And so HE's coming to 6 weeks old...

Since my last entry at 32 weeks pregnancy, life has been about adapting, settling down and creating a system. And finally, at Ethan Ang Kai Feng's coming 6 weeks of age, there is some semblance of sanity.

Which explains why this post is gonna be very long, and is going to be about documenting and catching up!

The Birth Story
Ethan Ang Kai Feng was born on the 6th of November 2011, 10.43pm. He was born weighing 3.729kg (rounded up to 3.73kg), 51 cm long and with a head circumference of 33cm. He was born about 1.5 weeks early, with my original EDD on the 15th of October. I was willing him to come out on the 9th of Oct, making the date 9/10/11 but I guess he had a mind of his own...

My labor and delivery wass by no means a short one...

At 5.40am, I woke up thinking that I wet my bed due to a weak bladder because of the pregnancy. I changed and got back in bed, to realise that there was water gushing out from down under. I got puzzled, thinking that I wouldn't have wet my bed a second time while concious and with my bladder emptied. So I suspected that it could be that my water bag broke.

I changed myself again, and gingerly got back in bed to 'confirm' what was happening. I lifted one leg onto the bed and lo and behold, water gushed out again. I woke Robert up and said that it was time to head over to TMC. Rob called in TMC and confirmed that I should be admitted.

We reached TMC at 6.10am and I got admited at 6.15am. I was put on monitor as the nurses discovered that there was meconium detected in my amniotic fluid. Dr. Paul gave instructions to monitor baby's heartbeat, to ensure that baby's not in distress.

Luckily, the brave and strong little one was coping fine amongst his own shit (Literally)... and so Dr. Paul being the 'Pro Au Naturale' one, said to let the labor take place naturally. He came in at about 9ish in the morning, to declare that I was about 1-1.5cm dilated and said we will just wait. I lay in discomfort feeling wet all the time, with water gushing out of me with every movement I made in bed, while Rob sat uncomfortably beside me, on a chair in the labor ward.

In the labor ward...

While contractions started, it was nothing that I couldn't cope it. However, as it got more intensive, I was slightly distressed when Dr. Paul came visiting at about 5ish pm to declare that I was about 4-5 cm dilated ONLY! And he happily added on, 'By the way, it takes about an average of one hour to dilate 1 cm...' *faintz*

Rob took out his wedding ring in anticipation of loads of hand and fingers squeezing!

Rob's ring around his trooper keychain...

However, shortly after Dr. Paul's visit, I was moved to the delivery suite which was surprinsingly alot more pleasant and comfortable! Rob even has a couch to lie down and call his own!

Ze couch for the daddies-to-be...

The delivery suite...

But it was also in the delivery suite that things got a lot more serious. Contractions started more intensively and while I always thought that I wanted to brave the labor pains and try without any form of assistance / pain killer, I wavered and asked the nurse if I could have epidural. She readily agreed and said that she has to inform Dr. Paul, and asked me to sign a consent form of sorts.

While in my pain and delirium, I actually made the effort to read through the 'form' and read the 'not-so-common' effects of epidural as well. It probably sounds alot more serious than it actually it, but it detered me from taking the epidural with the possible spinal cord infection and what not. I turned to Rob, told him that I rather not take any risks, and told the nurse that I will go with Etonox - the 'Laughing Gas'.

The contractions got more and more intense and I was surviving by faith and alot of prayers to the Lord, Jesus and Mother Mary. I kept telling myself that if Mother Mary could do it in the barn, so can I in a much more sophisticated and comfortable room. Whenever I felt like the contractions were coming, I breathed in the gas and said a few 'Hail Marys' and hoped that the contractions will pass, leaving me in one piece still.

To cut the long story short, I was declared fully dilated at 10.03 and pushed almost half the life out of me, when Dr. Paul came in looking sauve and confident at about 10.15/10.20 pm. I felt almost relieved with his presence, and with some hard and difficult pushing, our babe came arrived into the world at 10.43 pm. And I loved him so much from the moment I set eyes on him...

