Mind over matter

being checked into the delivery suite

Its quite amazing how your mind can be tuned to the desired frequency anytime anywhere. Even when in labour. Mind over matter darling. (some say its denial)

It started Saturday (18th November 2006) morning when I had the "Show" which is one of the signs of oncoming labour. I had read in many books that the "Show" could mean that labour was as close as a day away or it could mean that labour was a few weeks away. Between a day and a week, I thought the second option was a better bet. Anyway, Nate was not supposed to be due till December 10, a good 3 weeks away. I found myself subconsciously playing it down as I didn't want to face disappointment.

Rewind.

I was advised by well meaning people in the office that i should split my 3 months of maternity leave up, taking one month before my EDD and 2 months after the birth. Being in a physically demanding job, i was not able to work till i popped as intended. Understandably, it was getting tough climbing up the hill to get to jobs (a lot of it was at the Istana) so i started to get comfy with the whole idea.

However, I was paranoid that boredom would set in and i'd find myself feeling more pregnant than ever before. I then set aside a time-table which included all the stuff i needed to do from house-hold chores to designing a wedding album for a friend. Much of it was dedicated to putting baby's stuff together; for the arrival.

First week of my leave.

BUSH had to come to Singapore and even though i was not shooting his visit, much of my time was spent co-ordinating accreditation and coverage for my colleague who came over from malaysia on assignment.

Wasted. That whole week of leave was gone. All of it on Bush. ALL OF IT. So when he left on Thursday morning, I was obsessed with making up for lost time.

Fast-forward 2 days.

The "Show"

Obsessive need to go shopping all of a sudden to buy last minute stuff like wet wipes, all this after doing the laundry of course.

Terence and I decided to brave the weekend crowd and make our way out to Carrefour. That's when i started having irregular contractions - which i played down as i was making my way between the tupperware and laundry hanger isle.

2 hours later

I was still up round about 2am chatting with friends on the msn (two very experienced mothers) and we were discussing my contractions. We decided to attribute the pains to some very delicious and potent Tulang Merah which Terence and I had the night before.

Steph: " It's prolly food poisoning"

Maye: " Ya i think so. It can't really be contractions cause the timings are pretty irregular and its not really getting very intense"

pause

Maye: " OH no i just felt another one! And this time my stomach sucked itself in like a vacuum."

Steph: " I think you should just GO to the hospital now, just get it checked out, now harm."

Maye: " I think its ok lah. If I go now, and it's a false alarm, i'm gonna wake my doctor up and by the time i get home it'll be sunrise. I think i'd rather sleep and anyway babies don't just fall out between your legs right? If the pain gets real bad i'm sure i'll wake up and besides i'm only 10 minutes from the hospital."

(actually i really treasured my sleep)

so the conversation went something like that.

I must mention that Steph and Fen did make their way to the hospital at 3am because they thought that i'd be going down to check myself in anyway. Having not spotted me for a while, Fen asked a nurse at the hospital if she'd seen a pregnant lady walk by. You can only imagine the wry answer from our been-there-done-that nurse who said with a straight face " a lot of pregnant women have walked passed!" Thank you for all the love girls. I feeel it.

Sunday November 19, 2006 8am

I check myself into the hospital after waking up firstly to pains in my stomach. And secondly seeing my tummy get sucked inwards like a vacuum everytime i feel a contraction. But more on labour later.

NOTE: no one had been able to really explain to me what a contraction felt like, but i can tell you it feels like really bad menstral cramps- ladies...or for men, just imagine the real real bad need to go and take a dump and your tummy aches until you kinda break into a cold sweat! and you still can't find a toilet and have to hold it all in.

There.

And if you find yourself grabbing your tummy as you read this right now, means you're either in labour or i've just proven to you an example of a mind over matter moment!(: