Saturday, October 29, 2011
Cuteness overload
My baby is growing bigger and bigger each day! This is the cuteness I am faced with everyday:
Monday, September 19, 2011
Luna's Birth Story Part 1
Week 39
My OB had to go on a business trip for a few days and was coming back on April 6 so her strict instruction was that I should not give birth on that week! I sorta knew she didn't have to worry because I didn't think Luna was in any hurry to come out :)
So that week passed uneventfully, and my schedule for the coming week was that I was to have my last ultrasound before my April 14th appointment with my OB. So L and I decided to have the ultrasound in the morning, get the results, and then go to the doctor's appointment at 3pm. We proceed to the maternity floor of MMC where I was to have my Ultrasound. I've been here many times and I knew that this was also where we would go when it was time to give birth (we learned this from our Birth Classes -do not go to the ER, go straight to the labor room). I must say that I had a different feeling about the place knowing that we were very close to the main event. So after waiting in line for about 40 mins, I finally take my turn. A different doctor is doing my ultrasound this time and when I see her I feel instantly at ease. She was very thorough, pleasant and took time to make small talk and ask me if I had questions. I tell ya, after the whole pregnancy thing you sort of become an expert in these procedures. The other experiences I have require a separate blog entry all together. But I digress.
Basically, the gist of that ultrasound was that baby's doing very very well - all internal organs are as they should be: very strong heart, baby's in right position, amniotic fluid levels are sufficient etc. But here comes the shocker: she estimates (based on chest + abdomen size) that Luna was probably about 7++ pounds already! See the thing is, I was now at my 39th week but I am not too big. Other people even say my tummy seems small and my other parts don't "look pregnant". I guess they have this notion that all preggy girls need to be manas (bloated). So imagine my surprise at the thought that I was having a 7 pound baby. My next thought was, "Can i handle labor without undergoing a CS (I really didn't want to)?". So these were our thoughts when we went to my OB in the afternoon. I didn't say anything, but when she saw the report herself, she told me her concern that if I don't go on labor soon, the baby might be too big come labor day, making me at risk for a CS delivery. Luna's estimated date of arrival was April 24, which was still10 days away. My doctor examines me internally and makes a note that I am 1 cm dilated, same as the week before. Baby's not engaging, just growing! She then makes the decision, with our agreement, to speed things up a bit by giving me something to ripen/soften my cervix. We quickly go down to Mercury to get it (I think it was called CerviPrime) and she applies the gel like substance using a spatula inside my cervix. She tells me I could go on labor in about 2 to 3 days, and if I still don't, I should return to her. We say goodbye and she tells me she hopes to see me in a few days and gives me last instructions to keep walking. "Walk all over Makati if you could!", she says. We return to the office just across MMC and update my uncle and auntie about the developments. About 30 mins after leaving the doctor's clinic I felt some pain in my abdomen but it was the kind that came and went. At around 5 pm we go home and while in the car I drift off to sleep. I wake up feeling a bit heavy and continued my nap at home until about 7 pm when it was time for dinner. At this point, I was already feeling some pain but I still wasn't sure if this was "it" - it seemed too mild. Hours pass, I try to sleep but it doesn't come. I read a book, surf the net but still feel uneasy. Then things started making a turn...
11 pm - I started to entertain the the thought that I maybe was in labor. The waves of pain would come and go at 30 then 20 then 10 minutes apart... Each time it came I would feel pain and I would try to do the breathing exercises they taught us in class. But after some time, I could barely distract myself from it. I didn't know whether to sit up or lay in bed -none of them were comfortable. We call our doctor to ask if I should go to the hospital already and she says to wait until the pain is really unbearable. OK.
12 midnight - Pain is driving me crazy, I cannot even speak or think straight when it comes. I keep going in and out of the bathroom to pee and see if my water has broke. It hasn't. L is asking me at this point if I want to go to the hospital but I say no. I was thinking what if this is false labor? Besides my doctor said only when the pain becomes unbearable. I felt I could stil handle it but frankly that resolve was going by the minute.
1am - I remember that at this point I was already seated facing the headboard, facedown into a pillow while L and my auntie massaged my lower back. Even that didn't help. My contractions are now about 6-8 minutes apart. I was definitely going into labor. I tried to hang on. I willed myself to take on the pain, imagine the Luna making her way out. I kept praying the Hail Marys in my head.
