My Labour & Delivery Birth Story (Philip Foo) @ KKH 2018 Blog

Hi everyone ! ^^

I'll be sharing on my birth story of my son, Philip Foo . it's going to be lengthy and very real and raw.. 

I feel like im finally ready to talk about this, it wasn't the smooth happy one I expected, infact rather painful, emotional rollercoaster (24 hours of labour!!) and I couldn't bring myself to feel happy or smile for the past 2 days after birth but I'm proud to say I've been through it and recovered well so far..and its hands down the most difficult thing I will ever do in my life !!! 

TBH I didn't really enjoy the whole process and I was not able to bring myself to smile carrying my newborn in hospital gown type of pic... if you know me you know i'm not those motherly type of people.. -.- but !!!! 

I'm just glad that both me and my son is healthy and together !

Thanks to my loving , patient and supportive husband. Really cant do without you! 

Its been 8 weeks into parenthood and every moment is quite fulfilling, although tiring, exhausting. This post will be entirely on the birth story & I'll put post partum recovery & milk in another post ! Here goes !

Philip's EDD was supposed to be 18 January 2018, and he came on 19 January 2018 ! 

Here's a pic of me at 38 weeks pregnant. We were really expecting him to come early as our doc said he would most likely be early as he is big (38weeks already 3.2kg) and my stomach was bursting at its seams !

My doc is A. Prof John Tee at KKH, Private (Clinic L). All my consultations, checks are with him, I follow him throughout my whole pregnancy and stick to KKH. Although he is a man of few words, he gave us assurance and confidence, and he is friendly, most importantly very experienced ! Extremely glad that he took my case and that we stuck to him throughout.  

After my 38 week checkup, he told me the baby is already engaged and low in the pelvic region, pressing downwards against my pelvis bone. 

So he told me to be on lookout for signs of labour between 10/01/2018 to my EDD (19/01/2018). 

As first timers, we really dont know what to expect ! Everyone (all the women around me) was telling me different things, my mother saying dont worry will be very fast one... -.- cos when she birth me (first born) only 6 hours.. BUT THEN... -.- 

 and I was scared, and confused... sometimes don't listen so much better, cos everyone's will be different ! 

Me and ZW were living in our new house by ourselves so we only had each other at home.

So I had total of 2 false alarms ..

1st time: was on 12/01/2018. 

My contractions was strong and he was very low and pressing very hard downwards, I felt like going to drop out !! So heavy , can't walk properly.. I also felt pain. So I told ZW that maybe we should go check it out . Cos really dont know -.- first time feel so pain and weird

So we went to the KKH Triage , where they observed me for one hour plus.. strapped me to a machine to moiniter my contractions and check my dilation. 

So i had dilation of 1 cm on 12/01/2018 and the contractions were not strong enough to admit me , and the dilation only 1 cm, so they sent us home to "ask us to wait" . We paid $148 for the visit, check and observation. Only 3cm above they will admit i think. 

Wah , come to think about it, the last 2 weeks really the damm hardest !!!! My pregnancy was smooth throughout and until the last 2 weeks, all the symptoms come at once.. omg .. The waiting sucks.... 

 2nd time: 17/01/2018: false alarm again !!

Around 6AM, In the morning, I felt pain, and contractions this time is more pain than the previous. and my whole body aches, my pelvis felt like its going to crack from the pressure pressing downwards.. 

I had a 40 week checkup with Dr Tee in the evening (5PM) but felt that can't wait.... So we drove to the KKH Triage again, where they moiniter me again & check me again !! Same process.. and guess what, still only 1cm dilated ... omg.. and the routine doc did a membrane sweep for me to "get things going".. & got sent home to wait again.. We paid again $148 for the visit, check and observation.

This time I really going emo already, cos i'm so sick of feeling so very uncomfortable, heavy and pregnant !!! and helpless. I remember I keep crying on the drive back home. 

So at 5PM, we met Prof Tee, he checked me and he said since I'm 40weeks tomorrow on 18/01/2018 , he say he can induce ... I'm like OK , let's do it tomorrow on 18/01/2018.. I can't physically take it already lol.. 

He gave me a paper slip which I had to bring along for admission for induction on 18/01/2018 , report to KKH at 12pm then they will start the process.. 

18/01/2018: Induction day

Guess what, my water broke at home at 6AM !!! I think is because of the membrane sweep yesterday ...when i was supposed to admit at 12PM noon..

I was quite shocked when I got out of bed and then went to toilet, then water start flowing non stop.. its clear water, like a tap. and some cramps....dramatic right.. I tried to control, but can't control so confirm is water break. The flow really non stop and a lot !!! Cos the nurse told me once water break must immediately go hospital alr...

I quickly told ZW that eh my water break.. so I quickly took a shower, put on a pad, put towels on the car seat , grabbed the hospital bag and rush to KKH. Got admitted to the delivery suite No.10 . FINALLY Here goes ! 

*throughout the whole time leaking w/o control, its very very uncomfortable.... 

10AM reach hospital... once again, mointer my contractions , strapped me to the machine...

