i have been out of commission for GKW (God knows when). well, the reason for that was i already gave birth to Chloe, last Oct. 17, 2009. i was on my 39th week and 3 days.
on my 37th week, my blood pressure shot up. i immediately contacted my OB. i was told that i should prepare myself for delivery and was asked to see her the following day. called up my mom and told her i might be giving birth soon. (side story of my mom and ninang conspiracy to follow in the next post)
following day -- i was asked to take aldomet again to control the blood pressure, urinalysis, and a Biophysical Profile Score (BPS) just to check if baby is okay. if the urinalysis showed high content of protein, i am in danger of pre-enclampsia. a BPS result of less than 7 means that baby is under stress. both Zayd and I were nervous. fortunately, i had low protein levels and I got an 8/8 score on the BPS. we decided we can wait another week. i was also experiencing minor contractions. this went on until my 38th week. my cervix still was not dilating, or if it did dilate at 1cm it would not progress and would even close!
on my 39th week, i was again asked to do a BPS. the point of concern was now the baby's estimated weight. on the first BPS, she was already measuring big. if she reached the 3.4kg marker, this would mean i might have a difficult labor -- plus the fact that my cervix seems "hesitant" to dilate. Zayd no longer wanted to wait till my 40th week so we decided to go into trial labor that same night; if it does not push through, i would undergo c-section.
that same night, October 16, i was admitted to the hospital. i was induced, but to no avail. i was already at 1cm but when the nurses IE'd me, my cervix closed! since my BP was posing a risk, I was scheduled for CS at 8am the following morning.
at precisely 8am of October 17, 2009, they prepped me up for the caesarian operation. i was already shot with something that made me so sleepy - thank God, coz I was not able to sleep the night before. i was too nervous, preoccupied, and praying that Chloe was alright.
flashes of memory now follows.
i remember them wheeling me in to the operating room. i remember the anesthesiologist asking me to curl up so she can inject the anesthesia on my spine. after that everything was a blur. i remember hearing music -- it was Sailing by Christopher Cross.
i remember dra. david (anesthesiologist) asking me if i can feel anything, i tell her no. then i suddenly remembered my friends' horror story! she told me that when the doctor asks if you can feel her pinch you, they were already actually cutting you up! OMG! i said a prayer to my guardian angel that he watch over me and Chloe starting now. i prayed and i prayed hard.
my next memory was seeing a nice, long, and very white baby. well pinkish. i heard tita baby saying, "Weng, ang puti ng baby mo!" i looked at her and all i could muster was a murmur and a smile. and i was out. i could not remember if they let me hold her or what.
my weirdest memory now follows. i am being wheeled out of the operating room, i saw some big guy waving at me and a small person behind him crying. it turns out that it was Zayd and my mom.
i woke up about three times in the recovery room. the nurses were asking me to wiggle my toe and raise one leg. all i could think of was that i wanted to be back in my room with Zayd and my mom and most of all see Chloe!
i woke up on Saturday afternoon, Zayd was beside me. i heard voices of my family and friends who visited me but i was still knocked out. when i woke up Zayd, showed me pictures of Chloe and she was soooo cute! he was telling me i did a good job in keeping her inside me and that all was well. APGAR was perfect. i was not allowed to talk yet, so Zayd and I communicated through SMS (but not actually sending them hahaha)
the next day i was already out and about. considering i am a CS patient, this was a breakthrough. i went to the nursery to try and breastfeed Chloe. i cried when i saw her. she was so beautiful.
