My 2 Care Takers

She is my Poh Poh, maternal grandma. She cooked for my mum, wash our laundry, bath me and took care of me



She is my Mummy, also my 24X7 “McB” :-)

Confinement No More!

I was very stressed out during the confinement month when I first had Ern. I followed some of the traditional Chinese confinement’s rules, like only shower on Day 12 with herbs, drink mostly ginger/herb tea, eat heaty food cooked with sesame oil/ginger/herb,etc. I was very emotional and I think to certain extend, I had mild post natal depression. I cried a lot back then, over small matters like the words spoken to me, worried over Ern’s pro-long breast milk jaundice, the so called “good advices and consequences’ from my relatives when they got to know I didn’t follow exactly the confinement rules and others.

Right after I recovered from the post natal depression, I told Hubby if we ever blessed with 2nd child, I wouldn’t want to follow these rules again for several reasons:

1) I don’t want to go through the same stress again
2) I need to take care 2 children, more so need to handle Ern, to go through the phase with her in accepting her sibling
3) Don’t want to burden my mum to cook different food for me since she has shoulder ache problem and age is catching up
4) To speed up the jaundice recovery for the baby by avoiding ginger/herbs
5) I dislike the smell and the process of Malay traditional urut.

You bet, I keep to my promise this time, and even gotten support from my mum! I guess she has seen how stressed out I was the last time. So, I am on normal diet since day 1 delivering Sean. Honestly, I feel good right now, no stress even I had sleep deprived (because of breast feeding) and Sean is going through jaundice now. Maybe it’s 2nd child delivery, I sort of know what to expect and how to handle them. I drove to hospital to feed Sean 3 times a day when he was put under light. Even indulged and pampered myself with a post natal + relaxing massage, facial and plan for a pedicure soon!

More so, I get to spend quality time with Ern on every evening (around 5-6pm) or whenever Sean is asleep. It’s not a lot of time with Ern but it’s better than letting her watching TV by herself.

Again, this is very much individual preference and choice, as to follow the confinement rules or not. To me, I just want a stress free post delivery.

Jaundice

Like her Che Che, Sean can't escape from jaundice although I didn't eat any of the confinement food like ginger, herbs, sesame oil, etc.

On Day 2 after he was born, I was 'warned' by PD that he will get jaundice because he looked very 'red', means the beribulum content is high in his body. True enough right after the Serum Beribulun (SB) test on Day 3, his reading stood at 180, means exceed the safe line of 150.

Hence, I stayed back together with him as a lodger since my milk flow has not established and I want to fully breastfeed him. Moreover, it's taxing for my family members to transport me and also having Ern around too.

Day 4, his SB reading dropped to 150 and we were allowed to discharge. Honestly, I didn't expect to discharge as Che Che Ern spent 5 days under light. However, we were told to sun bath him.

From Day 5 to Day 8, we can see Sean's body had turned yellow and we knew his jaundice level definitely shoot up. On Day 8, we took him for another SB test and to our surprise, it has shoot up to 318! Immediately, he was put under light again, 4 lights to be exact! If you look carefully at the picture, he wore the conventional sanitary pad (tie string over waist type) because PD wanted to expose him to the maximum. :-)

This time round, I didn't stay as lodger since I have built up my 'milk stock'. Everyday, I drove to hospital 3 times to nurse him to keep the stimulation, while also trasport the frozen EBM.

Day 9, his SB reading dropped to 180 and the next day, dropped to 118. Discharged but same thing - still need to sun bath twice per day.

Day 12, SB shoot up to 218 for Sean but since he is > 10 days old, he doesn't need to stay under light unless SB reading >250.

Day 14, SB stayed at 218 still! :-(

Next follow up on Day 18 (Friday, 6th March). Let's see how is he progressing.

On 16th February 2009...

At 4.55pm of 16th February 2009, it marked the day of your grand entrance.

Mild contracted started right after dinner but they were not consistent. It started from once every 2 hours, then once every hour, 30 mins,15 mins to 8 mins. Subsequently, it became like 5 mins apart. Then, it's gone after I changed my position like from standing to sitting or to lying down.

I tucked CheChe to bed at 10pm and didn't really bother about the contraction and thought it could be just another Braxton Hicks. However, I did track the contraction interval to determine if it is true labor or not. Meanwhile, also asked Daddy to get himself ready if ever need to send me to hospital for labour. At 1am, the contraction became 5 mins apart and I told Daddy "times up. let's go!".

