Journey of our new member - Ashley Teo

28th April 2012, 1600hrs

This special post document down the arrival of our new family member, Ashley, who was born on this special day,

Name : Ashley Teo
Date of birth : 28th April 2012
Time of birth : 1600hrs
Place of birth : Singapore General hospital, Blk 5, level 2 room 2(Delivery Ward)

On 27th April 2012 at 3am+, I was awaken from my sleep....
Hayley came out of the toilet and shouted my name..

Hayley : Ling, got "Show" already...
Kirk jump up : Oh.. then....(still holding my head)...etc, lets call the delivery ward and ask them how..
Hayley called, nurse ask her to go to Delivery ward to check. We then pack some things, took a taxi and rush to the hospital, block 5 level 2.

Upon arrival, the doctor checked and told her that "Show" started, but its not dilated yet, less than 1cm, and ask us to go back, infact ask us to go back to work tomorrow. At that moment, hayley's reaction was.. huh? back to work?? I needed sleep. but probably we were too obedient, so went back around 5am, I slept for about an hour before I went to work, hayley could not sleep due to baby kicking and pushing and went to work also.

At night, I told Hayley, lets sleep early today as we didn't sleep last night, so we went to bed at 11am. Again I slept but hayley could not sleep.

On 28th April, 1am, again hayley shouted again and I jump up.

Hayley : Ling, bleed again and got contraction this time round.
Kirk : Oh....should we go again??
Hayley : Think we go..
And off we went to the hospital. upon arrival, the doctor check again and this time round the doctor said that contraction starts, but still not dilated yet. and ask us to go back. but this time round, Hayley felt that she would like to stay in. so I went off to do the admission and at around 3am, I went back home while Hayley stayed in a B1 room sharing with 4 others. Reach home around 4:30am.

At 5:35am, hayley called my mobile, and 1st word that struck me was...
Hayley : Ling, water bag break liao.
Kirk : Oh..... (still holding my head)..so did the doctor say roughly how long baby will come out?
Hayley : not so fast, still less than 1cm.
Kirk : So how long does the 1cm grow?
hayley : don't know, but maybe quite long.
Kirk : Ok, I will come over soon.

After that, I woke up, showered, took my camera and went off at around 6:30am. went to level 30 to take the beautiful sunrise from my Iphone 4s and from my camera. after that, went downstairs to have breakfast till 7:15am. Then went off to hospital.

Around 7:30am I arrived at the Labour ward and seeing Hayley groaning in pain due to the midst of contraction. so I sat there and waited, at about 9am, the nurse and doctor advise to go straight to delivery room so that she can make use of the equipments there to make her more comfortable.

At 10:30, hayley was ferried to the delivery room. At first, the midwives gave hayley "Entonox", or "Nitrous Oxide", AKA Laughing Gas, and every few mins she will need to be gas. to expand from 1cm to 2cm take a long time, till 1 of the doctor have to come to help stretch to expand to 2cm, by then 1 of the midwive suggested to give Pethidine, it is a type of drugs that helps to relieve the pain abit, but it did not help much, and still go for Nitrous Oxide. meanwhile 1 of the midwive assured us that by 4cm, they will give her Epidural, which many described it as Magic formula, so anxiously waiting to dilate to 4cm.

Time comes when it is finally dilated to 4cm, the anesthetist came and prepare the Epidural, but before she could start, she ask hayley a series of questions, and 1 of the question she ask was if hayley had met with any accident or back problem before. And hayley confess that she had a slip disc, upon hearing it, the anesthetist stop and explain that with the past injury, she will not proceed on, this leave a cut to hayley's emotion and will have to bear with it till Ashley is out.

at about 1:45pm, I ask hayley if she can managed so far and so I went to "Coffee and Toast" at SGH for late lunch, and during lunch, my Mother in law, Clement and Wendy came to meet me for lunch, so we took lunch together till 2:45 and decide to go back up to the delivery ward.

When I came to the ward, I was surprised to see about 5 midwives and the Head of Gynecology, Assoc Prof. Tan Hak Koon, 1 of them excitedly told me that it is now 8cm and can prepare the procedure. All the midwives were there, and very encouraging. While hayley was pushing, the midwives will update the progress, and ask me to take a peek at the baby's head. The pushing lasted till 3:40pm, and by then it is 9cm and Prof Tan came in, prepare his robe, he continue to encourage hayley to push. At the final moment, at 4pm sharp, Ashley is being pushed out, Ashley is born.

After Ashley is born, there was a moment of boo boo, the midwive brought ashley to her mummy, they put ashley on hayley's body for about 1 min, then Prof Tan quickly ask them not to as ashley needs to be checked. Below are the stat.

Name : Ashley Teo
Chinese name :
Height(Head to Toe) : 52cm
Head Circumference : 34cm

Next she was cleaned off those dirty blood. and then brought to hayley once again. immediately she was breast fed and about 1 hour later, she was send back to the labour ward to rest. Ashley was brought to nursery and then back to the ward to be with hayley. I get to stay in the SGH "Hotel" for free.