There's always a new story to tell with this little boy. He never fails to surprise us.
He is the PERFECT subject.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
I'm Back!
I'm back! It's been months since I last doodled on my blog. Motherhood caught up with me, plus I'm a career woman on the sideline, with barely enough extra time for me, myself, and I.
Though I haven't been blogging a lot, I started a pet project inspired by the famous google ad "Dear.Sophia.Lee". My version: "Dearest.Rocco"
I've been writing letters (well, e-mails) to my son. I can't wait for him to read my letters someday. When the time is right, I will give him the username and password of his own email, and hopefully he will appreciate and treasure me more as his mommy.
But..but..but..this blog, I will still keep. I've been so inspired with other mommy blogs that I follow, that I feel the need to share my experiences, being a first time mommy.
So, shall we start Mommies?
Though I haven't been blogging a lot, I started a pet project inspired by the famous google ad "Dear.Sophia.Lee". My version: "Dearest.Rocco"
I've been writing letters (well, e-mails) to my son. I can't wait for him to read my letters someday. When the time is right, I will give him the username and password of his own email, and hopefully he will appreciate and treasure me more as his mommy.
But..but..but..this blog, I will still keep. I've been so inspired with other mommy blogs that I follow, that I feel the need to share my experiences, being a first time mommy.
So, shall we start Mommies?
Monday, December 5, 2011
Rocco's Birth Story
I had my scheduled OB checkup last November 12. I was already full term at 37 weeks and 2 days, but I wasn't feeling anything unusual yet.
When my OB did an internal exam, we found out that I was already 4cm dilated and 60% effaced. She told me that I could give birth anytime, and so we discussed my birth plan. Before leaving, I had my admission orders with me.
I thought "anytime" meant in a few hours or in a day. But no! Monday went by, Tuesday, Wednesday and so on. My mother was panicking and told me to have myself admitted because I might get an infection. What's worse, I caught a bad cold from too much walking around the compound.
From time to time I would text my OB for status updates. She just told me to be patient and wait, because there are women who really progress slowly from 4cm onwards.
Then November 21 came. I wasn't feeling Rocco move as much. After lunch, I barely counted 4 movements within the first hour. I called Sieg so we could go to the hospital. At the same time, I texted my OB and she told me to admit ASAP.
I was freaking out, but I didn't want to show it because Sieg would be the first to panic. At the hospital, we went to the ER and they wheeled me off immediately to the delivery unit. I barely had time to say my goodbyes to Sieg because they did not allow me to go outside anymore.
We found out during the internal exam that I was already 5cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was stripped off my clothes and they handed me my labor room gear.
I was with three other women inside our labor unit and we all had the same OB. The doctors kept asking me if I was contracting or in pain, and I said I WAS NOT. They were having a hard time monitoring my progress because it was still painless for me, so they strapped me to a contractions monitor.
November 21
5:45PM = The fetal heart rate and contractions monitoring started.
6:30PM = The lady beside me was crying like hell and was begging for a CS because of the pain. She was only 3cm dilated. I found out that she was not allowed an epidural because her bag of water leaked in the early morning and an epidural would further slow down her labor, which will make her baby more prone to distress.
10:00PM = Another lady was wheeled in the room. She was 5cm dilated and her labor was actively progressing.
November 22
12:00MN = The lady begging for CS was wheeled to the operating room.
4:00AM = The other lady who was wheeled in at 10PM was fully dilated. She was ready to push. Meanwhile, I was still wondering how contractions felt like. It was totally still painless for me.
6:00AM = I had another internal exam. I was 6cm dilated and 90% effaced. It took 12hrs just to progress from 5 to 6cm! My goodness. I was ordered a light breakfast.
7:00AM = I was induced. Oxytocin drip was IV'ed to me.
9:00AM = I was 7cm dilated. I still was not feeling any pain.
11:00AM = My bag of water was manually popped. Then the pain started.
12:00NN = I was 8cm dilated. The pain was there, but I could still control it. It was mind over matter for me. The first 10seconds were the most painful. It sent my legs jiggling. Then the next 30seconds, I could manage.
1:00PM = The doctors did another internal exam, and it was the most painful feeling I've felt in my life. I wasn't shouting, but I was crying from the agony.