We reached hospital around 2am. I was put on monitoring and guess what, the contraction was GONE again! Midwife told us to go home but I told her we actually plan to induce the baby (over personal reason). So Daddy and I went to Penang Road for Roti Canai at 3am for supper (or early breakfast!). Daddy dropped me off at hospital while he went home for rest.

At 9am, cervix dilated at 4cm and was told I can deliver. Then, the midwife came and advised me NOT to deliver since baby is just 37 weeker. Best to hang on for another week. Daddy and I spoke to the PD and we got the same advice too. So, we went down to gynae office for another round of discussion and we were sort of decided to hang on for another week. Gynae suggest for another round of cervix checking before allowing me to head home. Guess what, it was dilated at 5cm and I had a show.

By the time I was cleaned and etc, it was past 12noon. Gynae to burst the water bag and that's where the contraction started. Thought of enduring the labor pain without taking epidural but I couldn't cope. At ~ 2pm, epidural injected and it was such a relieve!

At 3.30pm, I was fully dilated and just waited for the strong contraction to come. Gynae helped to speed up the contraction by injecting a medicine and by 4.45, strong contraction came. With 2 pushes, baby is out!

Easy push this time, as compared with Che Che (pushed for 2+ hours). Same like Che Che, Sean cried immediately right after came out and he opened his eyes. What's more, he pee while the nurse was cleaning him up! I can see the "fountain shooting up high"!

Daddy and I were not really emotional like the first time. Second time, sort of know what to expect but we were very happy to see Sean! When the nurse brought Sean over to me, I was a but emotional to see him but didn't shed any tears.

1 hour later, nurse brought Sean to me for feed. Sean latched on well like a pro and sucked hard on the breast! This marked the beginning of my breastfeeding journey.

As Mummy Writes This...

It's 11.08pm now...

Few hours ago during dinner, Mummy can feel the contraction pain, which was exactly the same vagina pain like when I had your Che Che. I didn't bother about it.

The frequencies weren't that consistent, like every 45 mins and Mummy didn't bother about it.

As we reached home to settle down your Che Che, the contraction started like every half hour. By the time your Che Che fell asleep, the contraction was like every 15 mins.

Mummy can't remember when is the right time to go hospital. Did some research and found out, if Mummy continue to have 10mins contraction interval within an hour, that's consider true labor.

Let's monitor.

Anyway, even if it is not a true labor, Daddy and I decided to induce you by tomorrow for the following reasons:

1) Mummy hardly can walk due to the tremendous pressure on the back and vagina.
2) Daddy is unable to plan his several business trips, which were important (Sorry Sean! Economy is not good right now, so Daddy needs to work harder)
3) You are > 37 weeks, which is consider in full/matured term for delivery

False alarm

There you go, another false alarm.

Contraction was so strong yesterday morning and Mummy decided to pay Dr Eric a visit to check on you.

Daddy was away to attend your granduncle funeral at Hadyai. Hence, he has been away since Friday afternoon.

Dilation at 3.5 - 4cm and Dr Eric decided to admit me since I may have the tendency of deliver. After getting the admission procedure done, I was put on ETG to monitor your heartbeat and contraction at the labour room.

The feeling was kinda familiar to me, as if it was yesterday that I delivered your Che Che. Contraction was quite strong by 1pm and Dr Eric was saying I may deliver you tonight or tomorrow morning.

However, the midwife and Sister informed me it's best not to deliver you now since your gestation week was only WW35.6. Now, I am confused as in whom to refer when it comes to your actual gestation week.

Never mind, Mummy was put on ~ 1hour+ ECG before being released to normal room to rest.

Then at 4+pm, there was a show!!! Gosh, at that time, Mummy really thought I could delivered you! However, the midwife didn't change me to the labour room but just continue to lie down and reminded me I need to be on FULL bed rest!

Then, Dr Hwang came to see me, advised me the earlier to deliver you is next Sat!!

Thank goodness no bleeding after then. For the whole night and this morning, Mummy has been put on ECG for 3 times, constantly monitoring your heartbeat and contraction. Blessed you, things were all under control.

So this morning, Dr Eric let me go but i need to be on bed rest.

Hang on there, just like how you hang on to wait for your Daddy to come home last night!!

We are proud of you!

Getting Ready

Yup, as of yesterday check up, Mummy is 3cm in dilation.

According to Dr Eric, Mummy has the potential of deliver you this weekend. If not, next Tue ( 10th Feb) we will need to go back to see Dr Eric for further check up.

Hoo hoo...at least you are WW36 old in gestation, consider 'safe'. From the ultrasound, you has the weight - 3.5kg!!