Thank you Lord for helping me make it through 39 weeks and 3 days!
here is Chloe's first picture ever!
and here i am, walang kamuwang muwang that i was gonna experience all these in the next 12 hours or so... at nag pose pa talaga sa kama hahaha!
we are on the homestretch people!
i am currently on my 36th week and 1 day. which means that i am 6 days away from being full term. which means that Chloe can already come out!
imagine, from an EDD of October 21 it can now be as early as September 30!
i've already packed my hospital bag last weekend, arranged all my medical files and SSS/Philhealth forms.
the only thing i am lacking now are diapers (i don't know what size to get and how many) and maternity pads (i can't seem to find one!)
our room in BF is being prepped for the arrival of this little princess and this weekend (OUR ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND!!!!) Zayd will be putting some of our stuff in the room already. I will be watching by the sidelines and cheering him on (or maybe walking just for exercise hehe)
my officemates also threw me a surprise baby shower last Tuesday at Gerry's Grill at Insular. i was on emergency leave that day (oooppsss sorry boss!) but still made it a point to be there for dinner since i promised my team that we will be having our quarterly dinner. much to my surprise, a lot of them showed up bearing gifts. stupid me -- well, more like blind! -- i came inside the restaurant and the staff was busy preparing this long table with cupcakes and such, i did not notice the cupcakes had some text on it which read "It's a girl!" hahahaha! I arrived earlier than they did and i was just too pooped to even bother taking a closer look hahaha! 
Chloe got a nice Winnie the Pooh comforter -- which matches Erin's pillow from last weekend (*hugs mare!*) -- and a nice grooming kit -- which was actually part of the list i was supposed to buy this weekend.
thanks again you guys! i am deeply touched!
so that's it for me, i do hope Chloe still listens and stays for six more days then we can finally cuddle and kiss her! :)
Taken at Im My Womb, Glorietta :)
let's face it, knowing that you are pregnant really is exciting. think of all the clothes and other neat stuff you can buy for your baby. it's like having a real-life baby doll!
however, there are still things i wish my married friends told me prior to having a baby... like:
... how a transvaginal ultrasound works.
... having to pee every so often, including waking up in the middle of the night just to do it. luckily i only experienced this a few times, the problem is, i find it very hard to go back to sleep!
... the "pamahiins" that go with pregnancy (some are really outrageous I tell you!)
... you cannot go and have a facial anymore. same with massages and hair treatments. in short, you will be ugly hahaha! (hope that the old wives' tale when you are carrying a girl, you still look pretty will apply to you)
... all the lab tests you are required to take to ensure that you and baby are okay. the top of my most hated tests is the OGTT. (think: save the cheerleader, save the world!)
... attend a breastfeeding fair or seminar probably in your first or second trimester; though it is okay to do it in your third, the uncomfortable feeling is there already, i.e. you have to pee all the time and baby kicks more often now. the person beside you looks at you as if you are a crazy person every time you feel your baby move and you wince to yourself. better bring your husbands :D haha!
this is all i have for now :) will probably add more when i think of something
i am on my 33rd week now :) Chloe and I have made a deal already, since she kicks so effin' hard nowadays like she's raring to go out. i asked her to wait 5 more weeks, when it's safest for her to go out. i just hope and pray (HARD!) that she listens to me :)
I mentioned in an earlier post that our baby is expecting cousins. As of today, Zayd's cousins, Aeesha and Chyla, have given birth to two cutie girls, Amelie and Desiree, both in Chicago.
My cousin Joy, is expected to deliver any day this week, Louise. *my inaanak apparently :)
Cousin Jacq and Dennis are expecting their little girl in late September.
I will be next in October, with Chloe.
Then come November, cousins Racq and Jill, are also expecting a girl. They are based in California.
I told my mom that there will be a shortage of boys this year with all the births happening in the last quarter of the year hehe. She's not complaining, but I bet she looking forward to the noisy, messy, and fun holidays in the coming years.
BTW, my little heartbreaker Mohan will be the official "tagapagtanggol" of these girls too. Am I excited!!
So last Saturday I took my BPS at In My Womb in Glorietta. It was a truly pleasant experience! At first, Zayd and I were very worried since a BPS is not really a required procedure for preggies to undergo. My OB last month mentioned that we should take one just to be sure that the baby is growing as expected. She may have been worried since I do not look at all like a 30-weeker. I look slimmer now than I did pre-pregnancy. I did not go on diet, but was very conscious of what I ate. I turned to apples, mangoes, avocados, oranges (for like a week), oatmeal, milk, ampalaya, kalabasa, and all the healthy stuff. My usual Big Chill afternoon was retained but I had the syrup removed and replaced with yogurt. I lost 10 lbs. at first, then gained 3. This week's checkup, I gained 0.2 lbs. amazing!
Anyway, we are very happy to share that our baby (then 30 weeks and 3 days) had a size of a 32 week baby. She (yes! We're having a girl!) weighs approximately 1.6 kilos already. And I think she looks like me!
Of course both our parents were happy with the pictures. But, man! I can't wait to get hold of the video! She was one malikot baby during the procedure. She even smiled, yawned, and cringed at us. I can feel her moving now as I am writing this – can she hear my thoughts? J
I am on my 31st week today, officially I have about 9weeks maximum to go. I am scared but more of excited right now. I pray every day that things will go well come D-Day and that our baby will be healthy.
1 Relishing the early weeks when only you and your partner know your special secret.
*yup!*
2 Knowing you've got nine whole months to plan, dream and fantasize.
*oohhh yeah!*
3 Choosing maternity clothes -- they've never been more practical or more sexy.
*it came to a point that I had to buy at least 1 item each weekend...*
4 Now you've got the perfect excuse to pamper yourself -- spending hours in a scented bath, enjoying a massage, or rubbing soothing lotions into your growing bump.
*the last massage i had was on Feb 14. the same week i found out i was pregnant*
5 All your contributions to your SSS and Philhealth that are taken out of your salary are put to good use when you claim your maternity rights.
*FINALLY!*
6 You can join a childbirth class and find a whole new bunch of friends (and don't forget our BabyCenter Philippines birth clubs: another great way to meet people due at the same time as you).
7 For once in your life you need to get heavier -- pregnancy is nature's way of making you feel good about putting on weight.
8 If this is your first baby, enjoy the next nine months sleeping late at weekends: you won't get many chances later on.
*hell, yeah! i don't wake up till noon*
9 At last you've got the bust size you've always wanted, which means you also have...
10 ...a great excuse to buy lots of pretty new bras.
*NO COMMENT*
11 You'll have a healthy glow without the packaged blush.
12 At last you'll have something more than potted plants and your cat to care for and nurture.
13 Suddenly, you'll find you're getting lots of extra attention from parents, friends, aunts and uncles, not to mention your partner.
14 You may find you develop a closer relationship with sisters, cousins, or friends who are parents themselves. Congratulations, you've just won free admission to the parents' club.
15 Telling your mom, dad, sister, brother, aunt, dog the good news and watching their faces light up.
16 New talents -- whether it's knitting booties or assembling a crib, you'll suddenly find yourself trying out all sorts of new skills.
17 Suddenly you'll feel a new appreciation for your own mother and all she went through having you.
18 Decorating the nursery: one of the most exciting things you'll ever do.
19 Feeling those first fluttering kicks and thinking, "Is that what I think it is? Or is it just wind?"
*i've been called hallucinatory because of this. what the heck, at least i felt it...*
20 Feeling perfectly at ease when you send your partner out for mushroom pizza followed by double-choc chip ice cream.
21 Your parents digging out your old crib, toys, and clothes, which they've kept safely all this time "just in case."
22 Going for healthy walks with your partner and getting fresh air in your lungs because it's good for you and good for your baby.
23 Enjoying the extra-vivid dreams you get in late pregnancy -- and laughing about them with your friends.
24 Feeling a little pair of heels prodding under your diaphragm and knowing you'll soon be meeting the little person they belong to!
25 Choosing baby clothes -- or just strolling through the malls planning what you're going to buy.
*i love love love doing this*
26 Writing a pregnancy diary for your baby to read in the future.
*hhmmm i think i'll start one today*
27 Getting someone to take photos of you smiling over your enormous bump so that, one day, you can look back and be amazed you were ever that size.
*hehehe! good thing that someone is Zayd*
28 Finding out how many people there are out there ready to care for you: doctors, nurses, midwives, birth coaches, lactation consultants.
