The excitement of missing period. Still, we wanted to wait a few days before testing – it was a Sat, and we would wait till the following Fri. On Wed, we passed by Guardian and I suggested to buy the stick first, then we don’t have to make an extra trip out on Fri just to get it. Alas, once the stick is sitting in your house, you can’t wait any longer to test!

Super happy to see the double line!

very eagerly read up on everything Pregnancy – gynaes, hospitals, superfoods, strollers.

First decision: Choosing a gynae

As both my sisters delivered at Mount A, my first intuition was to go to Mount A to deliver, a more familiar setting for my mum to come visit. Wanted a female gynae, as I read that the gynae will have to do vaginal examination and have to check for cervix dilation towards labour, felt that I would be more comfortable with a female gynae 😛 Sad to say, eldest sister’s gynae was a male, and second sister’s gynae was a bed rest freak. So, I had to source my own. First choice for me was Dr Goh SL, former deputy head at KKH where tons of babies are born giving her experience, she has won several service excellence awards and generally i like her face (and website). But again, sad to say, her fees are very expensive, so I had to settle for Dr Michele Lee. Seriously hope that the reviews online about her asking mums to induce earlier or going for c-sect won’t happen to me. I also understand that some circumstances require induce or if baby is in breech position or the labour drags too long and baby is deprived of oxygen, end up have to c-sect. I just hope that she will try her best to allow me to have natural delivery as much as possible.

so far, had two antenatal check-ups, two ultrasounds. did not do the OSCAR test, bcos I feel there is no need to. Maybe if I’m nearer to 35.

Scares include having a fever in Week 7, recalling that I drank the moscato Jiayan brought for my housewarming in Aug, accidentally using rice wine as soy sauce to cook and had spotting after that in week 10, and a random guy swinging his arm so hard that it hit my tummy last night when we went to the neighbourhood minimart to shop shop.

Ups include hearing the baby heartbeat on the ultrasound, knowing that the baby growth is perfect to date, getting to book the highly rated Mrs Wong Boh Boi antenatal class for Dec (week 20), and attending our first parenting talk together in Oct (lots of freebies!!!). also booked a confinement lady highly recommended by sister’s church friends.

Coming up:

Hospital tour at TMC and Mount A. Still can’t decide between the two. Prices for the two are about the same.

1. Mount A

• more local nurses, supposedly more supportive and caring.
• can call for lactation expert Sis Kang to come to your bedside to help you with breastfeeding.
• Familiar setting for my mum.
• Provide a set of things (baby bath tub, diapers and other essentials) to bring home with the baby.
• More hygienic in that sense, cos ur baby just use that bath tub, and u bring home, means it’s just used by ur baby and ur baby alone.
• Parking is ample at the new multi storey carpark.

2. TMC

Pros:

• supposedly there is a one-hour breastfeeding and diaper changing class for new mums a day or two after giving birth. i’m such a sucker for classes.

• admission luggage with lots of goodies (see below) – but i think no baby bath tub. make me a sucker for freebies too.

• Valet parking for delivery, and two days complimentary parking
• Two-bedder rooms seem to be more spacious than two-bedder at Mount A

Cons:

• duno if Mrs Wong Boh Boi will come to bedside to help with breastfeeding anot?
• Could be a little inconvenient for mum to come, but if alex come with her every morning then should be ok? and hopefully should be just for two or three days max?
• more foreign nurses, who are supposedly less caring… and this is a time I would imagine myself needing lots of help and support and encouragement from the nurses who have seen it all… and perhaps the biggest reason pulling me back from committing to TMC…