This is the final week of my maternity leave… My last few days with Jaime.
Though she is suffering a flu & having a bad cough… She still enjoys her tummy time.
Jaime: Hello Mummy!
Jaime: Reading on my tummy!
I realised that being a second time mummy does not necessary makes me more experience in handling kid.
There are just things that I have never encountered before with Jaelyn that I am experiencing now with Jaime. For instances, I have absolutely no idea how to counter the cradle cap that Jaime is having. I bought the Dentinox cradle cap shampoo that many mummies recommended. They said the cradle cap will fall off within a few days after washing with that shampoo. But after two weeks, the cradle cap is still there and it looks quite bad and don’t smell that good too. In the end, I use baby oil to massage on the cradle cap everyday 30min before bath and wash off with the cradle cap shampoo and viola! The cradle cap fell off within a few days.
Jaime also has eczema and I really hated it. After seeing pediatrician twice, applying the creams prescribed, it just doesn’t go off completely and it actually got worse when the weather is hot. (Singapore weather has been crazily hot and humid lately) So what did I do? I actually bathe Jaime using breast milk. It helps at least clear off the rashes on the face and keep the rash on the neck to minimal. The wonder of breast milk!
My cutie pie Jaime girl
I always wanted to spend quality time with Jaelyn especially now that Jaime is taking up most of my attention.
But with the freaking hot weather, going outdoor is really a no no for me. So last Sunday, after Jaime KO for her afternoon nap, I brought Jaelyn to Compasspoint Swensen for an ice-cream treat!
We had a short one hour together, eating fries with ice-cream & a machine car ride. Then we hurry home in case Jaime wake for feed and I turned down her request to shop for a story book… now I feel bad… I wanted to hurry home because of meimei… Wonder if that quality 1hr counts? Really not easy to be a mummy of 2.
It’s really not easy handling two kids.
Jaime is a baby and needs a lot of attention. Taking care of her is almost taking up all of my time. Feeding 2 hourly is tiring me out. On top of that, my very jealous Jaelyn is constantly fighting for attention as well.
Even bedtime is challenging. I have to “feed” Jaime to sleep and she can’t fall asleep when Jiejie is talking all the time. And Jaelyn refused to leave the room, saying “I want Mummy to sleep with me.” I felt so torn apart!
However, when Jaelyn is in a good mood, she can be very nice to meimei. Seeing my two girls together just bring a smile to my face.
After a long long wait, finally we received our family’s latest addition with great joy.
Chua Jing Yi Jamie, clocked in to earth on 9th March 2011 at 12:23
Mummy went on natural delivery WITHOUT epidural!!! And the whole delivery took about 4hours plus. I was warded in the morning at 8am with 5cm dilation. The nurse induced me at 8.45am. By 11.20am, I’m 8cm dilated with contraction far apart. My induction dosage was doubled and I went through hell for the next 45min before Jaime was out in 5 pushes.
Glad that the delivery went smoothly and Jaime forever reminds me of God’s faithfulness!
This morning, I saw Klessis updating her blog on how easy it is to make Muah Chee and she posted the recipe online.
So I decided to try it since I’m so free anyway…
And viola!!!
Not bad huh?! Takes less than 30min to get this done.
Recipe as follows:
(Adapted from Klessis’ blog, http://klessinthedaisies.blogspot.com/2011/03/microwave-muah-chee-recipe.html)
Ingredients (Dough)
1 cup of glutinous rice flour
2 tsp of sugar
1 tbsp cooking oil
150 ml water
Peanut coating:
1 ready pack of crushed peanuts (Camel brand)
Method:
Mix well flour, sugar, cooking oil and water in a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Bring it out, stir it well and cook on high for another 1 minute. It should be cooked by now, but if it’s not, microwave for another minute (Kless’ tip: A cooked dough looks pearl white in colour). You may choose to let it cool before cutting up into small pieces with scissors and coat with peanut coating, or you may start coating it immediately out of the microwave.
Finally…. we made it to week 37!
I’m just so thankful to God that we survived! I think it is really a miracle to go from week 30+2 to week 37 with 3cm dilation. My gynae was so sure that I will deliver early and baby is not going to make it to term. But we did it!
