Remember this date in 2010 - 08.01.10 =)

Drama Mama! At 6:28am on a Friday morning, I woke up with a startle. I had a dream that somehow showed a scene that my waterbag broke and I am in labour! Then, feeling the bed afe around me, indeed, it was slightly wet. I dashed to the bathroom, switched on the lights and saw red spotting and indeed the area where I lay the previous night before was wet. My waterbag leaked! (leaked because if it broke, my bed would be totally totally soaked).

I woke C up and exactly like what my galfriends who were mothers told me - YOU ARE NEVER PREPARED! Indeed, I was too stunned for words and my actions that followed seem to be a 1950 movie in the making - draggy, uncertain plot, long winded, reptitive. My gynae just told me on my last check up on 4 Jan 2010 (Monday) that I was unlikely to be due this coming Sunday (10.1.10) 0- C & I love the date combination and keep on telling Little One to come out on that day as we will all be around. The best part was I just briefed C on the documents and the stuff that I had packed and need to carry in case Little One decided to pop! Haha guess the baby talk was too much for Little One to handle and since Mummy and Daddy to be have packed and knew what to do - He must have decided that 8 Jan 2010 seems like a perfect day for him to arrive.

Called the Labour admissions hotline and mentioned to them my current conditions and was told to admit myself immediately. Once in hopsital and after check-in, I was put on the machine to monitor my contractions rate and the baby's heartbeat. Dr Tan came in and to be honest, she was shocked to see me!

Dr. Tan: "Why are you here, dear? What happened?"
Me:"Spotting, fresh blood and waterbag leaked I guess. You told me if I have any of these symptoms I should call the labour admissions and go to hospital straight."
Dr Tan:" Let me check on you now."
What follows is a chronology of the whole pre and post childbirth process:

9:00am - Dr Tan checked to see if my cervix was dilated. 1cm - not too good. Monitor further. Contractions present but slow and steady, at least 30 mins apart, no feel for me. baby not engaged yest. Dr Tan told me she arranged for pelvic X-ray to see if Little One can go through my birth canal easily.

9:40am - Wennt up for X- ray and 30 mins later, Dr Tan came and told me pelvic area a little tight but if the baby can go through that brim, it should be alright for natural birth. (when I heard these words "go through the brim" - a cold shiver was sent down my spine. I wanted a natural delivery for Little One as much as I could. Dr Tan inserted an oval looking pill to soften the cervix and told me she come back 2 hours later to see if I have any progress.

12:30pm - No progress. The cervix manage to dilate a meer 0.5cm. Goodness. Long labour I overheard. Contractions slow and steady, no hoo haa for me yet. Dr Tan: "Okies Chelsia, I am going to put you on a drip to speed up your cervix openiing and soon you will feel discomfort. And Daddy, please go and take your lunch now. We will need you in here soon." (Swallowing Hard)

1:40pm - C came back from lunch. I was already experiencing slight contractions and getting more rapid. The cervix dilated to 4cm and my contractions became much closer, at least one in every 30 secs. I am going bonkers and in pain! =p

2:00pm onwards - That's it! My contractions are coming in rapid waves and I was pushed to the delivery suite for the real drama!

2:00pm - 5:14pm - It was legs hinged on two side pedestals and then a lot of cheerleading around me and shouts of "Breathe!", "Push!", "Contractions coming!", "One more time, Push!!", and from me: "I dun wana give birth anymore!".

5:15pm: Wong Chong Zhi Garath arrived into the world, weighing 3.58kg, measuring 50cm in length, and head circumference 33cm. And without much further ado, here are the photo highlights for the day! =)

Me feeling super confident about the whole delivery process- hahaha nothing can beat me down man!
The machine that tracks the baby's heartbeat and my contractions

1:30pm - The drip was administered and there I was feeling like the end of the world. (I keep telling C to stop talking and shut up, his voice was super irritating!!!!)

Then labour begins... till....

5:16pm: A sign of relief on my face! Little One was borned at 1715hrs!

Presenting Wong Chong Zhi, Garath

Weight: 3.58kg

Length: 50cm

Head circumference: 33cm
(now you know why mummy had a hard time trying to push you out, aye? =p)

Mummy and Chongzhi, on the way to the ward to rest =)

Last but not least, I like to thank the staff and nurses at Thomson Medical Centre, esp. Dr W K Tan for ensuring the success of the delivery and for always making me feel assured! =)