11AM: Dr Tee came in to see me and say, can kickstart the induction process.. The routine doctor checked is 1.5cm dilated.. and the waterbag is a small leak, not big tear.. so can wait..  Prior to this I did tell my doc that I prefer a natural delivery.. don't want C sect but of course nobody can predict ...

So to dilate the cervix.. so he asked them put the induction pill first (wait 10 hours) followed by the drip.. I hear alr wanna faint. The waiting game starts.. 

Inside the delivery suite.. just lay there and drip/leak non stop..while the contractions will get stronger and closer to each other..  nurse still say I will leak all the way until I deliver.. omg..

Thanks hubby for bringing me food and by my side throughout the entire thing !

Infact the experience was kind of traumatic for him also cos I could also feel his fear and worry for me, so much so that when we came home he told me "I dont mind if Philip is our only child cos I don't want see this pain again" lol -.-"

So in the room, there was a chair for him to sit by the bed side..

In early labour, I got up a couple of times to walk around during the first  .. or else whole day lie there so stiff.. listen to music, watch tv.. eat while you can...

The nurses inserted the drip needle first, in case I need it later but too distressed to put.. 

The pill will soften, and open the cervix and help dilation.. but mine was so super slow.. its soft, but dilate very slowly (5 hours only added 1cm omg..) want to cry and feel like wanna give up. 

but im VERY thankful to my doc Prof Tee who is willing to let me wait and encourage me for natural delivery. because im very sure if its other doctors or private hospitals they sure chop chop do C sect on me already , cos its taking so long ... 

He even came to visit me at 2AM in the middle of the night and encourage me , say soon already, i can do it.. very grateful for him.. Thanks God !!

 Thanks hubby, love you so much !!

Every 3-4 hours, the routine doctor will do rounds and check.. 

For epidural, normally if want, they can do when 3cm dilated and above. before that cannot.. and after administer epidural, cannot eat ! only can drink water & fluid drip..

8PM on 18/01/2018: 

So I just waited and try to endure , for 12 hours and 4cm dilated (which was 12 hours later) then I took epidural , even so there was a waiting time and not like the anesthetist immediately available to do for me. Had to tell the nurse in advance that I wanted to do and then they arrange the anesthetist to come (takes a while to come). this is the time they also put the IV drip for me and also the urine tube.

The epidural part is scary .. and the worst thing is .. they insert the needle for me TWO seperate TIMES.. omg.. I will explain about this..

First time do the epidural process, they taped my back with sticky tape and marked the location for the needle to be inserted. Then insert the needle and tube, remove the needle, left the tube. This was about 9PM at night. Everything ok i thought.. btw the needle is very pain (or my pain tolerance low idk)

Then they gave me a button to push for increase dose of epidural in case its very pain.. 

Over time, the contractions grew stronger and stronger (as they started the drip induction, after the pill) , then it was more and more painful, BUT THE THING IS , the epidural only worked for ONE SIDE OF MY BODY , means no effect on my left side omg . 

Means my right side numb, but left side felt EVERYTHING, every SINGLE contraction. OMGGGGGG. 

it was really damm F painful. cos only one side numb but the other all the pain is there. dont know how to describe the pain. like interally ripped apart ? and it comes in waves.. idk lol.. but really damm fking pain. i felt everything on the left side of my body and nothing on the right side. wah lao.

1AM: on 19/01/2018: I called for nurse, and told them how come only one side got epidural effect but the other part no.. they ask the anesthetist  to come check. then the anesthetist said she first add the dosage for me, see whether works or not, if not have to re-do.. cos this epidural thing works differently for everyone.. maybe my body not function normally ah?? so they added the dosage for me first

3AM: on 19/01/2018 : the contractions super strong. super painful. still feel all the pain on one side. they were testing the effectiveness of the epidural by asking me to lift left leg, right leg... i cant lift up the right leg, but left leg can lift up.. means the drug didn't effect on my left side of my body.. 

 Was crying from frustration and pain. I also screamed at ZW cos its so painful and he is not helping.?? I was sooo scared. So he called the nurse and insisted that they re-do the epidural because i was having no relief from one side of my body. 

So they did. 

The second time insert epidural was SUPER HARD. Cos i was in so much pain (dilated 6cm ~ super painful strong contractions) and I had to keep completely still. Literally fighting to keep still. They did the whole process again and insert the needle again.. omg... super exhausted.. but good news is that I'm 6 or 7cm dilated then. 

I still remember vividly that after the second epidural, i was literally shivering/shaking uncontrollably. ZW see already very scared, keep holding my hand. 

Never felt so out of control of my own body. shivering and i fell asleep for a while, too exhausted... 

9AM on 19/01/2018: The routine doctor came to check on my dilation. good news is that my dilation is 9 cm and im almost there ! (10cm then can push).. and the epidural working well, so the pain was manageable..

10.30AM on 19/01/2018: a nurse came in and check on my dilation again, and its finally 10cm !! Ready to push ! she massaged my legs to get the blood flowing (cos ive been lying there for too long) and told me to breathe, inhale and push , bear down... The nurse was super supportive, kind and helpful.. really provided me a lot of comfort..

its seriously the hardest thing and the most uncomfortable / painful feeling in my whole life, felt like my below was going to explode into blood and sweat !!! my god... really just kept praying and leave it to God !!