My little babe, Ethan Ang

Our very first family photo... first of many to come...

The First Month
While we were excited to have Ethan back at home with us, it was nothing less than VERY stressful. Everything was new to us. Taking care of him, understanding his needs, understanding what is happening to them...

The noises he makes at night, the snorts, the wheezing, the cooing, all kinds of funny noise kept us up all night and sleepless for the first few nights. I kept commenting that we didn't hear these noises when we were in the hospital with him for the first two nights. 

However, everyone told us that the noises were normal, and even our Pead told me, 'Have you heard the noises your husband makes at night when he sleeps? Babies make noise too...'

And so we learnt to get over it... and sleep came but it still wasn't easy as we have to cope with Baby's feeding demands, his incessant diaper changes and interpreting his cries for various reasons - hunger, tiredness, uncomfortable tummy, diaper change, or the need for a human touch, a cuddle or skin to skin bonding...

Peacefully sleepy at 3-day old...

Ethan @ 4-day old

On the 5th day, we had to send Ethan back to TMC for a 3D 2N staycation cause of his jaundice. It was heartbreaking to have to part with him so soon, but we figured that he would be in better hands in the hospital, and we get to have a much needed break, while we were stumbling and fumbling along while looking after him ourselves in the first week.

His hotel during his staycation - a $1,200 holiday!!

Breast Feeding
One of the biggest challenge for me during these 5 weeks, was breast feeding Ethan. Due to my inverted nipples, breast feeding was challenging as I had to deal with sore nipples, cracked nipples, nipple tear and bleeding nipples. More than once, I've held him in my arms, and cried while feeding him, or when he was screaming his head off, wailing and shedding tears, with not having enough, and I was dealing with the searing, toe-curling pain that I get everytime I breastfeed. 

6 weeks on, I have overcome that. Not that I have overcome the obstacles of breastfeeding, but I have learnt that as long as we try our best, nothing can be worse. I've started expressing my milk, into bottles to feed baby, and supplementing with formula milk. I think we have both come to terms with this arrangement as he no longer wakes up every 1- 2 hours starving and feeling under fed. I no longer have to wake up and shed tears due to pain and heart ache thinking that my little one is not getting enough out of me. And that I'm a bad mommy for crying and venting my frustrations on him sometimes when I try to pacify him and 'scolding' him sternly for things that he does not yet understand. 

I still try to latch on but light at the end of the tunnel can be seen. I'm happier and I think my baby's happier and my family members around me too. Life seems more beautiful and less stressful now... and what's more, I've got time to get out of the house for some 'me' time with Rob, the other love of my life... (thanks to my parents who can take care and bottle feed baby when I'm out... something impossible if I was 100% breastfeeding) and Baby's still growing well and fine!

I think I am no less a better mother, and it took me 5 weeks and much tears to come to terms with this. Many of my friends, even the Pead gave me this advice of expressing and supplementing, but it definitely took a while for me to overcome the mental obstacle that if I don't latch and breastfeed direct, I'm not doing my job as a mommy. But it's still my breastmilk and Baby's still getting it. So all's well...

My Baby, My Boy...
And having seen the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm glad to say that my boy's growing fine.. and I love him so very much! =)

My tiny little babe

Having a suntan by Dr's instructions

Looking so cutesy...

Sleepy head daddy with tiny Ethan

Mommy practicing carrying me in a sling...

Growing older with punkier hair...

And I'm still small... but a bigger boy now! =D

Baby Ethan with Mommy & Daddy during his Full Month party on the 6th November 2011

Don't grow up too soon little one... Mommy & Daddy love you so very much but want to spend as much time as possible with you every stage of the way! =)

Week 32 and praying hard...

Baby's got a new name recently! In one of the recent visits to Dr Paul, he printed out a scan photo of the bub and made a typo mistake. Robbie and I thought it really cute... 'BOPY'. Dr Paul wanted to type out 'I am a boy' but ended up with 'I am a bopy'!

