Our Baby Cherice is born!

Woke up on the morning of 22nd March feeling wet & slightly cold.. not sure if I leaked urine or waterbag burst and ran to toilet. But no more flow or gushing.. I even tried to urine on a clean pantyliner to compare but couldn’t tell if the leak that wet my pants is amniotic fluid. Decided to take the day off to rest at home and wait for gynae clinic to open and call to ask at 8+am. They asked me to come in, since they would not be able to tell unless I came in and did CTG monitoring/ cervix examination.

CTG monitoring only monitored one contraction in the entire hour. Upon cervix examination, Gynae said she could feel the front of my waterbag so it is still intact but I do have quite a bit of yellowish discharge and sometimes slight leak could be from the hind of the waterbag which she is not able to tell. But ultrasound showed amniotic fluid inside still looks good and a lot. Was asked me to go home and monitor for 3 days.

After that, I still went shopping around at Taka etc. went for pedicure since I didn’t think I would be so soon at all. Finally I got home in the evening and started unpacking this portable drawers that I wanted to use for baby’s clothings.. when i sat down on the floor, I felt some discharge leak so I went to toilet. To my alarm, there was some blood… (don’t know is it bloody show, slight brownish colour but not mucus-like). I called up my gynae after-office hours no. and the hospital helped me connect through to her. She said, she can’t tell anything unless I go to hospital to monitor. So I decided upon her advice to go back to the hospital and do monitoring again but don’t admit first.

I didn’t eat dinner before going as I totally did not expect myself to be in labour. I was just worried if my baby is fine and wanted to check and make sure. So I rushed straight down to the hospital where they would monitor my contractions for an hour. My gynae said on the phone that the hospital will send her the monitoring results as it comes in so if nothing she will advise them to let me go home. There I lay on the labour ward bed for monitoring, totally no expectation that I am in labour.. midwife came in, checked me and said I don’t have dilation/ about 1 cm only, just slight irregular contractions ask me if I feel them. To me, they just feel like normal menstrual cramps and I said I dont’t feel any contractions. She said I do have some brownish discharge.

Until my gynae stepped in and I was shocked, afraid something is wrong.. why she suddenly appear when I wasn’t expecting her to. She said actually I have contractions and if I feel them..Again I said I don’t. She did another cervix check and said actually I am already 3cm dilated and my contractions are getting quite regular. In fact, most people’s ones are 3-5mins apart, mine are already 1min apart!! She said am I sure I dont’t feel them? I said I still feel like just a case of bad menstrual cramps, not that painful.. they are surprised of my pain tolerance and that I dilated so fast, suddenly 3cm already.

She said I do have some bleeding and for such close contractions with bleeding, I might have placenta previa or that I have sensitive uterine. She said she will have to burst my waterbag to see if there is blood in it. As she said that, she was already bursting my waterbag at the same time. I was in utter shock! Next thing I knew I saw her hand full of fresh red blood and my water keep gushing out non-stop. There was so much!!

She said the water got some blood until more and more flow out and it’s clear. My tears were flowing non-stop and I was shivering and shaking very badly after all the water came out. Until she said, why am I crying I should be happy, I am already in labour! and baby is fine.. she said expect me to deliver the next morning, not so fast since first one. It took quite a while for me to compose myself.. I still keep shivering and feeling cold.

So the next thing was whether to take epidural. It was about 9+/ 10pm at night by then and before my gynae left.. she said if I want epidural to tell them, as later late at night it will take some time for it to come and they will need to check if I still can have it by then. I was in dilemma whether to take since I already 3cm.. then I still feel very much tolerable even as I begin to feel stronger contractions. But I scared later by the time I want and cannot have.. so I decided to order epidural. Before the anaesthetist came, midwife checked me again. She said actually I am only about 1 cm dilated, not 3cm as my gynae said.. so I was puzzled and thinking.. aiya, shouldn’t have ordered epidural so early. Though later on I did not regret as it is really comfy to be on epidural. I dont’t think I could have survived without it.

