I'm a full-time mummy

This is the story of my 2nd supernatural childbirth... you can read about my 1st supernatural childbirth in my old blog. Here goes:

1st September 2011 ~ 11.15pm

Started feeling some mild period-like cramps. Brushed off thoughts on contractions starting. But still took a pen to note down the time and date... and waited for the next period-like cramp...

1st September 2011 ~ 11.25pm

Crap... 10 minutes apart?!!! With Ben that time, I'm already halfway to my hospital already! Dutifully wrote down the time and date again...and prayed the next period-like cramps will not be exact 10 minutes apart... cos if it is, then this is real contractions!

1st September 2011 ~ 11.29pm

Oh-kayyyyy... 4 minutes difference now... so this is Braxton-Hicks... I think....

Anyway, to spare you the details, I repeated the time and date log until 2.44am, at which in between, I actually popped into hubby's office and casually told him that I'm having Braxton-Hicks since 11pm+ and told him to pray it's not turning to regular interval which will mean true contractions as it is almost 3am now and I AM VERY SLEEPY....

I have been going to bed around 3-4am with this second pregnancy and I really wanted to sleep... SERIOUSLY...

And you know what my hubby said? "I think I better mop the floors". I was like 'Huh?! What?!' And he went "There's no time to mop floors already if you're going to give birth soon. I've gotta make sure the floors are clean when baby comes."

Woh-kayyyyyyy.... whatever dear... I am heading to bed...

And he came into bed not long after and we decided to watch an episode of some shows (forgot which, could be How I Met Your Mother or Two and a Half Men) and I continued logging the date and time I experienced the period-like cramps on my iPad (I downloaded some free apps days before that to track the intervals of the contractions)

When the intervals get regular - ermm... like 10 minutes each time, I woke up my hubby (who was happily snoring) and told him we should get ready and head to the hospital. It was 4am then. I got ready, changed, kissed and hugged Ben one last time and hubby woke up his mum and asked her to take care of Ben (she came into our room and rest there) and we left our house at 4.38am.

2nd September 2011 ~ 5am+

Reached the labor ward building and registered myself at the reception counter. Hubby came in after he parked his car and I was told to go into one of the room and the nurse took my blood pressure and weight and told me to lie on one of the bed and proceeded to hook me up to one of those machine to check whether I'm having true or false contractions... and the agonising wait started...

2nd September 2011 ~ 6am+

By now, my period-like cramps is every 5 minutes and one of the doctor in-charge told me I'm having real contractions but I'm just 2cm dilated. Hubby went to do the procedure to get my own suite so that I could rest there. I remembered SMS-ing hubby asking him whether my room is ready cos I'm REALLY REALLY SLEEPY and HUNGRY. He replied that he got me a Trump suite, and by Trump suite he actually meant he got me a room all to myself which is what I wanted (I don't need to hear other patients wailing and whining in pain). Oh-kay...

2nd September 2011 ~ 7am+

One nurse came over from the hospital ward with a wheelchair to escort me to my suite (I am not kidding you, I get an escort cos I'm a Full Paying Patient). Told the nurse no thank you, I'd rather walk to my room to speed up the contractions and dilation. And we walked to the next building where my room is. And when we reached there, I was told there are no more single bedded rooms at the moment and I had to share my room with another lady.

What?!!! And my hubby said he got me a Trump suite all to myself?!!!

Argh... tried to maintain my cool and just said 'Whatever, just show me my room' and the nurse told me that the charges for single bedded room and double bedded room are the same. Arghhhh... whatever whatever... I just want to lie down on my bed and sleep. Seriously...

Hubby came over with my bag and stuff and was surprised as well when he was told there are no more single bedded rooms for now. He looked at me sheepishly.

2nd September 2011 ~ between 7am+ to 11am+

Period-like cramps are getting more intense. I kept telling hubby it's painful and this is going to be our last child not kidding. He offered me his hand and I remembered how hard I grabbed his fingers last time with Ben and decided not to use my full strength on his hand. Yeah, in the midst of awful pain, I am still considerate and loving huh?

