37 weeks..

I visited my gynae last Friday (26May06). I was 36 weeks 5 days...

We discussed about my "birthplan" again. Haiz... I cannot opt for 15 June for C-section. It's too close to my EDD of 18 June. The latest is 11 June. Following the medical books, C-section gotta be one week before EDD. My gynae recommended 10 days for me is becos I had a previous surgery. He said 95% of babies will come out at least one week in advance of the EDD. He explained the risk involved if I am to opt for 15 June, but it's a firm "NO". The risk of surgery will increase if I go into labour earlier and that if I have not fasted. I might vomit into the lungs. That's the risk of having food and drink inside the tummy during surgery when under GA. We also discussed about the possibility of having epidural C-section. Gynae said if it's going to be an emergency c-section, epidural will take time to be effective. It's not advisable for emergency cases.

Then, I have another headache. If I opt for 6 June, I want it to be early in the morning before 7am. My gynae told me, the hospital will charge me an exorbitant $1k more for that :( unless it's emergency case... Haiz...

I had a tick off from my gynae :( I will need weekly injections of Vitamin B12 now, hoping to boost up my haemoglobin level. It gotta be at least 13, and mine was 11 last Friday. It's going up though :) In the last visit, it was 10.4. My gynae gave me a scare :(. He said if my haemoglobin dun go up, I might need a blood transfusion. He's quite reluctant to give me blood transfusion, but there will be no choice if my haemoglobin goes too low. And on top of that, I will have a slower recovery as compared to others.

Reading on the web...

Breastfeeding:

I have been reading about breastfeeding lately. It's in preparation to what to expect during breastfeeding, so I will not get post-natal blues due to this. Babies are born to breastfeed. And there are lots of advantages of it.

Some of the websites that I am reading and found them useful:
http://www.4woman.gov/pub/BF.General.pdf
http://www.breastfeeding.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=4&id=22&Itemid=38
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/


Jaundice:

In Singapore, almost all my friends' babies whom I have met will be admitted to the hospital for photo-therapy, as recommended by the paediatrician during the initial check-up. When I asked my mum and my cousins, it does not seem very common that baby will be admitted to the hospital for jaundice in Malaysia. From my search, every babies will have jaundice. Jaundice occurs when bilirubin in the bloodstream is produced in greater quantities than an infant’s liver can process and eliminate. I start to wonder whether it's the service of the paediatrician too good in Singapore. The cost of baby getting admitted for jaundice is about S$500 per nite. What my cousins did was to carry their babies under the morning sun daily. Last time, only my brother had jaundice and the confinement lady just use a herbs boiled in water to bath my brother. The herb is "ooi kee ji" in hokkien. This herb when boiled in water will make the water orangey-yellow. Someone told me to get this herb and both baby at birth as soon as baby is discharged from hospital.

I am also reading more about jaundice. So far, I read about baby's jaundice and it will peak at between 3rd to 5th day after birth and the level will start to drop. Sometimes hormones passing through the breast milk can cause jaundice. Breast milk jaundice usually occurs 5 to 10 days after the birth and can last several weeks. Most babies will have "physiologic" jaundice, which is normal and harmless, as long as the bilirubin count doesn't reach dangerous levels.

Bilirubin is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dl. The average level for an adult is 1mg/dl. The average full-term newborn will have a peak level of 6mg/dl on the third or fourth day of life. Levels usually go down to about 2 to 3mg/dl by the end of the first week, gradually reaching the adult value of 1mg/dl by the end of the second week. It usually takes the newborn's liver a week or two to mature enough to handle the build-up of bilirubin in the blood. It is important to know that there is no evidence that bilirubin levels of less than 20mg/dl during the first week of life, and less than 25mg/sl after that have any harmful effects of healthy, full-term babies. (Quoted from http://pregnancyandbaby.com/read/articles/363.htm)

It is also thought that cutting the umbilical cord immediately, rather than waiting for the blood to stop pulsating increases the risk of jaundice. (Quoted from http://www.ninemonths.com.au)

First CTG done!