Morning came at 8+am, my gynae came and said I am ready to deliver in about an hour. 9+am, midwife came and checked, then started getting me to push.. I pushed hard with each contraction I felt until baby was very low down.

By an hour or less, baby was pushed out after a slight perineal tear and episiotomy. Baby came out so fast that hubby said it was like magic and she appeared out of nowhere.

Remember I said my baby was OP (occiput posterior) which will make pushing difficult and hard labour cos it’s the widest diameter of baby’s head? Luckily, as I pushed baby turned at the last moments to anterior. Baby Cherice very guai & cooperative~

So that is my labour story/ Baby Cherice’s birth story.. entire birth is natural! (no induction, not assisted.. but on epidural~) She is born as a full-term baby at 37 weeks on the morning of 23rd March weighing in at 3.190kg.

P.S. The pain is actually the aftermath when the epidural wears off & the milking process cos my engorgement was so bad yesterday. I never imagined my breasts can be so hard and painful. I think I pumped too long using breastpump for one of the sessions (up to 45mins in one session) maybe that’s why I got so bad engorgement).. Last night keep latching on for baby’s feeds through the night then felt better today – baby’s latch-on is the best!!

21 more days.. Baby is now full term~

As of tomorrow, baby Cherice will be full term at 37 weeks!

Getting butterflies in my tummy as I hear that fellow mom-to-be from MummySg forum who’s due to deliver a day before me has actually admitted to hospital! Starting to get a little freaked out as we are still not fully ready. Contemplating taking leave/ mc tomorrow to rest and get some more stuff ready.

Attended our last antenatal class on Newborn care on Saturday and did gynae check with scan as well but no VE examination. Hope to get baby’s nursery etc. all ready as soon as possible now.

35 Weeks 6 Days (by EDD)
Pregnancy symptoms: water retention in feet by end of day is now a norm, baby movements seem to get lesser but still frequent enough, pelvic pains
Baby love weight: 2.8kg
Position: Cephalic; occiput posterior, Unengaged
Cervix dilation: 1 cm or less (as of 35++ weeks check)

A Chinese name for our rabbit baby?

Am starting to rack my brains on a Chinese name for our little girl and it’s a major headache. Takes quite some effort for me to read this Chinese website page but it’s an interesting read..

My colleague from China said there are certain Chinese characters to avoid and some others which are deemed good for those born in year of rabbit etc. and sent me a link for reference. Trying hard to read and understand it in the mean time..though some things they say are conflicting.