Also to note, this round, it is more pain especially near my groin area whenever I had the contractions and was told that my baby has engaged - which is the pain is more intense. Buzzed for the nurse few times to get them to ask a doctor to check how far along was I (as in dilated how much). Each time, the nurse (SAME nurse) will use her small rounded timer and time my contractions in 10 minutes and told me to wait until my water bag breaks.

Hubby reminded me that when I was looking like a wreck like this during Ben's time, I was really close to giving birth, so he had a hunch it's getting close! Oh great, thanks for the revelation!

When I was down to 3 agonising contractions in 10 minutes, I told the nurse, I really want a doctor to check my dilation, I will stop bugging you guys when I know how far along I am. So after a while, they told me to go to this small  examination room and lie on the bed to wait for the doctor who is on her way to check me (FYI, my gynae was still on holiday and was only due to be back at work the next day)

2nd September 2011 ~ 12pm

Hubby was asked to wait outside the room - leaving me all alone WITH NOTHING TO GRAB or WHINE TO! Arghhh.!!!! A lady doctor came in and told me that the hospital procedure is they will check how far along was I, if I have reached 4cm, they will break my water bag and wheeled me to the labor ward (next building) and we will then wait until I reached 10cm to give birth. And if I have not reached 4cm, I'm going back to my own room.

Just as the doctor put on her gloves to get ready to break my water bag, she looked down and said loudly "Oh no, you're 8cm already! I cannot break your water bag now, if I do so, you're going to give birth right here!" Meanwhile, hubby who was outside the room (no door) shouted "Ooo Oooo 8cm! So close already!!!"

I glared at the nurse who kept telling me to wait for my water bag to break and she sheepishly said I was not screaming or crying in pain which is why she doesn't take my whining seriously. WTH...

Note to self to scream like a banshee next time to be taken seriously but wait... reminded myself no more, no more...

So anyway, after finding out I was 8cm dilated, the doctor asked the nurse whether there are enough equipments for me to deliver right in the room where I was and the nurse said no, this is only an examination room, they have to wheel me to the labor ward in the next building.

GREAT! Immediately, the doctor told the nurse to go ahead and she will meet up with me at the labor ward. Hubby had to take another route to go to the labor ward as only staff and patients are allowed to go through the shortcuts.

To be honest, I was really hoping I did not deliver right in the hallway as 2 nurses wheeled me to the labor ward. When I felt my contractions coming on, I prayed 'No, not here, I don't want the birth cert to state hospital hallway as place of birth, no, no. You hang in there first don't come out yet!'

2nd September 2011 ~ 12.30pm

Once I was in the labor room, I saw the lady doctor and she got ready with her preparations and stuff. I had to change into another hospital gown and we waited a while for my hubby to be in. When he came in, I looked at him and said 'I want the gas mask!' I used it when I gave birth to Ben 2 years ago and I felt it really help me to focus on something else (to draw the gas out from the mask) instead of fearing the pain of labor.

Hubby asked the doctor whether I could use the mask and they said go ahead. The doctor broke my water bag and told me to push when I feel the next contraction coming. I think I only use the gas mask for a short while because one of the nurse took it away from me after my first push. Too distracting I guess. I did remembered the doctor telling my hubby to take a look at Alyson crowning after my first push and that I am a good pusher. Oh-kayyy...

I pushed another round for a long time cos everyone (REALLY EVERYONE!) around me shouting things like 'Push a little bit more, we can see her head already!', 'A little bit only!', 'You can do it! Push!' and I did my best and the doctor in the end helped pulled out Alyson since her head is out already.

After Alyson was out, I was so relieved and then only I realised there were like half a dozen people in the room with me. Most of them are nurses on duty actually. In total, plus hubby, I think there are close to 10 people in the labor room with me...

Apparently it was lunch time and I was the only LUCKY woman giving birth at that time and everyone in the labor ward came over for the show as my labor was quite a big hoo-hah (with the 8cm and still looking cool as cucumber incident and that I'm about to pop anytime)

So, there you go... the long story of my 2nd supernatural childbirth. And why I think this round is still supernatural?

* Alyson engaged herself and I finally have the chance to feel how a baby engaged feels like (and how painful it was when the contractions came)

* I delivered Alyson naturally

* I don't rely on painkillers other than Entonox (which was for a couple of seconds only)

* I delivered Alyson in 2 pushes!

