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It’s been more than two months since my last update. What’s with the newborn, the new home, children’s schoolwork, and having to ‘entertain’ the helper’s antics, no doubt my maternity leave has never been busier. No chance to ‘action tai-tai‘ walk around Orchard Road shopping with baby on weekdays like I used to during my last maternity leave.
‘Action tai-tai’ two years ago when Anaqi was just a little baby.
So what happened during my absence from blogville?
Friends came to visit.
05th and 6th Mar 2011 – I was still putting up at my parents’ when a couple of my old friends and BFFs came to visit, and showered baby Aqeil with gifts. Thank you lovely aunties and uncles for your generosity.
(More photos are up on Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aprima/sets/72157626584375615/)
New ‘toys’ to play with.
10th Mar 2011 - It was the first day of IT Show 2011, P and I headed down to Suntec Convention Centre where we had plans to recce camera lenses, but were saddened when told that Canon lenses were not available for sale during the show. We then made a quick pitstop to Nubox to check on a few Apple products and in less than an hour, we were proud owners of this – an iMac! (Buh-bye Windows XP!). It comes with a 27″ LED-backlit display, 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory and 1TB of disk space! (yes, very tech stuff, I know)
Our purchase from the IT Show 2011.
12th Mar 2011 – After my disappointment of not getting the-badly-most-wanted-camera-lens at the IT Show, P and I decided to make a trip down to Cathay Photo at Peninsula Plaza to check out a few. I heard this place sells a huge range of camera lenses at reasonable prices and they’ve got excellent sales staff. Anyway, I tried out a couple of lenses on my own Canon EOS 40D and finally decided to get…
Sigma 18-250mm DC OS HSM
… and on top of that, I added an external flash to my checkout basket.
Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash
Guess what (or who) are the first subjects to model their first tryout?
Chak!
Such are the things that excite me! (Dresses, bags and shoes, you say? Not quite as much.)
Sister’s Engagement & Birthday!
26th Mar 2011 – Yes, my little sister Dhiah is all so grown up now. On this day, she turned 25 years of age and got engaged! (Hey, wasn’t it only yesterday she woke up for kindergarten?). Anyway, she’s engaged to a Mohd Sadiq, who seems like a nice guy. I’ve seen him twice or thrice, but I haven’t spoken to him before. But I’m so happy for them both. Insyallah, semoga pertunangan mereka kekal hingga ke jinjang pelamin. Amin.
More photos on Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aprima/sets/72157626585172549/
Stay tune for April happenings and Housewarming entries in my upcoming posts soon.
On 06th February 2011, 12.26pm SGT, Mateen Aqeil Izz became the newest member of our family. He weighs 3.305 kg and measured at 51cm in length. To be honest, I wasn’t really prepared for his birth this week despite signs that he will be arriving anytime soon. But nonetheless, I am thankful that he did.
Me and my baby, Mateen Aqeil Izz
Comparing this birth to that of my previous ones, I can honestly say, this one is as tough as the ones I endured when birthing my firstborn (Misha) and second-born (Mika). I prefer the labour I had with Anaqi, despite not given any anesthesia at that time. (read here on Anaqi’s labour story: http://aprima.org/2009/05/18/welcome-to-the-world-mirza-anaqi/ )
Based on my experience, going au naturale is the way to go. No induce. No drips. You WILL feel maximum pain BUT it will be a fast, non-draggy one, as opposed to being induced. Many would say, after the third, the fourth labour should be quick and easy. Well, not quite.
I was already timing my contractions from the night before (05th Feb) around 11pm SGT. Since the pattern was irregular, I never thought I would be admitted in the wee hours of the next morning. It was when I had trouble sleeping, and kept tossing and turning in bed uncomfortably that I asked P to send me to the hospital to see if I’m already dilated. It was already around 4.45am SGT at that time. True enough, I was already 4cm dilated, and had to remain in the labour ward.
By 8am SGT, my contractions were still irregular and Dr Heng called up one of the midwives and ordered her to give me “the drip” so I will dilate quicker. The dosage started from 80mL/h to 120mL/h, and eventually the maximum dosage of 150mL/h was given.
The drip at 120mL/h.