2am - It's time! Contractions are now 5 mins apart and frankly, I don't know what to do with myself anymore. L loads our stuff in the car, we go to Lolo's room and see that he is awake. I tell him "Masakit na tiyan ko" (My tummy hurts already), and he gets this worried look on his face and then prays over me. We are off to MMC. I am in pain but I can't explain the anticipation mixed with a little bit of fear. Maybe it was an adrenalin rush. In the car, I kept praying and talking to Luna. This must be so scary for her too I realized.
2:20am - We quickly park and then go straight up to the 5th floor. It's so bare and quiet and COLD. Really cold. We talk to a nurse by the small window to say I'm on labor and they let us in. In a few mins I get strapped into bed and hooked up to a monitor. Nurses ask me questions, fill out forms. I manage to cooperate. Until Nurse #2 and then Nurse #3 ask me the same questions and ask me to fill out another form. I lose it and go cranky on them. They get it and leave me alone. The resident in charge is a nice man and gets what I need, talks to me in a soothing voice, says sorry this is painful but he needs to check me. He confirms that my contractions are 5 mins apart and that it's a good thing I didn't give birth before reaching the hospital. And then he does an IE on me and it is the most painful thing EVER!!! I have decided by this time to get the epidural. It was that or lose my sanity. A few minutes later, salvation comes. My back gets cleaned up, someone in front of me holds my hand while my back is given the first shot to numb the spot where the epidural line would be made. Then the second needle goes in - I could feel it being inserted. Just some pressure, no pain. And then something cold splashes from the top of my spine all the way down my lower back. And instantly I feel well. Relaxed. A few minutes more they tuck me into bed and tell me to sleep. I try. All this time i hear Luna's heartbeat in the room from the fetal monitor attached to my tummy. Like a lullaby. I think I drift off to sleep, dreaming of my baby.
To be continued....
My OB had to go on a business trip for a few days and was coming back on April 6 so her strict instruction was that I should not give birth on that week! I sorta knew she didn't have to worry because I didn't think Luna was in any hurry to come out :)
So that week passed uneventfully, and my schedule for the coming week was that I was to have my last ultrasound before my April 14th appointment with my OB. So L and I decided to have the ultrasound in the morning, get the results, and then go to the doctor's appointment at 3pm. We proceed to the maternity floor of MMC where I was to have my Ultrasound. I've been here many times and I knew that this was also where we would go when it was time to give birth (we learned this from our Birth Classes -do not go to the ER, go straight to the labor room). I must say that I had a different feeling about the place knowing that we were very close to the main event. So after waiting in line for about 40 mins, I finally take my turn. A different doctor is doing my ultrasound this time and when I see her I feel instantly at ease. She was very thorough, pleasant and took time to make small talk and ask me if I had questions. I tell ya, after the whole pregnancy thing you sort of become an expert in these procedures. The other experiences I have require a separate blog entry all together. But I digress.
Basically, the gist of that ultrasound was that baby's doing very very well - all internal organs are as they should be: very strong heart, baby's in right position, amniotic fluid levels are sufficient etc. But here comes the shocker: she estimates (based on chest + abdomen size) that Luna was probably about 7++ pounds already! See the thing is, I was now at my 39th week but I am not too big. Other people even say my tummy seems small and my other parts don't "look pregnant". I guess they have this notion that all preggy girls need to be manas (bloated). So imagine my surprise at the thought that I was having a 7 pound baby. My next thought was, "Can i handle labor without undergoing a CS (I really didn't want to)?". So these were our thoughts when we went to my OB in the afternoon. I didn't say anything, but when she saw the report herself, she told me her concern that if I don't go on labor soon, the baby might be too big come labor day, making me at risk for a CS delivery. Luna's estimated date of arrival was April 24, which was still10 days away. My doctor examines me internally and makes a note that I am 1 cm dilated, same as the week before. Baby's not engaging, just growing! She then makes the decision, with our agreement, to speed things up a bit by giving me something to ripen/soften my cervix. We quickly go down to Mercury to get it (I think it was called CerviPrime) and she applies the gel like substance using a spatula inside my cervix. She tells me I could go on labor in about 2 to 3 days, and if I still don't, I should return to her. We say goodbye and she tells me she hopes to see me in a few days and gives me last instructions to keep walking. "Walk all over Makati if you could!", she says. We return to the office just across MMC and update my uncle and auntie about the developments. About 30 mins after leaving the doctor's clinic I felt some pain in my abdomen but it was the kind that came and went. At around 5 pm we go home and while in the car I drift off to sleep. I wake up feeling a bit heavy and continued my nap at home until about 7 pm when it was time for dinner. At this point, I was already feeling some pain but I still wasn't sure if this was "it" - it seemed too mild. Hours pass, I try to sleep but it doesn't come. I read a book, surf the net but still feel uneasy. Then things started making a turn...
