Welcome to Clan Sito, ZY! :) It has been one week and two days with this sweet boy, yay! I'll start his story from where I left off last Thursday.. Warning: May be a bit tmi...
When Sito came back on Thursday evening, I packed three sets of clothes into his suitcase :)
(Yes, Mama packed her beauty stuff too!)
Friday, 27 June - happy birthday!
It was a clear Friday morning when we left the house. Reached the hospital just past 6 am and went straight to the labour ward as instructed where a nurse did some paperwork and had me sign off for epidural. I was connected to machines and we could hear ZY's heartbeat :) She also took my blood pressure before giving me an enema, which worked very quickly and very well this time compared to ZK's time, perhaps because I wasn't in pain yet this time..
Came out of the toilet to Milo and Khong Guan biscuits! Yay! I was hungry but didn't have breakfast cos the clinic nurses advised me against food. But the nurse at the labour ward was more relaxed so :p
Our last couple shot in the labour ward before we became four:
The nurse came back at 7.45 am to prepare me for the epidural. ZY seemed to sense that and moved vigorously for a while! It was later that I realised that that was the last time I felt him moving inside me...
Digression: Was exchanging text messages with Mum. ZK asked for me when he saw Y and not me. Awww...
So Dr Tay came in around 8 am, all cheery and chatty. I didn't remember much from ZK's time but Sito said it was similar. This time, I wasn't in pain and was able to recall details. So the doc had me curl up and breathe in and out while he inserted the epidural. He didn't tell me to breathe out at the end and I was holding my breath like crazy! So stupid *.* When he said that I was done with the most painful part of the procedure, I didn't even feel pain! The only thing I remember very well from ZK's time was that he commented that I didn't exercise - he said that again when he was inserting a needle for the blood work and drip! When all was set, Sito went to do admissions.
By 8.45 am, the oxytocin was in. Dr Chan came in to find me 4-5 cm dilated and burst my waterbag with a hook *.* It didn't hurt but it didn't feel very pleasant either..
Last shot of me with ZY in my belly:
By 9.20 am, my contractions were about two minutes apart. By 9.30 am, I felt fluids coming out. They turned me on my left to help ZY turn to face down, and then on my right cos my left leg felt asleep from the epidural. By 11 am, I felt a lot of pressure down there; I was 8 cm. I was progressing slower than expected, considering that I had delivered ZK by then.
Finally, by 11.25 am, the nurse started me pushing and I pushed like mad cos ZY was still very high up. It was tough work! And no matter how much I pushed, how low the epidural went, I just couldn't feel anything! And I was getting giddy from all that pushing.. At first, I took the time between contractions to think about how to breathe and push - forgot to read the Chinese book from Mum this time before delivery. Later, I just closed my eyes and almost fell asleep from the giddiness.
By 12.15 pm, Dr Chan came in with another nurse and saw that I was very swollen! Baby was still angled to my left instead of facing down so out came the forceps - I never knew they were so big!! O_O
With the forceps in, I gave a couple more pushes I think, and Sito said the head came out! And then a slippery slosh and ZY was on me! Two impressions - he came out all red in blood (we figure it was because I didn't have enough coconut water this time!) and he was so warm! I could tell somehow that he was smaller than ZK - whether it was by sight or by feel, I'm not quite sure. And he cried more than ZK did in the labour ward.
Anyway, the doc cut the cord and collected the cord blood before the placenta came out. I had wanted to cut the cord this time but by then I was too tired to do it. So I just lay there and watch the second nurse suck out red fluids from ZY's mouth on the warmer. Then he was weighed - 2.970 kg! Yes, smaller than ZK. The doc said the red marks on his face due to the forceps would go away very soon - think they were gone by the next day. He also said I shouldn't feel pain from the stitches but the swelling would cause some discomfort, ah well..
First family shot!