Dejavu. Drip given, just like my 1st and 2nd labour.
Warning: What you’re about to read may contain too much info.
At around 11.30am SGT, Dr Heng arrived at the labour ward to check on my dilation progress. Since my cervix opened up at a very slow rate (it was 6cm when he arrived), he had to rupture my waterbag to quicken the dilation process even further. He then told me to inform the midwives immediately should I have the urge to push, and they’ll contact him again. I managed a “Thank you Dr. Heng. Happy New Year!” before he left the building. From then on until 12.26pm SGT, I went through a tough ordeal. The gas mask became my best friend again after a long time.
Contractions became more regular and more frequent that the pain became more unbearable that I had to request for a pethidine jab. One of the midwives had me checked and I was already 9cm dilated. She refused my pethidine request saying it’s already too late to have one. They called up Dr Heng, who then had to make a quick u-turn back to the hospital.
During the last stages, the midwives massaged my thighs excessively and asked me to blow into the gas mask several times to refrain me from “accidentally pushing my baby out” before Dr Heng arrives. I overheard one midwife telling P that Dr Heng was “around the corner, at a traffic light”, and this conversation lasted within a span of 4 massive contractions! One midwife even had to stop my baby from “emerging out” with her hands and held it there for sometime. (Okay, TMI!!)
Anyway, the doctor finally came just in time for one hard push before my newborn makes his presence 
Welcome to the world, Baby Mateen Aqeil Izz!
He will have his first pediatric check up tomorrow. Let’s hope he is free from any illnesses, insyallah, and not have a repeat of what Anaqi had went through. (Read here on Anaqi’s Heart Condition: http://aprima.org/2010/02/28/anaqis-heart-condition/ )
Till my next baby update
For those who haven’t known, I’m already into my 38+ week pregnancy with my fourth child. I have been updating twitter since my second trimester, and only more recently on Facebook.
I have this sad case of not constantly updating my blog with my pregnancy updates, let it be from my first up to my current one. If you select “pregnancy” under my blog category section, you’ll find just a measly set of 10 posts throughout my entire span of 4 pregnancies in total. Parah kan? During Misha’s time, it was even sadder – only one short paragraph. AND…if you had also noticed, my pregnancy posts are mostly towards the end trimester when baby’s already almost full term. Heh.
Getting back to the point of my entry, this fourth experience is quite different from the rest. Different in the sense baby has been kicking way more than any of his siblings at this stage (yes, baby is a boy as claimed by my gynae). It is as if my womb is a tumble-dryer and baby keeps on spinning and spinning and spinning and kicking and kicking and kicking. Not that THAT is a bad thing. Dr Heng (my gynae) did mentioned baby MUST move at least 10 times in a day. But this is way beyond the daily benchmark 
Alhamdulillah, this means that baby is doing fine.
I do get constant backaches at night (due to cold perhaps? or baby’s positioning?) and sleepless nights, but apart from those I’m still able to roam about, walking distances all around Singapore! Heh. My cousins are amazed that I still have the energy to do so at this late stage (yes, I foursquare).
In other news, pre-labor contractions have started. I tried timing my contractions, but they’re somewhat irregular. So I deduce baby is still comfy inside and not ready to see the world yet. Perhaps he wants to wait till the 10th so he can share the same birthday as my 2nd sister, Ana a.k.a Menot? Or maybe even later in the month till the 17th so he can share it with my brother, Musli?
Will wait and see…
Original EDD 11th Feb. After FA scan, it became 10th Feb.
Gender identified after 19th week.
Most recent scan at 38 weeks. EDD is on 2nd Feb! (That’s like tomorrow, but I figured maybe not just yet).
Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for the congrats and well wishes – it’s nice to hear!
After my two-day stay at East Shore, I was glad to be out of the hospital. I was even more glad that Anaqi was not held up for his mild jaundice as compared to his elder brother almost two years ago.
The first few nights has been pretty tiring, as the bub kept waking up for feed every one to two hours. I was having bad headaches that won’t quit, probably due to the lack of sleep (and engorgement feeding issues). After a while, I began to adapt to my new routine. Feeding became much easier, and late-night cries became a lot less.