【生肖属兔取名喜忌】
【好兔不吃窝边草】，就可以说明兔子喜欢吃草，而且非常小心翼翼，对周边环境很警戒，知道人类都是【守株待兔】，不会轻易在它们常出没的地方被捕捉；兔子看起来十分柔顺，但并非好欺负。【兔有疾麒麟】，表示兔子动作很敏捷，【狡兔三窟】，可以看出兔子是多么的深谋远虑，兔子除了爱吃草，当然胡萝卜这种五谷也是它的最爱，还有喜欢吃豆子来磨牙。
例如：属兔的叫做【丽丽】，那这是破婚格，不是离婚，就会与老公聚少离多，有没有就差不多，这是六害的【玉兔见龙云里去】，另外，在姓氏里有兔字根的如：柳、杨、林、宋、杜、赖，千万不要在生属龙与鸡、猴的小孩，会与父母缘分浅。
并不是以下的字都可以用，还要看属相的天干，每个生肖都有五种天干，属兔的有【乙卯】【丁卯】【己卯】【辛卯】【癸卯】，必须请教专业老师。另外请注意：姓名的好坏，与笔划完全没有关系。
【喜】：
●水木相生比旺：永、池、汝、沂、清、河、沛、江、浩、涵、凌，水，沁，汪，法，泰，泉，津，添，淳，涣，温，洁，湘，潮、木、株、桂、樟、榆、木、朵、村、李、杉、东、林、柄、柳、柱、桃、根、梁、栋、森、业、荣、乐……
水生卯木，木木比旺，有贵人有助力，被疼惜被宠爱，受益良多。
●亥卯未三合：核、该、孩、家、象、豪、豫、聚、众（眾）、缘、毅、美、姜、羚、善、义（義）、群、羲、妹、仪（儀）、祥、翔、洋……
亥卯未合木：木为仁；心地比较软，容易幻想不切实际，有时候，计划多，但实现力不强。不过，三合则贵人多助，助力强且运势佳。
●寅虎三会：虔、处（處）、彪、号（號）、琥、虞、炉（爐）……
寅卯三会，心手相连，互信互助，贵人常现，旺己旺人。
●卯戌六合：成、战、茂、盛、威、武、城、诚、猛、献、然……
●彩衣得势：市、裴、表、裕、裳、常、希、红、彤、彦、彰、席、綵、统、绮……
得势则人缘特好，心情开阔、桃花多多，左右逢源，得势得力。
●草、五谷得食：秉、科、程、登、丰、蓁、芸、苗、茵、芳、若、茉、莎、菁……
得食则丰衣足食，福禄财旺，满足称心，如鱼得水，心想事成。
●洞穴得地：守、宏、家、康、广、国、召、古、台、合、名、呈……
得地则心安无虑，感情对位，钱财稳定，运途平顺，少灾多福。
【忌】：
●卯酉对冲：酋、雅、鸣、鸿、翁、翊、翰、集、雄、菲、飞……
鸡兔冲，六冲两败俱伤，感情路难走，破婚格，流年大运差，运势难开。
●午马破克：冯、驰、骋、骏、骐、驾、驻、腾、许、夏、南……
●辰卯六害：辰、晨、宸、振、麒、麟、珑、谦、谅、贻、庞、宠、宾……
六害如尖刀子弹，看在阴边或阳边，克父母、克子女、克夫克妻，人生行运多磨难，身心难熬多刑伤。
●逢鼠刑克：孔、字、孝、孜、孟、孩、郭、李、好、北、冬、黑……
●逢人耳受制刑克：仁、仕、伸、依、信、健、阳、陈、院、聪……
受制于人则无自主权，容易委屈求全，无上进心，凡事没有信心、犯小人。
●逢蛇牺牲刑克：张、强、廷、延、建、迅、巡、逊、达、造、逸、迎、迪、述、逢、通、连、逐、造、速、进、道……
●逢日刑伤刑克：旦、早、照、昭、昱、明、映、时、间……
●逢大抬头牺牲刑克：文、主、大、奎、夫、奕……
●逢肉不得食刑克：心、蕊、慈、志、胜、腾、恩、育、肯……
●逢土刑克：圳、地、均、在、奎、佳、堂、坤、城、坚、尧……
●逢金被克：铭、钻、钧、铜、钰、鍊、键……

一、不宜用带有“酉”字的字。“酉”在十二地支是为鸡，鸡与兔相冲，冲者等于战争、冲突，这样会对孩子的人生发展不利。再者，酉的五行属金，有利刀的暗寓，对于兔子来说是避之则吉。酉又为酒缸，兔子是不饮酒的，否则非烂醉如泥不可。

兔宝宝取名些禁忌用字

 

二、不宜用带有“鹰”字或“鸟”字的部首。兔子最怕来自空中的杀手，飞鹰搏兔，防不胜防，对兔子威胁最大。兔子被猎杀，多半来自空中，故兔生肖忌用此类字。

三、不宜用带有“犭”部首的字。自然界中的狼、狗、豹等对兔子也不友善，看见兔子就会动起杀机，故兔生肖不宜用这个部首，不然迟早会成为别人的盘中餐、下酒菜。

四、不宜用带有“金”字部首的字。金者，铁器也，兔子忌铁器，除非宝宝的命中缺金，这才是另当别论。

此外，诸如“日、王、几、邑”等部首亦要慎用。当然了，这是指一般的情况，要视具体情况而定，起名时不能教条，不能执一而论。 兔宝宝适宜部首的字

一、草头部首的字比较好。兔子是吃素的，红萝卜，小白菜等是兔子的最爱，起名用草头部首，宝宝日后的人生好口福，有食神，岂不美哉?

