Baby C Birth Story

Our second child, our daughter C, is actually 8 months and 2 weeks old now and I'm in the midst of planning her 1^st birthday party. LOL. It's just that my sister is in labor right now with her first child and I remembered that I have not blogged about C's birth story. While I'm the only one who reads this blog now, it's nice to have an online record and read it from time to time.

My due date was October 25 and during one of my check-ups, the OB remarked that it could be a Halloween baby. However, when October rolled in, I had my constipation episodes again (gah) and during the BPS screening, my amniotic fluid was a bit low. The OB then had me repeat the BPS for a couple of times, advised me to hydrate, and to keep it easy.

We went in for a check-up on October 20, I was 39 weeks and 2 days then I think. My OB did not perform an IE but put in Dinoprostone to ripen my cervix. She warned me that I will be feeling contractions for 6 hours and any contractions after that will be the real thing. This was at around 6:00 PM. We then went home. True enough, I had contractions and could not sleep but it was not yet six hours. At around 11:00 PM, hubby and I had a McDonald's snack. I must have dozed off and woke up at around 2:00 AM in pain. I thought, is this it? I timed the contractions and they came every 5 minutes for one hour. I showered and put on face powder and lip tint (LOL) and woke up the hubby. We left for St. Luke's at around 4:00 AM. When we got to the ER, I had a hard time talking during a contraction. When they IE'd me in the labor room, I was already 6cms. na pala. Yikes. So they wheeled me into the High Risk Pregnancy Unit (HRPU) so I could labor with my hubby beside me. He went down to have me admitted. With our firstborn, I labored for 19 hours so I thought we were going to be there for a while. But I was in so much pain that when the attending IE'd me, I was already 9cm. My requested anesthesiologist was still in another operation so they decided to put me to sleep. I remember feeling so much pain and then I was out. When I came to,  my Ob and husband were there, they had already put epidural and I was 10cm. I was really groggy and could not answer some of the questions correctly. They wheeled me into the delivery room. And just like her Manong, C came out after three pushes at 7:43 AM of October 21, weighing 3064 grams and 51cm. long. They say succeeding babies come out faster but I did not realize it was going to be this fast!

My Favorite Time of Pregnancy

I am currently 25 weeks and 1 day pregnant. Just 104 days to go. GAH. I think this is actually my favorite time of pregnancy - the bump is big enough that there's no mistaking that I'm pregnant but it's not yet too heavy, and the baby is kicking well enough that you can feel it with your hand over the stomach but it does not hurt. Just reveling in this feeling right now, my yayas are leaving in a couple of days without any replacement yet. So help me God.

Six Months, et cetera

Unlike my first pregnancy, I haven't been compulsively checking my pregnancy apps. Hence, I was a bit surprised that I am already six months pregnant as of yesterday, July 5. June has been incredibly hectic so I will try my best to write what has happened.

P had his last bakuna for the year. It was his second shot for Japanese Encephalitis. Days before going to the pedia, I was priming him by showing him the photo of his pedia and telling him that he should not cry nor shout (because he throws an insane fit every time). I was confused when he started saying, "Doktora, chocolate!" I forgot that I used to tell him that Doktora will give him chocolate after his shot, although it is I who brings the chocolate. When we arrived at the guardhouse, he was surprisingly quiet and not crying, even while we waited outside the clinic. He would usually start crying at the guardhouse pa lang. He whimpered a little when the baby before him cried. When it was our turn, he started crying, but not as much as before that we were finally able to get his weight on the weighing scale. While we still needed Daddy and the pedia aide to hold him, he did not fight back as much as before. Too bad it's his last until next year, he may start resisting violently again next time. Or maybe he'd be more mature next time.

P and his flowers. He has become fascinated with the flowers outside that he has taken to picking some out for me when he and his Daddy go outside. Awww.

P and window markers. I asked my sister to buy him Crayola window markers when they went to Singapore. It's given us a few minutes of quiet time. LOL.

Congenital Anomaly Scan. I had my congenital anomaly scan and cervix measurement at Pacific Global Hospital last June 16. The wait took a while even if we were early that I suddenly missed Medical City. Haha. Anyhoo, the baby is fine, no congenital anomalies, placenta and cervix are okay so I'm not at risk for pre-term labor. More importantly, IT'S A GIRL! When hubby saw the result, he immediately demanded that we try for another boy, whoa! I had an inkling that I'm carrying a girl though because my symptoms are milder. Thus, I can now call my bump "Naneng" - Ilocano for baby girl.

Two-Week Seminar. For the last 2 weeks of June, I attended a two-week seminar in Bayview Park Hotel Manila for MCLE compliance and other stuff. I signed up and paid for this in February way before I got pregnant. So when I got pregnant and calculated that I will be five months along during the seminar, I debated whether I should go through with it or not. I thought though that it will be harder when I already have two babies if I postpone it for some other time. At first, I was planning to stay in the hotel with P and his ates but hubby said it'd be cheaper if I get a driver. So I borrowed DA's car and got hubby's cousin to drive for me for 2 weeks. Although I was seated most of the time, the seminar was exhausting and stressful, so much so that...