I had my first CTG last Saturday (20May06). It was a very uncomfortable one though. I gotta lie on my back, and dunno if I can move or not. I could not breath properly. I hope I dun have to go for anymore CTG, else I gonna ask if I can lie on my side... My gynae had gone overseas, so there's another replacement doctor... hahaha... Dr Goh... dunno from where... Anyway, I will be seeing my gynae on 26May06.

In the next visit, we will have to discuss my "birthplan". I will go for C-section now. Ok, I have convinced myself of the advantages of C-section... lol...

I just went to see my "shifu" yesterday afternoon. She does not help people to look for the best date and time for c-section... She believed in natural birth. Last time, she was pregnant for 12 months, and her baby was very special and she has been lucky since then... Wow... hmm... It got me confused again if I wanted to opt for natural birth again yesterday. She also believed in the fate of the child. Even though we know when is the best date and time, there's no guarantee baby will come out on that particular date and time. But since we were there and we often go and see her, she told us the "good" dates from her "tong shu". I do agree about the baby's fate :).

hmm... after some thoughts, I think I will tell my doc that I will go for c-section on 15 June. If baby decides to come out earlier than that, and my labour starts before that, I will get myself admitted and opt for c-section. I will then have a pain-free birthing experience, and avoid episiotomy :). It's a little bit tricky how to tell my baby now... Will think about that...

We learnt a little from my "shifu". I am not supposed to eat ginger vinegar food stuff for the first two weeks. No pork's liver (Yeah!). She also reckoned babies get jaundice is becos the mother take too much chinese herbs during pregnancy. heee... lucky I did not take chinese herbs :) I was told to buy some "huang qi zi" to boil and bath baby as soon as we come back from hospital to prevent jaundice.

Durians!

Oh no... My craving for durian is getting stronger! hahaha... Maybe it's my subconscious mind telling me to eat? I think I am losing control to my durians temptation since I am going for c-section. Last nite, went to carrefoure and bought 4 boxes of D24 durians. And now my fridge smells of durian... It's really difficult to resist the temptation to finish them all...

My baby has been kicking quite a lot today :). Maybe it's due to the durians I ate...

I am also drinking young coconut water. I bought 3 from Carrefoure. Very nice and cooling, especially in this hot weather.

Last nite, there's an inner voice telling me, "Go for natural birth. You can do it!" I have been doing "tai jiao", asking baby to use his own strength to come out easily and naturally since I was 4 months pregnant. It's like I have wasted my efforts. My inner voice is telling me that it will work... How? I am still confused... In my right mind, I will look for a best date and time. But in the back of my mind, my inner voice is telling me, no need to look for the best date, cos baby will know when is the best to come out. I also have been telling baby to choose the best time and date that he wanna be born...

Lately, I have been feeling rather heavy. Just standing for a while can make me breathless sometimes. I do not have heartburn, but when I eat too full, I need to lie down in bed on my sides... cos I cannot breath properly...


hahaha... My dear husband has now acquired the taste of food that I like during the pregnancy. It's rather funny... I used to like ice-cream in my second trimester, and has gotten over it by now. But my hubby still have a liking to ice-cream. hahaha... After dinner, sometimes he will go to the freezer and get some ice-cream, whereas, I dun really fancy much ice-cream now. I love to eat nasi briyani and lots of spicy food starting from the first trimester. When we first started, he will be sweating all over... hahaha... Now, he seems to love curry rice!

I am happier today :)

Yesterday, I have decided not to use the counter to count baby's kicks :). In the evening at about 6pm, baby was kicking actively inside. The kicks are pretty strong till I could see bumps on my tummy. hahaha... That brightened my day :) Then I "played" with baby for a while. I think my baby knew that I was playing with him. When he kicked at one location, I pressed on the bump, and he would retract. Then kicked another location, I pressed again, he retracted again and change location. kekeke... We played for a while till I gotta get changed to go out for dinner. So cute and fun :)

Last nite, my hubby had a sweet and funny dream.... hahahaha... Firstly, he dreamt that he's giving birth through his mouth. hahaha... such a weird and funny dream... He woke up in the middle of the nite and told me. Perhaps, he's anxious that baby is coming soon... Then after that, he had another dream. He dreamt that baby is smiling at him when he's carrying baby. hmm... Maybe it will come true. I have been telling baby to smile at daddy and mummy when he comes out :). Such a sweet dream...