二、带有“米、谷、豆、麦”的字样亦很不错。这些字为五谷杂粮，兔子有了它，一生不愁吃穿，福满安康该有多好。

三、宜带有“口”字部首的字。兔子是穴居的，有口即有家，否则无家可归真是人生一大惨事。安居方可乐业，乐业方可业成，才能有荣华富贵可言。

一、起名宜用带“口”的字。小兔子是住在洞穴里的，所以属兔的宝宝名字中适合带有大“口”或小“口”的字，表示兔子在洞穴里适得其所。

兔年宝宝取名宜用字

 

　　如：口、台、吉、谷、向、吕、告、含、呈、吟、吾、和、周、品、味、哈、啥、四、园、围、图、团、容、宋、定、宙、宜、尚、有、家、富。

　　二、起名宜用有“草”字头的字。兔子喜欢吃素食，名字里加入“草”字头的字，寓意着“有吃有喝，福禄双收。”

　　如：芬、芳、芙、卉、茗、茶、茹、普、菊、寂、董、葵、苇、蔡、蓉、蒋。

　　三、起名宜用带“米”、“谷”、“豆”、“麦”等偏旁的字。这些字都是指五谷杂粮，是兔子喜欢吃的，有着“不愁吃喝、福满安康”的美好祝愿。

　　如：禾、秀、积、苏、获、豆、麦、麻、么、米、粉、粒、梁、精、粮、黍、黎、麦。

　　四、起名宜用三合字。卯(兔)与亥(猪)、未(羊)为三合，寓意着“有贵人帮助”。

　　如：豪、家、毅、朱、美、善、祥、羡、该、妹。

　　五、起名宜用带“衣”、“彡”、“巾”、“采”的字。兔子很注重外表，跟衣服有关的字能让属兔的宝宝增光添彩、事业有成。

　　如：形、彦、彩、彬、彭、影、雕、红、约、级、素、细、练、绛、洁、丝、绿、绮、维、福、礼、统、祝。

　　六、起名宜用带“木”、“犭”、“田”、“月”的字。兔子比较柔顺，不够强势。传统中认为名字中加入“田”、“犭”等字，可以帮助属兔的宝宝增强气势。

　　如：朵、李、杉、束、材、村、东、果、松、桐、桔、梅、植、叶、朴、桦、树。但最好不用森、林，因为兔子入森林危险多多。

　　喜欢的部首：

　　草：叶、菱、荆、苙、莉、等有(草)字形。

　　木：栋、桑、核、根、村、等有(木)字形。

　　米：粉、米、精、菊、等有(米)字形。

　　禾：和、利等有(禾)字形。

　　麦：麦、面、等有(麦)字形。

　　穴：富、官、宙、等有(穴)字形。

　　“月”：清秀多才，温和廉正，安富尊荣;

根据兔的特点取名

　　
兔年出生的宝宝，起名宜用部首字：

　　“亻”、“禾”、“木”：贵人明现，精诚公正;

　　“入”、“宀”：重义信用，环境良好;

　　“金”、“白”、“玉”、“豆”：勤俭励业，成功隆昌，富贵增荣;

　　忌用部首字：

　　“犭”：良善积德，子孙兴旺;有“马”、“酉”，多不顺，不利健康;

　　“石”、“力”、“刀”：不利家庭，晚婚迟得子大吉;