11 pm - I started to entertain the the thought that I maybe was in labor. The waves of pain would come and go at 30 then 20 then 10 minutes apart... Each time it came I would feel pain and I would try to do the breathing exercises they taught us in class. But after some time, I could barely distract myself from it. I didn't know whether to sit up or lay in bed -none of them were comfortable. We call our doctor to ask if I should go to the hospital already and she says to wait until the pain is really unbearable. OK.
12 midnight - Pain is driving me crazy, I cannot even speak or think straight when it comes. I keep going in and out of the bathroom to pee and see if my water has broke. It hasn't. L is asking me at this point if I want to go to the hospital but I say no. I was thinking what if this is false labor? Besides my doctor said only when the pain becomes unbearable. I felt I could stil handle it but frankly that resolve was going by the minute.
1am - I remember that at this point I was already seated facing the headboard, facedown into a pillow while L and my auntie massaged my lower back. Even that didn't help. My contractions are now about 6-8 minutes apart. I was definitely going into labor. I tried to hang on. I willed myself to take on the pain, imagine the Luna making her way out. I kept praying the Hail Marys in my head.
2am - It's time! Contractions are now 5 mins apart and frankly, I don't know what to do with myself anymore. L loads our stuff in the car, we go to Lolo's room and see that he is awake. I tell him "Masakit na tiyan ko" (My tummy hurts already), and he gets this worried look on his face and then prays over me. We are off to MMC. I am in pain but I can't explain the anticipation mixed with a little bit of fear. Maybe it was an adrenalin rush. In the car, I kept praying and talking to Luna. This must be so scary for her too I realized.
2:20am - We quickly park and then go straight up to the 5th floor. It's so bare and quiet and COLD. Really cold. We talk to a nurse by the small window to say I'm on labor and they let us in. In a few mins I get strapped into bed and hooked up to a monitor. Nurses ask me questions, fill out forms. I manage to cooperate. Until Nurse #2 and then Nurse #3 ask me the same questions and ask me to fill out another form. I lose it and go cranky on them. They get it and leave me alone. The resident in charge is a nice man and gets what I need, talks to me in a soothing voice, says sorry this is painful but he needs to check me. He confirms that my contractions are 5 mins apart and that it's a good thing I didn't give birth before reaching the hospital. And then he does an IE on me and it is the most painful thing EVER!!! I have decided by this time to get the epidural. It was that or lose my sanity. A few minutes later, salvation comes. My back gets cleaned up, someone in front of me holds my hand while my back is given the first shot to numb the spot where the epidural line would be made. Then the second needle goes in - I could feel it being inserted. Just some pressure, no pain. And then something cold splashes from the top of my spine all the way down my lower back. And instantly I feel well. Relaxed. A few minutes more they tuck me into bed and tell me to sleep. I try. All this time i hear Luna's heartbeat in the room from the fetal monitor attached to my tummy. Like a lullaby. I think I drift off to sleep, dreaming of my baby.
To be continued....
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Pregnancy: the whole nine yards
I am trying to remember each month of my pregnancy before the memories are dulled by time. Writing them down would immortalize them, which was the whole purpose of this blog. So here goes:
Weeks 1-4: I had no idea I was pregnant yet but I did notice that my stomach was specially queasy and I was oh so very tired, like I have never been in my life. (July 2010)
Weeks 5-8: I confirmed it in mid August after taking about 3 HPTs and 1 blood test. I was about 5 weeks pregnant then according to the doctor. I had to wait for my blood test results to come out after an hour in HCMC Family Medical Practice. While waiting i crossed to the Notre Dame Cathedral to pray for a positive result :) My prayers were answered! I texted my husband and some folks back home about the good news. Exciting times! 6 weeks into my pregnancy I would fly home for a short vacation and will have my first ultrasound. Nerve-wracking also because the doctor told me that this would confirm if the pregnancy is viable. I started praying in the Ultrasound center of MMC before my turn. Everything turned out all right just as I had hoped.
