Friday, October 31, 2008

20 hours - Labor of love

Friday 10th October:
915am:
I woke up on a wet wet bed. I know for sure my bladder is in control so it must be the waterbag i thought. Called Alvin at work and while he left for home, i called the hospital to inform them. They told me to come at the soonest so that they can verify if my waterbagf really burst.Took my shower, threw on some comfy clothes and set off for the hospital.

1020am :
we arrived at the hospital, were directed to a delivery room where something was inserted into my cervix to test if the stuff on my bed truly was amniotic fluid. Results shown on litmus paper: YES
I was to be placed under observation and wait for contractions to show up. If they didnt, i will be induced in 72 hours. We were housed in this 2 bedder room, of course the other bed was fdor my spouse! ;) it was really comfortable and the staff were really nice and friendly. Felt like a hotel stay!

every 2 hours:
I had this TOKO CTG machine attached to my belly to check for contractions. I did have some but they were very irregular and no pains at all...End of day 1

Saturday 11th october
Today same stuff again... was monitored for contractions but still none. Met and bonded with the hospital staff... cant say enough about each and everyone of them
They had this special touch...could feel the care and love really.very very supportive people.no contractions showed so the midwife- Ingryed suggested we go home for a change and come back after a few hours...she suggested a change in environment could do me some good. Came home, had a shower, had some food and went back to the hospital with some DVDs and reading materials.Monitored again but nothing...

Sunday 12th October
Told that we could go home and return tomorrow if we wished. So we came home at about 1pm...did the normal stuff we do at home and at all times hoped for some kinda pain to show up...nope nothing...then finally at 2am some pain in the abdomen.Was really happy! but it lasted only for 2 hours and was not at all intense. While timing it i even fell asleep!

Monday 630am
Had my shower, drank a lil juice and did a small prayer before i left for the hospital. "Its the day to induce labor.72 hours was up..our appointment was at 730am on arrival, we went back to our room, settled in and then the midwife came to do an internal exam. she said it was ripening and i was 2cm dilated :O i was getting really excited! i was induced at 745am.

she then tells me that the fluid previously that had leaked out was from a small puncture in my water bag and that she has to break the bag now.. so I let her perform the “act” we’re surprised when so much water gushes out of me. The bed is drenched once again and so am i. We get some clean sheets and change myself into dry clothes… it felt like a dam just burst and the water went gushing out…I’m still smiling…no pain yet.I have lunch… it was a delicious milky Swedish dish.Still no pain, had nice long conversations with most of the staff, talking about migraines, recipes etc.

1300hours
I am put on some IV one to make my contractions stronger and closer together and the other was an antibiotic for the baby.

1440hrs
I am 3cm dilated…still the progress was pretty slow so they increased the IV dosage.

1540hrs
I exercise my first pain relief… oxygen gas.

1605hrs
I use my second pain relief option Acupuncture. I’m at the same time practising breathing techniques and relaxation that my father had taught us during yoga sessions.all the time the only thing i think about is the end of the process when i will have AAren in my arms. I constantly change positions. I use the birthing ball and walk around the room while the contractions build up all the while talking to Alvin.

1645hrs
after an internal exami am told I am 5 cm dilated...
I have my dinner which was fed to me by my darling husband… he looks tensed but tries to motivate me. Contractions occur at 2 min intervals lasting 60 secs per contraction. At 645pm, I m 7cm dilated. I now use Nitrogen Oxide instead of oxygen…as pain relief. Each time they change shifts, the midwives come over to give me support. They say I m doing really well…very very cool.

1935hrs
Alvin is hoping it will be 10cm when they come for the next internal exam...
I am 8cm dilated. Yes the end looks near…I think to myself…they decrease the IV dosage to slow down the frequency of contractions and make the pain more tolerable…I still haven’t reach the peak of my threshold yet…

All thru the contractions, I m treated to milk shakes, ice cream and fruit juices…I am glad I am allowed to consume them
Johanna Granberg is the midwife who assisted me thru the last stage with her assistant Lena. I get more goodies to treat myself to and build up in the energy I will require later…mmm blueberry milk shake!

0025hrs
I am fully dilated… change positions and try pushing…each time the contractions build up I push with all my might…Finally after approximately 8 to 10 pushes, I hear that you have arrived.

They hold you up and congratulate Alvin and me. Alvin does the honour of cutting your cord and giving you the breath of life.They place Aaren on my breast and he instinctively start suckling. I forget all the pain and instantly become oblivious to the surrounding while I admire the gift of life; Aditya Aaren Om and marvel at gods creation… as he lay on my chest.

