Precious : GDM

It was around the 28th week into pregnancy. 
I was just there for normal checkup and they ask me to go for a MGTT.
(MGTT stands for Modified Glucose Tolerance Test)
MGTT is usually offered to pregnant women with previous history / family history / obese / high risk factor of diabetes.
They told me currently I'm not in the above group but their reason for giving me this test was
I had previously a big baby @ 3.85kg (they say for my size, it's consider big)
I even offered them explanation : could it be because baby's father is big too? 
I tell them so because I was there for checkup myself so they have not seen the baby's father. 
They say still I have to go for the test, regardless ... it's better to be on the safe side.
They gave me the instruction to fast and the date to come again.
So, home I went & started with my research.
Honestly, I loathe (if not hate) all kind of unnecessary tests / intervention because I feel they create unnecessary stress / tension to an otherwise healthy pregnancy.


On the day, as instructed, I started fasting the night before and were feeling my stomach empty. 
1st tube of blood taken and we were literally 'forced' to drink a 'too sweet and vomit inducing solution'. We were to continue to fast until the 2nd tube of blood taken after 2 hours. 
Result will be out later. Waiting is definately not fun. 
I was careless though. I still eat as usual without taking into consideration that I may possibility of having GDM (gestinational diabetes melitus). 
I've taken myself for granted and may have risk my baby. This I really feel very guilty. 


Result is out and I'm not ok. 
So doctor asked me to admit & do BSP ( Blood Sugar Profiling) immediately which again I hesitated. I even negotiate to come in and do the test at different interval instead of admission but the doctor wanted an immediate admission. 
At last, I managed to convince the doctor that I'll admit tomorrow.
The doctor say, if situation warrant, I'll need to learn to inject insulin beside diet control.
I guess I was in denial and just couldn't accept that I'm in the 5%-7% that get GDM during pregnancy.
The doctor reprimanded me saying I shouldn't 'main main' (translated play play) and told me the consequences. 
All of sudden, the seriousness of the situation to baby & me struck me like lightning.
I loss myself for a while. 


I didn't know how to break the news. I felt so bad. I felt I've not done what a mother should to protect the baby in her womb. 
As I've to be admitted to hospital, I've got no choice but to 'share the burden' with ah dear. I think he has the right to know despite me not wanting anyone to know.
I even asked him to lie on my behalf. I thought everything can be resolved unknowingly but that is not true. Paper cannot wrap fire ah...like they chinese put it.


So there I'm early morning ... ah dear bring me to admit myself to the hospital. This is the 2nd time I admit hospital. The 1st time was when deliver 1st child. 
At the maternity ward, I feel a little out of place. Some thought I'm waiting to be induced. Some thought I'm waiting for labour. All except that I came in just for BSP. 
Throughout the morning, there about 12 students in different groups asking me the same questions and I actually answered them diligently.. haha, talking about NBTD (Nothing better to do). I was visited by a few doctors from different fields (which I can't remember clearly now except for the dietitian)


At times, even I myself can be frightened by my own action and boldness. 
I told the doctor I need to go home and come back tomorrow morning. I say I need to go fetch my kid, my kid need me to fall asleep la ... all sort of nonsense I can think of...
I even promised to be back at the hospital @ 6am. 
The doctor on duty told me she has to refer to the registrar. Nevertheless, the outcome was that admitted patient is not allowed to leave hospital unless discharged.


To tell the truth, I actually eat just minimal because I was stupid enough to sort of 'cap my blood sugar level' so that it will not go so high until I need insulin injection. I'm very very scared of this. I was hungry and fighting the urge to eat more. 


Since I'm there, my as well make good use of it. I managed to complete some outstanding reading. But the best of all, I managed to talk to more than a dozen of mothers there, say angugu to all their babies ...gaining from their stories, their background, their experience and even some age old traditions or practice of different ethnics. My biggest gain was that at last I roughly can imagine what to expect giving birth there.


To cut long story short, I couldn't sleep well at night at the ward. Without my pillow, my bolster (main support for big tummy during pregnancy), it's hard to fall asleep. One baby was crying almost every hour...I found out the next morning that the chinese mom didn't have (enough) breastmilk so her baby was hungry till the nurse offered formula milk. 
This chinese mother turn out to be a very nice lady. She's smaller in size than me and she shares with me her birthing experience. She's someone down to earth and very comfortable to talk to. 
In fact, I actually feel sad leaving her (for someone whom I had know a few hour). She had to stay one more day because her baby need to be monitored.


Going back from hospital is not the end of the GDM ordeal... in fact it's only the beginning.


Looking back at the whole episode thereafter, I feel relieved now that it was only GDM (only during pregnancy due to hormonal change).
Not only that, my biggest finding about myself...sometimes those things I do can be really STUPID but if everything is perfect and I'm so smart, I wouldn't have learnt so much. I wouldn't have appreciate myself.

Business of being born

Last Thursday, an ex-colleague sms'ed me. 

She's giving birth to a dragon baby in Feb 2012.  

In her message, she said she may plan for elective C-sec again.

This is her 2nd child. Her 1st child was born via elective C-sec.

She wants to know what's my opinion since I've experienced both.