This month I would start feeling pregnant - I was sleepy all the time and my hunger pangs were unbearable (I felt like throwing up when i was hungry). Aversion to anything fried especially chicken. My morning sickness wasn't too bad though. (August 2010)
Weeks 9-12: The last month of the first trimester. By then I have travelled a couple of times for work. My blastocyst was now a fetus and she has been to Malaysia, Singapore and Manila! No signs of a belly just yet. I started taking Pilates in Nutrifort, just a stone's throw away from my office. I am eating very healthy - mostly fish and vegetables. Vietnam, food-wise was the best place for a preggy girl - they had lots of veggies every meal! Highlight of every doctor's visit is hearing the baby's heartbeat. <3 (Sept 2010)
Weeks 13-16: Starting to have a tiny, tiny bump just visible to me. LOL. Heaviness and tiredness have eased up a little bit and no signs of morning sickness anymore, though I still had an aversion to chicken and anything fried. It was around this time when I developed a sweet tooth (and it has not gone away since!). This was weird as I never was the type to crave for cakes or ice creams, but this time BRING THEM ON! Around week 14, I felt the baby move for the first time. It was such a tiny movement but it was undeniable: I really do have a life inside me! Priceless feeling. (Oct 2010)
Weeks 17-20: More movements from the little one, usually at night around 7pm when I would be at home lying quietly in the living room. By now I really do have a bump, but still not too big. My clothes are starting to feel small though. Week 20 - halfway mark! This also meant anomaly screening and possibly knowing the baby's gender. I had these done at FV Hospital which was nearer my house. Nervous for the anomaly screening but so far pregnancy is going very, very well and each doctor's visit confirmed this. Baby had strong heart, good growth indicators, no abnormalities. Thankfully this was confirmed during the anomaly screening. A peek into my uterus shows a tiny but well-formed baby. You can already clearly see the head, hands, feet, and internal organs - which were all v.v. good. At the end of my 20th week screening, I asked the sonographer to tell me the gender of the baby. Lem went out of the room cause he wanted it to be a surprise but since I couldn't help it I had to ask myself :) The doctor told me it was a GIRL! 100% sure she said :) Indescribable feeling again - it made the pregnancy real once more. We were having a baby girl! Of course when I went out of the room I had to tell someone. SO Lem ended up knowing (against his will, LOL) and he said: "i thought so!" :) Our baby already had a name: Luna Sky <3 (November 2010)
Week 21-24: Since finding out the gender, we have been calling Luna by her name when we talked to her at night. Her movements are now getting fast and furious and would often keep me up at night. But I enjoyed it all! I felt bonded with her already and each time she would make a movement it would make me smile. Week 22, we were headed home for the Christmas break. My tummy seemed to grow every week and mostly I would be wearing dresses. I also bought the belly belt here to extend my pants. Useful stuff! (December 2010)
Week 25-28: Belly growing by the week; I am starting to feel some heaviness in my legs w/ Luna growing week by week. I had stopped my Pilates classes a few weeks earlier as I couldn't manage the exercises anymore. I am almost into my last trimester and we have been planning the birth (back home) and the transition. We haven't bought any baby stuff just yet and we were in the middle of deciding if it was finally time to go back home for good and leave Vietnam. Pregnancy is going very well, confirmed my all the check ups. Out estimated delivery date was April 24, 2011, give or take a few weeks. My maternity leave was scheduled to start in March or before my 34th week, otherwise the airplane may not let me fly anymore. (January 2011)
Week 29-32: Definitely looking pregnant already and feeling it. This month we are busy with the trip back home; the whole plan itself was up in the air but we are mostly leaning towards staying back home for good but it all still depended if things would work out (job-wise etc.). It was TET in Vietnam (Chinese new year) which meant a week long holiday. We took this trip back home again for my month's check up. I stopped going to the Vietnam doctors already and was going by my OB back home's orders since I ws to give birth at home anyway. Around this time, we also had our 3D-4D Ultrasound wherein we saw Luna in color (sort of) and moving so actively inside me. We had this done at In My Womb in Glorietta. She was a baby with her own mind already - she gave the doctor a hard time getting a shot of her face cause she was moving around too much! Around week 32, she was in a breech position and we had to wait for her to turn. I started praying that she'd turn on my next ultrasound because i really did not want a CS delivery. And yes we confirmed again that she really is a girl :) (February 2011)