I was going to breastfeed ZY when the nurse said the PD was outside the labour ward. So she put him back on the warmer and we watched the PD check him from head to bottom. At one point, he held him by the arms and lifted him! That was so cute though scary haha! Anyway, everything was ok. But I didn't manage to hold him more as they wheeled him off to the nursery for his first vaccinations by 1.40 pm.
I was still giddy but excited about ZY. However, I realised then that I couldn't remember his face! :( I can still remember ZK's face when he was first born, ok... I think it's because when ZY came out, he didn't turn his head upwards like ZK did. I felt, and still feel, sad that I couldn't remember his face then. Now of course I can't wipe that sweet face off my mind :)
Lunch was served in the labour ward at about 2 pm as we were waiting for a room to become available. It wasn't very nice cos there was this spicy tofu thing that I didn't like at all. Luckily, Sito met Mum who came with fried rice! That made me feel so much more satisfied.
Finally, I was wheeled into room 633 at 4 pm! It felt so good to be in a less cold room! But they wouldn't let me off the bed - I shifted myself from labour bed to wheel bed to room bed, no feet on the floor at all.
We saw ZY again at 4.50 pm and tried to breastfeed him to some success. Second time, got experience, ha! But it's a different baby so while I know the techniques, I know we still need to get used to each other. And this has been tested many times in the past week cos his hands keep getting in the way, he keeps shaking his head while trying to latch on, and my nipples still hurt though the pain wasn't as bad as last time - scabs from both nipples fell off already! Ok, tmi :p
Sito carried ZY for the first time - I love to see my hub and my pups together :)
I pulled on a T-shirt before CW and SSY came by in the evening; I refused to be seen in that terrible blue robe again! They were just back from a holiday! Sito, we won't have a proper holiday for quite a while *.*
The epidural was wearing off - it took longer this time, it seemed - and my butt was getting sore and numb so I got the nurse in at 7 pm. May I go pee, please? No, you pee in the bed pan! *.* So I did, and it was a lot of pee from the drip! Took such a long time to pee and the nurse had to help by pushing my belly. I could hear Sito Skyping with Mum and ZK outside the curtain. When I was done, it was my turn with our firstborn! Kind of miss that boy..
I was finally allowed to get off the bed at 8.45 pm! Kel and D were with us then but I couldn't take it anymore and had to shower! Then we carried on chatting :p
Something funny happened in the bathroom - I found that the night pads I bought were huge! In fact, they almost protruded out of my panties!! Ah well, at least they are functional without being bulky like the terrible maternity pads.
And I found that my groin still hurt - it eventually hurt less by Sunday but the pain is still here today... Let's see when it goes away completely.. I hope it goes away completely!!
ZK came in to nurse at 10.30 pm before our supper arrived. It was some very good supper :)
Saturday, 28 June - hello, 弟弟!
The PD came in at 7.30 am to tell us that everything was normal. I asked about his blue-black fingers and nails and was told that would go away. The lactation consultant came in just as I was applying eye cream and her first thought was, this was not my first time, ha! I sought her advice on how to stuff food into ZY's tiny mouth :p
The replacement gynae - Dr Chan had left for his holiday! - came in later, found me still swollen and ordered a sitz bath for me. I used it twice that day and once on Sunday. By the time she came in to discharge me, I was much less swollen.
On retrospect, I think the first nurse shouldn't keep stretching me while I pushed. There was no such stretching last time and I pushed for 30 min with no swelling. Also, last time, the nurse put ZK and me on skin contact early so we had more time together before he was wheeled away; he even managed to find my right boob on his own. And, she could not shut up, be it about procedures or her sons. Sighs, the importance of a good nurse!
Our room package came with a 10-15 min massage :) She came in promptly at 10.15 am as was earlier communicated by the nurse. The massage was good!
So cute even when grouchy!
Mum and Ah Yee came by at 11-ish with ZK in Y's arms - my big baby! :)
ZK met ZY for the first time. He gave his dog to his little brother and sayang-ed him when he cried :)
But he "don't want 弟弟" *.*
We put ZY down in the bassinet so that ZK could have his lunch right next to me while Mum they all went downstairs for food.
