Nostalgia

No, I am not pregnant.  Was kinda regretting not having a second child, but I think we are better this way.  Though many are encouraging me to try another one, but pregnancy at 4.0 is not going to be easy.

Now that I am not pregnant, I would like reminisce the time when I was pregnant.  So many taboos I have broken and so on.

Just now, I read a sad news about a soon-to-be mother, who listened to this group of mothers on FB about not to induce the baby, and her baby died at 45 weeks.  So, please, please, please, do not listen to the mothers.  Follow your heart, if you feel something is not right, please go to the hospital right away.  Stop asking for advice on FB.  None of us are experts and they are only advising you based on their own experience.  Every one is different.  Every pregnancy is different.  Every labour is different.

OK, back to my pregnancy 3 years back.  

Travelling

Q1:  Can pregnant mothers go through the scanner at the airport before their flight?

Q2:  When can a pregnant mother fly?

A1: Yes, the scanner is not an x-ray machine that they used for the bag.  The scanner is just a metal detector.  It is safe.

A2: I have done research with different airlines and some airlines allow a pregnant mother to fly maximum at 27 weeks.  Some allowed between 28-34 weeks but need doctor's letter.  But, none of them said what is the minimum weeks to fly.

I flew to Singapore when I was 6-7 weeks pregnant.  At that time, I was so secretive about my pregnancy due to the first miscarriage and I didn't tell any friends that I was pregnant.  So, I flew and joined my friends in Singapore, despite having mild morning sickness.  I even bought tickets to Universal Studio but I didn't go on any rides.  Yeah, I felt the tickets was wasted on me.  FYI, I didn't know I was pregnant when I planned to go Singapore.  Everything was ok, the cabin pressure was ok, pregnancy was ok.

Morning sickness

I had some terrible morning sickness.  Actually, was basically nausea the whole day, not limited to mornings.  And it lasted until at least 5 months?  I had to take an anti-vomit pill in order to eat some food.  Otherwise, I have no appetite for anything.  Though I am not turn-off by any particular food, I still eat and then vomit out later, I just want the food to go in and stay.  I tried not to depend on the anti-vomit pill, but that helps me a lot.  

Btw, instant noodles is very, very bad for digestion.  When I vomited it out after 5-6 hours, the content was the same as when I ate them.  Probably because I didn't chew them well.

Cravings

Every pregnant mother would have some stories about craving.  For me, I wasn't on or off any particular food.  I ate everything and I ate normally.  But I especially love drinking milk.  I drank so much and was putting on weight too fast and have to stop when my gynae gave me warning.

Induce

I was induced at 40 weeks and 1 day.  Initially, when I went for the last check-up at 39 weeks, my gynae told that he gave me a target date.  He also told me that he would induce me if I still don't have any sign of labour.  At 39 weeks, 5 days, I was still working and my colleagues couldn't believe that I was due soon because the womb looks high.

I was also trying hard not to get induce.  Reason because I heard so many things about induce.  And some of it is quite true.  Like, I think induce babies are more cry babies than others, because we kinda force them to come out when they are not ready.  Especially induce and natural birth.  That's my personal opinion anyway.

It's also true that the longer the baby stays in the womb, the better for them.  I find my girl and my nephew, also 40 weeks, very healthy and all systems ok.  But not to say those premies are not healthy.  But the longer in the womb, reduces lots of health complications.  You can research on this and find it out yourself.

But, I have no choice.  Started bleeding and still the womb was high.  Contractions was mild and far apart and cervix refused to open.  Zero cm.  

But my gynae tried his best to accommodate my choice to give birth naturally.  So, he induced and waited for my cervix to open.  When after so many hours, still refused to open, then he induce another time with liquid.  Earlier, he gave pills.

When the midwife came to check, and it was still closed and I was suffering from the contractions, she told me maybe because baby is not ready to come out.  But I was bleeding, though just that one bloody spot.  Is it the mucus plug was out?  What was it?

Anyway, the moment I started bleeding, I immediately went to the hospital.  Because I wanted professional care and I don't trust myself since it was my first birth and I don't know what to expect.

I also didn't want to wait too long because my nephew was 40 weeks and he pooped in the womb and my sister had to go for emergency C-sec to take him out.  I didn't want my girl to poop in my womb.  And luckily she didn't.

I did have bad hemorrhage from the natural birth.  Loss quite a bit of blood.  But didn't need blood transfusion.  

Conclusion

Best is to seek professional advic e for all things.  I am sure gynaes studied for so many years and done so many deliveries would have a better answer than mothers who have given birth to perhaps 4-5 children.  

Oh the memories.  I missed the newborn stage.  I also missed the pregnancy time.  Sigh, I didn't believe I would miss them, but I do.  Sigh.