Week 33-36: By this time we have packed up the whole apartment - 5 years worth of our life in Vietnam - and took the plane home, while we waited for Luna's grand arrival :) I think I have gained around 20 pounds already since the start of my pregnancy, and growing by the week. But it was all good, according to my OB some women at this point have already gained 50 pounds (afraid!). I was going to my doctor every week already since the start of my 8th month, and she was monitoring my weight gain. She didn't want me to gain much lest it give me a hard time when I deliver (baby might become too big). Luna has turned head down by week 34. We have also started taking Birthing Classes with Rome Kanapi every Saturday morning. (March 2011)
Week 37-38: All is going well and if I went on labor at this time it would be okay as Luna was already considered full term. But she showed no signs of engagement just yet. :)
Week 39: April 14 -Last ultrasound at MMC, where I would give birth. All is well and doctor suspects baby may be 7 pounds already (estimate, by the looks of her chest size) and I may go on labor soon. But so far, no signs of labor pain at all that morning. However, April 14 would turn out to be the last day of my pregnancy. :)
Luna was born on April 15, 2011 at 12:01pm. And how that came to be requires a separate entry on our birthing story...
Weeks 1-4: I had no idea I was pregnant yet but I did notice that my stomach was specially queasy and I was oh so very tired, like I have never been in my life. (July 2010)
Weeks 5-8: I confirmed it in mid August after taking about 3 HPTs and 1 blood test. I was about 5 weeks pregnant then according to the doctor. I had to wait for my blood test results to come out after an hour in HCMC Family Medical Practice. While waiting i crossed to the Notre Dame Cathedral to pray for a positive result :) My prayers were answered! I texted my husband and some folks back home about the good news. Exciting times! 6 weeks into my pregnancy I would fly home for a short vacation and will have my first ultrasound. Nerve-wracking also because the doctor told me that this would confirm if the pregnancy is viable. I started praying in the Ultrasound center of MMC before my turn. Everything turned out all right just as I had hoped.
This month I would start feeling pregnant - I was sleepy all the time and my hunger pangs were unbearable (I felt like throwing up when i was hungry). Aversion to anything fried especially chicken. My morning sickness wasn't too bad though. (August 2010)
Weeks 9-12: The last month of the first trimester. By then I have travelled a couple of times for work. My blastocyst was now a fetus and she has been to Malaysia, Singapore and Manila! No signs of a belly just yet. I started taking Pilates in Nutrifort, just a stone's throw away from my office. I am eating very healthy - mostly fish and vegetables. Vietnam, food-wise was the best place for a preggy girl - they had lots of veggies every meal! Highlight of every doctor's visit is hearing the baby's heartbeat. <3 (Sept 2010)
Weeks 13-16: Starting to have a tiny, tiny bump just visible to me. LOL. Heaviness and tiredness have eased up a little bit and no signs of morning sickness anymore, though I still had an aversion to chicken and anything fried. It was around this time when I developed a sweet tooth (and it has not gone away since!). This was weird as I never was the type to crave for cakes or ice creams, but this time BRING THEM ON! Around week 14, I felt the baby move for the first time. It was such a tiny movement but it was undeniable: I really do have a life inside me! Priceless feeling. (Oct 2010)
Weeks 17-20: More movements from the little one, usually at night around 7pm when I would be at home lying quietly in the living room. By now I really do have a bump, but still not too big. My clothes are starting to feel small though. Week 20 - halfway mark! This also meant anomaly screening and possibly knowing the baby's gender. I had these done at FV Hospital which was nearer my house. Nervous for the anomaly screening but so far pregnancy is going very, very well and each doctor's visit confirmed this. Baby had strong heart, good growth indicators, no abnormalities. Thankfully this was confirmed during the anomaly screening. A peek into my uterus shows a tiny but well-formed baby. You can already clearly see the head, hands, feet, and internal organs - which were all v.v. good. At the end of my 20th week screening, I asked the sonographer to tell me the gender of the baby. Lem went out of the room cause he wanted it to be a surprise but since I couldn't help it I had to ask myself :) The doctor told me it was a GIRL! 100% sure she said :) Indescribable feeling again - it made the pregnancy real once more. We were having a baby girl! Of course when I went out of the room I had to tell someone. SO Lem ended up knowing (against his will, LOL) and he said: "i thought so!" :) Our baby already had a name: Luna Sky <3 (November 2010)
