Princess Sophie

Here she is, finally.

I was looking at her this morning as she *finally* slept after feeding, and I suddenly realise that nothing in this world is too good for my princess.

Birth story:
(Cramps and false labor from Sunday to Wednesday)
Wednesday 5/3/08
Contractions started at about 9pm. Felt different from all the earlier cramps - more intense and can really feel the tightenings.
12 midnight: they were about 15 minutes apart and quite regular. Woke G up and told him.

Thursday 6/3/08
7-8am: contractions have reached 5-8 minutes apart. Called gynae and made our way to Mt A.
9am: Gynae checked and I am 1cm dilated. However, there is light meconium staining of the amniotic fluid. There's a danger of Sophie inhaling the passed stools. Gynae told me I could try labouring but there is a possibility of C-section.

Lying in the delivery suite

12.30pm: Checked again - only 2cm dilated. Oxytocin is ordered to try to speed up the labour.

Contractions monitor. This is pre-oxytocin!

3.00pm: Cannot take it anymore - the contractions are 2mins apart and off the charts in intensity. Even gynae commented that the contractions are very strong already. Asked for epidural.
4.00pm: Epidural is in. Finally, some relief. Have dilated to 3cm.
5.30pm: Nurse noticed that Sophie's heart rate was dropping. I'm put on oxygen to try to get it back up.

With oxygen mask and the various drips, monitors, etc.. ugh..

6.30pm: Heart rate stabilized and oxygen removed. But I'm starting to feel the side effects of epidural - uncontrollable shivering. Ugh!
7.00pm: Checked again, still 3cm. And there is more meconium being passed. Gynae says I have one final hour to try before a C-section is carried out.
8.00pm: Still 3cm. Decision made to go for emergency C-section. Suddenly the room becomes a flurry of signing forms, nurses asking questions, drips being hooked and unhooked. etc. I'm carried onto a trolley - unable to walk due to epidural - and wheeled to operating theatre.
8.30pm: Prepping for op commences. As the strength of the epidural is increased for C-section, the shaking gets worse. I really can't feel a single thing from lungs donwards. G is allowed into the OT and sits beside me.

Surgery has commenced.. I'm quite glad I wasn't able to see what was going on!

8.47pm: Sophie is pulled out and immediately commences wailing after being suctioned. =) G follows her to the nursery as she is cleaned, weighed and measured. 48cm, 2.995kg. Maybe all the stools she passed inside accounted for the drop in expected weight. haha..

Pink and wailing =)

Mother meets mouse =)

9.30pm: I've finished being sewn up and am wheeled to the ward. Still shaking like a leaf and totally numb. The effects of epidural only fully wore off the next day.

More to come..