Arrival of Baby Jillian

Contractions started around 3+am on Sat and intensified by 4+am, all the way till 5am. I got an hour's of sleep when the contractions tapered off but my gynae, Dr Mattu, made his round at 6am! Wow, does he ever sleep?

He checked my cervix and said it's about 3cam dilated and advised me to get the catheter in for the epidural as I requested in my birth plan. Around 9+am, the contractions came again. I thought Dr Lim, the anaesthetist, had put the epidural on auto drip. Actually, I was supposed to ask him to come and top up when the contractions start again and when I can't take the pain. Luckily the nurse said she will call Dr Lim and he came to give me a top up. The earlier one he administered was just small dose. Blame it on pregnesia!

Dr Mattu had expected me to deliver around lunchtime but dilation took so long that when lunchtime came, dilation was only 5cm. Then around 3pm, my gynae came to check on me again and told the nurses to prep for delivery at 4pm. Dr Lim also came to top up the epidural coz it was at the tail end of the dose and I did feel the painful contractions again. Actually I could deal with the pain, but I know I will not be able to bear the later ones to come. I was asked to lean to my side.

At 3.45pm, I saw that baby Jillian had slanted to my left side, and told the nurses about it. But since Dr Mattu was coming soon, they didn't think it mattered.

4pm came and I tried pushing a couple of times.Then around 4+pm, super active Jillian decided to turn facing up! Doc said it'd be difficult for me to push her out. He said he will have to turn her around with forceps (but with finger-tip pressure), if not, we had to proceed to C-section!

Pangs of panic went through me and I said OK. Dr Lim came to top up more epidural, but my blood had clot where the drip was (hey the drip has been on since 7am). So they had to poke my right wrist!

It was very scary for me coz this was from natural birth to being cut-up. I prayed so hard for everything and everyone who was helping me. As I suffer from motion sickness, I puked while being wheeled from normal delivery suite to operating room. Then I stopped focusing on myself and concentrated on Jillian. I wanted to make sure she heard me. I said sorry to her for making her go through this, and asked for her cooperation and that I would try to make this as comfortable for has as possible.

Dr Lim was very nice and tried to make it as comfortable for me as possible while everyone went speedily to set up the operating theatre in about 5mins after I was wheeled in and transferred to the operating bed. I asked for Simon and Dr Lim went to get him (he was standing one side not obstructing anyone). Dr Lim was the one who got me a blanket coz I was shivering, and he comforted me saying that I am in good hands.

Praise God, J was cooperative and Dr Mattu managed to turn her around. Simon said he was performing and everyone was just watching him as he spoke to Jillian and instructed her and me gently. After she turned, it was up to me to push when my contractions came. Me, who cannot hold my breath for long, was praying that it would not be like for Jon that when I pushed, he inched out a little, then I took a quick breath and he went back in! Well, I managed to push her out with instructions from a very nice nurse called Jenny. What a relief to hear a loud cry from Jillian. As I had told Simon not to take any more photos during my earlier few pushes, he left the camera outside. After the delivery I asked Simon to take photos but he was concentrating on me and Jillian. So no straight-from-the-womb shot of Jillian nor of me who looked like I just went through a battle!

Here are some photos of us on Sun....more rested and sane!