Never trust your Lomo

before i say anything... ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

and AAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH again!!!!!!!!!

I had 2 rolls of film which I have put off developing for some time. One roll was shot with my Nikon F100 at my good friend Marc's wedding in Dec 2007. The other was shot with my Lomo LCA during my delivery of Dylan in the labour ward and his first few weeks thereafter. I was so looking forward to the pictures from the latter roll as some of the shots were shot WHILE I WAS IN LABOUR, from my point of view. Damn, those images keep flashing in my mind now as I think of what could have been, the shots now gone forever because the stupid film got stuck on the 3rd frame so any shots after that are all over frame 4 :'(

So many questions, why then did the winder still advance? Why didn't I use the DSLR? Why why why? Too late. Now I am seriously contemplating another baby just so to get those shots again hahaha, yes I must be mad.

Off to get the Lomo checked! :s
You have yourselves a great weekend!

(the roll from Marc's wedding)

and then there were 2

You know, I think I overestimate myself sometimes. When my due date for #2 was estimated as 12 June, I was still confident that I can make it through the Motherhood Exhibition from 5-8 June. Which I did!

Thinking that since Kayden had to be induced on the EDD, I expected this pregnancy to be similar. I was hoping for something dramatic though, like waterbag bursting or waking up in the middle of the night with painful contractions. Right up till the end of the exhibition, I was still taking bookings for shoots and on Monday (the day after the exhibition ended), it was still work as usual. On Tuesday, I brought the girls to Cathay Photo to get some new lights and I was contemplating getting the Lensbaby to shoot my delivery (ya funny right, how to shoot when in labour. Well, there's epidural!) but it was sold out! After we lug the equipment back to the studio, I got ready to go home as usual and expected to come in tomorrow as there was a shoot and also I needed to tie up some loose ends and bring home my camera etc. Little did I know that I would never make it to the studio the next day!

Here's the story:

11 June 2008
7am - bloody discharge, started to time contractions and when they were about 9mins apart i took a shower while Erwin prepared Kayden for child care.

820am - left the house, waited for the lift and it broke down!!! my 5yrs living here there has been no problem with the lift and it HAD to happen when i am in labour! jeeze :s i clumsily walked down 8 storeys of stairs and we zoomed off. Erwin dropped K in school hurriedly and then it started to rain and there was massive traffic on the CTE. i panicked when the contractions became 6mins apart.

930am - finally reached the hospital and i went straight to labour ward. 2.5cm dilated (DAMN FREAKING PAINFUL when this midwife checked the dilation, wanted to slap her).

11am - epidural has been administered and waited for dilation to reach 10cm. didn't happen for some time until...

4something pm - felt sharp pain on right side lower pelvic area, told Erwin to get the nurse as i've never experienced this pain before. she came in and checked dilation and said i was fully dilated! Eunice came in and said can start pushing. So exciting, up till then I still wasn't mentally prepared. Only when i was pushing and she said the head is visible did it really dawn on me that i am really going to see my second born today! :D i pushed like crazy, this one seems harder to squeeze out than the first one.

435pm - baby out, big phew! he is 4kg exactly, 55cm tall and 36cm head.

some of you may think he's big but his brother was bigger at 4.475kg, however Gor Gor is 54cm, 1cm shorter kekeke, head size the same.

here's a picture of didi (taken on my iPhone as the D200 was still in the studio):

isn't he just so precious? :) the moment i saw him, all my woes of not having a girl disappeared as he is just so cute la! haha!

I would like to thank all who came to visit me and also those who sent us gifts, hampers and flowers! THANK YOU so so much! :)

I bought myself some more time for $100!

Whoo hoo! My amazing obstetrician Eunice Chua managed to turn my baby last friday when i went for my checkup. It seemed so easy, first she scanned to see where the head was, it was on my right side near the upper rib cage area and the butt was to my left side near my waist! No wonder my tummy was a weird shape that day :p Then she proceeded to massage baby's head downwards and after some pushing and prodding (less than 3mins) she did another scan and viola! baby's head is now in the right position!

Next up was a CTG to make sure baby is not in any distress, it turned out he's ok so i could go home and await natural labour signs! I was super elated as i was worried about the shoots lined up for this week so now i got another week to work :p still beaming, i paid the bill and noticed that the procedure cost me $100 bucks! haha! but i think it was worth it :p

To add to my previous post on turning a breech baby, here are some other methods i found on the internet:

1. Visualizing the baby moving down with the head very deep in your pelvis, several times a day; especially in conjunction with positions and exercises below.