1:30PM = I asked for an epidural. I could not take it anymore. My labor was progressing so slowly, and I've been in labor for almost 21 hours already. What's worse, I had a bad case of clogged nose from my cold and it was making it hard for me to breath. Nasal aspirators didn't work. If I exhausted myself too much, I would have nothing left to push, and would be on the brink of a CS delivery.
2:00PM = I was wheeled to the delivery room for my epidural. I was almost numb from the pain and didn't even feel the injection to my spine, nor the catether being placed on my back.
4:00PM = I was 9cm dilated. The epidural further slowed down my labor. My OB told me that if I do not fully dilate by 5:30, she would deliver the baby via CS.
5:30PM = I was chilling like crazy and was having a fever but I was praying to all the angels of heaven for a miracle. I wanted a normal delivery. My OB did another internal exam, and I was so relieved when she told me she could already feel my baby's head. It was time to push!
5:45PM = The whole team was ready. They guided me on when to push because I was not feeling any contractions from the epidural.
6:16PM= On my 7th push, my baby came out (with the help of fundal pushing from my anesthesiologist). I barely had any energy left. My baby was placed in my stomach and breast, and it was the sweetest thing ever!
My OB then started the other works. I felt my placenta coming out, and she started stitching me because I had a 3rd degree laceration. Rocco birth weight was 7lbs and 10oz, with a head circumference of 35cm, so he was huge!
After the delivery work, I was wheeled in to the recovery room. That's when Rocco's pedia told me that he had a fever during birth, with an elevated temp of 38.5C.
Sad to say, we were not able to room in Rocco because he was taken to NICU level 2 for monitoring. He stayed there for 7 days for his medication, and we were able to bring him home only last November 29. I was discharged last November 26 so I visited him everyday till he was also out.
So there goes my 1st hand experience on childbirth. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be :)
When my OB did an internal exam, we found out that I was already 4cm dilated and 60% effaced. She told me that I could give birth anytime, and so we discussed my birth plan. Before leaving, I had my admission orders with me.
I thought "anytime" meant in a few hours or in a day. But no! Monday went by, Tuesday, Wednesday and so on. My mother was panicking and told me to have myself admitted because I might get an infection. What's worse, I caught a bad cold from too much walking around the compound.
From time to time I would text my OB for status updates. She just told me to be patient and wait, because there are women who really progress slowly from 4cm onwards.
Then November 21 came. I wasn't feeling Rocco move as much. After lunch, I barely counted 4 movements within the first hour. I called Sieg so we could go to the hospital. At the same time, I texted my OB and she told me to admit ASAP.
I was freaking out, but I didn't want to show it because Sieg would be the first to panic. At the hospital, we went to the ER and they wheeled me off immediately to the delivery unit. I barely had time to say my goodbyes to Sieg because they did not allow me to go outside anymore.
We found out during the internal exam that I was already 5cm dilated and 80% effaced. I was stripped off my clothes and they handed me my labor room gear.
I was with three other women inside our labor unit and we all had the same OB. The doctors kept asking me if I was contracting or in pain, and I said I WAS NOT. They were having a hard time monitoring my progress because it was still painless for me, so they strapped me to a contractions monitor.
November 21
5:45PM = The fetal heart rate and contractions monitoring started.
6:30PM = The lady beside me was crying like hell and was begging for a CS because of the pain. She was only 3cm dilated. I found out that she was not allowed an epidural because her bag of water leaked in the early morning and an epidural would further slow down her labor, which will make her baby more prone to distress.
10:00PM = Another lady was wheeled in the room. She was 5cm dilated and her labor was actively progressing.
November 22
12:00MN = The lady begging for CS was wheeled to the operating room.
4:00AM = The other lady who was wheeled in at 10PM was fully dilated. She was ready to push. Meanwhile, I was still wondering how contractions felt like. It was totally still painless for me.
6:00AM = I had another internal exam. I was 6cm dilated and 90% effaced. It took 12hrs just to progress from 5 to 6cm! My goodness. I was ordered a light breakfast.
7:00AM = I was induced. Oxytocin drip was IV'ed to me.
9:00AM = I was 7cm dilated. I still was not feeling any pain.
11:00AM = My bag of water was manually popped. Then the pain started.
12:00NN = I was 8cm dilated. The pain was there, but I could still control it. It was mind over matter for me. The first 10seconds were the most painful. It sent my legs jiggling. Then the next 30seconds, I could manage.