Our lunch came in the midst of his so Sito finished up quickly and took ZK so that I could have mine. And then he started playing with my camera and took some random shots and a video..
That afternoon, nursing was more painful than the day before. Sighs, Dr Chan wasn't kidding when he told me last time that subsequent contractions of the uterus would be more painful :( Sito had to keep rubbing my back the whole time. It got better by Saturday night and by Sunday, I no longer needed a back rub.
We had supper again. Think it was better than the night before, yum :p
Sunday, 29 June - on our own
It was raining when the gynae discharged me at 10.45 am, like the day we left the hospital with ZK. But the rain stopped long before we left the hospital this time as we still had to settle payment etc. ZY got changed in the room at 11.15 am - he was so small even in the small onesie! He weighed 2.8 kg that day. Sighs.. Need to fatten you up!
All rounded up in a bunch of cuteness in my lap:
Mittens off! His hands are so small that they slip off easily.
Finally got home at 1 pm. He napped while I lunched.
Spent the rest of the day protecting ZY from ZK's rough love! ZK went out for dinner with the rest of the village while I stayed in with ZY. And everyone went to bed on time, phew!
Monday, 30 June - first full day at home
But there were plenty of activities before daybreak..
At 12.30 am, ZY pooped! I first saw his meconium in the hospital but I got the nurse to change him in the nursery. It was sticky and hard to wipe off. At least it wasn't smelly!
I woke to fuller boobs at 2 am. ZY latched on for a while and before he could go back to sleep, ZK opened his door and came into our room! Of all days, he chose to do that on our first night with ZY at home *.* The two boys kept each other awake. I had to move to ZK's room with ZY so that everyone could get some sleep!
The next morning, I had to pump cos I was getting swollen and ZY wasn't draining me.. Pumped out 20 ml.
CY popped by for a while in the afternoon. We'll meet again later this month before the end of her maternity leave.
Love his look in upright position!
Tuesday, 1 July - first day of massage
Mother came over with not one but two bottles of Huiji waist tonic! I'm so scared :( Drank it anyway *.* Think it would taste better with food, say, braised chicken drumsticks! Will make that next week.
I nursed ZY just before the massage but he probably didn't drink much cos he started crying soon! But no fear! Cos there was the 20 ml in the fridge! Unfortunately, he didn't want it :( So I heard him crying for quite a while during the massage :(
He pooped again that afternoon - he was starting to have breastmilk poop! The poop was brown and less tar-like by 4+ and lighter brown by 11+ - I'm happy cos that meant he was drinking milk even though he didn't have many wet diapers :)
Sito left after the massage to pick up the name options from Jin Zi Long and packed some Ho Kee goodies for my afternoon snack :) That night, we decided on ZY's name - 振扬 :) We thought it's nice to have a "zhen" even though the Chinese character is different. As for 扬, well, we had a few options but ZY was waving his hands on our bed and I thought, that's two hands - 两个提手旁!
ZK came to our room at 9+ and we took him in. He took a while to fall asleep.. And at one point, I was very tempted to ask him to help drain my boobs!
Wednesday, 2 July - first trip to the PD and first bath
Unwrapped myself to a smaller belly, yay! This auntie used cream Jamu instead of raw herbs so it was much less messy to unwrap compared to the last time.
Washed and refreshed and unrestricted, we went to the PD. We were early and were out within 30 minutes! So ZY had gained a little weight - 2.87 kg. On the other hand, I was down to below 70 kg :p He had slight jaundice but was otherwise fine. The PD held him up by the arms again - I never fail to be amazed by that cos my little boy still looks so fragile to be baby-handled like that! o_O Interestingly, the PD asked about ZK's reaction to ZY - he had never held such small talk with us in the past two years!
The massage this time was less stressful. I left ZY awake and he cried a little but Sito carried him to sleep :) All relaxed, I realised how good the massage was - my muscles were aching from the pushing and from bad nursing positions. Auntie kneaded out those knots. But I also realised her binding wasn't as good as last time. It felt loose and the ending knot hurt my right side for two days.
