Engaged!!

We were at Dr N’s clinic last week when he announced that Baby is actually engaged!!!! What this means is that Baby’s head is mostly lowered and not in the abdomen anymore. Looks like this is really it!!!

He had actually predicted about a month ago that Baby will be out by 28th or 29th of this month so that gave us some emotional preparation. If not can you imagine our shock and surprise when we learn that Baby will be out next week??!!

This is almost 10 days before the EDD!! So much for a 2008 baby and away from all the competitions from all the other babies that are around us. I had posted (see Joe) that I prefer Baby to be born next year since there are at least 4 babies that we know, 2 of whom are family, that are born this year. I rather not have the pressure of these parents comparing notes and results throughout Baby’s life.

During one of the recent visits the Mrs was made to go through a Strep B test and unfortunately the result came back positive.

I’m not familiar with this but according to the Internet and Dr N, it has the potential to really cause some serious harm to Baby. Naturally Dr N is not prepared to take any risk with Baby hence he has ordered the Mrs to go for a CTG test every 3 days or so. This is to monitor Baby and at the same time help determine when we should induce the labour.

The reason he gave for the induction was he wanted to make sure that Baby has absorbed the necessary antibiotics before going through the vagina and the only way to do this is to inject the antibiotics into the Mrs 4 hours before rupturing the membrane. Unless the water bag bursts on its own within these next few days, it looks like we have to sit down and seriously think of Baby’s birth date.

So much for a drug free birth huh?!

Good thing is our priority has always been the health of the Mrs and Baby. This will take precedence over any preference, theory or ideology. Like I said before the things we take away from the HypnoBirthing class will be something that we can apply to our daily lives so it is not a waste as such.

We are scheduled to go back for another CTG test on Boxing Day and I believe we will have to provide Dr N with a date that we would like to have the labour. I am blogging now at Paragon Starbucks on Sunday, 23rd December and we are no closer to coming up with a birth date.

On the hindsight by inducing the labour, we are in better control of things, logistic wise. We do not have to worry about being out shopping and then have to face the bursting of the water bag. By scheduling the labour, I can also bring everything such as the stem cord kit.

Come to think of it, since so many people are on leave this time of the year, maybe I can invite them all down for moral support!! They can wait outside the delivery suite and pray and cheer for the Mrs. I think I might just extend the invitation to a few friends and families. Readers are included so if you are having your routine checkup at Mt E over the next few days, then maybe you too would like to consider popping by!

Now that we are thinking about the actual labour, the Mrs has also started to plan about methods of pain prevention just in case. We have already stated in our birth plan that we know of the various pain relief so we will request for it should and when the time comes.

A friend, J gave us an excellent idea. She is a mother of 2 with the youngest, Megan (nice name right?) born earlier this year. J told the Mrs that when she was having her surges (contractions) she actually asked the midwife on a scale of 1 – 10 when compared to the pain during actual delivery, which level would she be at that particular time. The midwife said 4 and she knew instantly that she required the epidural.

I believe the Mrs will use the same method to gauge if she requires the same pain relief. Unless of course by inducing the labour things will happen much quicker and she has to make a decision before even we begin.

So there you have it! Baby should be seeing the world real soon and I have decided to stay over in the hospital and will keep you all posted through this blog. We learned that the rooms are wi-fi enabled and tentatively it is still free of charge. So be prepared to see a few pictures of Baby real soon.

Do stay tune and in the meantime suggestions on the birth date anyone?

Merry Christmas to you all and may you have a wonderful year ahead!

Happy Birthing!