Updates at 4 weeks

Havent been writing much over the past 2 weeks because I have been entertaining the little one's hourly request for milk! Yes, somewhere around the third week, she suddenly decided to drink a lot more and somehow no matter how often I feed her, she doesnt seem to be full. So I have been perpetually feeding her, and the other times I am not, I will be taking care of my own basic needs, and catching up on sleep.

But today, I had to write something here, because Sherryn just turned 4 weeks old an hour ago. I had just fed her before she dozed off at my breast (again, and many times, to wake up half an hour later to demand for her milk which she did not finish before she slept)..

At 4 weeks, Sherryn is :
- much more awake an alert
- moves her arms and legs more
- fascinated by the music mobile above her
- likes to be carried around to look at things around the house

Comparing Sherryn to Kaelyn, Sherryn is a much easier baby to look after. I remember Kaelyn likes to scream and yell at every slightest thing, and often had blocked nose such that she found difficulty in breathing. We had to bring her to the doctor a couple of times because of that. Sherryn, on the other hand, is milder. When she is hungry, she will just let out a soft cry, and will wait patiently for her milk. So far there was no need to bring her to the doctor for anything. Only problem she has is that her feet are bent inwards due to the position she was in my womb. We are doing physio for her to correct that. So far, although there is improvement, I think we can do more to correct it fully.

My confinement lady is leaving tomorrow, but I dont feel too sad. Mainly because she isnt a competent confinement lady in the first place. My first confinement lady during Kaelyn's time was 10 times better. Will write in a separate post. Luckily I have a good helper with me, so I think we should be able to cope, together with occasional help from parents and in-laws.

Post delivery - The first week

Time seems to be crawling.. It's only been a week and 3 days since I gave birth to Sherryn. Still have about 3 weeks to go before I regain my freedom. The thing I dislike most post delivery is the confinement period (and I think I mentioned this after I gave birth to Kaelyn as well).

- No proper showers (have to bathe in some boiled medicinal water)
- Restricted diet (have to eat the same old boring food meal after meal, day after day)
- Sweating buckets (it's amazing how I sweat over the past week!)
- Being confined at home (i am going mad! that's why you see that my postings frequency has increased ever since I gave birth. Never used to put status updates in FB before but now I do due to boredom. But that's only when Kaelyn's not at home, and I am not feeling tired)
- Perpetually feeling tired due to night time feeds (Sherryn drinks every 2 hours at night. Although I dont wake up for every feed, it's enough to affect my entire day).

On the whole, what I have been doing for the past week is just feed baby, sleep, eat, bathe and the cycle repeats. Dont have much time for Kaelyn, which is something I feel really really bad about. Hope things will get better and I will have more time for Kaelyn.

Surprisingly, this time round the episiotomy pain is rather manageable. And also, although breastfeeding is still challenging this time round, there was no bleeding of the nipple like the last time round.

Spending CNY at home

While everyone's busy spring cleaning, putting up CNY decorations, shopping for CNY goodies, clothes, shoes etc, I am cooped up at home. I have always enjoyed celebrating CNY - the shopping, preparing ang pows, new year's eve reunion dinner, visiting... So it's really difficult for me not to be able to celebrate CNY properly this year.

Initially, hubby was thinking of brining Kaelyn and our helper to in laws place for reunion dinner, while I have my confinement food alone at home (with the CL and Sherryn of course). I was so upset when I thought about it - spending eve alone?! (well not exactly alone but with a stranger and a 2 week old baby, it's really as good as being alone). Good thing hubby changed his mind and said we would have early steamboat dinner at home, and then he will bring Kaelyn to my in laws place. That's more acceptable!

But I guess I will still have to spend the rest of CNY alone while David brings Kaelyn around visiting. Well, I guess I'll just have to bear with it this year.

Arrival of Sherryn Gan - The PAINFUL process

In the wee hours of 28 Jan 2010, as I was lying in bed, I felt sharp pains on both sides of my abdomen. Dismissing them to be one of the 'fake contractions' I continued to toss around in bed (i couldnt really sleep at all). When morning came, the pain was still there, but was still bearable. Hubby suggested I call the hospital to 'report' and ask for advice. They told me to go straight to hospital for a checkup given that I was already in Week 40. Even at that time, I wasnt too sure whether I was in labour.

Dilly-dallied for half an hour or so before hubby drove me to Thomson Medical Centre. As usual, along the way the great CTE jam was there to greet us. Luckily I wasnt really in great pain.

Timings are estimated
9.45am - Reached TMC and then the usual procedures began - change into the hospital garb, given enema to clear rectum, strapped onto those contraction monitoring devices etc. Ok, now it dawned on me that I could be in labour!

10.30am - Gynae came up to check and broke my water bag. Was 3cm dilated at that time, and there was contraction every 3 minutes. It certainly didnt felt so. Gynae instructed that I should ask for pain relief - the gas mask and injection - if I need it.

Me: What about the epidural? (i had to ask for this, as I am really afraid of pain!)
Gynae: Do you really need it? This is your second pregnancy, so will be much faster than the first. Why dont you try the gas mask and injection first?
Me: But the gas mask didnt work at all for my first pregnancy (I was getting nervous)
Gynae: But did you try it with the injection?
Me: No, but...
Gynae: Try gas mask with injection, it should work.
Me: Ermm.... (very doubtful)

Anyway I didnt have much time to think too much.

11am - I felt the first wave of the strong contractions. Immediately I pressed the button and ask for pain relief. Was whisked off into the labour ward and someone shoved the gas mask onto my face, which as expected did not relieve my pain at all, but instead made me really giddy.

11.10am - Nurse also gave me the so called pain relief injection on my thigh.

11.10am to 11.50am - As the contractions became more and more frequent and intense, I could hear myself shouting and screaming that the pain relief methods didnt work at all. Asked for the epidural but nurse said it was too late - I was 8 cm dilated at that time. That was quick! Only in a matter of about half an hour, I went from 3 cm to 8 cm.

With each contraction, I felt the urge to push the baby out. Believe me, it was THE MOST PAINFUL experience in my entire life. No matter how hard I dug into hubby's arms, shouted, squirmed, changed position etc, nothing I did relieve the pain at all. And the pain just kept coming like every 15 seconds or so. I really have my doubts on the effectiveness of the gas mask and the injection.

11.50am - Gynae appeared, put on her hospital garb and getting ready to help deliver. By this time, I think I was already in a semi conscious state.

11.50am to 12.08pm - With each contraction, I heard people (the gynae, 2 nurses and my hubby) shouting for me to do some things. 'Use the pain to push!' 'Dont waste your energy screaming, push instead!' Nothing made sense to me then, I was already in a daze and felt my energy being zapped up by the pain. But I think subconsciously, I did manage a few big pushes.

12.08pm - Sherryn Gan was finally out of my womb. I did it without epidural! By now, I was already so exhausted that I just laid slumped on the bed while the gynae finished up the job.

Baby Sherryn's statistics:
Weight - 3.85kg
Length - 52cm
Head circumference - 33cm

I have told Hubby that I will NEVER EVER go through this again!! Ever! David - are you reading this?











Kaelyn and her sister Sherryn