were expecting a princess since she was still 5 months gestation. And it was fully confirmed without a hint of doubt. But still we reserve some benefit of doubt, to not put our hopes too high, and got turned down in the end.
While being stitched, I has asked the doctor to allow me to do a breast crawl, something that I just came across last week I guess, while lazying around on the bed. Now that I come to think about it again, I feel so grateful that Allah grants me enough sanity during this labour, managed to think well throughout the process, and has finally put up this specific request. Dr Siti translated it as skin to skin contact with the nurse, and that's what I got. My baby girl was very noisy, so I didn't want to have so much drama so I kind of assisted the breast crawl a bit. Well, at least I had a chance at promoting early bonding and getting my girl to reach out first than to be fed, all while she was at her most alert state. Every newborn, when placed on the mother's abdomen, soon after birth, has the ability
to find its mother's breast all on its own and to decide when to take the first breastfeed. It was quite surprising that she really suckled hard and for quite sometime even. She even cried loudly when they had to take her off to do the routine baby recording and checks.
Having been up since about 2, and after all the pushing, and after always felt tired during the Ramadhan month, it was quite a surprise that I didn't feel an extreme need to sleep. Not sure it was from the adrenaline/endorphin from the labour process or from the excitement of a newborn itself. I felt so much pity for the hubs, for having to stay up earlier (he was woken up at around 3.30 or so remember) but wasn't that pitiful to myself. I kept on saying sorry to the nurses and doctor, for having to disturb their sahur time and has asked whether they have taken their sahur or not. I only had some accidental nap, which I'm sure was not significant enough. And it was like that even until evening, after hubs went back home with Qays and Qaisar for breakfasting at home. To make things worse, my baby's first night was filled with feeding time. I think the nursery sent her to me around 11 and it was a latching marathon until around 4 am and I was extremely tired already, and I had given in the my normal routine of nursing while lying down. It seemed to put my baby at ease, or maybe she was just too tired already, or it was me who was so tired and I didn't even realise her grunts. Now that I think of it, it suddenly becomes quite scary. What if something really did happen to her, and I didn't even realise, and there wasn't anyone else in the room to save the situation. Scary.
Hubs brought the kids to the hospital, especially for Qaid since he didn't get to see the baby yet, since he was in school. They stayed a while and left. We've decided that it would be best if the hubs can get his proper rest at home, and at the same time will be able to manage the kids. That way, they will not have any negative feeling from the baby's arrival. Hubs has always stayed with me during my hospital nights. The kids will always be at home with the maid. The saddest was when during Qays's birth, as Qaid had to be home alone with the maid. It didn't feel as sad then, but it does now. If only I had known how would they feel having to be left at home without any of the parents, I would have insisted either the kids overnite in the hospital as well or the hubs overnite at home. But I was never comfortable being at the hospital alone until this time. One of those difficult choices that you have to make. And having to be alone in the hospital do have a bit of a downside. I was panicked over a my princess's suffocation incident. It was on the 2nd night. The nursery had just returned my baby, and since she was still sleeping, I let her be. I was eating, and faced away from her. I heard few noises, but there was no cry. So I didn't even turn to look at her. When I did, I saw that she was kind of suffocating, with the head faced upward and face almost blue. I was so scared, quickly picked her up and put her upright, and tried to pat her back, as if trying to burp her. She didn't have any sound still. While doing that, I grabbed the phone to call the nursery as well. It took a while before they reached my room, and I couldn't remember whether my baby was ok the moment they reached, or she was ok only after they reached. It makes a big different. If she was ok only after they reached, then it would mean the worst could have happened while my baby was in my arms. Such crazy and scary thought. They picked my baby, put her in the hospital cot. lay her sideways, and some mucous started to come out. So that was it. She was suffocated with the waterbag mucous. They had extracted it out on the day that she was born, about 10 ml. After that incident, they managed to extract out some 5ml more. My poor baby.
