Time has passed. A lot has happened. And a lot more to come!
This blog was created so we could look back and see what we were back then. As much as I wanted to record every detail of our first born milestones, I just wasn't able to do it. When Rafa was born, we didn't get a helper since I stopped for work to take care of him personally. My day revolved around him and the household chores. I just didn't get the chance to blog. Nevertheless, I may not be able to record it in this site, but I made sure that I keep a video of rafa while growing up.
I am again writing to announce that rafa will be a "kuya" soon! Our upcoming baby came in as a welcome surprise. We planned to have another baby maybe late this year, but He has other plans for us. On my first pregnancy, i feared if I am ready to become a mother. This time, I fear if I can handle two kids! hahaha! I felt a little guilty because I felt Rafa is still a baby. But nowadays, I can see Rafa little by little maturing which made me think that it's fine to have another baby. Of course, habibi and I agreed that we will both show our love and attention to Rafa the same way to our upcoming baby. We still have a lot of time to show our undivided attention to Rafa and prepare him to being a kuya. :D
It's been four months since we visited our blog again. In the same way, our little Rafa is now 4 months old. I will try to post whatever it is for the past months and keep this updated.
First of, my very first birthing story. The timestamp stated below are based on what I remember.
September 30, 2009(Wenesday) - I'm on my 38th week. It's my weekly checkup with my OB. I am still 3cm dilated. Since it's been two weeks since she said that I'm 3cm dilated, she massaged my cervix so it would loosen up. She said to expect some spotting.
I asked my OB that in any case I don't deliver by October 10, we decided that we want to be induced so that our baby's birthday will be October 10. There's nothing special about it, we just love the idea that our baby will be born on a 10-10 month-day. My OB strongly disregarded our request since this is my first pregnancy, she said that it would be best to let mother nature take its course first. She would just induce me if and when I'm past my overdue and my watermelon is still inside my tummy.
October 2, 2009(Friday) - I saw a very light brownish mucus discharge. It was plenty. I was wondering if my contractions will start soon.
October 3, 2009(Saturday) - We went to Vivo City to buy a few things for the baby and for our weekly grocery. I noticed that I tire easily. We managed to go to Mothercare, but as we are walking towards the grocery, I felt so tired and my back really ached that each step is an agony. Halfway, I told my habibi that I don't think I can still go to the grocery. We decided to just go home.
October 4, 2009(Sunday) - I wasn't able to sleep during the night. Almost every hour, I would wake up habibi to massage my lower back. It didn't hit us that I just might be experiencing labor. How could we? We are waiting for pain to come from my tummy and not from the back just as the normal scene in any movies! Hahaha!
11:00AM Since it's a weekend. we woke up late as usual. I just had a light meal in case I get into labor soon. Not thinking that I am just a few hours away from my labor.
1:00PM I started to feel pain on my lower back. But it will go away once my habibi massaged it.
4:00PM The pain still comes from my back but this time it's starting to last longer. I brought out my antenatal handbook and started doing the breathing exercises. I started to think that I just might be in labor. Amazingly, I don't feel nervous. I told habibi that maybe we should now go to the hospital. He said to wait awhile for it just may be false labor.
5:00PM I've accepted the fact that I am in labor! I started timing the contractions. It's now 30 minutes in between pain. I also felt that the breathing exercises is not working! Or maybe I am starting to panic. Habibi started breathing with me. I told habit that we SHOULD go to the hospital now! I started preparing for the hospital.
6:05PM We arrived at the emergency room. I was still relaxed. We didn't arrive with me crying and shouting! hahaha! Just like when I was confined on my 32nd week, I was wheeled directly to the delivery suite. It was like having a deja vu. Once inside the suite, the nurse told me that before they admit me, they need to be sure if I am really in labor. They attached a CTG to monitor my contractions and the baby's heartbeat.
