Everything went on fine until the start of the 3rd trimester. It was in December 2009. While out shopping on a fine weathered Saturday, I felt uncomfortable and went to the toilet to check. I realised that I had spotting and was both worried and scared. I thought my baby was due but to think of it again, I was still very early. My mind then started to wonder what happened. But I decide to monitor the situation and hence did not call my gynae.
The spotting came on and off on alternative day for a week and subsequently stopped and I thought, “Thank goodness, all should be well now”. And I continued with my holiday plan to Hong Kong and Taiwan. And nothing happened so I carried on with my daily life as normal.
It was after Chinese New Year in 2010 that I experienced the alternative bleeding again. And after a few days, I’ve decided that I should go to the gynae for a check. I was glad that I made the choice as the gynae had some serious concerns about the bleeding. I’ve told him what I had experienced in December 2009 and he immediately ordered me to be warded into hospital but not before giving me a jab in the butt. I was 30 weeks then.
At that moment, I nearly wanted to cry. I was thinking what did I do wrong that caused the bleeding. Gynae said its a high probability that it is activity related. At the hospital, my gynae ordered a few round of tests and kept me under observation in the labour ward as bleeding was a sign that baby might be coming. I really hated myself at point as I really did not know what went wrong. Afterall, I did not do anything drastic and had kept to the same activities during my 1st pregnancy and everything was well all the way to delivery time.
I can’t sleep during my stay in hospital. I was being checked every few hours and finally morning came. I was overjoyed when my gynae discharged me but ordered 3 weeks of bed rest for me. And at the same time, I took medicine as prescribed by my gynae. I was very careful this time and adhered to gynae’s instructions as I wanted to carry baby to full term. Everything went well and after 3 weeks, I was back at work. However on the wee morning of the first Sunday after my bed rest order ended, I was awoken by wetness below. At first I thought maybe I can’t control my bladder and wetted myself, afterall its in the middle of the night. But it doesn’t seems like so as I keep experiencing the wetness hence I put on a sanitary napkin to monitor and it was wet in no time. I was then 34 weeks and I know it is too early for baby to be out. I called my gyane and he asked me to get warded so I woke my hubby and we were in the hospital within half hour. As usual, my gynae ordered a few tests again and by morning, I saw my gynae. He was looking serious and I think this is a very different situation from normal circumstances, at least for me especially when the first delivery of my baby was very smooth.
Gynae informed me that my waterbag leaked (not broke) and I would have to stay warded in hospital until I deliver. I was scared, upset and demoralized. I was monitored round the clock , being checked every 2 hours, put on drip and on the CTG daily. Gynae asked to monitor the fluid that was leaking for a change in colour, odour etc. I stayed in a 2 bedded ward and was very upset and demoralize whenever I had a change in neighbour. I was thinking: “How long more do I need to stay here, when will it be my turn to get discharged?” etc. Time passed real slowly. The colour of the fluid changed from clear to yellowish to greenish from Monday to Wednesday. I was asked to show the sanitary pad to the nurses whenever I change it. By now, I was in hospital for 3.5 days. And when the fluid was greenish, I was worried that baby had poo and I might need a c-section. Lucky for me, gynae asked me to monitor further. Finally on Thursday, fluid was reddish and I was ready for labour anytime! However, I was only in my 35 weeks but I guess it wasn’t my choice. I experience some tummy cramp on Thursday night and asked to be CTG strapped. Then the pain intensified very quickly and before an hour, I was wheeled to the labour where I asked for epidural. But the epidural only worked on 1 side of my body so I can feel the immersed pain on the other. I was put on laughing gas but it didn’t help me at all. Baby was clearly on the way but my gynae is not here yet. I can feel the baby coming and told the mid wives and they tried to stop the baby from popping before my gynae arrives by holding my lower body. I wasn’t sure I could hold on during that moment. Shortly, someone pushed through the door and my gynae emerged and with 3 pushes, my baby Gwenyth was out. I was both exhausted and relieved that this rocky road of delivery was finally over. By now at 3.30 am on a Friday morning, I could feel my gynae stitching me as the epidural did not really worked! I wondered why.
I was discharged on Saturday. I guessed my gynae knew I was bored stiff in hospital so I could go home very quickly.
This is a real traumatic and worrying pregnancy for me. Till now, I can still feel the shivers and I’m really glad that its over. Now when I see Gwenyth smiling and growing well, its all that matters now.