3rd trimester and LABOUR

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Here comes the third and final trimester. The first week was okay, I felt great and didn't really feel I have entered third trimester. I took Covid vaccine (Pfizer) at week 26 as advised by Dr Yong.

Saw Dr Yong on 28 weeks, she asked me to postpone my 2nd jab because of my high heartbeat rate just to be on the safer side. Being at 7 months, my nausea and bloatedness are back, Dr Yong said it could be acid reflux coz the baby is higher and she gave me some gastric pills which really helps! I also feel very tired, breathless and wobbly az my centre of gravity is haywire. My last scan was arranged earlier to 31 weeks and have to see high-risk endocrine to see my thyroid and ECG results. 

At 29 weeks, I fell at work and everyone was panicking. I didn't want to go to hospital but one of the bosses asked me too (and yeah I had to pay $100+ on my own, should have gone A&E and claim from company insurance) Alhamdulillah nothing happened and I was fit to go home and got myself 3 days MC. Heheh

30 weeks on Hari Raya Haji and my tummy still hiding somewhere. Hehhe. 

31 weeks came, the endocrine doctor said that I should postpone my 2nd jab until my heart rate goes down (currently at 120+ which is too high for a pregnant lady, normally it is 90 - 100), drink lots of plain water but no medicine was given as my thyroid results weren't that bad. So I postponed to 20 August, my next appointment with Dr Yong at 34 weeks. Oh and my appetite and hunger have increased double fold! 

Week 33, we went to take my graduation photoshoot together with a baby shoot at MBS area, we really love the pictures!

My face and feet already started to puff up like crazy! Can see from the pictures here too. We initially wanted to have a staycation in July since its A's birthday but because of Phase 2 Heighten Alert (again) we will lose out on the dine-in buffet, so we decided to push to August and they came out with the new rule of non-vaccinated people can't dine in. Bleargh! So we just make do with the photo shoot. 

Oh and my colleague just gave birth too at 37 weeks via induction. I am nervous as mine will be in a month's time! 😱😱

So we started to wash the baby clothes and prepare some things in the hospital bag just in case. 

Week 34, Dr Yong gave a thumbs up on the 2nd jab and I should monitor myself if any weird things happening like heart palpitation, tight chest or hard to breathe. I am going to see her at 37 weeks 🥶🥶 The following Monday, I had my worst flu and sore throat, had to go polyclinic to get my virgin swab test (omg! the feeling was urgh, I teared up and had to blow my nose multiple times for both ART and PCR test) and get some medication suitable for pregnancy. Results were both negative, alhamdulillah. 

At 37 weeks, my brother and SIL delivered their 1st baby boy! I'm officially a mak long! Then, a friend of mine gave a scare and I overreacted and *false alarm-again* went to SGH for nothing. Contraction is there but I don't feel pain but I'm also 1cm dilated (which is long way to go), they asked me to go home because it will take a long time as a first-time mom. Saw Dr Yong on Friday and she said the baby is big between 3 to 3.2kg. She said the next time we see her and the baby is bigger, she has to induce me to labour. I was scared and started to do all the squats and walking. I started to feel cramping and pass motion-like but not pain. Having difficulties in sleeping, had to sleep in almost on a seating position. My left leg is more swollen than my right, the amount of wearing compression socks and elevating it could not make it go down. Waiting anxiously for the next appt on 39 weeks.

Week 39 and baby is already 3.5kg but I'm only 2cm dilated 😩. Didn't get to admit on appointment date because there weren't enough beds so we waited till Wednesday to check in. Need to do more exercise and walking since we still go chance. A told Dr Yong to wait till next Monday's appointment, I told him I'm scared that baby will be too big and have to go through csect, which I don't want to. I want to try normal. 