* I lost very little blood about 250ml (a can of soft drink) which was the same case with Ben

* No episiotomy this round! Yeay!

Again, I thank God for His divine intervention and for His blessings on our family.

And yes, we're now a family of 4!

It's now day 15 for my tandem nursing journey. Yeap, 14 excruciating days has passed and I'd like to think I'm beginning to see a tiny weeny bit of light at the end of my tandem nursing depression tunnel. My battle with the negative emotions and thoughts on tandem nursing a 2.5 year old and a 2 week old newborn.

Now that I'm mostly feeling positive-r (is there such a word?), I'd like to share out what goes on during the 14 days.

Firstly, tandem nursing does not make me tired. I don't tandem nurse the whole day, only about twice daily, prior to Ben's afternoon nap and bedtime. Yes, I do feel like a cow when I nursed both Ben and Alyson together but no, it doesn't make me tired. In fact, I think it is why I'm feeling much better. I don't want any of you guys to get the idea that tandem nursing is a horrible experience and must be avoided at all costs.

Anyway, back to what happened... during the initial days (as in day 2 post delivery) I got home with baby Alyson and when I had to nurse Ben for the first time after the baby comes, it hit me. The feeling of disgust and agitation is unspeakable. I felt like snapping at Ben, I felt angry at him for still wanting to nurse from me.

There are times I find myself withdrawing and avoiding Ben. I get all moody when it's time to nurse him (always before his afternoon nap and bedtime sleep which was the usual practise all the while even during my pregnancy)

Funny to think that before the baby comes, I was all clingy and sad at the thought of losing my 1 to 1 time with Ben and just few days after the baby arrives, I started hating my precious boy. HATE. Yes, I hated saying I hate my boy but it's the truth. I need to write this out to remind myself (when I read back this post from time to time) that it's stupid of me to be thinking this of my boy.

Poor Ben had no idea what happened to mummy and why mummy is acting all weird and moody and snapping at everything he does. Hubby came to my rescue by helping out as much as he can, distracting Ben when he wants to nurse from me (which we also found out later when Ben wants to nurse other than before his sleeping time, he wanted to nurse because he's hungry) and practically just spends more time with us whenever he can.

I searched around the net for tandem nursing reactions like mine and found out that it's a common thing experienced by tandem nursers during the initial stage. Oh my, I am not a weirdo alone, THANK GOD!

Some fellow bloggy friends shared their experiences and what they did to get through this difficult phase and I tried their tips and yeah, I think it's working so far...

So, back to day 14 now... I do feel moody once in a while but not so often anymore. I told myself if I can't make it, at least I tried. At least I gave it a good fight before I surrender. And looks like I'm still hanging in there...

I find that nursing Ben and Alyson both helps me distract myself from thinking of negative stuff. I also use that chance to teach Ben to handle and touch his baby sister gently and to protect and love her and that she's not a threat to him (in terms of my breastmilk) and it's so nice when both of them fell asleep together.

I want to express my deepest thanks to you guys who still drop by my blog and leaving me your sweet support, prayers and virtual hugs.

I want to thank Dionna for sharing her tips and Twittering me, Dulce Chale for sharing her experience, Mama J for sharing her tips and emailing me and Germaine (for referring me to Mama J)

I also want to thank my hubby for his continuous support and help in taking care of Ben, bringing him out for some daddy-son quality time while mummy rests at home with Alyson.

Thank you all again for your continuous support in me, my blog and everything that goes on in our life. I really appreciate it and hope to get over this obstacle soon. One step at a time...

Hi all,

Just want to drop a note that I am struggling and coping with tandem nursing. It's more of an emotional issues which I read occurs commonly for tandem nursers and I'm trying to overcome this and praying hard I will get through this obstacle.

I'm currently on day 11 of tandem nursing and again, this is more of an emotional battle for me to fight through (am also suspecting could be due to hormonal changes since my body is trying to revert back to the pre-pregnancy stage)

My dearest hubby has been the greatest source of strength and pillar for me to rely on during this difficult times. What would I do without him?! Every minute he has spared, he spends it with us and helped me take care of Ben during his fussy moments.

Please pray for me, us and that we will get through this.

Any experienced tandem nursing mamas who has been there and done that, appreciate your support and encouragement in any way.

God bless you all.