11AM on 19/01/2018: push until the crowing stage, the nurse went to call Prof Tee to come help me deliver. When he came in , ZW describe him like come one lets get baby out ! He like excited lol.. when Prof Tee came, he asked me to hold one long push and at the same time, cut , then ta daa i heard the cries of my baby. 

At that point of time was quite a blur , mix of emotions as pain, exhaustion, relief , tiredness, very overwhelming.. 

Next comes the worst part, they pushed my stomach hard down to deliver the placenta , and i felt like i was squirting blood non stop... like the blood flowing uncontrollably, felt like i was going to faint anytime already. and then followed by the stitching. I felt like i got a long cut...the stitching part was quite traumatic, as the epidural didnt have much effect at the lower part, so its really fking painful . felt every needle and thread zomg it felt like forever !! 

but Prof Tee did it nicely and he was assuring, keep talking to me say almost done almost done. 

urgh. was crying/shouting out in pain and ZW felt so helpless and he like crying . lol. 

Nurses quickly cleaned, weigh, measure Philip and did the APGAR score. He's perfect ! First few pics taken by daddy :) 

then suddenly, just suddenly we realised that we've become parents and our son is finally here, with us ! and we've experienced the miracle of life. 

Wow , really amazing that this little human has been living in me all this time ! God's gift to us  ! Suddenly we have someone else ! Its a weird feeling. Praise the Lord ! 

The nurses cleaned me up quickly and put Philip on me for skin to skin. They also encouraged me to breastfeed immediately, which I was luckily able to feed him colostrum from the breast which i had . 

So i latched him on and he began feeding quickly :)

Our baby Philip Foo Xiang Yu ! ^^

After feeding, they took baby for several checks and he will join us in the ward later. 

We had to wait a while in the delivery suite for our ward to be ready. The nurse asked me if i was hungry and then ordered lunch for me. We had lunch then about 1 plus, we got wheeled to A ward Suite 24. 

The A suite was surprisingly comfortable and luxurious.. didnt expect it to be so nice though hahaha..

There was a sofa bed for hubby to sleep on (only A ward husband can stayover..) and we are glad we chose this because it was very important for my emotional and mental wellbeing ! 

It was assuring and comforting to know that he is there with me ... was so exhausted I told ZW i don't want any visitors during my stay (only stay 1 day anyway). only allow my parents and bro to come.

There's a private toilet with shower facilities, table, chair, tv, safe for belongings, fridge, blankets, extra pillows etc and the necessary amenities pack.  everything kind of provided for ! its like hotel room ! 

We quickly took a nap to recharge before baby joins us in our room.. 

and then Philip is wheeled in ! Every 3 hours , he will be wheeled in for breastfeeding . So I had to latch him on every 3 hours throughout the stay. After feeding in the day and night, he can remain in our room or can ask the nurses to bring him back to the nursery where they can take care... 

Throughout the stay, the nurses, routine docs checked on me every few hours , make sure im doing ok , blood tests, all the different tests for me and Philip.. really is a lot of tests -.- he also had some vaccinations shot..

our little sweetie :)

The nursery for A ward babies..

Philip going for his jabs..

Dinner is served ! Can choose chinese, western, indian etc..

By dinnertime, about 6 hours after I delivered, I was able to get off the bed and walk to the toilet, of course in pain but still able to walk already...

during our stay (btw we only stay for 24 hours) , we kept on buzzing the nurses to ask them to teach us how to breastfeed properly, how to hold baby, how to burp baby, how to swaddle etc.. the nurses are very friendly and taught us repeatedly, cos we kanchiong and tired.. very hard to handle something so small and fragile lol

3AM breastfeeding...beginning of no sleep days

milk coma haha.. 

After the 3AM feeding, Philip returned to the nursery while we catch up on sleep..

Morning breakfast is served ! I chose the chinese option. actually they gave me menu to choose lunch but I didnt get to have it cos I got discharged at 1PM.. 

See the menu ! Haha.. kind of comprehensive !

Below is for lunch and dinner menu:

I actually chose my meals already ! But the docs say I can discharge at 1PM , so no need lunch lol.. 

So infact we actually stayed in the ward for 24 hours only.. 

before discharge, need to do paperwork and the doctor prescribed a whole lot of medicine for me.. 9 types of medicine I must eat.. including antibiotics..

When we left, they also gave us a celebration cake & a big bagpack full of goodies (samples etc) !!! Really very useful !!! They also gave us cake hahaa..

So off we go to start our new lives together ^^

Grateful to God for safe and healthy delivery of our son!!! Thanks God for keeping us safe, healthy and everything went smoothly, Thanks to my doc that he encouraged me and I managed to deliver naturally w/o going c sect.. though i almost giving up !

Really with God given strength to endure through this :) Grateful for everything ! so much love & now WE ARE THREE !

will be blogging about post partum recovery + breastfeeding / milk in another post :)