6:45PM The nurse told me that I truly was in labor and will be admitted. A resident OB arrived and measured my dilation. I am now 5cm dilated and that my contractions are 10 minutes apart. I started to recall everything that I've learned in the antenatal class we attended, and I knew that I am in an active phase of labor. I thought that I will deliver soon since I've dilated quite fast. They asked me if I am having an epidural. If so, that is the best time to have it. I bravely declined and boasted that I'll try to deliver normally without it! I can sense that the nurse was hesitant but complied. They've called my OB but I only understood later on that she will arrive when I am ready to deliver.
9:00PM The pain started to get worse. My only weapon to fight is the laughing gas. They said to just breath into it. So I did, irregardless if I'm doing it right or not or am I breathing enough of it or not. They said to get some sleep which I can't because of the pain! Haller! I am still 5cm dilated.
11:00PM The pain is now unbearable. The nurse told my habibi that I won't be able to deliver my baby if I don't have an epidural. I started contemplating about it. When they did an IE, I am now 7cm dilated. I was like, huwwaaattt??? After all the time that had passed and the pain I had??? I said to my habibi to give me epidural! I know, I know, I should have gotten it earlier. I really needed a slap on the head that time. Hehe… The problem is, it's a Sunday and that time already late at night, so we had to wait for the anesthesiologist to arrive. Poor me.
October 5, 2009 12:30AM The anesthesiologist arrived. That time, I really can't think straight. I was so drugged by the laughing gas. I embraced myself and tried to be strong not be scared to the fact that a needle will be injected to my spine. They only gave a mild doze such that I can still move my legs. Only then I was able to sleep.
1:30AM Once again I felt pain. I thought the epidural will take away the pain! I asked for another doze. They explained why shouldn't they which I don't understand then. I felt the urge to push but the resident OB insisted that I try to control it.
2:00AM Finally! I am given the go signal to push! Hooray! I pushed a few times but to no avail. All of a sudden I don't feel the urge to push! What happened? I'm not sure if I am just intimidated by the nurse who's helping me push. She was full of energy! The whole delivery suite was filled with her voice as she counts. Even my OB find her amusing. Since the breathing exercises during the workshop is no way similar to the actual labor, I am short of breath. The nurse told me that I won't be able to deliver my baby if I breathe that way. I know she meant well but she is starting to be irritable.
2:30AM My OB arrived. Suddenly, I felt excited to the fact that we will have our baby soon! But I was too tired to push. Sometimes, I would doze of for a second while pushing. I'll just remind myself that I should concentrate for our baby.
3:17AM Julian Rafael is born! I didn't cry. I was so happy to see him. Then I heard him cry. It was loud. I am proud! My habibi kissed me but won't leave my side. I reminded him to take pictures of the baby. I said I want every detail. As if like a switch is on, I'm now a mother whose heart is aching whenever I hear my baby cry. Cheesy as it seems but that's the way I felt.
This is definitely one very memorable episode in our lives!
We survived pre-mature labor! My OB was happy to see me still pregnant during my 37th week check up. I'm now on a weekly checkup which only means that my delivery will come very soon!
The night before my checkup, I felt cramps on my lower abdomen, similar to menstrual cramps. It was painful but it was tolerable. The cramps would come every time our baby would move. I did not give much attention to it and just slept over it. During my check up, my OB checked my cervix to see how much dilated I am. There was glow in her eyes when she measured and counted 1..2..3.. and then stop. I asked her what does it mean? She told me that as much as she was happy to tell me that I am now 3cm dilated, there's not much to tell! :D We were also told that our baby's head is already engaged meaning I can deliver within the day, or weeks to come. Back home, I searched the net about experiences of pregnant women that are 3cm dilated. All of them says that it depends on each pregnant women. Some may be 3cm dilated and deliver within the day, while some will have to wait until a week or two before they deliver. My sister in law was 2cm dilated during her check up then delivered a week after. So it's just a matter of time! We're just waiting for my contractions to start then we're off to the hospital! We're all packed and ready to go anytime! :D
The moment I opened this blogsite of ours, my attention was suddenly caught by the small box in the lower right side of this page.. 23 days to go (or even less) before we can finally meet our baby and Im very very excited! Am I ready to be a father? Will I be a good father? Can we provide all the things that our child needs? Will our baby look more like me, or his mother? Those are just the questions that popped out of my mind. It was not very long ago when I was once a dependent boy to his parents for everything and now here I am, entering a new chapter in my life and just few weeks away from receiving the most wonderful gift of life from God, whose future will be dependent on how effective parents we can be. I know its still too early to think of the future so for now, I'll just sit back, relax, and reflect on which is the better way of changing diapers with poo-poo. hehehe. Another thing that excites me are the toys that were going to buy for our kid. Now I can have an excuse to my wife of buying those big RC cars etc. =)
I maybe a newbie in this challenging and exciting world of fatherhood, but one thing is for sure, I will do my best to be the best father that my son can surely be proud of!
