12.12.2004

5.30am : I woke up to find my waters had leaked and got a show.

7 am : had some mild contractions, which felt like menstrual cramps.

8 am : called Ginny at 8 am , told me to monitor first.

9 am : woke Freeman. Told him might be tonight or tomorrow.

10am : cooked mee suah with egg for Shannen, cos today is her birthday. By then, when each contraction came, I had to stop and lean on something. Pretty irregular pattern, between 20s to 30s, but 3 to 5 min apart

Lunch : couldn't eat much. Had some scoops of rice and a muesli bar

2 pm : Ginny came. Contractions were pretty strong now, very close to one another but still very irregular, from 40s to 50s. Had to grab Ginny's and Freeman's hands each time a contraction came. Ginny reminded me to make low moaning sounds to cope with the pain.

Baby was still in ROA. Went to lie down on the bed so that Ginny can do some massage to encourage baby to move to LOA position. Very uncomfortable position. Had some continuous contractions. Felt like 'pang sai' with each one. Lower back was also aching terribly. Freeman helped me massage my lower back, but I thought it didn't help. This stage seemed so long and endless.

At one point, Ginny asked me to try to go pass urine. Didn't want to initially cos sitting on the toilet bowl means putting pressure on my piles. Besides when the contractions came, I felt really helpless. Asked Ginny if it was time to go hospital, cos my legs have begun to feel like jelly and I wondered if I could make it to the car. As I wondered if I could really go through with the birth, I suddenly blurted out, in the middle of a contraction, to Ginny 'no GA', which caught her by surprise. Ha ha, actually wanted to say if I really end up doing c-section, I don't want GA.

Don't know how long I took to walk down 2 flights of stairs, along the corridor, down the lift and into the car. It was quite a nightmare. Had to stop 4 or 5 times when the contractions came and worse still, all of a sudden, had the urge to push. Oh no, not here, wait till we reach the hospital. Must have shocked quite a number of people whom we met on the way down with all the loud moans I was making.

Ginny told me to get into the car in an all-fours position with panty removed. Couldn't think straight, so I followed instructions. Now come to think of it, I must have been quite an embarrassing sight, with my exposed buttocks, all the way to the hospital. Luckily it was mostly expressway. Asked Freeman later if anyone in the carpark caught me removing my panty. He laughed and said there were 2 uncles driving off in the lorry.

The car ride seemed endless. Was trying very hard not to push too much. Tried to concentrate on my breathing instead.

3.30pm : according to Freeman and Ginny, that was the time we arrived at the hospital. Luckily it was a Sunday, no traffic jam on the PIE.

Ginny told me to kneel on the wheelchair. Said I wouldn't be able to sit up. Was wheeled quickly into the labour ward.

Nurse wanted to give me a VE. Told me to climb up to bed, took one look and said no need for VE or any further tests. Baby coming out.

When nurse turned her back away, Ginny asked me if I want to get into all-fours position. If not, I would end up giving birth lying down. I quickly changed position. Nurses were not very happy but they did not have much time to protest, cos I was already starting to push.

Must have pushed too hard, cos the burning sensation was pretty strong and later had to do some stitches.

Thought this birthing stage would be pretty long, but baby Shermaine was out 15 minutes after we arrived at the hospital with all the warm blood trickling down my legs.

The third stage was pretty anti-climax compared to the birth. Cord had to be clamped and cut cos baby was blue when she came out and the nurses wanted to suck her clean. Placenta took its own sweet time to be detached while Dr Liauw was stitching me up. Did not see the placenta when Shannen was born, so was very much surprised at the size, like a huge mass of liver. The delivery of the placenta felt a little like a 2 nd birth, with some low back aches and discomfort.

My amazing VBAC experience, totally drug-free and natural. Initially was worried when Dr Paul Tseng announced he would be on leave during this period. But I did it, without any doctor around. I was very much alert and awake after the whole process, could breastfeed in the labour room and even took some pictures with the nurses. A totally different scenario as compared to the C-section.

Thanks to Ginny, my doula. Wouldn't have made it without her and thanks to Freeman was with me all the way.