Last appointment at O&G

Wednesday came, we checked in at 11am. There were so many Covid tests that we had to do from ART (both of us), PCR and bacteria swab for me. Then only at 3.30 they induced me, the progress was slow tho but the contractions were coming but bearable. In the morning, when they checked, its only 1cm shorter and I have to wait till 3.30pm to see what's the outcome. 3.30pm came and when they checked I was already 3cm and they decided to break my waterbag. Went to labour room at 5+, broke my waterbag and get the epidural. The epidural was wonders, didn't feel any pain at all. So in between, I managed to get some sleep before the doctors come and check. At 8pm, I'm already 4cm, at 11pm I'm already 7cm but baby still high. I was happy that it was that quick until the epidural side effects kicked in, vomited twice after the check. And because of epidural, I can't feel my stomach started to twist and turn, thus the vomit came in as a  surprise. At 4am, I'm already 10cm but baby wasn't really low thus I have to do the hard work, pushing for 1.5hours without feeling anything because of the remaining side effects of epidural. And when the pain started to come, it was already the full blown pain (good and bad). Good because my body naturally will push together with the contraction, bad because I was already tired for 1.5hours of pushing "nothing". Legs feel so lenguh and cramping. I even vomited again before the doctors come in and encouraged me to push more. A told me that he could see baby's head/hair and encouraged me to push more. Then they asked me to relax because waiting for Dr Yong to come from her home. I was like, but my contractions already asking me to push. I think the rest of the doctors knew I can't and needed assistance. Finally Dr Yong came at 6.10am, she examined and asked me to push one big push and I could feel baby's head was out, then her body. Was super overjoyed as she was so pretty and cute. But that wasn't the end, I had to deliver my placenta which feels more worse because of the contraction still going on. Oh and the stitching was crazy because the epidural already worned off and I just had to take laughing gas and having baby on my chest because to distract the pain. And she was teaching her intern, omg it took so long my kaki dah lenguh but they said no cannot put down my legs, if not I will fall.

Baby had to be pushed to high dependency ward because she pooped during the pushing. I was so scared about it and hoping nothing serious. Went back to my ward for breakfast and vomited my breakfast, asked for stronger painkillers for the nausea and they could only administer at 12pm. I slept through in between messaging family and friends that I have delivered. I skipped the breastfeeding timings at HD because I was too tired and no energy because of the vomiting. They called me to go at 4pm but porters were on changing shift and I only get to breastfeed my baby at 5pm. She was so hungry, latched on me for an hour and still demand for more milk. Had to give it back to the nurse to feed her and then I vomited again (lucky there's plastic in the nick of time). They sent me back, asked for a different medication as I was really feeling nauseated and trembling because of no energy. They gave me a different one and had dinner, hoping that the dinner does stay. And then my baby was pushed back to me as she was discharged from HD. Alhamdulillah 🥰 Fed her again before I asked the nursery to help and look after her for the night.

Next day, discharge day! NOT! So much drama because I can't pee, the doctors had to tell me that I can't be discharged at 5pm and had to put back the catheter till next morning. On top of that, the new ruling of no visitors expect husbands were mandate and my husband was asked to leave in that situation where I was arguing with the nurse that I wanted to go home. During that time, baby was crying murder coz I don't have enough milk and she wanted more, so the nurses from nursery took her away for me to be send to nursery and I was left alone. Emotions running high and I broke down because we were so excited to go home that day, even told my mom but it didn't happen. One beautiful and nice doctor came and saw me crying and asked me what happened and she tried to calm me down and asked if I want her to talk to Dr Yong. I told her it's okay since my baby will be doing the jaundice check the next day, might as well stay rather than going A&E (which is not ideal since Covid cases has been all time high). The next day, everyone was so chilex even the nurses were like if you can't pee, it's okay you still can go back but with the catheter. Ape lagi, I really don't care and wanted to go home even with the catheter bag still attached to me. 1pm sharp, we were signed to go home, thanking all the nurses there for their dedicated work and we were off to my mom's place! They didn't know and caught them by surprise coz they wanted to put balloons to decorate. Lol sey my mom.