Ethan was born with Gastroschisis on 16 Dec 2009 at Royal London Hospital, and he is still at the hospital. 

 

I was booked for induction but it actually happened quite naturally. I had a back pain the night before which kept me awake and then I had a smear of blood when I went to toilet around 4am. I told my husband that I think I’m going to give a birth today! I took a bath at 5am, had a breakfast and went to the hospital with my mum and husband. A midwife checked on me and told me I was already 2cm dilated so she won’t give me the gel. However, when I was transferred to the labour ward, I was given the gel to encourage the dilation at 3pm. The contraction started slowly and then became more frequent and painful. By 8:30pm, I was going mad!  I was given gas and air and I thought it was not enough later on but I didn’t take anything else because I was ready to push!  Yes, it was painful. But I told myself - I am the only one who can end this pain. I can do it! I want to end this as soon as possible! I should follow the midwife’s instruction then….. Ethan was born at 11:37pm!  He was put on my belly for a second and then taken away by nurses to be prepared for the operation.

 

A few days later he was given 1ml/hr of my breast milk by tube and now (about 3 weeks old) 15ml/hr (back to 10ml/hr again for a while because he vomited a bit.) A nurse told me he is doing quite well but not sure when we can take him home. We have to wait till he can tolerate  a full-feed.

 

Mothers out there who are waiting for their little ones to be well enough to take home, let’s be patient and hope for the best. It is still amazing to see him sleeping, cuddle him, and now change his nappy!  I won’t mind going to the hospital as long as he is doing well hoping he will be home soon although I can’t wait to do a normal routine as others including waking up who-knows-how-many-times in the middle of night!

 

I will update our story later.

 

Hugs,

 

Jo