2. Swimming as often as possible. This keeps your body and pelvis loose and relaxed. Do in conjunction with headstand below if you have help.

3. Headstand - with assistance and in a pool frequently as possible.

4. Breech Tilt - begin at 32-35 weeks gestation. Do 3 times daily for 10-15 minutes each time, when you have an empty stomach, and the baby is active. Prop one end of an ironing board securely on a sofa or chair 12 to 18 inches high (or may use slant board). Lie down, bend knees but keep feet flat on board. Relax, breathe deeply, avoid tensing. May also use pillows on a flat surface to raise hips 12-18" above shoulders. Gravity pushes the baby's head into the fundus, tucks it, and baby can then do a somersault to a vertex position.

5. CD/iPod headphones - place them inside mom's pants toward her pubic bone and play classical music for 10 minutes 6-8 times a day.

6. Flashlight - try moving slowly down from the top of the uterus toward your pubic bone while you are in a breech tilt position.

7. Massage - start with your left hand at the bottom of the abdomen and your right hand just above it. Move move your hands clockwise around the right side of your tummy. As your right hand reaches the top of your abdomen, slide the left one over your right and move it down the left side of your tummy. Your left hand leads as you you come full circle, continuing clockwise. Massage gently as you would to apply lotion. Massage for ten minutes or more up to several times each day.

8. Clothespin - place on the small toe of each foot at the outside corner of the toenail; sideways so that the toenail and toepad are stimulated for 30 minutes per day, this is an acupressure point that is a "moving down" point. You can also do this with just finger pressure as you remember to do it.

9. Motion Sickness band - place with the bead four fingerwidths above the inner ankle bone - another acupressure point that is used for stimulation of the uterus. Do not use this point if you are experiencing any pre-term labor.

10. Glass of orange or other juice - follow this with a side-lying position with your hips positioned higher than your feet. Babies move more after a sugar high!

11. Pelvic Tilt- with an ice pack on the top of your tummy on an empty stomach, 10 minutes twice a day. Do this while lying on your back on the floor with knees flexed and feet on the floor with three large pillows placed under your buttocks. Try this in conjunction with headphones and visualization.

12. Cat stretch - start with all fours, then lay your head and chest flat on the floor with your buttocks in the air, as you round your back and return to all fours.

13. Knee-chest position - by kneeling with hips flexed slightly more than 90 degree, but with thighs not pressing against your tummy and your head, shoulders and upper chest are flat on a mattress for 15 minutes every two waking hours for five days.

14. Belly Relaxing followed by Inversion - Partner places a shawl, sheet, towel or rebozo under mom's hips as she lays on the floor. Lift up on the corners of the cloth and shimmy her from side to side moving your hands up and down to wiggle her belly from side to side. These should be very small movements which mom should find very relaxing. Do this for about 5 minutes. Then mother kneels on the stairway landing. Walk your hands down 2 or 3 stairs into an all fours position; have your partner support your shoulders to balance you. Remain in this position for about 5-10minutes or as long as comfortable. Also do this on an empty stomach.

The following techniques to turn breech babies to vertex involve the assistance of a specialist or medical professional:

15. Acupuncture - find a acupuncturist who is familiar with pregnancy and knows the points to stimulate for turning a breech baby.

16. Webster's Breech Technique - see a Chiropractor who is experienced in this technique.

17. External Version - this can be done in the hospital at about 37 weeks; see an Ob-Gyn for assistance and more information.

BREECH!

It's my 37th week and baby is still in breech position! I did my own research on the internet and tried some of the suggestions to help baby turn such as
1. Crawl on all fours with back straight/parallel to the ground, then let forehead go down to floor level resting on arms.
2. Shine a light where you want baby's head to be positioned. Apparently babies in the womb are attracted to light and will turn towards it.
3. Play some LOUD headbanging music where you think baby's head is, to irritate him to move away! ha! this one's funny :p

Anyway i didn't try the last suggestion. Not sure if the first two works but #1 almost always guarantees lots of movement from baby which gave me hope! However the next morning i still feel that his head is up near my rib cage. Arrrgh! What a bummer.