My placenta comes out intact. it looks marvellous. the tree of life is on it. the midwives explain things to us on ho it supported you while baby was within me. We take some pics, I am told I need to get stitches as Om came out head and right arm together causing me to tear very badly. how many stitches I don’t know but from the way they told me it seemed a lot and pretty serious as they mentioned that if local aesthetic didn’t work I will be moved to the operation theatre. Also I had a painful tailbone which they say could have shifted a little due to all the tension my body went thru. Well I did feel the needle each time it went thru but it didn’t matter. I had just done something unbelievable. I gave birth to a life…Aditya Aaren Om arrived on 14th October 2008 at 3am! Alvin and the staff commend me on how well I managed everything… I could never have felt prouder ;)finally 20 hours of work and i have our lovely child in my arms.nothing can beat the feeling

We stayed at the hospital for the next 2 days and couldn’t wait to get home.I would like to add that the staff at the Blekinge Sjukhuset made the entire process so much simpler and pleasant. I am still looking for a perfect thank you gift for them. Each and everyone of them hugged me and comforted me…commended me and supported me throughout. I owe them a huge deal! Thank you to all of them they have touched us in a way no one else ever might.

31st October

He's due date is supposedly today...but he is already here and we're enjoying every bit of it! 2 weeks old. time really flies... but i tell ya its the greatest feeling being a mother :) god gave women the priviledge of givng birth... it truly is a process worth marvelling at. Will try to post more pics and update more regularly people

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Future is born

Precious is he and oh so sweet,
tiny hands and adorable feet
Given to us by god above
A darling son for us to love.

Aditya Aaren Om arrived on October 14 2008 @ 0300hrs
More details when i am a little better...til then some pics for u guys to view!

http://www.ltblekinge.se/halsaochvard/blekingesjukhuset/klinikerochmottagningar/kvinnokliniken/webbisar.4.44822472110876093828000372.html

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Week 36 of Pregnancy

Our little one is now about six pounds in weight and measures slightly more than 20 inches in length. Growth will slow down now in preparation for birth, so our baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and so he can store up the energy needed for delivery.

Our baby's skull isn't the only soft structure in his little body. Most of his bones and cartilage are quite soft as well(they'll harden over the first few years of life) — allowing for an easier journey as baby squeezes through the birth canal at delivery (and less poking for me along the way).

The skull bones are also not fused together yet so that the head can easily or well, relatively easily... maneuver through the birth canal.By now, many of baby's systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms — and just about ready for life on the outside.

Blood circulation,has been perfected and our baby's immune system has matured enough to protect him from infections outside the womb. Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches. Once such notable example-> digestion — which actually won't be fully mature until sometime after birth. Why's that? Inside his cocoon, baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system — though developed — hasn't been operational...

Yipee 4 more weeks to go!!!

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Knitting

See those two scarves? I can proudly say I knitted them :) the all blue checkered one is for Chandini and the smaller grey blue one i knitted for a friend who is expecting too...thanks to Emily who introduced me to this past time which i think is realy cool and addictive.

Right now i am working on a mossa for Baby Aaren but this time professional help was needed so Emily brought me to the knitting shop she frequents in Centrum and i'm already on my way to getting a mossa done for Aaren... :)will upload pics when its done!

The headache that caused an alarm

We had to hand our our old apartment on the 1st of october but before that an inspection had to be passed... and so my hubby started working and did all the back breaking work once again on his own while i sat there helplessly looking at him.
when everything was cleaned spotless, we returned home but to my dismay i had a slight headache...this was on sunday night,the ache disappeared later that night only to return on monday hitting me twice as hard. I had a long sleepless night.

I know that headaches during pregnancy are considered normal due to the hormone levels which are constantly changing but this one caused an alarm... just last thursday i had a urine test done during my appointment and there were traces of protein in it...my midwife said they had to send the sample for further testing....
thankfully further testing revealed no abnormalities.

i left my midwife a voicemail on tuesday morning and she had me come down at 1130am the same day (Despite being booked with patients all day, she made some time for me, i so appreciate that!) for a blood pressure and urine check.

I had read prior to the visit about Preeclampsia which occurs in later stages of pregnancy from this site -http://www.preeclampsia.org/about.asp

All along i was praying and hoping it wouldnt be anything of that sort...
Sometimes its good to be well informed and at other times, one would wish they didnt know the facts...Well so after having my blood pressure checked, which was on safe levels and another urine sample taken which revealed nothing was wrong...
I finally heaved a sigh of relief but more than me, the tension that had built up on Alvin's face disappeared... and what wouldnt i do for that priceless smile on his face!

Thank you God!

Week 35: Frequent visits

i have gained about 8.5kgs...since i conceived
I'm beginning to feel cramped and heavier everyday.Its also getting harder for me to breathe and eat...I get breathless just talking at times lol.

Now that our baby is head down and (almost) engaged in preparation for childbirth, his head is pressing squarely on my bladder. The result? As before — to the bathroom i go. And i go again and again.

Did you know that the measurement in centimeters from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus is roughly equivalent to the number of weeks of pregnancy?

Something else that'll remind you just how far along you are in your pregnancy: the frequent urination. Yep, it's first trimester deja vu all over again, but this time, instead of pregnancy hormones to blame, it's the position of our baby's head that's causing it and as if that's not enough, I'am also experiencing a lack of bladder control so when i say i gotta go...i really mean i gotta go!!!