Other than that, this labour process is one that I treasure the most, simply for many reasons. It might just mean that this would be my last pregnancy and final labour. I had this weird thing that the final age for me to deliver a baby is 33. But since I took a long gap between 2nd and 3rd, I was either had to extend this wish a little bit, or simply stop at 3. Turns out Allah wants me to have another one, so an extension it is, and there will be no other. Most probably. So I try as much as possible to savour every moment of it. Another special reason is my final month is in the month of Ramadhan. That way I can increase my supplication, with abundance time. There's so much prayers to be done, there's so many time good enough for you to convey your supplication to the Almighty. And yes my prayers were indeed answered. During the labour pain, I had adopted the more correct breathing technique, that enabled me to manage the pain better. It's a much known breathing technique actually, but I wasn't sure why I couldn't successfully adopted it before. I managed the pain well to the point that I wasn't screaming in the labour room. Yes, I had always does for all three. I'm not sure if I have my fifth, I will be able to replicate the same success story again, but having to avoid the scream was already a big achievement for me. Hubs was also more helpful this time. He just knew what to do the moment I curled and twisted around during contraction, what I wanted was a rub at the lower back. Yeah, my contraction pain is extreme pain on the lower back. It felt as if your lower back to your butt onwards is being ripped in 2. When I was home, I would rub it myself assisted with the breathing. At the hospital, the gas had certainly helped. For once, I was finally able to deliver without a vacuum. Pushing the baby out is truly my nemesis. I had extremely wanted to be able to deliver without a vacuum since my number 3. Having failed at that, I was not that confident with this one, Maybe I wasn't praying to Allah enough myself as well last time. And so I managed to this time. This is one of the most special reason maybe. But I have to give credit to the SJMC team who has assisted in making this to happen as well. Not only that the bed has assisted to put me in the right position and a good handle for me to hold on, the nurses also helped to to push my tummy. Last but not least, I managed to have the breast crawl. I just knew it from one of the facebook updates just a week before my delivery. Gone through some articles, watched some youtube videos, and I was sold. Since my princess was a noisy baby baby, she made noise quite early on. So I wouldn't want to put her into much trauma, so my breastcrawl was kind of an assisted one. but at least, I managed to have the skin to skin contact with her, had her squirmed herself to get the first taste at the nipple, and managed to nurse her at her most alert state. At least she got off with a good start. The surprising thing about breast crawl was the fact that babies has the urge to look for nipples themselves, and their head and neck are strong enough to be raised even immediately out of the tummy (it's almost 2 weeks out at the point of writing, and gosh, I miss the feeling already).
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| Baby announcement pic |
Hubs brought the kids to the hospital, especially for Qaid since he didn't get to see the baby yet, since he was in school. They stayed a while and left. We've decided that it would be best if the hubs can get his proper rest at home, and at the same time will be able to manage the kids. That way, they will not have any negative feeling from the baby's arrival. Hubs has always stayed with me during my hospital nights. The kids will always be at home with the maid. The saddest was when during Qays's birth, as Qaid had to be home alone with the maid. It didn't feel as sad then, but it does now. If only I had known how would they feel having to be left at home without any of the parents, I would have insisted either the kids overnite in the hospital as well or the hubs overnite at home. But I was never comfortable being at the hospital alone until this time. One of those difficult choices that you have to make. And having to be alone in the hospital do have a bit of a downside. I was panicked over a my princess's suffocation incident. It was on the 2nd night. The nursery had just returned my baby, and since she was still sleeping, I let her be. I was eating, and faced away from her. I heard few noises, but there was no cry. So I didn't even turn to look at her. When I did, I saw that she was kind of suffocating, with the head faced upward and face almost blue. I was so scared, quickly picked her up and put her upright, and tried to pat her back, as if trying to burp her. She didn't have any sound still. While doing that, I grabbed the phone to call the nursery as well. It took a while before they reached my room, and I couldn't remember whether my baby was ok the moment they reached, or she was ok only after they reached. It makes a big different. If she was ok only after they reached, then it would mean the worst could have happened while my baby was in my arms. Such crazy and scary thought. They picked my baby, put her in the hospital cot. lay her sideways, and some mucous started to come out. So that was it. She was suffocated with the waterbag mucous. They had extracted it out on the day that she was born, about 10 ml. After that incident, they managed to extract out some 5ml more. My poor baby.
Other than that, this labour process is one that I treasure the most, simply for many reasons. It might just mean that this would be my last pregnancy and final labour. I had this weird thing that the final age for me to deliver a baby is 33. But since I took a long gap between 2nd and 3rd, I was either had to extend this wish a little bit, or simply stop at 3. Turns out Allah wants me to have another one, so an extension it is, and there will be no other. Most probably. So I try as much as possible to savour every moment of it. Another special reason is my final month is in the month of Ramadhan. That way I can increase my supplication, with abundance time. There's so much prayers to be done, there's so many time good enough for you to convey your supplication to the Almighty. And yes my prayers were indeed answered. During the labour pain, I had adopted the more correct breathing technique, that enabled me to manage the pain better. It's a much known breathing technique actually, but I wasn't sure why I couldn't successfully adopted it before. I managed the pain well to the point that I wasn't screaming in the labour room. Yes, I had always does for all three. I'm not sure if I have my fifth, I will be able to replicate the same success story again, but having to avoid the scream was already a big achievement for me. Hubs was also more helpful this time. He just knew what to do the moment I curled and twisted around during contraction, what I wanted was a rub at the lower back. Yeah, my contraction pain is extreme pain on the lower back. It felt as if your lower back to your butt onwards is being ripped in 2. When I was home, I would rub it myself assisted with the breathing. At the hospital, the gas had certainly helped. For once, I was finally able to deliver without a vacuum. Pushing the baby out is truly my nemesis. I had extremely wanted to be able to deliver without a vacuum since my number 3. Having failed at that, I was not that confident with this one, Maybe I wasn't praying to Allah enough myself as well last time. And so I managed to this time. This is one of the most special reason maybe. But I have to give credit to the SJMC team who has assisted in making this to happen as well. Not only that the bed has assisted to put me in the right position and a good handle for me to hold on, the nurses also helped to to push my tummy. Last but not least, I managed to have the breast crawl. I just knew it from one of the facebook updates just a week before my delivery. Gone through some articles, watched some youtube videos, and I was sold. Since my princess was a noisy baby baby, she made noise quite early on. So I wouldn't want to put her into much trauma, so my breastcrawl was kind of an assisted one. but at least, I managed to have the skin to skin contact with her, had her squirmed herself to get the first taste at the nipple, and managed to nurse her at her most alert state. At least she got off with a good start. The surprising thing about breast crawl was the fact that babies has the urge to look for nipples themselves, and their head and neck are strong enough to be raised even immediately out of the tummy (it's almost 2 weeks out at the point of writing, and gosh, I miss the feeling already).
It's been 2 weeks out now. Hubs had been really helpful then. He helped in his own way. And I'm writing this, to remind myself about how great and supportive he's been. I've been worried whether my kids would be well fed on days leading out to raya, they were completely fine and well fed. . I've been worried whether they would have a good raya, hubs had been looking after them, feeding me, while feeding them, entertaining me while entertaining them, made sure that Qaisar won't disturb me much, and tried hard to bring him away from me. Qaisar had immediately stopped latching. He did latch about twice or thrice, but I cut it off totally, after realising that he was only using me as pacifier and he himself had flu. Hubs had to be here and there, up and down in and out to get things which were never complete. It even included taking the curtain from the shop, went to Ikea to get some rod, drill them up and put them on. He seemed to be losing a lot of weight from the few days alone. Thanks so much, and I hope I will be able to see past everything else, cause he can definitely step up when he needs to.
So that was it, I hope I had covered everything. And finally, here's our princess's name
So that was it, I hope I had covered everything. And finally, here's our princess's name
Naela Aisya bt Amin Syahiran
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