We had a relaxing afternoon. Sito took a nap while I took pictures :)
His new friend, Bear Bear, is fatter than him *.*
Long neck, like ET *.*
Such beautiful nails! Such a hairy ear! :p
Sito went to ICA to register ZY's birth. Also got some plumbing parts to fix the drip in the toilet bidet pump. Tried to fix the wash basin but it's still dripping. May need to change the entire thing...
Anyway, it was the day for ZY's first bath at home! And he was asleep until the end *.* But that meant no struggle, yay! It was a little difficult bathing this thinner boy compared to ZK though. We took some videos of the bath but I've decided I won't expose his private parts on cyberspace!
I was packing up some paperwork in the living room at 9+ when both boys were asleep. Suddenly, ZK's door opened and a little boy walked out *.* He just reached my door when he realised that Mama was calling out to him from the desk. He came over and whined. So I took him back to his room. I dozed off but he didn't! His eyes were closed but he was rolling about.. Then Sito came in to tell me that ZY needed me. So we quietly swapped rooms without ZK realising it.
So sweet :)
After ZY went to bed, I posted on FB about us doing the divide-and-conquer thing and went to bed. Suddenly, I heard diaper tape being undone! I opened my eyes to ZK wearing only his diapers at the door! Sito came in shortly after that with his PJs, wondering if I had left extra clothes in his bed *.* Ah well, we took him in...
Thursday, 3 July - one week!
ZY's skin started to flake off here and there. Wonder when the hair on his back and limbs etc will fall off..
Anyway, Sito left for his medical examination and spent some time in the office. While he was away, Mama and baby had some fun!
Only managed to sun him in the afternoon; no sun in the morning:
Cute pose in a foetal position:
Check out his tiny foot!
Yup, crumply ET - a cute one! With scary-looking Mama behind him..
Bright eyes!
A hint of a smile..
Wooooo....
I've decided that if we have a third kid, I won't go for the massage again. I love massages and I want to be slim, but I totally hate the oiliness on my skin and on the floor, and I feel so restricted by the binding! I don't remember minding it this much two years ago, perhaps because I was very pissed at that auntie's lack of punctuality. This time, I felt like it was a burden. After every session, I wipe my arms so that I can carry ZY; even then, I use a towel to separate him from my skin in case of any residual oil. I also wear a camisole over the binding to protect ZY from the rough cloth. At night, I can only scrub and wash my limbs due to the binding. And even after mopping the floor, I find that there's still some oiliness. I think we'll have to soap it a bit on the last day.. So, ya, will have to lose weight the hardworking girl way - by exercise! Sobs...
ZK came in by 10.30 pm. When we heard him, we quickly turned out the lights. He came over to my side, passed me his water bottle and climbed up with his pacifier in his mouth and his bolster and Meh Meh in his arms. I was impressed that he brought all his barang barang! And I was surprised when he simply rolled over and fell asleep again before Sito returned from turning off the appliances in ZK's room! Now that was a very pleasant night with ZK in our bed :) He only woke once to ask for his pacifier.
Friday, 4 July
Sito carried ZY and I thought they looked very sweet :)
ZK woke at 9+ again but he saw Y before he came into our room and was led back into his room. He eventually came in past midnight but he fell asleep pretty soon as well, phew!
With the weekend upon us, we're wondering whether we can handle two kids in the house. Probably will involve some isolation of each boy at some point.. ZK is in school now. Sito will fetch him home after lunch. Then we'll play at home, have the brothers know each other a bit more. ZK should nap in the afternoon. We plan to have Sito bring him to the playground and come back for dinner together - we have been having dinner together the past week and it felt very good :)
Anyway, with two kids, it will be hard to write about one without writing about the other. Not to mention the lack of time. So little ZY won't have dedicated posts like ZK had.. Ah well, they're siblings and our kids - our story will continue as a family :)
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