1:00PM = The doctors did another internal exam, and it was the most painful feeling I've felt in my life. I wasn't shouting, but I was crying from the agony.
1:30PM = I asked for an epidural. I could not take it anymore. My labor was progressing so slowly, and I've been in labor for almost 21 hours already. What's worse, I had a bad case of clogged nose from my cold and it was making it hard for me to breath. Nasal aspirators didn't work. If I exhausted myself too much, I would have nothing left to push, and would be on the brink of a CS delivery.
2:00PM = I was wheeled to the delivery room for my epidural. I was almost numb from the pain and didn't even feel the injection to my spine, nor the catether being placed on my back.
4:00PM = I was 9cm dilated. The epidural further slowed down my labor. My OB told me that if I do not fully dilate by 5:30, she would deliver the baby via CS.
5:30PM = I was chilling like crazy and was having a fever but I was praying to all the angels of heaven for a miracle. I wanted a normal delivery. My OB did another internal exam, and I was so relieved when she told me she could already feel my baby's head. It was time to push!
5:45PM = The whole team was ready. They guided me on when to push because I was not feeling any contractions from the epidural.
6:16PM= On my 7th push, my baby came out (with the help of fundal pushing from my anesthesiologist). I barely had any energy left. My baby was placed in my stomach and breast, and it was the sweetest thing ever!
 |
| Rocco's vital statistics :) |
 |
| My little shaolin at the nursery,having hyperthermia :( |
After the delivery work, I was wheeled in to the recovery room. That's when Rocco's pedia told me that he had a fever during birth, with an elevated temp of 38.5C.
Sad to say, we were not able to room in Rocco because he was taken to NICU level 2 for monitoring. He stayed there for 7 days for his medication, and we were able to bring him home only last November 29. I was discharged last November 26 so I visited him everyday till he was also out.
So there goes my 1st hand experience on childbirth. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be :)
Friday, November 4, 2011
Weird Concoctions for the Pregnant
There are people who really believe in concoctions. My mother is one of them :) She uses a lot of herbal, organic or alternative products, especially when hearing good reviews about the product.
Well this time, she told me she had an office staff whose wife was able to give birth through spontaneous vaginal delivery, an 8 pound baby. That's huge! The secret (daw) is she drank snake's oil during labor, which helped eased the big baby out of her vagina smoothly.
I actually read of snake's oil being used during labor among Chinese believers, but I wouldn't dare use that on myself! Gross!!!! I have a huge phobia on snakes!
I could see the look in Sieg's face while Mama was telling the story (haha!). Sieg is a scientific believer, and he dislikes taking any form of medication (pharmaceutical or herbal) unless prescribed by a doctor.
Mama told us she would ask for the oil and have it shipped to us. I didn't want to offend her, so I said OK.
This morning, Mama asked for our address again because she would ship the bottle. I told Sieg about it (knowing it would irritate him, haha!) and indeed, he ranted. He kept on ranting on me because he couldn't do so with mama :)
"Bangin may halas ito ha botelya!" (There might be a snake inside the bottle!)
"Kun mabasag ito, magbabaho aton balay!" (If the bottle breaks, our house will smell!)
"Ayaw gud paggamit hito ha, upaya la!" (Don't you dare use it!)
As Sieg said, labor and delivery is a natural process. The female human body is designed for it. Honestly, I wouldn't use it. It's not proven anyway, and there might be side effects which I might regret for the rest of my life. If others say it worked for them, then good for them.
For me, I just have to trust my doctors that they'll take good care of me, and will do everything to keep me and my baby safe from harm.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
My Hospital Bag Must-Haves
I'm already 36 weeks pregnant. On November 11, my 37th week, I will officially be full-term and can deliver my baby anytime he wishes to make a grand entrance.
Since the B-DAY is still unknown, it's best to be prepared. I searched the internet and asked my sister on what to bring to the hospital, and finally came up with my own list.
Friends who also gave birth in Chong-Hua Hospital told me to not bring any toiletries since the hospital will provide those, but I may not like their brands, so I decided to still bring my own.
Here's my list!
FOR MAMA (that's me!):
Toiletries
1. Bathing soap
2. 1 dozen shampoo in sachet
3. 1 dozen conditioner in sachet
**I prefer in sachet so it won't be bulky. My Mama told me to not take a bath after delivering the baby and to wait at least 10 days. I'll see how I can hold off the washing of the hair part.