　　“皮”、“氵”：大凶;兔怕水，有“川”更凶，忌车怕水。

　　根据相合、相害的属相起名

　　根据六合、三合、相生之理，相合生肖：亥(猪)、未(羊)、寅(虎)，所以取名宜用：

　　亥字根：核、孩

　　未字根：朱、妹、善、美

　　寅字根：演、虔、虚

　　不合生肖：酉(鸡)、辰(龙)，所以起名不宜用：

　　酉字根：酒、鸿

　　辰字根：振、农、龚、庞、云

　　根据五行起名

　　兔五行属木，根据五行相生相克的道理，起名

　　喜用：五行为水、木、火的字;

　　忌用：五行为金、土的字

　　根据食物起名

　　兔是非肉食动物，吃的是五谷类、草类食物。起名

　　喜用：豆、米、禾、麦、梁、艹

　　忌用：忄、肉、心

　　根据生长环境起名

　　兔子自然的生长环境是在户外。喜用字如下：

　　洞穴：口、冖、宀

　　居地：田、甫、山、丘、谷

While reading, I chanced upon other interesting articles about babies in Rabbit year. According to the Chinese lunar calendar for the rabbit year, those born from 3rd of April onwards (considered as the Chinese 3rd month/ March) have a smoother and brighter future! Hope Baby Cherice comes out after 3rd of April.. Rabbits born in Chinese 2nd month also not bad, just that have to work harder and experience difficulties before they get on the path of success~

Before 3rd of April 2011:
属兔人生于二月，其时正是风寒季节，也正是万物萌动的时候。兔人生于这个月，虽然有风暴，坎坷的经历，但一生毕竟丰衣足食，有名有利。前途一片光明。此月生人，能在暴风雨的洗礼中，使自己变的更加聪明能干，经验充足，走出一条幸福的路子。

Any time from 3rd of April 2011:
属兔人生于三月，不管男人女人，真是人间有福之人。本人聪明活泼，思路开阔，胆略超人。一生前途远大，事业辉煌，且权势过人。这个月生的兔人，无论在财运或官运上，都能心想事成无需费多大心血就能获得。但此月生的兔人，大多靠自己聪明才智而发展，没有多少六亲帮助。

Love Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1830)

A love sonnet that I heart..

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

from Sonnets from the Portuguese

29 more days…

I’ve horrid ‘zebra prints’ on my tummy sighh… trying not to let it get to me too much. Over the weekend, had my gynae appointment – first time getting checked for cervix dilation! So painful!!! Had our second last antenatal class learning how to do breastfeeding, a hearty home-cooked dinner of our rendition of Dad’s Tau You Bak recipe, assembled Baby Cherice’s stroller together and dear did more packing up for the nursery. Hospital pre-admission is done and the documents are now in Whitey.

Hospital bag(s) are packed with the last 10% of stuff that is yet to be put in:
- sweater for myself & hubby
- toiletries – only the extras & light make-up
- to check if hospital provides birthing ball or to bring one
- camera and spare batteries
- hp charger
- any other comfort items? (CD or aroma oil)

Here’s Baby’s going home clothes, together with a pink drawstring bag I got from Daiso just to put her clothes (can also use for her other stuff next time or when she goes to infant care/ school) and that’s my 2 hospital bags. The floral one, given to me by mum as a present from my family’s Taiwan trip contains comfort items, a book to read, docs while the one in black contains my hospital clothes, slippers etc.

 Weekly checks at the gynae from now onwards!

35 Weeks 6 Days (by EDD)
Pregnancy symptoms: stretchmarks, itchy tummy.. painful shins and slight water retention kicking in
Baby love weight: ??
Position: Cephalic; occiput posterior, Unengaged (I think)
Cervix dilation: 1 cm or less

Baby’s Ride – the Peg Perego Pliko P3 Compact Classico 2011 in Pois Grey

Thronged the crowds at Taka Baby Fair 2011 yesterday at about 11am.. I specially took leave to go for this highly-anticipated baby fair and my main purpose was to look out for good stroller deals, amongst other baby stuff deals!