In any case, Bopy's 32 weeks going on 33 weeks already!

I had a bad scare on the 11th of August, with heavy bleeding. Went to TMC, got admitted for one night for observation and was monitored and checked by Dr. Paul the next day. Thank God that Bopy was fine, heart beat going really strong, and Dr. Paul said that everything seems normal. Placenta was high (not low), and cervix wasn't dilated.

I got discharged and was given bed rest. However, subsequently, I started having spotting and staining of pinkish and light brown blood and everyone I asked, from Mrs Wong Boh Boi, to Dr. Paul, to the nurses in TLC, said that unless I start to bleed heavily, there's pain, there's cramps, or there alot of discomfort together with the spotting, I should go in to the 24-hr clinic at TMC again. Also, I need to monitor that baby moves at least 10 times a day.

I did quite a bit of reading up online as well, and it seems that while bleeding is not common, neither is it uncommon, unless accompanied by those symptoms as mentioned above. 

So having read 'Supernatural Birth', I put faith in God that all women have the right to have healthy kids, to be void of barrenness, I pray hard that everything would be fine and baby will be granted all fineness of human life and beings.

Robbie and I visited Yilin, Dan and Colette (our latest addition to the social group) yesterday in KKH. Colette's absolutely adorable and I have never seen a more alert and curious 1-day old baby!

I can't wait and have given Bopy the permission to come out after the 9th of October... NOT earlier... and I can't wait to see him. Dr Paul's gonna be away from the 20th September to the 3rd of October. Which is why Bopy can only come out after Dr. Paul returns!

Also, I just read that the 'SHOW' can actually reveal itself as early as a few weeks before due date! I hope that my recent spate of spotting and staining (sometimes muscousy), is not the 'SHOW'. Because Bopy's gotta to learn to listen to mommy and stay in there to grow bigger, healthier, and develop more before he comes out to see the world from the 9th October onwards!

Entering 29 weeks!

And so it seems that I've entered my final trimester of the pregnancy...

My prayers still go on strong... every day and night that the Lord's will be done, and we pray that the little tot will be blessed with the health and vigor that every baby needs... Also, that he may stay in me for the full nourishment that I can provide him with until the full term...

Our visit to Dr. Paul on Saturday was great. The little one's estimated to be about 1.3kg and Dr Paul says that it's an average, healthy size. 

Everyone at home is anticipating his arrival, especially Grand-mama and Gong-gong... They have started some spring cleaning and shifting of furniture to make way for his arrival... The little tot's so blessed to have not only loving parents (OF COURSE), and loving grand parents, aunties and uncles.

Grand-mama has also been busy, insisting that she wants to make the little tot his first pillows, made out of bean sprout husks which is supposedly cooling, and provides the little tots a sense of security when placed on their bodies.

Grand-mama scooping bowls of bean sprout husks from the big bag from the market seller...

Picking out remnants of bean sprout that's wet and rotting... to have cleaner husks for use... 

Really hard work!

Freshly washed bean sprout husks!

In the process of drying...

This much and Grand-mama says it's not enough!

Other than the above, of course the shopping has yet to cease!!! The 2nd batch of shopping has arrived! =)

Jellycat Cory soft toys that's irresistable to both mommy and daddy!

Bibs and Burp cloths for Baby...

Really cute Carter's Onesies!

And OF COURSE, something for mommy too!! KS Diaper Bag... which she will be using for Baby!

This pretty much sums up most of the major shopping that we intend to do for Baby. The next batch of shopping will probably happen only after the Babe's born... 

So in the mean time, it's loads of praying, faith in the Lord and couting down to the days that we will be seeing baby. Also at the same time, praying that mummy will have the strength, health and be blessed enough to see through everything smoothly! =)

Getting very real...

And Mommy has been a bum... a LAZZZZZEEEE bum... Which will explain why this is gonna be a long long long long post...