4. Toothbrush
5. Toothpaste
6. Mouthwash
7. Shave
8. Deodorant
9. Alcohol
10. Virgin Coconut Oil (my life saver!)
11. Gynepro (since it's antiseptic and anti-bacterial, a must have after delivery)
12. Napkins (I hoarded on this. They said it's likely to have heavy menstrual flow after delivery.)
13. toilet paper
Clothes & Stuff
1. Going home clothes
2. Nursing bras
3. Panties
4. Robe
5. Socks
6. Rubber slippers (so it can be doubled as comfort room slippers)
7. Shower towel
8. Towelettes
9. Thick blanket (for sleeping)
10. Extra pillow/s
Breastfeeding
1. Breastpump
2. Lansinoh Nipple Cream
Others
1. Abdominal binder
2. Headband
3. Clips
FOR ROCCO (our little rookie!):
1. 4 receiving blankets
2. 4 wrap around clothes
3. 4 pajamas
4. 2 bonnets
5. 4 pairs mittens and booties
6. newborn diapers (Ate said to use EQ Dry. We'll use cloth diapers once we're back home)
7. lampins/ (a lot)
8. baby wipes
9. sterilized bottles (just in case)
DOCUMENTS:
1. Philheath MDF
2. Philhealth Form 1 signed by employer
3. Marriage contract photocopy
4. Govt IDs photocopy
5. Company IDs photocopy
6. Prenatal docs and lab tests photocopies
7. Sieg's DR waiver
8. Sieg's Inpatient insurance form
9. Signed birth plan
10. Admittance request signed by OB
Haaaay! The list is too long, but we've prepared them all. Lacking are Sieg's stuff. He said he'll take care of packing his stuff :) Everything is ready now, all stacked at the car.
We're just patiently waiting for Rocco to finally say HELLO WORLD, UHAAAAA!
Since the B-DAY is still unknown, it's best to be prepared. I searched the internet and asked my sister on what to bring to the hospital, and finally came up with my own list.
Friends who also gave birth in Chong-Hua Hospital told me to not bring any toiletries since the hospital will provide those, but I may not like their brands, so I decided to still bring my own.
Here's my list!
FOR MAMA (that's me!):
Toiletries
1. Bathing soap
2. 1 dozen shampoo in sachet
3. 1 dozen conditioner in sachet
**I prefer in sachet so it won't be bulky. My Mama told me to not take a bath after delivering the baby and to wait at least 10 days. I'll see how I can hold off the washing of the hair part.
4. Toothbrush
5. Toothpaste
6. Mouthwash
7. Shave
8. Deodorant
9. Alcohol
10. Virgin Coconut Oil (my life saver!)
11. Gynepro (since it's antiseptic and anti-bacterial, a must have after delivery)
12. Napkins (I hoarded on this. They said it's likely to have heavy menstrual flow after delivery.)
13. toilet paper
Clothes & Stuff
1. Going home clothes
2. Nursing bras
3. Panties
4. Robe
5. Socks
6. Rubber slippers (so it can be doubled as comfort room slippers)
7. Shower towel
8. Towelettes
9. Thick blanket (for sleeping)
10. Extra pillow/s
Breastfeeding
1. Breastpump
2. Lansinoh Nipple Cream
Others
1. Abdominal binder
2. Headband
3. Clips
FOR ROCCO (our little rookie!):
1. 4 receiving blankets
2. 4 wrap around clothes
3. 4 pajamas
4. 2 bonnets
5. 4 pairs mittens and booties
6. newborn diapers (Ate said to use EQ Dry. We'll use cloth diapers once we're back home)
7. lampins/ (a lot)
8. baby wipes
9. sterilized bottles (just in case)
DOCUMENTS:
1. Philheath MDF
2. Philhealth Form 1 signed by employer
3. Marriage contract photocopy
4. Govt IDs photocopy
5. Company IDs photocopy
6. Prenatal docs and lab tests photocopies
7. Sieg's DR waiver
8. Sieg's Inpatient insurance form
9. Signed birth plan
10. Admittance request signed by OB
Haaaay! The list is too long, but we've prepared them all. Lacking are Sieg's stuff. He said he'll take care of packing his stuff :) Everything is ready now, all stacked at the car.
We're just patiently waiting for Rocco to finally say HELLO WORLD, UHAAAAA!
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