Name: Gillian Soh

Weight: 3kg

Length: 50cm

Date of Birth: 9 Mar 05

Labour & Birth:

a.. Woke up at about 4.45am to go to the washroom. Had very mild backache. Pain gets worse when I get back to bed or sit on sofa. Started to time contractions and walked around my house. Contractions every 7-9 min, 3-5 mins. SMS-ed my doula, Ginny to tell her that I may be having contractions. Also called my Dad to come over just in case I need to go to the hospital before Nicole wakes up.

a.. Contractions got more painful. Ginny asked me to get something to eat. I woke Albert up to tell him that I was having contractions & to fix me a sandwich. Emailed my boss to tell her I was not going in to office, and gave her a list of outstanding work and their status.

a.. As Albert got ready, I threw up the few bites of sandwich that I ate. Also had the urge to pass motion, so walked in and out of the bath room a few times. Contractions got even more painful, and I started to perspire as I breathe through them. My breath also started to get shaky during contractions. I thought "ok, this is it!" Dad & stepmom finally arrived. I had to go on all fours to manage one of the contractions. Think I freaked them out.

a.. Albert sped to Mount Alvernia Hospital; took us about 15 min from Jurong West to Mt A. I closed my eyes throughout, focusing on each contractions and trying to control the urge to bear down. Thank God Ginny came right at the time we arrived at Mt A. I knew I was in good hands. She walked with me to the delivery ward while Albert parked the car. Hugged her when each contraction came. She was extremely encouraging.

a.. Finally we arrived at the delivery ward. Ginny helped to enforce my birth plan, eg informing the nurses that I do not want to get onto the bed, avoiding vaginal examination (I only agreed to one 'cos accordingly to the nurses, my gynae Paul said that he needs to know in order to decide when to come in to the hospital), going through the birth plan with the nurses in between my contractions. She brought out the mattress, & I went on all fours when the contractions came. I closed my eyes most of the time to focus, and Ginny's words helped a great deal. Albert also put on some jazz music.

a.. Ginny said that Gillian's head was crowning, but Paul is only on the way. She asked if Albert was prepared to catch the baby. Albert bravely said yes. Think there was a time when the nurses went out to contact Paul, and only Ginny & Albert were in the room. The urge to bear down got stronger at each contraction, and I didn't care if Paul was here or not actually. Luckily he got there in time. I think after he arrived I had 2 major waves of contractions. After the first one, he said in a rather frustrated voice that I was holding back, and Gillian's head went back in after I pushed a few times. I have never heard THAT tone of voice before, so I thought "boy, Paul is really mad. Darn, got to work even harder." At the next contraction, I pushed as hard as I could, with Ginny, Paul and Albert all shouting together with me. Then Gillian arrived with a cry, with another cry from one of the nurses "ok, 7.52!". I was thinking "Thank God it is over. Hey, it was not that painful after all!"

a.. I got onto the bed rather clumsily from the mattress on the floor; think they wanted to pass Gillian to me on the floor, but it didn't work out so gotta move to the bed. It must have been rather challenging for those helping me & Gillian onto bed, with the cord uncut. It was an amazing experience to nurse a baby fresh from my womb with umbilical cord still pulsating. I was thinking "Yes! I also get to experience the full circle!" It was not as bloody as I thought. They covered Gillian with a blanket. Albert & I started to talk to Gillian. She was alert and calm, nursing without much difficulty. I loved her first look at me. Albert got to cut the cord when it stopped pulsating.

a.. Paul was very patient at the 3rd stage, waiting for the placenta to come out on its own, as per my birth plan. But he did ask me twice if I feel like pushing. J A little while later I did feel the urge the push again, and the placenta came out. Paul examined me, declaring "good, no tear!" and I went "yeah!!". But then later he said that I had to be given a jab to stop bleeding, as well as some minor repair of about 1 or 2 stitches under LA. Paul congratulated us, and then he and the nurses left Gillian, Albert & Ginny alone in the delivery room until we were ready to leave for the ward.