We have been more or less fixated on getting a Peg Perego, either a Si Classico or the Pliko P3.. though at times, we were considering the Quinny which can fit a Maxi Cosi infant car seat with an adapter so we could have a parent-facing stroller for baby’s infant-hood. Since we have gotten the Britax infant-to-toddler carseat, we were more certain we would go for a Peg Perego as we like the ease of use, design and stability though it is more heavy. My ideal model if I were to handle a stroller on my own together with baby love would be the Pliko Mini which is new and I have not seen it in Singapore yet other than on the Peg Perego website… until this day!

The Taka Baby Fair carried not only the 2011 models of the Pliko P3 which is called Pliko P3 Compact but also the Pliko Mini which I heart. Lemming for the one in Red if the chance arises for me to get another lightweight stroller =p

And here is Baby’s ride.. on it’s way to be delivered coming Saturday morning!
http://global.pegperego.com/babyproducts-catalog/2011/Pliko+P3+Compact+Classico

39 more days..

39 more days to Baby Cherice! and I am getting thirsty and waking up in the middle of the night.. Does that spell another growth spurt for baby? Or that the amniotic fluid baby is in is getting lesser? Her movements are getting more pokey and uncomfortable..

34 Weeks 3 Days (by EDD)
Pregnancy symptoms: tailbone/ lower back aches, pelvic/ V cramps, overwhelming sense of exhaustion.. getting thirsty at night
Baby love weight: ??
Position: Cephalic, Unengaged (I think)

One more week to next gynae appointment which will start being checked for cervix dilation..

The BRITAX First Class Plus car seat in Bella

We got Baby Cherice this combination car seat for use from newborn up to about 4 years of age at Mothercare private sale today! It is both rear & forward-facing so can use as a Group 0+ seat as well. Promotion price is very attractive at $299 considering usual price is $468. Dear chose this fabric print which is called Bella – a nice denim and pink-patterned design.

BRITAX First Class Plus car seat – Bella
Seat has an integral harness, and is secured in car by an adult seat belt

Group 0+ car seat: Rearward-facing: from birth to approx. 10-13kg/22-29lbs (approx. 15mths); then forward-facing, once your child can sit up unaided, from approx. 9-18kg/20-40lbs (approx. 9mths to 4yrs)
Unique ‘pivot link’ safety feature reduces forward movement to better protect your child
Click-and-safe mechanism shows when integral harness is safely secured
Deep, softly padded side wings for optimum side-impact protection
Newborn support pillow and an extended recline position when rearward-facing, for a more natural sleeping position.
5 reclining seat positions when forward-facing
2 seat belt routing options (when forward-facing) allow the seat to be used in an exceptionally wide range of vehicles
The slim base enables a better fit in modern sculpted seats
5-point, 1-pull harness
Includes removable and washable cover
Exclusive fabric
Weight: 8kg
Never position your child on a passenger seat fitted with a front airbag – they are designed to protect adults but can seriously injure or even kill a child
We advise that the rearward-facing position is used for as long as possible, until your baby reaches the maximum allowed weight and can sit up unaided

Color : BELLA

Baby’s Laundry

Batch 1 done.. first wash is handwash~ Followed the instructions on the Kodomo baby laundry detergent bottle and realised it’s too soapy! Going to use less the next time and probably use washing machine when I’m back to work (will then have to buy laundry bags). Handwash is too tedious especially when baby’s clothes get soiled quickly and easily..

Also need to get one more pail and some new cloth pegs, maybe one more hanging peg rack from Daiso.

Update Mar 4, 2011:
Baby’s Laundry Batch 2.. a few more pieces of clothes, a hat from Pumpkin Patch and 2 Carter’s receiving blankets..

Update Mar 7, 2011:
Baby’s Laundry Batch 3.1.. Baby’s bedding set (coverlet & fitted bedsheets only)

Last batch consisting of cloth nappies and maybe some more bodysuits to come and then baby’s layette from newborn to last till about 3 months old will be ready (=