Earlier, she has been contemplating vbac.
I had some difficulty replying her sms and giving her my opinion without being slightly biased. I tried giving a neutral opinion... but I guess she would have read those everywhere on the net.
I ended up asking her gently what was her doctor's advice (since her doctor knows her should condition best)
She said her doctor say it's up to her.
I asked her for her email and promised to share more with her since I was outside and couldn't do long sms reply (remember, I couldn't multitask well =p)


On my way back, I was thinking hard how to share with her my opinion without being biased and let her make her own choice. I do not want to be seen as 'hardselling' VBAC / natural birth because it's really really an individual choice, individual preference. 
I'm not against c-sec, it is life saving.


In the end, what I did was share with her this documentary 'Business of being born' and a few links which I find very helpful.
This 'Business of being born' was one of the influence in my decision. 
It has strengthened & consolidated what I believe in.
Now that it has helped me... I too would like to share this with all yet-to-be mothers, want-to-be mothers, soon-to-be mothers, already-a-mother, soon-to-be mothers of 2,3,4,5...., fathers and anyone who's involved directly or indirectly in a mother's delivery. 


* ps. thank you so much to ah dear for helping me find & download this documentary(after  he saw me trying to watch snippets, snippets & snippets on youtube. It may be a small gesture but it meant alot and I'm moved.


spare a little of time to watch, you'll see 'something'.
and please feel free to share =) 
btw, this is not a paid post and I don't get anything. Enjoy the trailers.

Precious : antenatal class

If you still remember my earlier post on wth I've got more important things to do ,
here's the more important thing that I'm referring to.


In my attempt for VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Ceasarean), I've look high & low to attend any classes that will increase my chances.
When I finally found out about the antenatal class HUKM is offering, the 24/9/11 class is full and even on the waiting list, I was told even the waiting list is full.


I've got no choice but to enrol for the next class on 22/10/11. They have only 1 class per month. The overwhelming response for the september class was because being the 'puasa' month, August has no class. I even went to the extend of asking my baby to wait, give mama chance to attend antenatal class. 
True enough, my little one allow me the chance for she came 8 days after I attended the class.


Never mind the fact that we had to fork out RM100 per couple, I have to pre-book my very busy ah dear. The class starts from 8.30am to 5.30pm.


We were a little sceptical as the previous antenatal class we attended during 1st child were more like a series of compact marketing advertising series put together. So we went to this with open mind.


The day came and we went, during registration we were asked if we are 1st time parents,      I told them no but I forgot (just answer for answering sake).


Upon seeing my tummy,
Nurse : ni dah macam nak bersalin ni, bila due? 
me : awal november kak
Nurse : tapi ni dah turun ni ... nanti bila buat senaman, u tengok je la, takut nanti you bersalin hari kat sini pulak.
me : tak pe kak, boleh buat lagi, tak takut. Lagi nak belajar.
Nurse : tapi memang you punya nampak macam dah nak bersalin bila bila masa.


These are the topics covered
1. Normal & abnormal birth
2. Jagaan selepas bersalin and perancangan keluarga
3. Pain relief in labour
4. Optimal nourishment during pregnancy
5. cord blood
6. Penjagaan bayi & permohonan sijil kelahiran
7. penyusuan ibu
8. Senaman antenatal, breathing exercise & postnatal
9. tour of labour room & ward.


Overall, I find this antenatal class good and informative. 
I like activity 8 and 9 the best. However, I almost totally forgotten how to breath during labour. I also like the touring part because it allow us to know where we will be giving birth rather than suprise.


In attending to this, I've missed another FOC antenatal organise by nurses @ KKIA (Klinik Kesihatan Ibu & Anak). It was so co-incidentally on the same day and the nurses very much wanted me to join. Yes, I've grown very close to them for they are the ones that took care of me during this pregnancy and even visited us numerous time @ home postnatal. I feel guilty for letting them down since they very sincerely organised the antenatal class and come back to work on Saturday for the sake of us mothers.

Precious : coconut water

with this, I'll start my sporadical periodical flashback on my 怀孕 旅程.

I couldn't tell you more how I'm obsessed with young coconut water even before I reaches 3rd trimester of pregnancy ... for it was the only luxury, the only indulgence I could afford (thanks to gestational diabetes I had).

I could go on a 'coconut water spree' and 'coconut hunt' without being questioned..haha

I discovered that coconut water is like chocolate, people (read: I) can get addicted.

As a proof of how bad was my addiction was :

On the late afternoon of the day I gave birth, with contraction of 5 minutes apart (painful contractions mind you), I still have the 'mood/energy/motivation/whatever it takes' to go Tesco to get those 'tender young coconut' selling at RM2.09 / RM2.19 each.

The price differences you noticed? It was price of the precious commodities 'coconut' @ Tesco at different days / weeks. Yes, I'm that obsessed that I stalk the 'coconut fella' and survey almost all stores selling coconut within 5 km in my neighborhood.

Looking back,I didn't know how the hell did I manage to limp around with painful contractions and back pain in Tesco, stopping every 5 minutes (pretending to see things when bitting teeth to tahan pain) just to buy 3 biji of coconuts that I didn't even get to consume....because I 'pushed' that particular night.

lol...such is the power of the 'COCONUT'

椰子 万岁 万岁 万万岁