I haven't been updating the blog due to various reasons... I've been busy at work, visiting friends who have recently given birth in the last month, and most importantly, SHOPPING alot in preparation for Baby's arrival...

Baby's now 26 weeks!

According to babycentre.com, Baby should be about 35.6 cm and weighing about 760gm. Last visit to Dr. Paul, he said that Baby's about slightly more than 800gm. So pretty average I guess...

But since the last update, I've been for my 20th week scan and my 24th week check up. During the 20th week scan, Baby was deemed to be a tall baby because the length of his femur was at the extreme end of the spectrum. Other than that, it was really exciting checking out in detail, every part of Baby. Including his toes, fingers, hands, legs, heart etc... Thank the Lord that the 20th week scan went well...

During the 24th week check-up, Dr. Paul also gave green light, saying that Baby's of a good size... and everything seems to be going well...

Mommy's just praying hard everyday Baby will be healthy and fine, and everything will go smoothly for both of us.

I've been trying my best in giving Baby his babyplus lessons everynight... talking to him, massaging him through my tum tum and letting him listen to some classical music (Baby Einstein) at times! Daddy's been doing his part too! Downloading the music for Baby, massaging both Mommy and Baby almost every night... The only thing now is trying to get him used to talking to Baby through my tummy and interacting by playing and touching him...

It's been pretty exciting for me... I feel Baby moving around, punching and kicking, and even rolling around in my tum tum through out the day now... and it's getting so real! A part of me worries, but I suppose it's the nature of all mommies... to worry for the health and safety of their little one... But I try to feel happy and to enjoy these moments as much as I can as well...

Other than Baby's healthy growth and movements, I've also been very excitedly shopping with Daddy for Baby's stuff, given that it was the Great Singapore Sale period!! No doubt that we both agreed that it's definitely an expensive affair, the shopping and preparing for things for Baby's arrival definitely gives us some bonding time, and not to mention that all the cutesy stuff we see around us bring smiles to our faces all the time. Many a time, while we know that we need to buy things that are practical, we can't help but indulge in buying things that are cute! Rob even browses at Mothercare on his own when he's waiting for me and that is just so adorable!!

Our most expensive purchase yet... Baby's Cot for Grandparent's place!

Highly recc. sleepsuits & onesies from Mothercare, together with cap and booties!

New born clothes with friendly buttons and ribbons for ease of changing in & out...

Button creepers from Cotton on Baby!

Cute (and cheap onesies) from Fox Baby!

And irresistible tiny cute socks with matching colors from Fox Baby!

Cute matching towels, blankets and hankies for Baby!

Nicely designed multi-purpose Muslin Cloth for swaddling, as blankets, bips, burp clothes... you name it!

Other essentials that Baby will need to use...

Pregnancy support pillow that Mommy can use, and later on, Baby!

The latest purchase that Daddy cannot resist buying from Zara Baby (and cuz it was on sale too!)

And, instead of spending $40, $50, $60 or even $70 for what I think are really useful Diaper Caddies... Like these...

I've decided to settle for a MUCH cheaper version, albeit that it doesn't look anything as yummylicious - These are from Diaso for only $2!!!!

So you can see how excited we are about the shopping and the preparation. You can be sure while I keep telling Rob "We've got enough clothes for Baby!", you can bet that there'll be more stuff to come.

In fact, we're waiting for a couple of deliveries that will come through the post... But we shall save that for another post! =)

The little drummer boy...

18 weeks and the drumming has started. And it feels really cute...

The drumming has started actually a couple of weeks back, but on a really irregular and random basis. But it has been more regular this week, especially since I started using the Baby Plus unit... something which I blogged about in my earlier post.

It's an amazing feeling and I thank God for this reminder that the little one is giving me to say that... 'Hey mommy... I'm here and doing great!'

He seems to be reacting to music as well... tried playing some Mozart pieces over my iPad and he seemed to move more to it. The 'Mozart Effect' they say... Looks like I'm gonna be filling my days with some occasional Mozart!