At Week 26, I started seeing my tummy move whenever our baby kicks! It's amazing seeing it every time. I feel it's more than just a bonding between us. It's like he is playing not just with me but with his daddy as well. And I feel him move more often now. Sometimes I wake up feeling him move like he wants to get out. Not this soon baby.
Thankfully, he hasn't kicked my ribs yet. But he always hit my bladder bull's eye!
I have read in some articles that you can feel the baby moving inside the womb from the outside at around 23 weeks of pregnancy and I was very thrilled to experience that for the first time. Two nights ago, I placed the mp3 player in my wife's tummy and then I positioned my other hand waiting for our baby to move and to my surprise - my little boy poked my hand as if he greeted me an advance happy father's day! Oh what a wonderful gift to receive, so simple and yet so priceless.. I did that again last night and I felt him move again but when I changed the song to instrumental piano music (the songs which can easily put you to sleep), my little boy doesnt want to give me a high-5 as if the music doenst suit his taste. It seems our baby is very picky when it comes to songs that he wants to hear. haha. Im really excited for our next bonding moment tonight - in fact, I already have a song in my mind that I will let him hear and Im sure he'll love it! =)
My work became so suffocating these past couple of weeks and it feels like my brain is 200% overused so I decided for the next 2 days to step back, relax a bit and just take it easy. Im so stressed that my brain seems to continue working even if I'm already resting. Well I guess thats what youre expected to get when youre doing a new project with 75% of the workload hanging on your shoulders, and thats no exaggeration. So I'm taking this time out to write this one..
Yesterday, my wife is scheduled for her monthly checkup. Then there will be another check up the following week. We were so excited for the next week check up since thats the time that we will know the gender of our baby. I already applied for a leave on that day because I really wouldn't want to miss that event. But yesterday, while Im on my normal busy day routine, my wife called me saying that the detailed scan, which is supposed to be done next week, can already be performed today because the machine is available. So she told me if I can drop by the hospital because if not, then we will just wait for next week. Im really very busy yesterday but that didnt hinders me to see a glimpse of our baby, and of course to know if its a little Anne or little JayR. While Im on my way to the hospital, my wife called me saying that the scan was already done, but we will repeat it once I arrive for me to see it. Although I know that she already knew if its a boy or a girl, I didnt asked her because I dont want a second hand information and Im not sure if she'll gonna tell me honestly. =) I want to see it for myself! But by judging on her voice over the phone, it gave me a hint that our baby is a boy! Fatherly instinct huh! :D Good thing the hospital is just 5 minutes away from our office and in no time, I found myself sitting infront of a big LCD monitor breathlessly taking video of our baby boy! yahooo!!!! Wilfredo III? Sounds good to me! :D
As I always say.. God is good..And He's so good all the time!
I went to the hospital for my monthly checkup with my OB. I'm now 20weeks, halfway through my pregnancy! I'm feeling a lot better. My spotting had stopped. All my tests for premature labor or any bacteria turned out negative. My detailed scan is scheduled next week on my 21st week. Since, there are few patients at that time, my OB asked if I could be scanned today. Since, there is an open slot, they squeezed me in. I immediately called my habibi if he could come for the ultrasound. I wouldn't go through it without him. Since my habibi isn't around yet, the nurse asked if I wanted to go ahead with the ultrasound then just repeat it once my habibi arrived to show him the baby. I went ahead with the nurse's assurance. First thing the sonographer showed me was the face, immediately I noticed how prominent the nose is. Good thing he got it from me! Just kidding! Hahahaha!
