Arrival of Myra Alayna. Part 2

Let's continue shall we?
Finally the dread of 'having-Mr-Husband-far-from-home-in-expecting-baby' was over. My husband was safely home on Monday the 9th of May.

Children were excited sharing everything from the bread that we had made together to some pieces of leftover chocolate cake we have baked earlier. As for me I was so heavy I was barely move around and I still remember the relief I experience to finally have him around.

It was morning, and very early. I looked at the time and it was only about 3.50am. I felt weird tugging feeling sort of tiny vibration around the abdomen. Perhaps Braxton Hicks but I still remember the nagging thought I had. Again it repeated. I immediately lookup for an apps to note the sensation so I fiannly download an apps called Contraction Timer. I remember telling myself no its too early. But I remember feeling that the sensations somehow a little bit familliar.

So I just continue monitoring the series of 'contraction'. It wasn't painful. It was just a tiny bit twitching but overall it was pleasant. Baby moves perfectly. The graph shown from the apps wasn't so consistent with the normal ongoing delivery contraction so I just continue doing my own tiny research while debating with myself whether it's the time or not yet.

I remember that for a brief moment the contraction did stop. At least for about 20 minutes. And it continued again with the same mild intensity. And it's only about 6am. Still debating, I pushed myself to get up for morning prayer and bath. And then preparing my husband working suits. While my husband is getting ready for works.

I remember sitting on the edge of the bed looking at my husband getting dressed for work around 6.40am and I asked him to take me to clinic to checkup. I told him I feel something weird but I couldnt be sure it was the.sign or what. Immediately his response was, 'why you didnt wake me up at the first hour of the sign?'

So that morning after kissing the kids, and Umair has to.be absent today because we have no.transport for him, we cross border to Udon Thani. That morning was so relaxed and the.border has very few people. We crossed the border around 7.30 am. I remember my husband asked me. Are you alright? If it getting painful I will speed up. If in the border anybody stops us just pretend you are in the.middle of delivery.

We reached the hospital around 8am. I did the contraction test it was not strong so they send me to see the Dr again. Dr. Watcharada Uckara, a nice young obgyn Thai specialist.

We did the scan, baby was roughly 3.15kg. And after the vaginal exams, it was confirmed that the servix has dilated about 2cm so the csec has to be scheduled that very day. I was like, today? Seriously?

-----to be continued----

Arrival of Myra Alayna. Part 1

Assalammualaikum wrh.. hi everyone, my fellow virtual friends.

Today, marks the 11th day of confinement period for me, again, self-confinement abroad, with my little family and my maid.

This time, we are in Vientiane, Laos, which is not so far from home, and only took about less than 3 hour to reach here via Airasia flight direct from KLIA.

Since this is my second pregnancy abroad, being self-managing myself is kinda less worrying. Only my biggest fear before embracing this land was the medical facilities which is widely reviewed in most expats page as not so reliable because of the problem in communication. The best choice would be across the Thai-Laos border, at district of Udon Thani, Thailand which takes about 80km from the heart of Vientiane.

A month before Myra's arrival, I was quite not so myself. That can be seen from my post in Facebook, which was close to none. I found myself being anxious, as this will be my third Cesarean-birth. I still remembered the pain from the after-labour. I was nervous to know what kind of medication that the hospital will be using, what are the facilities, what kind of operating room they have, will it be dark or will it be so bright, will it be cold.. will I pass out during the operation, will I be fine? will someone come to visit me at the hospital? will I be able to do phone call? and the most troubling question was, will the baby comes out in time?

And again, I was given pre-announcement from my husband that he might need to go for outstation in Luang Prabang, which is one of the southern side of Laos to assist a big meeting together with the top officers from the Ministry. I was secretly prayed that he shall not be able to go that place, mainly comes fro my maternal instinct, I have counted every scans detail I have about the baby, and I have a lot of reason to justify that the baby might be born earlier than the booking date, because of the size of the baby, and my own thinking "the limited space to move inside the womb due to thick inside scars". (please be informed that these thinking is not based on any medical fact, only my own little thinking by judging the way my baby pictured in the ultrasound scan for 3 months in a row)

Approaching the final month before the booking date, only about 3 weeks to go, my fear was confirmed. My husband was required to go to Luang Prabang. I knew he was worried sick, but he somehow managed to pull straight face. And I believed he noticed my unhappiness, although I also tried my best to pull the coolest face ever. And the night before his flight, my mask somehow broken to pieces, I cried like a baby.

When I finally manage to gather all the strength, I began to straighten all the facts. My husband shared some important contacts should I come to an emergency without him around. Some friends also texted to offer hands should I need any help or even any emergencies. Thank you dear friends. At least I knew that I have plenty of supports should anything need immediate helps.

The week my husband was not around was actually our second child birthday, and followed by Mother's Day. We filled the celebratory event by baking some cakes, and enjoy our mini party together. My girl and I baked the small cake for her birthday, and we celebrated it later at the evening after her brother returned from school. And few days later, we baked another cake to celebrate Mother's Day, only this time my kids they mixed the cake together, while I monitored them, and assisting with the oven. I even managed to bake two homemade bread loaf for dearest son's lunch pack the next day.

That week I believed the baby almost 3kg, since the last scan (three weeks ago) showed that the baby weight was already 2.6kg. And the pattern was a bit surprising to me, as three weeks before the weight was 2.6, the baby's weight estimated was 2.1kg. The baby gained more than 500g in 3 weeks gap. That fact actually made me believed the possibilities of the baby to come earlier than booking date was quite high.

--- to be continued ---

2016 : Life at Laos.

Hello again!

Finally, halfway in the new month of the new year 2016, I finally step foot in continuing the writing. As promised, here I am, happy yet still need time to settle down with family (especially with two kids and another incoming soon), we are finally manage to setting the ground in Laos. To be exact, in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. To those who is not familiar with Laos, it's a land surrounded with 5 different countries.

source : Wikipedia

And if you look closer, Vientiane is located very close to the border of Thailand. And the closest from our place is the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, which connecting Vientiane and the district of Nong Khai, Thailand. There are three other bridge that connecting Thailand to Laos, which crossing over Mekong River. 

Tomorrow, some of my families (from my husband side) will come over and visit. (yay!). Ohh, for those in Malaysia who wih to visit Vientiane, Laos, they have direct flight from KLIA to Vientiane, via Airasia! And one point to remember, that flight ONLY available three days a week. You can find out more by visiting Airasia website.

I think that's all for the introduction for now. I have quite a to-do-list to be completed today, with a promise I shall update my blog very soon. I have plenty of ideas to write, already quite a memory to be shared. Oh and yes, I have crossing the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge once. The experience at the border was quite different than the lifestyle in Vientiane. That shall come later in my next next next writing..

Until then... I wish for everyone to have a blessed life and a happy heart as always! May this year 2016 makes us even luckier than ever!

Ohh, I miss Malaysia so much! Dear beloved families, friends, relatives back there, worry not, we are just being okay and perfectly normal here. Do pray and wish for us the best of luck. Until then!