Emergency Room trip. At around 4:30 A.M. of June 23, I suddenly woke up with a painful stomach. I thought I needed to poop. I was then lying on my right side so I tried shifting to my left side but I could not move. My stomach was so hard and painful and I started to panic. I woke up the hubby and he said we should go to St. Luke's. So we left without changing out of our house clothes while P wailed on the floor as he was left behind. Throughout the drive to the hospital, my stomach remained rock-hard. They brought me to the pre-labor room and checked the heartbeat of Naneng which was okay. However, the hardness has stopped by then. I was given Duphaston and something to relax my uterus. As I was discharged, I saw my OB in her clinic and she asked what I did. I said I had a seminar. She said it was probably due to stress (ha!) and she prescribed progesterone and Duphaston just in case it happened again. I on the other hand thought that my body was so used to walking that it got "stressed" when I sat down all the time.

P's first army cut. P had his first army cut this Sunday. Granted, he started crying when he saw that we were going inside Cuts for Tots, but again, he did not resist as much as before. He used to struggle his way out of the car/seat. This time, he just cried haha. I distracted him by blowing bubbles and making him hold the spray bottle and remote. Hay, this boy.

Yayas leaving. The yayas are finally leaving on July 15, with or without replacement. I've decided not to ask them to extend again.

Kicking. Like P, Naneng has taken to kicking up a storm in my belly. So much so that her kicks can already be felt when you put your hand on my belly. Gah, only three months to go. I better start listing the things I need to buy.

Dear Baby No. 2

Hi, baby. Right off the bat, this is an apology. I'm sorry I do not have a nice nickname for you yet. We used to call your older brother "balong" because we really wanted a boy. I should come up with one soon.

I'm sorry also that I'm not as OC as when I was first pregnant. I then kept a baby journal with Instax photos. While we still took weekly photos of my bump, I was not as diligent in documenting my pregnancy. So I really took the time this long week-end to update my baby journal. It's just that I am so tired in this pregnancy, it's not your fault though. Mommy is OLD.

Yesterday was supposed to be our check-up but the OB was suddenly on leave. I was pissed off that her secretary did not even text me. Or it was my fault that I did not check beforehand.

I hope you never ever think that I love you any less. I just had a lot more time and more energy during my first pregnancy. I don't know how it can be done but I will love you and Manong P equally.

Second Trimester

Today is the start of the second trimester and I'm looking forward to less nausea and more energy. Of course, I still threw up a bit of my breakfast today. Groan. I also wore a dress to work but it still looks like I just had a big meal haha. Excited to sport a bump and take advantage of preggy privileges, muwahaha!

We heard the heartbeat!

Yesterday, at our 12th week check-up, we heard the baby's heartbeat through the Doppler. Yay! It never gets old, noh? For the past few days, I've been feeling some strange movements in my tummy. I asked the OB if it was possible for me to feel the baby this early but she said no. Oh well. My tummy is funny, too, sometimes I look like I have a bump, sometimes I don't. I still can't invoke pregnant privileges in lines hehe.

The only problems so far are my constipation and the waking up early in the morning then having a hard time going back to sleep. I experienced constipation the last time but in my third trimester already. I don't remember the insomnia part though, so not sure what's causing that. I rarely drink any caffeine nor chocolate, only when I'm really really craving it. Hay, why kaya?

#Blessed 2.0

I never read “The Secret” but I do believe in the power of writing something down and attracting it to com true. While I was reviewing for the Bar, I wrote my name over and over with “Atty.” before it, and it came true.

So late last year, my Annus Horribilis, I wrote in my little notebook, “Baby Girl 2018”. Also wrote that in my previous post.

Lo and behold:

Since my ovarian cyst was removed last July, we've been trying to have a baby. We've always wanted more babies but my PCOS was making it difficult for us to do so. The OB who operated on me suggested that we undergo fertility work-up but the thought made me tired already. When my ultrasound revealed that my ovaries were “normal” (not polycystic), I did some research. I bought a bottle of Vitex capsules and male fertility blend capsules for the hubby at Healthy Options. My office mates and I got into essential oils so I bought Eden's Garden Gal Pal and diffused clary sage and geranium while in the office.

Once again, I religiously tracked my cycle, so much so that I had 4 apps hehe. Last Chinese New Year, February 16, my period was a couple of days away but I felt different. I had tender breasts, back pain and cramps which are usual pre-menstrual symptoms but they felt different. Since it was a holiday, I had a lot of free time (haha), and a stash of pregnancy tests, so I decided to take one. To my surprise, there was a faint second line. I hurriedly called the hubby and we hugged in the bathroom. I wanted to go for an ultrasound already but hubby said it might be too early.

So logic prevailed and I resolved to wait until I was really delayed. I took a test almost every day and the second line always showed up. I finally went for a check-up and ultrasound on March 1 and there was a yolk sac and embryonic pole at 6 weeks. Another ultrasound was recommended two weeks after, and there's a heartbeat! Yay!

Despite the nausea and constipation, I am more relaxed this time around. I don't have the first time jitters and is not worrying about looking for a job unlike in 2014. My morning sickness is not as grave, but my cravings are on an overdrive, haha. 

I know I wrote down that I wanted a baby girl but I'm happy to have a normal and healthy baby either way. Normal delivery again, too, please! :)