The last 7 weeks were not easy. Lying down daily and worrying constantly over the slightest blood stain, the slightest contraction & pain felt. I ate so much hoping that Jaime would put on some weight and then worried if I’m ever going to lose the extra weight I gained.
I pray all the time for her lungs & organs to be well developed, pray that her arms & limbs will be well formed, etc… Of course I also pray that she will be pretty & fair. Lately I pray that she will not have jaundice.
Then I nagged and nagged at my hubby to buy all the necessities for baby, to wash all the baby items and get her cot ready & all. I really tired him out. There were moments that we just got so frustrated with each other that we just don’t talk. But he is really a tremendous hubby & a great daddy! He is under so much stress, taking care of Jaelyn & me and putting up with my on-off nonsensical requests.
If you ask me now, I’m still not quite prepared for delivery yet but I really hope is anytime this week. I do not want to drag any longer. Hmm… shall see what my gynae will say at my next visit this coming Tuesday.
Picturing my boredom…
Lately conversation with Jaelyn has been rather interesting. She has grown so much and talking to her can be rather amusing.
Just the other day, Daddy bought Jaelyn a packet of marshmallows. As usual, she can’t wait another day before she opened up her treats and started munching… So I asked her, “Jaelyn, can I have one please?” She replied, “Ok!” and quickly pop one marshmallow into my mouth. After a while, I asked her again… “Can I have one please?” and her reply…
“Mummy, I gave you one already!”
My big baby is so cheeky!
Time really flies… My princess is already 3 years old!
I wanted to have a fun party for my princess but it’s difficult to do that this year given my situation. I feel sorry for my little girl. But I really tried my best. I’m thankful enough to be home for her special day. Hope she can understand.
This is the first time Jaelyn gets to celebrate her birthday in school! As her birthday falls exactly on the 2nd day of CNY, so we celebrated her birthday earlier on 31st Jan 2011. She chose the Baby Bop’s cake herself!
Of course, given her love for Disney Princess, you can imagine how she has been bugging me for a Princess birthday cake. Firstly, it’s hard to get one and secondly, seriously not much online baker will bake on the 2nd day of CNY. Anyway, I ordered Swensens' ice-cream cake with Disney Princess design for her on her actual birthday.
It was a very impromptu birthday celebration because I just made it home a week before this big day. We wanted to keep it small as I needed bed rest most of the time and can’t have a big group. We have both our families and a few close friends to celebrate her birthday on 4th Feb 2011, her actual birthday. She really loves her Princess cake! It was a small celebration and she had a great time playing with her cousin, Gabriel and her favorite Auntie Grace and Auntie Fengyi.
I’m very grateful to our family members who make an effort to come celebrate with us for Jaelyn. And special thanks to Grace, Fengyi, Suzy, Chevy & Angela for popping by within such short notice. How can we live without family & friends?
29 Jan 2011
Today little Jaime is at week 32 and 6 days. Really thank God that we have come so far! Tomorrow is going to be week 33!!!
I was discharged from KK Hospital last Sunday. I didn’t request for it but the doctors just decided that I can go home and bed rest. Was given hospital leave till 31 Jan 11 and I need to go back for follow up on that same day.
I was rather nervous to get home. After all the scary possibilities of delivering early, not making to hospital in time… now I’m home. No daily CTG done, no hospital care got me a bit worried with the “what ifs”. Nonetheless, I feel that in time like this, all I can is really to trust God.
Went to see my private gynae on Tuesday. He read through my discharge report and still insisted that I was dilated 3cm and he said I don’t even have that cervical length anymore. (A even more depressing thing to hear).
Got home rather worried, then I decided that I am not going to trust all the different things I heard from the different doctors. I am just going to pray and trust God. That makes things so much easier. Its easier to have faith in God than to have faith in doctors!
Anyway, I’m still praying and believing that Jaime & I are going to make it! I don’t like the idea of delivering at week 34. I’m going for at least a week 37, even if its 00:00 on 1 March 2011. I’m so going to want Jaime to be a March baby, a little “Rabbit”!
