Before the labour

Finally am now more familiarized with baby's sleeping pattern and am able to put my memories into words, before I forget the details...

Before labour, most of you may remember the "anxiety" I had - baby did not come out on due date and Dr suggested to induce, which sounded like a "threat" to me personally since we've prayed for no human intervention so that we can give God all credit. Throughout the pregnancy it has been a faith-testing period, and thus we have to continue to trust God for His hand upon us and baby.

We shared the real challenges to some close friends as prayer requests, but it's time for me to write them down here to give God all the glory for ALL answered prayers. God really answered all of them.

1. YS and I moved everything from a rented apartment to my in-law's place when I was in my wk32-34 pregnancy. It was definitely a time consuming process as I can't really carry heavy stuffs and all I could help was to packed the stuff into boxes, or into trolley (travel luggages), storage containers with wheels. All things needed to be packed to be light weight enough for YS to carry them as he needs to put some stuff onto Tim's trolley and his contributive Honda Citi. The moving was like never ending, batch after batch, days after days and weeks after weeks. Anyway, we thank God for His protection despite all the Chinese pantangs (you know what I mean), and house owner who were willing to return us the full deposits though there sounded to be some reluctance at first.

2. If you have piles before, you might know my feeling. Dr told me that piles are common during pregnancy, and it will be there till after pregnancy since the baby and the water bag adds weight unto it, and it might be worse during the pushing time during labour. Haha, he was so shocked to see my piles during wk 37 when strepB test was done. It was so serious that the Dr said that I might need an operation to remove the piles in case the condition is worsen, esp when the baby is engaged (the baby was not engaged at that time). I asked during the operation, baby and piles will be removed, or only the piles. He said, "Only the piles." Huh? What bout the baby during that piles operation. "He'll be in your stomach since you'll be in general anesthesia". Poor baby. I actually cried for the few days and asked God to work miracles. He actually did and thank God the piles not only did not get worsen, but got better. I actually forgot about the piles problem when the baby engaged, and surprisingly, it did not haunt me during the labour (else I might not have pushed hard enough). Lesson learnt, piles should be removed before pregnancy if it's a pre-existing issue :)

3. Baby not engaged when Dr said he should have already during wk37+. In average, first baby usually gets engaged in the pelvis bone much earlier, say few weeks before delivery. We did not understand the importance of baby engaging into that location until later when Dr explained that if baby is not engaged, he might not be ready for vaginal birth. We used to think that if baby's head diameter is bigger than 10cm, he might not be able to be delivered through vaginal since dilation is up to 10cm only. Aiya, wrong concept la. If baby does not report to his 'station' (engaged), he might not have high chance of going through normal delivery. Baby was 3/5 engaged during wk38+ and 4/5 engaged during wk39+. He is not considered fully engaged but "kind of engaged".

4. If amniotic fluid is too little, there is a risk of premature birth. If too much, what's the problem? None of my friends around experienced or heard of people having too much water. But I did. Mine was not critical case though, but every check up Dr kept telling us that "there's quite a lot water". It was till wk38+ that we finally "remembered" to ask Dr what is the implication of having "quite a lot water". He said, when water is quite a lot, the pressure is high when water bag burst. If baby is fully engaged, his head can be like a "stud" controlling the water pressure when gushing out. However, since our baby's head is not fully engaged, there are 2 risk. When the water bag burst and the water pressure is high, the umbilical cord might gush out first and cause umbilical cord prolapse, or placenta abruption. This remained as our prayer even on labour day. But you know from my introduction, God answered the prayer.

From Wikipedia:
Umbilical cord prolapse is an obstetric emergency during pregnancy or labor that imminently endangers the life of the fetus. Cord prolapse is often concurrent with the rupture of the amniotic sac. After this happens the fetus moves downward into the pelvis and puts pressure on the cord. As a result, oxygen and blood supplies to the fetus are diminished or cut-off and the baby must be delivered quickly. Some practitioners will attempt to reduce pressure on the cord and deliver vaginally right away. Frequently the attempt to resolve the prolapsed cord and deliver the baby vaginally fails, and an emergency caesarean section must be performed immediately.


Placental abruption (also known as abruptio placentae) is an obstetric catastrophe (complication of pregnancy), wherein the placental lining has separated from the uterus of the mother. Placental abruption is also a significant contributor to maternal mortality. Many women can die from this type of abnormality.

5. We prayed for normal delivery, without epidural. YS kept challenging me if I can really stand the pain. Else need to spent additional RM800+ for the epidural if needed last minute... We thank God He has better plans.

6. An old friend who delivered in July actually send me an sms when I asked her how was her delivery experience. She told me her experience was long story (some kind of complicated normal delivery) and I better do all prenatal exercises. I got quite worried as honestly I did not do much exercise, brisk walking or walking up down the stairs or swimming due to long hours in office. Worse still, in office you sit down most of the time. And YS has been nagging at me on this topic :( God answered this prayer of mind by giving me peace, and I totally forgot about "You DID NOT exercise enough" statement in the labour room :p

Clement says Hi

Finally the long awaited bundle of joy has arrived on 14Nov09 hours 0042. :) Will find some time to blog about the labour experience later in separate post.

You may view baby Clement's 2nd day photo at http://www.pah.com.my. Click on the "Baby Photo Online" button. Access Code is "327432WEM". Personally I like this photo a lot as it was really precious to see him smile with the two dimples, and eyes open wide on the first few sleepy days. Poor Clement were having some eye irritation which is common to newborn on the photo shoot day. Thank God it went off on the 3rd day.

Here is a photo daddy did...

Everybody is waiting for you....

Ok. Maybe not EVERYBODY, but many many people are waiting for you ooo....

Just realized we have not really announce baby's name. Haha... It should be finalized by now and the baby has responded to that name when we called him.

He shall be called..... "deng deng deng deng deng...."

Clement Chew Xue-Yi (周学毅).

Clement, in Latin means gentle/merciful. 学 means learn. We hope this baby boy will be a humble and teachable one. 毅 means determination.

Daddy says that baby Clement is too determined not to come out by his estimated due date (11 Nov 2009). In fact on 10th night, as usual we talk to Clement and he responded with kicks and boxes. Then daddy said, "Clement boy, tonight or tomorrow you come out ok?" Suddenly it was great silence. No kick, no boxes, nothing... Wow... Refused to agree. Very determined.

On 11Nov night, when obviously baby has missed his "due date", mummy told baby, "Baby Clement, be 'merciful' to mummy ya. Please come out before 15Nov ya... Else Dr gonna ask daddy mummy induce lo..."

Baby Clement, don't let us wait too long ya...

Still waiting...

"40weeks and 1 day pregnant." That's it? No more xx days to go?

hahah.... I was laughing to myself when I see the ticker on the top my my blog today. Only God knows when the baby will have his grand entrance to the world. Sometimes I just felt that the waiting is interesting. Watching out for SIGNS... Like waiting for the second coming of our Saviour by watching out for SIGNS too. Make sure you attend PCC for the following few weeks for Revelation related sermons by Ps Isaac (free ads).

Yesterday was my 3rd day not in office. So bored. Told Yong Sheng to fetch me from home during lunch. So he dropped me at QBM. Walked and sit and eat/drink for the few hours. Much better than the first 2 days sitting and lying and watching TV. Haha. Best of all, I finally got myself a toy.


Yes, Puzzle Ball. An expensive toy I've been hesitated to buy since I first saw it in KL. Since this is called a "junior" puzzle ball, it came with 3 guidelines to help you.

1. Reference. This is interesting. You can turn the 2 wheels to figure out how the top and bottom of the ball looks like


2. Numbers at the back of the pieces to help you not fix the wrong pieces together


3. Piece #1 is packaged separately so that you don't sweat to start :p

It did not really take much time to complete it. Last night I kick started the "project" and achieved this:


Daddy was busy with his new toy while mummy building the 11cm diameter puzzle ball. Guess baby was happily playing with the umbilical cord and shaking his belly in the womb. (That was what baby was doing in his wk39 check up last Sunday. Dr stopped the scanning for few seconds as he can't stop laughing after seeing the baby performing belly dancing while Dr tried to measure baby's belly diameter.)


This morning within an hour, the ball is completed. Should buy a bigger ball if I found one in future to kill time, esp for "waiting" period like this (dream on... when baby is out, you will be glad you had at least those few minutes to complete the 11cm diameter puzzle ball... )

Ok baby, your birthday present is ready, waiting for you to come out. Ta-dah...

Last lap to go

This morning when I saw the ticker on the top of my blog says "39weeks & 6days pregnant. Only 1 day to go." Gulp. Time really flies. Wonder what it will say tomorrow, and the days after tomorrow. haha....

Last Friday was my happiest day throughout my pregnancy. Last day at work. Finally I'm ending the stressful days and am making the last lap of pregnancy a much more relaxing one. Phew, ain't I proud to have managed to go through all the ups and downs even with the little baby in my womb? It wasn't easy and am glad God has granted me much favour and has allowed me carrying the baby to full term (and might overdue somemore :p) Used to envy expecting mothers who had relaxing pregnancy, not much workload, happy happy goyang kaki and can go for tea breaks regularly everyday. How I used to wish I have those special privileges too :) But now I am glad the sense of achievements is much more rewarding.

This is the only photo I've taken in the office on my "last" day. I told Yong Sheng I planned to walk around taking photos with colleagues with my big stomach. Haha... but sounded to "kua zhang" (exaggerated) as if I'll never be back to work next year. So I only managed to have one photo with a China colleague, who was having the last day of his trip to Penang on that day. I told him that my target is to have the same belly as his after my delivery. And he laughed :p

Let THE penguin parade begin....