Then she showed me the lips to see any malformation. Good thing none was found. Spine was next, then she proceeded with the legs. Then I saw something similar to the Pregnancy for Dummies videos we've seen discussing the baby's gender. Before the sonographer announced, I already knew that our baby is a boy! That put a smile on my face for I know how happy my habibi will be.
Inspection of the internal organs was next. Fortunately, everything was normal. I also asked her to check if she could find any source of my bleeding. She didn't find any. She said my cervix is still closed. That pleased me.
When my habibi arrived, the ultrasound was done. But the nurse was true to her words. In a minute, we were back to the scanning room. Instead of focusing on the screen this time, I focused on my habibi. The sonographer was nice enough to allow my habibi to take a video. We can't wait until we finally hold our baby boy!
No Crocs sale for me! I am supposed to take a bed rest for one week! :(
Exactly when my pregnancy reached week 19, I was advised by an OB to take a bed rest for 1 week. Last Wednesday, I was doing my daily routine at work. Went to work in the morning, had lunch at noon, then back to work by 1PM. An hour later, I went to the rest room as usual. There, once again, I saw my liner half filled with red blood! All I could do was gasp. Immediately, I went back to my desk. Tear started to fill my eyes. My hands were trembling as I dialled the hospital’s number. The operator was kind enough to give me an appointment in the next two hours. I called my habibi and told him my situation while holding back my tears. I was still silently crying as the taxi drove to the hospital.
In 30 minutes, I’m waiting for my habibi to arrive at the hospital lobby. My OB’s shift was done so the receptionist handed me over to another OB. I’m a bit worried that the OB would be male for I forgot to request for a female OB. But I thought this is not the correct time to be choosy. I felt relieved when my habibi arrived a few minutes after. The attending OB was indeed male. I was worried but tried to relax. I looked around his room, I saw thank you card addressed to a Prof. We figured he’s a professor as well. No wonder we feel like students asking him stupid questions while he answers with ridiculous eyes like we didn’t study our lesson! Hahaha! Before any tests, he explained to us all possible causes of bleeding during pregnancy. I told him about my fall two weeks ago and was assured that it has anything to do with my current situation. After several tests and still the source of bleeding is unknown, he recommends to do an ultrasound to see if my placenta is where it should be. Once inside the scanning room, my habibi prepared his fone to take video of the scan. When the OB arrived, he asked my habibi to switch it off for he won’t allow it. He said the procedure is not for entertaining purposes! We just obliged. We didn’t experience that with my real OB. Then in the middle of his discussion, I mean scanning, my fone rang. My habibi was struggling to silence it. The prof’s discussion was interrupted and asked habibi to pay attention!!! I silently laugh for it look’s like a teacher getting the attention of a student! Hahahaha! Poor habibi. We were both delighted by the sight of how big our baby has grown. Unfortunately, the OB did not paid too much attention on the baby but on the placenta and some other things around the baby. After the scan, he said that the placenta and the baby seem normal. He has ruled out every possible cause. He was left to recommend a bed rest for me to take for one week!
It's been two days now and I feel a lot better and secured. At least thru the scan, we are assured that my likely to have a premature labor is low. That's a relief! I can't wait see my real OB next week. And of course, the detailed scan a week after that so we could finally know the gender of our baby!
A few days ago, I started to feel our baby move! As I got off our shuttle service on my way home, I skipped from the bus to the side walk. I knew I landed gently but somehow I felt a small round of air punch my right tummy when my foot touched the pavement. It's not painful at all but I was a bit shocked for a moment for I'm not sure if it really was the baby that I felt! Once home, we read some articles on baby development on Week 18. It says that during this week that mothers can now start feeling the baby's movement. I'm happy that our baby's development is in tuned accordingly. My friend told me that my habibi would be thrilled once he felt our baby moving while touching my tummy. Unfortunately, our baby happens to move only when he's not around.