Within the first week, Anaqi had two doctors’ appointments – one with Dr Heng (Gynae) on 20th May to check on his jaundice, and another with Dr Low (Pediatric) on 21st May for his overall assessment. It was during the PD check-up that I was told Anaqi had a heart murmur, and was suspected to have a hole in his heart. He wrote a referral letter for an appointment with a heart specialist at KK Hospital on 25th May. The details of that will ensue in my next entry.
As for his jaundice, it remains mild. I continue to sun him every morning and evening (at times even in the afternoon where the light shines directly into our balcony). Now he is one tanned baby! (Thankfully, not fried…) However his eyes still show a tinge of yellow. Hopefully his jaundice will go away soon.
On Day 7, P and I shaved off his hair close to botak (bald). Due to the nature of his hair texture and volume, it’s difficult to get him completely clean-shaven. P calls him little Leonidas (because of Gerard Butler’s hairdo in 300, heh.) Spot the difference?
So far, I noticed the little one has been smiling a lot with gazing eyes, as if responding back to when his name is called. Too cute!
Until more updates…
Shortly after 0600hrs on 14th May 2009, Mirza Anaqi became the newest member of our family. He weighed at 3.225kg and measured at 49cm in length. Even though this was my third labour ordeal, the whole experience did not fall short of being dramatic. So much for the "I-should-be-used-to-it-by-now" mentality.
Me and my newborn, Mirza Anaqi.
I was already having slight contractions throughout Wednesday night. As the frequency was irregular, I simply just ignored them. It was in the wee hours of Thursday morning, around 0115hrs, I was still online checking my emails (even forwarded a Pumpkin Patch Mid Season sale promotion to Liz and Yati), when I felt the contractions were about 10 minutes apart. I thought I’d just shut down my computer, head to bed and try to sleep off the pain, and probably wait till the next morning to go over to the hospital after both Ipul and Misha had headed for school.
Well, I thought wrong! Trying to sleep sucked as I was feeling really uncomfortable. I took a hot shower and felt that I needed to go to the hospital right away. After bath, I woke P up (who apparently had just dozed off while I was showering) and requested him to send me to East Shore. I think it was around 0300hrs at that time (I wasn’t exactly keeping track). The contractions felt even closer now (and a bit unbearable), and we really had no choice but to leave the sleeping kids behind, at home alone, while we zoomed off to the hospital.
As soon as we reached there, I was a little lost because the place is just newly-renovated, and the entrance has been detoured. Ultimately the security guard saw me, and helped to wheel me in on a wheelchair. I was sent straight to the labour ward, as opposed to the previous two experiences where I had to register myself first before being sent to the ward. P made a return trip home in an attempt to send the kids over to my parents’.
In the ward, I had to change to the operating gown while lying down on the delivery bed. The midwife checked me and I was told I was already 8cm dilated, and can deliver about anytime soon. I texted P to ask him to return back to the hospital immediately, after I called and spoke to my dad to help fetch the kids instead. At that time, it was about 0400hrs in the morning.
The midwife did all the prep work – strapped me to check my BP, contraction level, baby’s heart rate, etc. This time, there was no inducing required. I was informed that the baby’s heart rate was pretty low on and off, and warned me against using any form of anesthesia – the gas and/or pethidine drug – as it may put the baby at risk. I was asked only to inhale oxygen to help regulate the baby’s heart rate better. Imagine the pain I had to endure throughout the whole thing!
Baby’s heart rate was low on and off.
Time passed by pretty fast when you’re in pain. After reaching 10cm dilation, Dr Heng (my gynae) eventually arrived, and with the midwife’s "assistance" (I’m not going into much details on that), at 0605hrs, the baby’s finally outside, instead of inside, before you know it! It was all 100% natural! I was of course sore and a bit tired, but recovering well, and very happy to be done with pregnancy.
The baby is indeed adorable and cuddly, and P and I are having a wonderful time getting to know our new son! I will upload more pictures on Flickr, Facebook and Multiply soon.
Having contemplated when’s the right time to inform everyone, I guess now is the time to do so.
I’m now into my 18th week of my third pregnancy. I had an ultrasound done last Friday, and the gender of the baby was announced. It’s a boy! It’s not hard to identify the little boy parts as he had both his arms and legs up over his head – amazing how flexible they are at this stage! So far everything looks good – his size, weight, heart rate. I will be having a detailed FA scan in 2 days. Will update again.