Week 21-24: Since finding out the gender, we have been calling Luna by her name when we talked to her at night. Her movements are now getting fast and furious and would often keep me up at night. But I enjoyed it all! I felt bonded with her already and each time she would make a movement it would make me smile. Week 22, we were headed home for the Christmas break. My tummy seemed to grow every week and mostly I would be wearing dresses. I also bought the belly belt here to extend my pants. Useful stuff! (December 2010)
Week 25-28: Belly growing by the week; I am starting to feel some heaviness in my legs w/ Luna growing week by week. I had stopped my Pilates classes a few weeks earlier as I couldn't manage the exercises anymore. I am almost into my last trimester and we have been planning the birth (back home) and the transition. We haven't bought any baby stuff just yet and we were in the middle of deciding if it was finally time to go back home for good and leave Vietnam. Pregnancy is going very well, confirmed my all the check ups. Out estimated delivery date was April 24, 2011, give or take a few weeks. My maternity leave was scheduled to start in March or before my 34th week, otherwise the airplane may not let me fly anymore. (January 2011)
Week 29-32: Definitely looking pregnant already and feeling it. This month we are busy with the trip back home; the whole plan itself was up in the air but we are mostly leaning towards staying back home for good but it all still depended if things would work out (job-wise etc.). It was TET in Vietnam (Chinese new year) which meant a week long holiday. We took this trip back home again for my month's check up. I stopped going to the Vietnam doctors already and was going by my OB back home's orders since I ws to give birth at home anyway. Around this time, we also had our 3D-4D Ultrasound wherein we saw Luna in color (sort of) and moving so actively inside me. We had this done at In My Womb in Glorietta. She was a baby with her own mind already - she gave the doctor a hard time getting a shot of her face cause she was moving around too much! Around week 32, she was in a breech position and we had to wait for her to turn. I started praying that she'd turn on my next ultrasound because i really did not want a CS delivery. And yes we confirmed again that she really is a girl :) (February 2011)
Week 33-36: By this time we have packed up the whole apartment - 5 years worth of our life in Vietnam - and took the plane home, while we waited for Luna's grand arrival :) I think I have gained around 20 pounds already since the start of my pregnancy, and growing by the week. But it was all good, according to my OB some women at this point have already gained 50 pounds (afraid!). I was going to my doctor every week already since the start of my 8th month, and she was monitoring my weight gain. She didn't want me to gain much lest it give me a hard time when I deliver (baby might become too big). Luna has turned head down by week 34. We have also started taking Birthing Classes with Rome Kanapi every Saturday morning. (March 2011)
Week 37-38: All is going well and if I went on labor at this time it would be okay as Luna was already considered full term. But she showed no signs of engagement just yet. :)
Week 39: April 14 -Last ultrasound at MMC, where I would give birth. All is well and doctor suspects baby may be 7 pounds already (estimate, by the looks of her chest size) and I may go on labor soon. But so far, no signs of labor pain at all that morning. However, April 14 would turn out to be the last day of my pregnancy. :)
Luna was born on April 15, 2011 at 12:01pm. And how that came to be requires a separate entry on our birthing story...
Monday, August 22, 2011
Infanticipating
I first found out that I was pregnant in August 2010. I took 3 pregnancy tests and 1 blood test just to be sure. In September I had my first ultrasound which confirmed that I was about 6 weeks pregnant. I was beyond happy! Took a pic of for posterity.
Happiness is a second red line :)
And that is how Luna first entered our lives.
Happiness is a second red line :)
And that is how Luna first entered our lives.
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