I’m very touch by all the kind gestures shown to me by all my friends during this period of time. A friend in need is a friend indeed. I’m so touched by the love showered and grateful to know I have so many friends around me. You guys show me how real God is and keep my faith going. God is really so real and so good!
Now I live everyday day knowing it’s a day of hope and everyday passed is a day gained, a day blessed!!!
20 Jan 2011
Finally got connected to Wireless@SG!
Was transferred to the Class C ward on Sunday…. Initially I was really holding back my tears… I mean I have not stayed in anything lesser than a B ward. This is the first time. When I saw the ceiling fan, I almost fainted… But thank God, its not so bad after all and I’m already here for 5 days!
Today Jaime is 31 weeks and 4 days old. Wow… Previously I count my pregnancy by weeks, now I count by days…
Just a brief update. Doctors are keeping me here because of the short cervical length. They are going to update me about chance of going home on a daily basis, at least until baby is 34 weeks old. Their basis is that I might deliver at home and not make it in time to the hospital if the labor kicks in due to my current condition and plus this is a second pregnancy, which is usually faster. Doctor said I must have very low threshold for pain to quickly make it to the hospital upon the first labor pain. But the problem is, I can’t even tell a contraction! For my first pregnancy, I delivered within 5 hours, which is very fast already! So this one might be even faster! OH man!!! So they will keep me here at least until week 34.
Anyway, I did an ultrasound cervical scan again yesterday. This time round the cervical length is 1.4cm (compared to previously 0.7 to 0.9cm). I’m really happy! It’s like a miracle to me. I was just praying to God before the scan that it might seems silly but if I can think of it, God can do exceedingly abundantly above what I ask or imagine. So I asked God to lengthen the cervical length! Haha… and true enough the length improves. The sonographer explained to me that the cervix is very dynamic, it contracts and expands. So if there is no contraction, the cervical length might actually loosen a bit. Anyway, let’s just hope it will be better and better and who knows? I might be able to go home after week 34 and have a chance to deliver in a private hospital??? (Hope!)
I really hope that I can at least deliver at a private hospital. Firstly, I think it’s not comfortable to be at a C ward after delivery. Secondly, government hospitals give the BCG at the left hand while private give it at the buttock (nicer for girl). Thirdly, I also realized the people here are wheeled back to the bed in a wheelchair after delivery. I really feel “OUCH” for them. I mean I was wheeled to my ward in a bed after delivering Jaelyn. I cannot imagine getting off the delivery bed to get into the wheelchair and then from the wheelchair back to the bed again after delivery. Oh man, we are so pampered in our private hospital. Lastly, I’ve seen too many mothers bottle feed their babies here. I don’t really like it. I want to breastfeed my baby as soon as possible after the delivery.
But anyway, whether to deliver at which hospital also depends on when Jaime is coming out. Will I be stable enough to discharge after week 34 and then make it to a private hospital for delivery. And also I’m not sure if my stay at KK till then would have depleted my Medisave.
Well, putting all the “whether anot” and “what ifs”, I just want to keep having faith to believe for the best!
And I want to thank all my family and friends who make time to visit me and keep me company during this long hospital stay. You guys make a difference in my life! Love you so much!
15 Jan 2011, Saturday. I’m currently at KKH, Ward C32 Bed 16. Today is the 4th-5th day that I was admitted in the hospital.
On the 11 January 2011 (1.1.11 what a beautiful date), I went to my gynae for an unscheduled appointment as I have some blood stain and stomach pain. My intention was to just get a peace of mind as I did not suspect anything is wrong with me.
My gynae did a fast ultrasound scan and confirm that baby is doing fine and then did a virginal examination. Then he gave me a serious look and said, “Your cervix is open about 3cm, you got to be admitted right now!” I was in a state of shock! I’m only 30 weeks into my pregnancy. Little Jaime is not due till 20 March 2011.
He explained that I might have pre term labor. I got to quickly get to the hospital to stop/delay the labor and might need to stay warded for a month or 2. “Either you stay or the baby stay,” he said. He advised us to go KK, get the C ward and stay to delay the labor for as long as possible.