Yesterday was the most awaited scheduled trip to my OB. I'm supposed to undergo a Down Syndrome Test and Pre-natal Test I but since we opted not to undergo the DST, my slot to the hi-tech ultrasound machine was foregone. All they did is take my blood sample. I got a bit disappointed for we thought that we won't be able to see our baby this time. When I went in to see my OB, I asked if we can still have an ultrasound. She told me that she'll just check the heartbeat, if in any case she didn't hear it, then she'll perform a quick scan of the baby. I'm not sure if she's bluffing when she said that she didn't hear the baby's heartbeat. For I thought I heard it. :D I think this hospital is a bit conservative in performing ultrasounds to the baby. So we waited a while until the ultrasound machine is available. This machine is the usual machine she used on me previously. I don't complain for I'm just happy that we'll be able to see our baby. Below are the scanned pictures! Our baby now measures 5.6cm (2.2in). The measurement is perfect for our baby's age by this time. Also, I have a new vitamin for the baby. It just surprises me pleasantly that the medicine actually came from The Philippines. :D I'm scheduled to come back again on my 16th week. By this early, they reserved a slot for me on the ultrasound machine so we could finally see the gender of our baby!
I guess I'm pretty lucky not to feel any nausea or any morning sickness during my pregnancy. I don't know if it is yet to come for I'm still on my first trimester. Sometimes I won't feel pregnant at all for I have a lot of energy in me! :D
After dinner last night, we had a short walk to a nearby grocery to get some ingredients for my macaroons I plan to bake. While walking, we were joking to go to other hospitals to see othe OB just so we could have another ultrasound to check on the baby. It's a good plan but I didn't agree for it would cost us money of course. Just as we are about to get ready to sleep at around 11pm, I peed. That's the time I saw some brown spots and I'm pretty sure a trace of blood. Knowing that it is unusual, I showed it to my habibi. I needed a second opinion it is what they called "spotting" that I see. After arguing if it is spotting or not, I checked it again. Next thing I see was red blood! That alarmed me. My habibi stood up and was dressed and ready to go to the hospital in a minute! I wanted to see if I could contact my OB first. Since I know that the clinic is closed, I called their Delivery Suite Hotline. I told the lady who answered my call that I'm 8 weeks pregnant and I'm spotting. She adviced me to take some rest and go to the clinic tomorrow morning. Is she kidding? After seeing the fresh blood, I don't think we'll be able to sleep at all! I asked my habibi to get me the hotline number of another women's hospital. I called them and was assured that they have doctors to look at me. On the way to the hospital, I silently thought that could it be possible that the reason why I don't feel any pregnancy signs is that something maybe a problem with our baby? Immediately, I erased that thought. I need to be optimistic this time.
At 12:05am, we were at their lobby. There were I think about 2 patients there. My queue number reads "0001" so I thought that we'd be done in no time. My habibi kept on saying that if he like the service there, we would change my OB. Our number was called. My personal information was taken for record. Took my blood pressure and urine sample. I was asked what my concern is about. Then we were told to seat again and wait for our number to be called. All the while we though it was already the doctor we're talking to! 30 minutes has passed and we're still waiting. More patients arrived. Another 30 minutes passed and I start to wonder that maybe it would have been better if we just stayed at home and rest. My habibi's eyes are now red and is sleepy. Poor Dad-to-be. Another 30 minutes passed. They started calling patients whose number is behind us. My habibi wanted to complain but I stopped him. I pointed to the screen the text that says "Queue numbers may not be called in order." So there's no point of complaining. I just got a little irritated for I didn't know how they evaluate the urgency of their patients needs for I'm sure that whoever who came to the hospital during the wee hours have emergency cases. Another 30 minutes has passed and our number was called! Hooray!
