faraway

Galuh gave birth to a beautiful 3.4 kg baby boy just before 2 AM or at 01.55 AM(Jakarta), this Monday morning 7 November 2005. His length is 51 cm. Both mother and child are well and resting after a somewhat difficult 3 hour labour.

Galuh's contractions began yesterday evening and we decided to go to the hospital at 11 PM. The labour progressed quickly as would be expected given the speed of Zachary's birth. But for some reason, despite the rapid contractions, the child was slow to come out. Galuh gave a herculean effort of pushing (I will remember the look of concentration mixed with pain on my wife's face forever). As the head emerged, it seemed to get harder to come out. Doctor Amru and a nurse together had to really pull the baby by the chin. As the neck emerged, the doctor and nurses tried to conceal their concern when they saw the umbilical cord wrapped partly around the next. I also said nothing, fearing to break Galuh's concentration. However, once the shoulder came out, the doctor deftly moved the cord out of the way and the rest of the body quickly slipped out. At first the baby did not cry, even after being placed on Galuh's chest. It seemed like an eternity but finally he let out a yelp and we all breathed a sign of relief. It's been a long Monday morning but an incredible one as well.

Zachary fell asleep before we went to the hospital (we left him with Lastri, our nanny. Fortunately, she just arrived from her hometown and we asked her to come to our house to take care of Zach). I bet he'll be surprised tomorrow!

Jerome, A Happy Daddy!
At home, after the long delivery process

I was thinking to make a pregnancy cast when I was pregnant with Zachary, my first son but unfortunately I was unable to realize it due to my work travels schedules. Since my second pregnancy will be my last time I will ever be pregnant, I keep saying to myself that I have to make it work otherwise I will not have a memory that capture my shape in three dimensions.



Finally, with my husband’s help, I made a pregnancy cast. It is very easy and beautiful. It only took us 20 minutes to do it.


Materials:
Bandages impregnated with plaster of Paris. Amount may vary with the size and thickness of your cast (I used 4 bandages which each bandage was 4 meters);

Vaseline Petrolium Jelly;

Water;

Old newspapers or cloths to cover the floor. I did it in the bathtub to avoid spilling plaster of Paris.


To make a pregnancy cast, you have to have your PARTNER or FRIEND to help you. I did it in the bathroom. I cut the bandages in small pieces; it was around 15cm each. I put all of them next to the sink. Fill the sink or basin with water which it will be used for moistening the bandages. Rub vaseline on the pregnancy belly and breasts. Once you are ready, you can find a comfortable position to do it either stand up or lie down in the bathtub. Then, put each strip of bandages in the water and lay it on the pregnancy belly. The strips of bandages should be crossing on top of each other. You have to make sure that it is thick enough.

When it is finished, you wait for 5 minutes until the cast is dry. After dry, your partner/friend can take it out and put it on the floor. You can do some finishing touch to fix some parts that are not strong enough by putting more strips of bandages on it.

"akan datang" means "coming soon"
Yes, in 7 weeks the baby will come. We can't wait to see him ...

Jerome-Galuh-Zach

Time went very fast. I could not believe when the doctor said that my pregnancy was already 30 weeks. He also said that I have to start to take a pregnancy exercise and have to see him every two weeks. Make me realized that we have to start to prepare everything for welcoming our baby since the baby can born anytime and we already gave all Zach's baby stuffs to our friends. We have to buy baby cloths, blankets, etc. The most important thing is to prepare all documents for getting our baby's citizenship, passport, and visa to live in Indonesia.

The baby moves a lot. But when his mom is very busy, he will be quiet. Our sweetpea weight was 1824 gram, the doctor said that our sweetpea was a big baby. His head was already in the bottom. My weight gained for 4.5 kg this month. So far, my weight has gained 12kg. My feet did not swell yet, but I started to feel that my belly is very heavy.

Galuh

On Monday we went to see our doctor, dr. Amru, to do general check up for the baby. Everything is fine. The baby’s weight was 862 gram and the heart beat was 152. The doctor found a penis as part of the baby body for second time. He called it “Monas” (National Monument in Jakarta).

My weight has gained for 8 kg. This month I just gained for 2 kg. The doctor said that was good. He said the weight should only gain maximum 2 kg. Last month, my weight gained for 4 kg. The doctor reminded me to not gain too much. I think he is right. At my previous pregnancy, my weight gained for 25 kg. And the impacts were I had a lot of strechmark and I could not come back to my normal weight.

Now, my belly is growing bigger and my old strechmark become appear again.

The pictures above were taken when my pregnancy was 24th weeks.

Galuh, 10 August 2005

When we were on the island of Lombok, Jerome took few pictures of me in bikini. He wanted to show me how big my belly now. I think he just realized when saw me in bikini. He kept saying "Wow your belly is very big now, Sayang!"

My pregnancy was 21st weeks at that time and I felt that my belly was not too big eventhough I realized that my weight had gained for 5kg. Even my bikini was still fit on me.