We rushed to KKH, totally not sure what to expect. Went to the woman 24 hours clinic, told the nurse I’m 30 weeks pregnant and in pain, suspect I’m in labor. I was put on the CTG to monitor baby’s heartbeat and my contraction. After about an hour, the doctor came and did some swap tests and said negative for water leak and pre term labor. Should be fine, admit for a night for observation. I was confused with the different report but hoping for the best.
Jaelyn was in a huge stage of shock that night. She didn’t have her dinner and my mum brought her to stay overnight at her house that day.
I felt really sad, this is so unexpected! There’s so many things I have planned to do before Jaime’s arrival. I’ve planned to take leave on the 1st Feb to celebrate in advance Jaelyn’s birthday in her school, then bring her for her first mani pedi. I ordered a Mommy and Me set dresses for us to wear on CNY and even planning to have a small birthday party for her on her actual birthday (which happens to be the 2nd day of CNY). Then thoughts like I have not taken out the baby’s clothes to wash, not yet descale the sterilizer, not yet cleared the baby cot and have not bought Jaime a new set of clothes to welcome her home. Tears kept flowing out of my eyes.
The next day, 12 Jan 2011, I was scheduled to go for ultrasound scan to check baby’s growth. I went for the scan at 11.30am and baby’s growth is normal. When I’m back to the ward for lunch, the nurse came and said doctor has arranged for me to go for a cervical scan at 2.30pm. This time round, the sonographer did not want to tell us the result. She said your doctor will explain to you.
Back to the ward, no news whatsoever. Doctor didn’t come. We waited till evening and finally asked the nurse when is the doctor coming. “Oh, the doctors here do their round only once a day at 7am, so they won’t come by till tomorrow.” She read my cervical scan and told me that the cervical length is short, so wait for doctor’s advise.
Cannot go home again… That night, Jaelyn came and when she was about to leave, her eyes filled with tears. “Mummy, you not going home with me? Why you want to sleep in the hospital?” My heart aches for what my princess is going through. 2nd night without mummy.
13 Jan 2011, I woke up early to wait for the doctor to make his/her round. ( I stayed in a subsidized ward, not allow to choose doctor, will be attended by any doctor on duty) A nice lady doctor came by, explained to me that my cervical length is short so they need to give me 2 injections to help mature baby’s lungs so that baby can breathe better in case of a pre term labor. The injections have to be taken 12 hours apart – meaning cannot go home again.
After the doctor left, I cried. I’m not prepared for this at all. I have always thought Jaime will deliver on week 38, just like Jaelyn. I planned everything up to week 38. I told myself, Jaime will come out only week 38.
At 10am, the senior staff nurse came to give the first injection. She warned that it’s going to be very painful and IT IS!!! I almost wanted to scream my lungs out. That really causes me fear for the next jab at 10pm.
Jaelyn came in the evening to visit. I miss her so much! Both Vincent and I decided that she should get back to her normal routine and goes back to school. I wanted as little disruption in her routine as possible. I really feel for her, that she has to go through transition again and this one is so sudden that I cannot prepare her for.
Taken the 2nd jab at 10.25pm. Pain until I wanted to cry.
14 Jan 2011. TGIF. The doctor came, explained to me that cervical length is short and cervix is open so not keen to let me discharge. Ask me to stay to monitor.
My senior pastor – PASTOR KONG HEE came to pray for me! I felt so touched! Both me and baby Jaime is greatly blessed! Vincent and I felt so loved by the church, and God is really really good to us.
My bosses came to visit me and one of Henghwie’s cousin is a gynae here so he said he will drop by the next day to take a look.
15 Jan 2011. Dr. Wong came and explained to me my situation. It’s not pregnancy complication but more of a pre term labor condition. He thought can discharge me if its just the cervix open but realized that my cervical length is really short (0.7 to 0.9cm compared to average of 2cm). He too feel is better to monitor for a while and see if the cervix lining stop thinning before discharging me for home rest. He said best is to hold through week 34 at least but they really can’t tell where am I heading from here. It’s unpredictable and the risk is there.
I really miss my Jaelyn but at the same time I cannot risk Jaime.
God, I pray that you keep Jaime in until week 38. Everything is in Your control. In you, we are so ALIVE!
