Fetching water

Daddy and I were relaxing in the room, surfing the net, updating our phone software when Daddy announced that he was going to go out of the room to get some food.

Then suddenly he popped back and said there was something important he forgot to do. Sounded serious and I wondered what.

He walked quickly in and walked quickly out of the room with our water bottle:




Then he told me "Mama, I forgot to 挑水" before half skipping out with the water bottle looking like a scene out of 红头巾:

Engaging

I first felt Joy Joy begin to engage on Tuesday evening. It was 11 October 2011.

"Labour?! So fast?!" I thought. "10 October 2011, not a bad birth date" on 2nd thoughts. I really thought it was 10 October.

Joy Joy was pushing her head down constantly over a period of about an hour or so. I thought she was just playing but when it became more and more obvious and more and more painful each time she pushed down (like sharp pain!), I felt like I had to get advice.

I walked out of my place at work and talked to the first Mummy colleague I saw. She took a look at me, I explained what I was feeling and she said I should really go to the hospital right away.

So we went.

Her husband sent me. The pain came and go but the feeling that Joy Joy was pushing down could be felt constantly.

I called Daddy and told him I'm going to the hospital, not sure if I'm going into labour and he said "So fast? What should I do now? Which hospital should I go to?"

"KK! Which other hospital!"

"Ok, i'll go and find you now!"

I was sent to a little bed in the delivery suite in a wheelchair shortly after reaching the hospital. They put 2 monitoring devices on my tummy and told me I need to be monitored before they can tell if THIS IS IT.

Joy Joy was EXTREMELY active the whole time I was lying there. Lying down flat took the pushing sensation away and the cramps moderated gradually until I couldn't feel anymore in the end.

The charts were crazy in terms of baby movement and quiet in terms of contractions. I wasn't having contractions afterall. What a great relief because Joy Joy is just 33 weeks old, she needs another 4-5 weeks before she can reach full development. I was so so relieved although the odds of her surviving well are not low at all at 33 weeks.

After the incident, my research shows that it's common to have this happen. Baby is beginning to move into position for labour but it's not labour.. Yet!

Since then, i've had the most horrible backache. I think it's from lying down flat on my back for a long time in the delivery suite.

Sleeping is never the same again. I can't turn in bed without feeling Joy Joy's weight and being suffocated by it for at least a few seconds. But the good thing is, I fall asleep just as well. Just that i feel hot all the time. Daddy shivers in the aircon unless he gets the quilt wrapped all around him whilst I only need to cover my limbs with the quilt for fear of cramps.

When awake, Joy Joy's feet (I think) rests just under my ribcage. And she is forever stepping on my ribcage. Sometimes it hurts like hell, sometimes it suffocates me but it tells me that my Joy Joy is probably doing well to be so active.

I can't cross my legs as well, I get kicked immediately whenever I do that and sometimes, even when lying propped with pillows in bed. I think its coz I'm effectively squeezing her head at least a little.

After the incident, Daddy and I realized that we're not ready for Joy Joy's birth yet. The hospital bag's not packed, playpen / cot (kindly passed down by my cousin) not set up yet, confinement food not catered yet and many things needed not bought yet. We better do these fast.

I just can't wait to see my Joy Joy... And I cant wait to get some rest in the hospital after birth. Soon, I think!

Lovely sight

Taken this morning.

For the past few days, Joy Joy has been stretching, pulling on her umbilical and kicking me so much whenever i lie down in bed.

She was especially active this morning and Daddy, in his half asleep state, put his hands on my tummy to ask her to be good.

I was leaning on two pillows against the wall, not quite awake then but I happened to look down and it was a lovely sight I had to capture.

Daddy hugging 臭臭 half asleep with his hands on my tummy to pacify Joy Joy. All the loveliest things in one picture.

Innocence

Chanced upon this picture when I was randomly surfing in bed this morning.. Not quite awake yet.

I woke Daddy up and told him he's gotta see this. He opened up one eye, took a sleepy look at the picture and then turned to smile happily at me..

Such a wonderful picture. Made us both start our day today smiling.

Breastfeeding education

Whatever it takes, I'm dead bent on breastfeeding Joy Joy. She'll get the best nutrition and we'll save money, amongst other benefits of breastfeeding.

So.. Sometime ago, I signed up for a 3-day breastfeeding workshop and made sure Daddy knows his attendance is needed. Today, we went for the first of a series of breastfeeding workshops.

Breastfeeding 101 - Being Prepared

This workshop covers the benefits of breastfeeding to the baby and mother, how milk is produced and how baby gets breast milk. We will share on the physical, mental and emotional preparations for breastfeeding as well as the important role of support within the family and community. A father shares on how to support his wife.

In terms of information, this first workshop offers nothing I couldn't somehow find on the Internet and some of them I already knew from the research I have been doing on breast feeding. Their notes are not the best and the speaker is a stay home mummy who wasn't too professional but I did get information I wouldn't think to research on. The best part about this workshop is having the father come speak on how to support breastfeeding, seeing how healthy his children are for myself in person and listening to some of the things he related to us.

We were late today and had to sit on separate tables side by side. I asked Daddy to take notes (so that he gets the information) whilst I listened to the content to absorb it.

The workshop seem to be over subscribed, last minute seating arrangements had to made for some couples, there were a few volunteer mummies who came
in and out of the room at will and many many babies brought into the room.

Despite everything, I have a gut feeling that the workshops will really help me prepare myself and prepare Daddy on breastfeeding Joy Joy and I really want to go for each and every one of the series.