After you looked at three pictures above, is my belly very big?

Galuh, 15 July 2005

Every monday in the first of the month, we go to see a doctor to do a routine check up for my pregnancy. Yesterday, we went to see our doctor. As usual, the queue was very long. We were there since 4.30 pm and got our turn at 8 pm. The hospital still use a traditional administration system, we even can not make appointment in advance.

Every month the doctor will do an ultrasound. Due to the condition of this country, we agree that we should do an ultrasound routinely for checking the baby's health. Yesterday, we asked the doctor to check the gender of the baby since my pregnancy is already 22 weeks now. And we found big testicles in the screen. Did it mean the baby will be a boy?

We were sorry to say that we both were a bit disappointed. Yeah, we were hoping that our second baby would be a girl since I am the only girl in my family and Jerome has only one sister, in addition we will feel "complete" if we have a girl. The doctor knew that we were bit disappointed because I said "Yeah, laki-laki lagi ya Dok?" (Is a boy again, Doc?) and he said "maybe I am wrong."

Our expectation for a baby girl has been getting higher because my pregnancy has been totally different than with Zach and most people often say "the baby will be a girl". Eventhough I never say yes or no to them, in my deepest heart I was hoping that their opinion would be true. I try to not expect too much and got a feeling since beginning that the baby will be a boy. But still I was feel a bit disappointed too yesterday.

Well that is a life. People can have many dreams or expectation but God will decide. At least, I will have 3 men in my life for taking care of me and will be the most beautiful woman in our family. I also think that at least Zach will have a friend at home. Now, I am only expecting that the baby will be born safely and healthy.


Galuh, 12 July 2005 at 6.30 am
Before go to the office

My pregnancy is almost 20weeks now. Time is moving so fast!On 6th of June 2005 we saw our doctor (Amru Harahap) to do regular check up included heart-beat, the weight, the size, etc. The baby was fine and very active. We saw the baby wiped his/her eye with his/her hand. What a wonderful life! We were excitedly looking at every single movement that baby's made during the ultrasound. Actually, I have already felt the movement since the pregnancy was 15 weeks (faster than with zach).


But a day after the check up, Zach unintentionally stepped on my belly. It hurted me little bit, but the effect was the baby stop moving. I was nervous but the load of my work had made me forgoting this feeling. Until 2 days ago, I realized that I did not feel the baby movement for awhile. I sent a text to dr. Amru to ask him about this, he suddently called me and asked me to see him at that day. He is really nice! Thanks God, after did all tests, he said the baby is fine but baby's Mom should not work hard and no overtime at work. Well, we are happy that everything is fine. Now, Jerome become my police-husband. Every morning before go to the office he will remind me to come home at 4pm and at 4pm he sends me a text for asking me to go home. He knows that recently I have so much work to do and my boss always tries to involve me in many things (this is because he really believe in my capacity now).

Jerome asked me to write something about my second pregnancy last night since I never wrote anything about my first pregnancy (I was too busy with my work at that time but now he asked me to make time for writing anything about my second pregnancy). BTW, he is in Kutai Kartanegara (Kunkar)-East Kalimantan for 4 days. He is doing a quick count for the first direct provincial election. Hmmmmm hope he'll write something about this election later.

This pregnancy is quite harder than before. With Zach I had no nausea at all. Maybe because I was younger at that time. Totally different!For last three months, I've been nauseous and vomiting even I had to be hospitalized for 4 days in April because I was dehydrated. I often feel hurt at my below abdominal. And of course, this pregnancy has been draining my energy a lot. Sometimes I gave up because I has been thinking about my work. But Jerome always supports me by saying that this morning/evening sickness will go soon. I had so many things to do that have to be finished on first week of July. Ha .... ha... if I told Jerome about that, he suddently would be mad. He said "Sayang, why do you think more about work. Just think about our baby safety. You should quit and just do your PIRAC research so you have more time for resting!"



Sometimes I think that he is right. On 21 May 2005 (saturday), I had to work and go to Bekasi for the whole day to do interviews. After got home, I felt my belly hurt a lot. I thought that this is what we called 'miscarriage'. It was very painful! I just cried and couldnt move my body. But after an hour, the pain was gone. Once again, Jerome asked me to resign and he will talk to my boss. Thanks God, he didnt tell anything to my boss about that. Now, I am more careful with my pregnancy.

Now, I feel much better. No vomit for last 15 days, sometimes nauseous but not as bad as before. I can eat a lot too!!I think my weight have gained 1 kg or 1.5kg (we'll see a doctor to check this out on monday). My pregnancy is 16 weeks now but most people still can't see whether I am pregnant or not. I can still wear my jeans eventhough little bit tight on belly part.



I bet next month, I will be look fatter and bigger than this picture. When with Zach, my weight started to gain after 4 months and I gained for 25 kg!!!