If he doesn't turn by friday which is my appointment with my OB, she said she will try and turn him. After the turn, a CTG will be ordered and if the baby shows signs of distress, then it's straight to the delivery ward! So scarey! I am so so not prepared as i still have shoots lined up till end of May :(

Also, i don't think Erwin is prepared too. The big brother Kayden however seems to know! Since Saturday, he has slept in his own bed every night! He had only ever slept in his bed twice before and that was after much coaxing. But on Saturday night, he just suddenly announced to us, as he dragged his pillow and "chou chou" to the bed, that he was going to sleep there! We thought it will just be that one odd night but he has kept it up since ;) We rejoice to more space for us on the bed after more than 2.5years! :D

The dreaded glucose test

here I am at the hospital (surfing on wireless with my new toy, the iPhone - a gift from the hubby) for the glucose test. it's actually a blood and urine test for gestational diabetes. How I dread this as it's quite a lengthy procedure. Starts the night before, you have to fast and not drink anything from midnight onwards. then once you get here, they give you a bottle for your first urine sample. hmmm, having not drunk anything since 10pm last night, this was a bit tricky. I managed to get a trickle ;p after discreetly passing the lab nurse my sample, she made me sit down and the first of 3 blood samples was drawn from my left arm. I always look away but today I decided to have a peek. they now have some outer plastic cover over the needle and syringe so I can't see the blood being drawn... how clever. next, I was given a bottle of a very sweet orange drink which I was to consume in front of her. this was chicken feet to me as I have a sweet tooth. not the case for the lady who was before me. she was still struggling through the first half of her drink as I reach the end of mine ;) nurse named me "the champion for today"! then she gave me my "prize", two more plastic containers for the next two urine samples :( one to be given an hour after the orange drink (that's why I am sitting around now writing this entry till the hour has passed) and the other another hour later after she has drawn the second blood sample.

Yawn!!! it's almost time for the second urine sample, will update on the results later.

<<< 3hours later >>>

Ok results are within the normal range and i do not have gestational diabetes so whoo hoo! i don't have to watch my diet :p

#2 is now almost 2kg at 31weeks, looks like another big one! his head is up though, hope he will turn in the next few weeks. *fingers crossed*

You know you have pregnant boobies when

1. your most comfortable sleep bra turns into a boa constrictor at night
2. your toddler starts using your cleavage as a "road" for his toy cars, sometimes parking 2 there at a go
3. men on the mrt stares at you below your face level

#2 - The final trimester

This is my first post on baby #2! Although the bump is getting more obvious with each passing day (just 85 days to go!), the excitement is not growing yet. I think it's a case of been there done that. However i am sure that i will get more anxious towards the final weeks. Already i am wondering what he will look like, from the 2nd ultrasound scan (see above), this upside down baby looks like he has Kayden's forehead, mummy's big tummy and daddy's long legs hahaha :D Most mothers will tell you that they don't care how their unborn child looks "as long healthy can already la!". What a lie! Then why are they going for the 3D or 4D scans huh? ;) I on the other hand will tell you truthfully that i wish my second son will not inherit my big nose or my temper (Kayden inherited both!) and hopefully he will look like Daddy but be more sociable than him :)

Most of you already know, Kayden was my obstetrician's record breaking heaviest baby delivered at a whopping 4.475kg (almost 10pounds) and 54cm long. I am hoping #2 (sorry he doesn't have a name yet, Daddy and i are still undecided) will not be as big but at the last appointment last friday, he seems to be "on the big side". No surprise! Doctor Eunice said that if anyone can break Kayden's record, it will be this fella haha!

Anyway little one, enjoy your last trimester in Mummy's tummy. Your big brother has been kissing you from the outside everyday now and he is calling you baby instead of didi now! We can't wait to meet you and meantime, do hold back on your parties in there! :p



thanks to aunty Candida for helping me take the shots today at the Loft.

Pregnant women have bizarre dreams

A couple of nights ago, i dreamt my husband having a go at Pam Anderson :s Is that sick or what?! i told Ik Hui and Candida and the latter's interpretation of the dream was that it's due to my cupsize upgrade from the pregnancy.

Then last night another breast related dream. At home, we have this A4 paper sign stuck to our bedroom door since Kayden was born. Erwin printed it, and we never got round to taking it down. It says “Breastfeeding in progress!!!”. It was to stop my MIL from just coming in without knocking... Anyway in the dream, i dreamt that Kayden (who is as tall as an adult in the dream in order to reach the paper) took down that piece of paper, hmmm....

Candida's analysis:
"You are anticipating breastfeeding already due to impending arrival of baby. Kayden is doing that becos you are also anticipating him vying for your time & attention, plus he is after all the older and taller, that's why is portrayed as adult-size. oooh, did he look like Jay Chou in the dream?"

hahaha! ok the Jay Chou thing was started by Candida who thinks that Kayden looks like a young Jay Chou. She is very sure he will look like him when grown up! But Candida, in the dream Kayden still has his toddler face stuck on an adult body!