Simply put, according to Wiki, the 'Mozart Effect' means:

• A set of research results that indicate that listening to Mozart's music may induce a short-term improvement on the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks known as "spatial-temporal reasoning;"^[1]
• Popularized versions of the theory, which suggest that "listening to Mozart makes you smarter," or that early childhood exposure to classical music has a beneficial effect on mental development;

Apart from the development internally, I've also started growing externally. I can't fit into 80% of my clothes now and surviving on a handful, and buying some off ASOS.com at really great prices! $30-$40 for a maternity dress!! Check that out!

And because of the recent shopping, I've also started to clear my wardrobe to make space for the new buys. Not that I intend to shop alot, but I figured that I won't be wearing my regular dresses for the next 8 months at least (even after I give birth), so I might as well put them in cold storage and create more space for things that I will really need...

And so, in comes the handy vacuum packs that I bought from Cold storage!

Freed up hangers from the clothes that I cold storaged!

The vacuumed packed clothes!

And the Da Hubbz has been great!

Giving me space in HIS wardrobe cause mine's already filled with bags and stuff... u know...

Other than some clearing up, we've also been spending some time thinking of names for the little one. Our focus has been on boys' names, since Dr. Paul seems pretty sure that the little tike's gonna be a boy... to be confirmed in two weeks' time.

So we have kinda shortlisted "Caleb" - which means 'faith, devotion, whole-hearted'.

I also like "Nathaniel", but that seems quite a mouthful for our family...

Hrrm... Caleb Nathaniel Ang... Hur hur... Food for thought!

Prenatal education...

And so I am about 16 weeks along!!

I can only give thanks for God and Praise the Lord for having come so far! Praying hard everyday that the little one is strong and healthy.

(Image from Babycentre.com)

During my last check-up with Dr. Paul, Baby's 15 weeks and measures at about 10cm long.

AND Dr. Paul saw a 'weenieeeeeeee'.... Hahaha... However, he did say that we can only confirm it during the 20th week detailed scan...

To us, boy or girl, it doesn't matter. What matters, is that Baby's gonna be healthy and developing well!

My nausea's setting back quite a bit, and my appetite's getting better. Dr. Paul prescribed me a bottle of Lactase pills, enzymes that help break down Lactose and so I've been slowly consuming CHEESE (which I miss) and planning to be more adventurous with milk and ice-cream!

And so I was surfing the net for fun, reading up on baby stuff and pre-natal issues, when I came across some stuff which I thought would be good for me to document down for future reference.

1. BabyPlus Prenatal Education - In the prenatal period, the brain is at its most receptive stage of learning. By enriching the auditory environment during this crucial period, independent studies have shown that a child's long term learning capacities are improved. So start them YOUNG!

2. Brill Baby Early Learning - A whole wealth of information that I decided I'll read up on when I'm more free!

Looks like parenting is not just a skill, it's an art and a LIFE LONG commitment!

Mummy & Daddy-hood, here we come! =)

Leave my tummy alone!

And so... I'm starting to outgrow my clothes, especially those for work...

It is seriously about time that I buy those vacuum bags and store my waisted dresses and work pants in cold storage, as I need more space for clothes that can fit me for the next few months!!

Due to raves from friends and mommy sites regarding Belly Bands, I bought 3, in different colors, at one shot, thinking that they will come in really handy for my pants, to last me through at least a couple more months... But boy...

 (Nope, this tummy's not mine... too lazy to take pics!)

The first time I put on the belly band, I felt suffocated through out the day, and my tummy was giving me a huge tummy upset for some reason or other... The next time when I tried wearing a maternity capri out, I felt the same way! It could be because of the bad bloating that I get in the late arvos and evenings... but seriously, it screams out to me... "LEAVE ME ALONE!!! Don't restrict me with those rubber band thingies!"...

And so... seems like it needs to get all the freedom that it can get at this point in time... but that means, I really have not much clothes to last me through the work weeks and I don't really want to start shopping very much yet! Guess I will just have to make do and recycle as much as possible!