I'm thankful that the OB who checked on me was a lady doctor. We had another ultrasound to check the baby. She said the baby is fine. The she showed it to me. I'm so happy when I saw the monitor. Our baby has developed arms and feet though it's still small. The heart is beating normally. Our baby seems so peaceful and it made me smile. I asked the OB to show it to my habibi as well. I pointed to him the arms and feet. We are both delighted! The soft spoken OB told me that the pregnancy is not stable during the first three months. I can't comprehend if what she's saying is generic or is it my pregnancy that is not stable. She prescribed me a medicine to take twice a day. I assumed that this is the magic tablet that they call "pampakapit". After the consultation, I told my habibi that I still want to go to my true OB.
So today I called her clinic and asked for an appointment. At first I just wanted to talk to her. But when the nurse learned of my situation, I was given the 10:40am slot. Just as I'm about to get ready at 10am, I got a call from her clinic asking me to come early. I thought that maybe my OB learned of my situation and wanted to see me ASAP. Since I still haven't taken my bath, I said that the earliest time I'd arrive is 1030am. There's not much difference! hahaha! So quickly but carefully I got ready. It's such a blessing that our house is just a 5 minute taxi ride. I arrived exactly at 10:30am. In about 20 minutes, I'm inside her clinic.
I told her that I can't contact her last night so we went to other hospital. Then I showed her the ultrasound they did. I also brought the medicine to show her. Just as I'm about to bring out the medicine, I saw on her face that she's half expecting it already. First, she apologized for she forgot to instruct me how to reach her during the wee hours. According to her, the lady I talked to last night may not be aware of the SOP they have. Secondly, she told me that there is a research study saying that taking those medicine is not helpful at all. She says that if I'm gonna have a miscarriage, there's nothing I can do about it. Some take those medicines just so they can say that they did something. Which makes sense. She then asked me if the doctor looked inside me and found the cause of my spotting. I said maybe but she didn't told me. She did not question the ultrasound I brought for it shows that the baby is normal. So she said that she'll just look inside me just to see if she'll be able to see the problem. In an instant, she almost shouted that she saw the cause of my spotting. Apprarently, I developed polyps. She said that this is common for women pregnant or not. She said that if I'm not pregnant, she'll remove it on the spot. But since pregnant women are prone to infection, she leaves it as is. She also checked if my cervix is still closed and it still is. I'm just glad that it is not our baby that caused my spotting. Since I already took one tablet earlier that morning, my OB gave me the option if I would continue to take it or not. Otherwise, I could just sell it on ebay! hahahah! That medicine is not cheap I tell you!
This experience just made me adore my OB more! I've been to two other OB's and it's only to her that I felt most comfortable with. My habibi's wish to go to other hospital for a checkup was granted in an instant. I guess we should really be careful what we wish for! :D
During our first checkup, we were told to come two weeks after so we can check the development of my pregnancy and see the heart starts beating. Since then we are doing our countdown by the number of folic acid tablets I've taken. Finally the day had arrived. Since my habibi can't take a leave as often as I can, he planned to sneak out of his office for a while to see our next ultrasound. It's a good thing that the hospital is just a 5 minute taxi ride from his office. Aside from the ultrasound I'm excited to see my true OB this to check on me.
Once in her office, she started to read to us the result of the sperm analysis that my hubby did before we went back to Philippines. As agreed, my OB would call me for the result so I won't need to come to the hospital for it. Unfortunately she wasn't able to contact me for my phone was unavailable. She thought we were there to consult for a fertility work up. She was so surprised when I told her that we're already pregnant! She didn't see anything on her notes. Apparently, it was on the next page of my record book. We all had a good laugh about it.
She did an ultrasound to check the baby. We're so happy that we can now see something inside the sac! I'm definitely pregnant! Aside from that we saw the beating heart of our baby! I asked if we can hear it. We almost didn't get to hear it for the machine she used is old. But our baby wanted to show off so he let us hear it. It's a bit faint to hear but my OB assured us that the baby's heartbeat rate is normal. That's good enough for me. We are again scheduled for another checkup one month after. It's a long wait!!! Below are new pix and the video of the heartbeat of our baby. For the video, hear closely when you get to 8-10 seconds and 20-24 seconds period of playtime.