Liza has given birth to a healthy baby girl this very day (19.05.2008) at 2255hrs. The baby is born one month earlier than her estimated due date, but the doctor considered her a full term baby (the baby’s fully-developed and already engaged, and mom was already dilated). The baby weighs 2.4kg at birth.
I’m very glad to hear both mum and baby are doing fine. The mom is really tired (who isn’t after an almost 13 hour labour!), so you’ll probably hear from her as soon as she’s well-rested.
Kudos to Liza for withstanding her “toughest ordeal in her entire life” (in her own words) and went for a normal birth instead of a c-sect. I’m proud to be the new god-mother of their little bundle of joy…
ps: The hospital was my second home today.
Firstly, I would like to apologize for my lack of posts in the past couple of weeks. As you may have guessed, I finally had my baby. After the long 40+ weeks of gestation, my beautiful bundle of joy has arrived! Let me warn you though that the rest of this post would be a depiction of my labour experience, leaving the warm and fuzzy details of parenthood joy for my next entry.
During the first few days after my estimated due date had passed, P had brought Misha and I along to work everyday (he spent most of his work time on the roads so we just stayed in the car the whole time) so that in the event of any ‘emergency’, he would be ready to send me to the hospital anytime. He didn’t want me to be at home all alone when I’m having labour contractions. However on Friday morning (05.10.2007), P wanted us to stay over at my Mom’s so that we can be ‘properly looked after’. That morning, I’ve been having minor contractions but was still able to walk, although with slight discomfort. At about 1600hrs, the contractions were timed much closer together and the pain was more immense. I still had time to take a bath and this time I thought my water bag had leaked slightly. After shower, I texted P on his cellphone saying that I needed to go to the hospital immediately. He arrived at Mom’s and sent me to East Shore hospital in a jiffy.
In the labour ward, the midwife checked me and informed that I was already 5 cm dilated! After that everything seemed to move on pretty fast. I tried to refrain myself from taking in too much (painkiller) drugs so that I can ‘witness’ the delivery without feeling groggy (the last time when I was delivering Misha, I did not even get to see Misha’s face in the clear due to drug overdose). In the next hour or so, the pain became more unbearable and I had no choice but to make the gas mask my best friend for the day. After about an hour of excruciating contractions, I had requested for a pethadine jab, but refused later when I was told that I was already 9cm dilated. During this time, my gynae was called in to rupture my waterbag. At 2038hrs, Friday, October 5th, 2007, Mika’il Rusydi was born, after approximately 4.5 hours of labour. He was measured at 52cm, weighing 3.335kg at birth.
Mika’il Rusydi Bin Shafri
It has really been a fascinating experience to see how your child has developed throughout the months and witness her physical features change right in front of your very eyes. Misha, now 4 months and 3 weeks old, has acquired quite a handful of capabilities what most babies have attained in at least 6 months or beyond. Yes, my little girl is now starting to… crawl!
Misha: “Look mom…I can do this now…”
Not only that, she can do her own mini push ups too!
Misha: “Mom, do you think I’m eligible for a baby-NAPFA test?”
Hmm, kuat betul anak mak…terlebih vitamin, kot?
Besides having shown her physical development, she’s also now more responsive to the camera.
Misha: “Mom, I think I want to be a model when I grow up…”
Err, nanti mak pertimbangkan dulu, ye…
Misha: “Okay, how do you like my pose now?”
And you can never be too young to start watching football, right?
Misha: “Hmm, I wonder if it’s Chelsea or Liverpool who’s gonna win this time…?”
Hi All,
I would like to introduce to you my little 10-day-old baby girl, Misha Humaira Binte Shafri. Born on 24th September 2005 @ 10:31am at East Shore Hospital. Birth weight recorded at 3.22kg, and length at 51cm.
Misha and Mummy would like to convey our heartfelt thanks to all for the well-wishes and gifts!
Misha & Mummy (photo courtesy of Liz)
(photo courtesy of Peter Pan)
Daddy braves himself to shave off Misha’s hair on the 7th day.
