A Year In Retrospect

Over a year ago, it was just the two of us. Life was carefree, and we went wherever we liked.

Not long after we returned from our Hokkaido-Tokyo (2nd) honeymoon, I got a positive sign on the pregnancy test kit. I had spotting, and received two weeks of hospitalization leave to have bedrest. The doctors banned me from housework in the first trimester. However, my job became hectic and more shit came my way. It was a test of endurance for the next few months. Hubby also decided to get a car for the sake of convenience and safety for me.

We also had our fair share of worries when we had a scare that the pregnancy might be an ectopic one when the TMC lab scan did not detect any sac in the first checkup. However, Dr Tan was really cool and steady. She detected what the lab did not and saw the water sac, although she still wanted to be on the safe side and asked me to return the following week. On 2nd visit, the pregnancy was confirmed when Dr Tan detected the yolk sac. The first trimester was not too bad as compared to some other mummies who merlioned everything they ate. It was just fatigue, nausea and the lack of appetite that made the entire trimester hard to bear. And also, a lot of restrain in eating the food that I had been used to. No maguro, no ootoro, no soft-boiled egg, no coffee, no tea, etc... But luckily, Dr Tan gave the green light for sushi and sashimi and many other food. Thus, I still enjoyed salmon for the entire pregnancy, and also a little shellfish.

I was glad that the 2nd trimester arrived, because my pregnancy became more stable and the nausea also went off gradually. The placenta had been developed. My tummy progressively grew from a flat one to a pointed one. It was getting obvious that I was pregnant. My comrades in work had been extremely kind to me, offering to help me carry things, plug the cables, letting me decide where to have lunch, etc. At the 16th week or so, Dr Tan detected the male genitals in our fetus. As the worries of any mishap subsided after the 1st trimester, we started our crazy shoppings in preparation of Ian's arrival. Wherever there was a sale, we were likely to take a look.

The 2nd trimester breezed past us. My tummy ballooned rapidly and the extra weight was having an effect. My backache developed too (and I still have it now!). The 3rd trimester was tough with a big load in front. I started to outgrow even my maternity pants and had to get a couple of new ones. I started to wobble due to the increasing pressure on my pelvic area. It was hard to squeeze with the crowd and we stopped going to sales, except for the Mother & Baby fair in March.

Just when we least expected it, my water bag burst in the morning of 29 March 2008. My hubby sped down the roads to send me to TMC in record time. And when I least expected it, my labour was a fast one (reached hospital at around 3am, delivered before 8am). I did not have time for epidural, and I thought my world was crashing down with the labour pain. With encouragements from hubby, Dr Tan and the nurses, Ian is born.

The u/s machines were one of the best inventions in this age. We witnessed how our little one grew from a water sac, into a yolk sac, and from a tiny pea with heartbeats into one with limbs, and gradually we saw the eyes and fingers. The shape grew more and more human-like as days passed.

Ian must have been camera-shy even before birth. At the 32nd week 4D scan to see his face, he turned inwards so that the probe was not able to see his face. When finally the Dr got a front view, he used his hands to hide his face. Now, Ian will stop his antics whenever he sees a camera, and then stare at it.

It has been a year since I was first discovered pregnant. Motherhood has been a struggle with tears, stress, fatigue, backache, pains, and happiness when we see our little one growing well.

In the blink of an eye, Ian is almost 5 months old. Before going to bed, and when we wake up in the morning, it is always a delight to see our sleeping baby. It just take a smile from him to brighten up our day.