Sobs... Monday blues...

Hello Blogspot,

I think I am having "Monday blues" this morning... I am feeling so tired and just dun feel like doing anything. I wanna sleep... :(

I woke up very early this morning. I was worried about baby not kicking enough. Last nite, I counted my baby's kicks and it was less than 50% from the previous nite... sobs... It made me wonder what's happening to my baby, and whether he's ok. On Saturday nite, between 9pm to 11pm, he kicked 257 times. Last nite, between 9pm to 11pm, he kicked only 80 times. Baby did kicked lots when we were having dinner with my parents-in-law from 6pm to about 8pm. On the positive side, baby has changed his active period... This morning, baby did kick, but not a lot... I guess he must still be sleeping.

Okie dokie... Will monitor baby's kicks for today... but not gonna use that counter to count already... too stressed for me... I gonna have a nap soon :)

34 weeks pregnant!

I am exactly 34 weeks pregnant on 7 May 06! I have gained 0.2 kg over the last two weeks. Phew!! Else my doc will keep suspecting that I have gestational diabetes... I think the daily fruit juices and supplements that I have been taking does helps in controlling my weight. So far, I have gained about 12 kg.

Yesterday, I went for the final detailed scanning of baby Aloysius and then saw doc after that. The scan was done by Imelda. I like to request for her to do the scan for me. It was a fun half an hour, staring on the different parts of the body of baby. We could see baby's eyes are closed, big nose like mine, perfect lips like hubby's, feet, hands, heart, etc... Baby is 2.2kg at 33 weeks 5 days. His head dimension is as big as that of a 34 weeks 5 days foetus. hahaha... My baby has bigger head than for his "age"! The placenta is in the anterior of the womb, away from the birth canal. hmm... Ideal for natural birth rite? I have made used of my subconscious mind that I will have the perfect condition for natural birth since my pregnancy. Last week, I have started to tell baby to turn and he has turned :). He's now head down... Baby was sleeping on the left side of my tummy, facing right, and of course, with his legs kicking the right side of my tummy. No wonder I have been feeling those aching pain on my right side almost every nite. Baby Aloysius must have been stretching his legs inside. Sometimes, I have to wake up in the middle of the nite to ask him to "retract" his legs cos it's hurting...

Oh yes, it's confirmed 101%, it a BOY! hahaha... His sex organs are so obvious during the scan.

To my disappointment, doc recommended C-section again. My fibroids last time were just too big. Doc said that if it's a small one, there's also a risk of uterine rupture. And I had 12 of them and they are big ones. I had a big cut on my womb in the previous surgery... I peeped doc's records and I saw "13 cm". I wonder if I had a "13 cm cut"... Doc will let me try natural birth if that's my choice. However, the risk is too high. He said when uterine rupture happens, it will be very painful and most importantly, he will have to get the baby out within minutes by c-section. Considering that time will be needed to get ready the operating theatre, get an anaesthetist, etc., time might not be enough. It sounds scary eh? Indeed it is... sobs...

When I came home, I did a search on the web... There are cases whereby the baby was saved, but due to the lack of oxygen getting to the baby during rupture, baby could get brain damaged... :(

After hearing what doc told us, I think I dun wanna regret for life if anything happen. ***touch wood*** Hence, I gotta convince myself that C-section is the way to go now. Doc suggested to schedule the c-section on 8 June, 10 days before the expected delivery date. hmm... Since I am going to have C-section already, here starts another interesting journey of date and time selection... :) and also changing what I say to baby daily :)

Now, I gotta start monitoring baby's kicks and punches. My doc gave me a counter to just click and I gotta count from 9am to 2pm, and 4pm to 9pm daily. Gosh! 10 hours of monitoring per day! I was instructed to go to the hospital immediately if the counts reduce by 50% as compared to the previous day. This is to prevent umbilical cord accident.