29 Lying in bed with your partner's arms around you and your bump, knowing that love has created a new life.
30 Enjoying indulgences, such as evenings out, weekends away, slept in mornings, and anything else you might not be able to do so easily once the baby arrives.
31 Knowing that from now on, whatever happens, you'll never be bored again.
:)
32 Making new friends whenever you go shopping -- everyone has a pregnancy story to share.
33 You can spend whole evenings debating whether to call your baby Ysabela or Marianne, Jose or Richard... (don't forget to try our Baby namer if you get stuck!)
34 Imagining what he or she will look like. Your sweet little ears, of course, and his sexy eyes.
35 Dreaming about, "My daughter the president/movie star/brain surgeon."
36 Looking at your growing bump in the mirror and realizing there's a person in there!
37 Making out a squirmy outline on the ultrasound monitor. Asking for the pic to take home and pinning it up next to your work station, or just keeping it in your bag to sneak looks at.
*hahaha! sounded just like me~*
38 The expression on your partner's face as he sees the test strip turn blue, looks at your growing bump or feels the baby kicking.
*i cried (out of happiness) when i told him*
39 Buying that first little cuddly toy for your baby, not somebody else's.
40 Making that phone call to your partner to tell him that -- we're off! -- labor has started.
41 Trying out all those exercises you learned at childbirth class and finding out that they actually work.
42 Being held and supported throughout a contraction by your partner/doctor/nurse/labor companion and knowing that you can trust them totally.
43 Finding out, as the contractions get tough, that your repertoire of swear words is far more extensive than you ever realized!
44 Making an informed choice about pain relief and finding that it's right for you at that stage in labor.
45 That huge rush of pleasure and relief when, suddenly, all the pain and effort stops.
46 Looking into your newborn's eyes and falling utterly in love.
47 Watching your partner kiss the nurse, the doctor, cleaning lady, delivery man and anyone else he can find because his joy and pride are overwhelming.
48 Opening a bottle of bubbly to celebrate, whatever the time of day or night.
49 Making all those phone calls to announce the arrival. Telling everyone the news and hearing the excitement in their voices. Posting newborn pics on all your online social networks.
50 Waking up to see your baby sleeping next to you and thinking, 'Wow! This is real. I'm a mom!'
from Babycenter.com.ph
http://www.babycenter.com.ph/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/50reasonstobeglad/
this year is gonna be a baby boom for both our families....
Choppy is expecting 2 batchmates from my side, and 1 from Zayd's :)
isn't this exciting?!?
Since we do not yet know the gender of this baby, we'll call him Choppy J Here is Choppy Carag at 6 weeks and 1 day J Why Choppy? I sometimes call Zayd Porky J (well, the AEP guys know this anyway) and his fave food is porkchop J so there!
The thing about love
Is I never saw it coming
It kinda crept up and took me by surprise
And now there's a voice inside my heart that's got me wondering
Is this true, I want to hear it one more time
Move in a little closer
Take it to a whisper
Just a little louder
Say it again for me
Cuz I love the way it feels when you are telling me that I'm
The only one who blows your mind
Say it again for me
It's like the whole world stops to listen
When you tell me you're in love
Say it again
Thing about you is you know just how to get me
You talk about us like there's no end in sight
The thing about me is that I really want to let you
Open that door and walk into my life
Move in a little closer
Take it to a whisper
Just a little louder
Say it again for me
Cuz I love the way it feels when you are telling me that I'm
The only one who blows your mind
Say it again for me
It's like the whole world stops to listen
When you tell me you're in love
And it feels like it's the first time
That anybody's ever brought the sun without the rain
And never in my whole life
Have I heard words as beautiful as when you say my name
Say it again for me
Cuz I love the way it feels when you are telling me that I'm
The only one who blows your mind
Say it again for me
It's like the whole world stops to listen
When you tell me you're in love
Say it again (x9)
When you tell me you're in love...
Say it again
Ohhh... Ohhhhhh