Ready....Set...Go!

Had my doctor's appointment today and everything seemed ready to go! I'm sufficiently dilated, and when hooked on the CTG it tracked many contractions. Doc was happy and was positive that he may see me at the hospital tonight, or definitely tomorrow. He booked me in to the hospital 8am for a shot of prostaglandin, and was confident that a single dose will do it and most likely I will have the baby by late afternoon, if not earlier. I got the shots when I was pregnant with Luke - in fact, I had two, which didn't really do much but gave me some painful contractions for no dilation. But according to my doctor, for a second time delivery, one dose is probably powerful enough to blast the baby out in a few hours. Well, he didn't quite say it that way, but you get the idea.

Since we are using prostaglandin, it's not really an induction. But somehow all this scheduling and projection of delivery time made it seem quite elective all in all. I didn't have as much intervention for my first birthing experience, so I get a little nervous about all this planning and scheduling. But given that things usually happen faster after the first baby, and that my doctor has shown great skill and professionalism with his care for me ever since I moved to Singapore, we are happy with this less than "natural" arrangement. I have to admit that I'm a natural birth wannabe, but would be sorely deceiving myself to think that I do not take great comfort in epidurals and any intervention that make birthing easier and less painful...

This afternoon after my appointment, I taught one more lesson for a student (I was too bored to be not working so I agreed to have an extra lesson requested by an eager mother), then spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool with Luke. It dawned on me that it would probably be the last time that I swim so leisurely with my only child for 3 years. All of a sudden, a wee bit of griefing came on to me, and I had flashbacks of all the one-on-one time I had with Luke. It will never be the same from now on, which is for the better, but still, I can't help but look back on those sweet, tranquil days with nostalgia already.

When I put Luke down to sleep tonight, I told him that probably he'll "get" his sister tomorrow. He nodded pensively, and was very cuddly and affectionate for our sing-song and cuddle bedtime routine. He cupped my face and gave me lots of kisses, and hugged me tightly several times. I guess he, too, must have felt the change that is going to come. He also asked if he could go to the hospital with me to "help" with the birth, and I told him that he can go visit with my mom after baby sister arrives. All this tying loose ends and reminiscing and planning gave a sense of finality and conslusion to this long anticipation.