It's a girl!
Heh, of course I knew that since the 5th month. With the many "false alarms" on tests, my health and tiring work schedule with the last few worrying diagnosis of "not growing fast enough" - Fiona Phoenix Chia is born on 10 August.
Because it is an induced birth, it felt very surreal, packing and waking up at 5.30am to 'check in'. The nurses and midwives were all very experienced, so it felt ok just that I was vaguely aware there's no turning back.
Time held out to finally succumbing to epidural - 2.5 hours
Total labor time - 6 hours (my doc's really accurate!)
Total times I said to give up - 2
Though I got to admit , from the time I decided to take the epidural, I was scared stiff. Of the many things to come throughout the labor, how to push, if the pushing will harm her, if the epidural will hurt and many more. So by then I was shivering stiff and the doc had to intervene. Didn't help that I had no more strength or no idea what "pushing" involved. Poor kid had to be pulled by a suction tube.
*
The stitches and post-op recovery - secretly made me want no longer have kids. The confinement made me thankful of the basic things of showering, using the toilet, being able to sit without using a tube and having the energy to move around the house usually.
Most importantly, the complete use of energy in looking after one little adorable girl makes it all worthwhile to repeat the entire process over again. :)
Because it is an induced birth, it felt very surreal, packing and waking up at 5.30am to 'check in'. The nurses and midwives were all very experienced, so it felt ok just that I was vaguely aware there's no turning back.
Time held out to finally succumbing to epidural - 2.5 hours
Total labor time - 6 hours (my doc's really accurate!)
Total times I said to give up - 2
Though I got to admit , from the time I decided to take the epidural, I was scared stiff. Of the many things to come throughout the labor, how to push, if the pushing will harm her, if the epidural will hurt and many more. So by then I was shivering stiff and the doc had to intervene. Didn't help that I had no more strength or no idea what "pushing" involved. Poor kid had to be pulled by a suction tube.
*
The stitches and post-op recovery - secretly made me want no longer have kids. The confinement made me thankful of the basic things of showering, using the toilet, being able to sit without using a tube and having the energy to move around the house usually.
Most importantly, the complete use of energy in looking after one little adorable girl makes it all worthwhile to repeat the entire process over again. :)