Hi mommies,
i'm back home from the hospital. I delivered baby last Sat. Quite unexpected early delivery at 38wks. Friday was my last day in office & my ML was just beginning.
Started feeling sharp back pain and pelvic pain since the morning after i woke up. Went about usual activities like breakfast, lunch, visit my mom until I was at NTUC with hubby and #1 doing weekly grocery shopping at 2pm & started feeling irregular cramps. Begun to suspect these are early signs of labor. I called the doc's hotline and gynae told me to go to the hospital to do a CTG scan (since her clinic is closed on Sat afternoon). Hubby drove quickly to drop off my #1 at my mom's house and we went home to bathe. Grabbed last minute toiletries, clothes & scooted off to Parkway East with the hospital bag.
Reached hosp at 3pm, did a CTG and was found to have irregular cramps, which was exactly what i was feeling. The nurse said these were mild cramps and that i was in early stage of labor. Did a VE (very uncomfy) and was 3-4cm dilated. Cervix was still thick. She gave me a choice whther to admit on the spot or to go home and monitor cos early labor could last for a few days.
Because of the strep b infection which reqd the 4 hr drip, and i was almost on the verge of screaming whenever the contractions came (no matter how mild and irregular they were according to the machine) (mayb i have a low pain threshhold), we decided to admit after CTG scan at 4pm.
so when the CTG scan was completed at 4pm, we moved to the delivery suite. When i stood up to walk from CTG room to delivery suite, the contractions intensified, mayb cos baby's head was pressing on my pelvic. The walk seemed to take eternity.
Reached delivery suite, changed into hospital gown, and contractions seemed to be more frequently after the short stroll. Began feeling pain & nurse suggested epidural when she saw i was in pain & starting to practise my vocals.
At 5pm, epi was administered and antibiotics drip for strep B was also started. Interestingly, the epi guy was the same as my first labor. I mentally counted & prayed i wouldn't deliver before 9pm so that the antibiotics drip can take effect for 4hrs. Did a VE and was 5 cm dilated but cervix was already much thinner. Nurse said labor was progressing well and fast.
After epi was administered at 5pm, contractions intensified but i could hardly feel anything despite that i requested for epi to be on low dosage. Nurse did another VE. This time, i was 8cm dilated. Nurse decided to call gynae in. Gynae arrived very quickly and when she came and did another VE, i was fully dilated. Gynae started asking me to push. After a few attempts, midwife offered to push my tummy for me. Baby was born at 7pm
I was very happy it was a short labor yet my first thought was that it was not yet 9pm, and worried abt baby being infected. Gynae assured me saying baby will be closely monitored for signs of infection but otherwise, will be treated same as other newborns.
For this second labor, epi was administered only for 2 hrs and its effect wore off very quickly. I delivered at 7pm and by 1am, i was able to come down the bed to use the toilet. Quite a stark contrast to my first labor which was longer.