Wenn's Birth Story

14 Aug - at 4:00am.. contraction.. *ouch*.. worried that my water bag will burst.. but ken refused to let me leave the room.. anyway, the pain was for a short while only.. so, i just ignored

14 Aug - at 12:00noon.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 4:26pm.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 5:36pm.. contraction.. was talking to lynn on the phone.. asked her how contraction feels like cos i hv no experience.. with ken, my water bag burst and immediately went to KKH and put on epidural alreadie.. so, can't remember..

14 Aug - at 5:50pm.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 6:10pm.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 6:20pm.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 6:30pm.. contraction.. decide to eat dinner early

14 Aug - at 6:40pm.. contraction.. decide to go KKH

14 Aug - at 6:45pm.. contraction.. changed my clothes

14 Aug - at 6:50pm.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 6:55pm.. contraction..

14 Aug - at 7:00pm.. contraction.. on the way to KKH

14 Aug - at 7:30pm.. few more contractions on the way.. arrived at KKH.. admission.. nurse want to check me to see if i'm in real labor.. i can't even go up the bed.. seeing that, she quickly get me to labor ward..

14 Aug - at 7:53pm.. on labor bed, waiting for my OB (Dr John Tee) to arrive.. midwife checked.. 5cm.. i asked her for epidural.. she said have to wait for Dr John.. meanwhile she get me gas..

14 Aug - at 8:05pm.. Dr John arrived.. i asked him for epidural.. he said cannot.. he checked my dilation.. 8cm.. and i suspect he broke my water bag.. cos the pain was intense! Again i demand for epidural.. Dr John said cannot.. while inhaling gas, i shouted, "I WANT EPIDURAL".. i still thought that i can be administered with my all-loved epidural.. but everything was moving so fast.. Dr John told EM not to give me the gas mask anymore.. suddenly, Dr John and midwife asked me to push.. but where is my epidural?!? I was like one mad woman, i tell ya.. shouting and screaming.. "I CANNOT", "I WANT EPIDURAL", and also chanted "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo".. e'one told me not to shout and conserve energy to push.. aiyo.. i tell u, these ppl never experience labor pain man.. how can not scream and shout?!.. in my mind, i was thinking.. this is a great chance for me to experience REAL labor.. but another inner voice was telling me, you will sure faint on the bed! and then, in between contractions, and ppl cheering for me to push, i pushed when i remembered.. actually it was like suddenly i rely on my instinct.. there was just the few moments, i instinctively know when to push and my mind just shut the world off.. i heard noises but i was not listening.. suddenly, it was just listening to my body.. and before i know it i hear cries of bb Wenn..

14 Aug - at 8:14pm.. Wenn arrives! (a gross pic below.. sorrie to scare anyone)

14 Aug - after 8:14pm.. Dr John stitch me up while i inhale gas once more.. i was swearing at him in my heart..(scroll down for after thoughts)

After thoughts:
Thinking back, seriously, it wasn't that bad after all.. mabbe it's really too fast.. but actually the pain wasn't that bad.. hmm.. either my threshold real high or?!.. in fact, my afterpains* was even worst than labor.. (afterpains tapered off on day 6).. i guess, it's just all in our mind.. but granted, if i'm not forced into this situation, i will never be so courageous.. in a way, i'm glad.. and this time round, i shed no tears while labor.. unlike giving birth to Ken, the emotions were so strong that i kept crying.. for Wenn, i just hv no tears.. just hv big big Mommy love!

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*afterpains

I just gave birth to my second child, and I am having painful cramps in my abdomen, cramping that I never felt with my first baby. What's going on?
Known as afterbirth pains or simply afterpains, these cramps are caused by postpartum contractions of your uterus as it shrinks back to its pre-pregnancy size and location. This process, called involution, begins immediately after birth and takes four to six weeks to complete.

You didn't feel the contractions after having your first baby because your uterus contracted more efficiently then. Because your uterus has lost muscle tone during this pregnancy, it has to contract, relax, and contract again to return to its pre-pregnancy state. It's this sequential contraction, relaxation, and contraction of the uterus that causes the afterbirth pains.

Breastfeeding also brings on the pain because your baby's suckling releases a uterine-contraction-stimulating hormone called oxytocin, which speeds up the process of involution.