You are now in your last month of pregnancy....

Haha... what a welcoming word. Well, I like it though, looking forward for the new life begin (yeah, I know, you'll tell me to sleep as much as I want now, and to enjoy all the "honeymoon" season left before the little one arrives). Hmmm... at least it makes me feel that the pregnancy process is not forever, at least.

Thank God for no heartburn, no water retention, no backpain and so on. And also thank God for "under-controlled" stretchmarks :p Though did not really have problem walking for breathing, but a friend recently told me that I'm finally walking like a penguin. Haha... with legs open wider and big tummy at the front?

The one penguin parade has just begun. Should watch the penguin climbing up six storey stairs for the past few weeks. haha.... Now the penguin starts climbing up 3 storey stairs, several times a days. Am glad penguin is able to balance well till now... haha... Yong Sheng was joking that I should start walking sideway, like a crab (haih...) Hope he remembers that he's not in a zoo :p

Baby boy, enjoy your days in the womb. Have your lungs developed well before you come into this world ya :) Give daddy and mummy a good cry to notify us on your arrival...

Braxton Hicks contractions

What are Braxton Hicks contractions?

Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic uterine contractions that start about 6 weeks into your pregnancy, although you won't be able to feel them that early. You probably won't start to notice them until sometime after mid-pregnancy, if you notice them at all. (Some women don't.) They get their name from John Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872.

As your pregnancy progresses, Braxton Hicks contractions tend to come somewhat more often, but until you get to your last few weeks, they'll probably remain infrequent, irregular, and essentially painless. Sometimes, though, Braxton Hicks contractions are hard to distinguish from early signs of preterm labor.

Play it safe and don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. If you haven't hit 37 weeks yet and you're having more than four contractions in an hour — or you have any other signs of preterm labor (see below) — call your caregiver immediately.

By the time you're within a couple of weeks of your due date, your contractions may get more intense and more frequent, and they may cause some discomfort. Unlike the earlier painless and sporadic Braxton Hicks contractions, which caused no obvious cervical changes, these contractions may help your cervix "ripen" — gradually soften and thin out (efface) and maybe even dilate a bit. This period is sometimes referred to as pre-labor.
How can I tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and true labor contractions?

In the days or weeks before labor, Braxton Hicks contractions may intermittently become rhythmic, relatively close together, and even painful, possibly fooling you into thinking you're in labor. But unlike true labor, during this so-called false labor the contractions don't grow consistently longer, stronger, and closer together.
What can I do if my Braxton Hicks contractions are making me uncomfortable?

If you're within a few weeks of your due date, try these measures:

• Change your activity or position. Sometimes walking provides relief. At other times, resting eases contractions. (True labor contractions, on the other hand, will persist and progress regardless of what you do.)

• Take a warm bath to help your body relax.

• Try drinking a couple of glasses of water, since these contractions can sometimes be brought on by dehydration.

• Try relaxation exercises or slow, deep breathing. This won't stop the Braxton Hicks contractions, but it may help you cope with the discomfort. (Use this opportunity to practice some of the pain-management strategies you've learned in your childbirth preparation class.)

When should I call my doctor or midwife?

Call your caregiver right away if you haven't reached 37 weeks and your contractions are becoming more frequent, rhythmic, or painful, or if you have any of these possible signs of preterm labor:

• Abdominal pain, menstrual-like cramping, or more than four contractions in an hour (even if they don't hurt)

• Any vaginal bleeding or spotting

• An increase in vaginal discharge or a change in the type of discharge — if it becomes watery, mucusy, or bloody (even if it's only pink or blood-tinged)

• Increased pelvic pressure (a feeling that your baby's pushing down)

• Low back pain, especially if it's a new problem for you

If you're past 37 weeks, there's no need to call your doctor or midwife just for contractions until they last about 60 seconds each and are five minutes apart — unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise

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Above were extracted from BabyCentre. Last checkup (wk33) Dr asked if I've experienced Braxton Hicks contractions, and I told him I don't know since I'm unsure of how it feels exactly. He described briefly to me, and it sounded much more relevant and "imaginable" than what I've read about in books or website. I guess I experienced it before in the 3rd trimester, but somehow I thought that it was some weird 'stunt' done by the baby :p

After monitoring for 2 weeks, haha... yeah, I can now recognise the Braxton Hicks contractions. But it always follows with a kick or punch from the baby after 30s or 1minutes. Probably was his reaction towards the 'squeezing force' surrounding him few moments ago :p

It's amazing to know how God create our body and function. The Braxton Hicks contractions is actually a "practice" for the uterus to expel the baby out from mother's body when the time comes. Creative creator. He takes care of all details :)