Labour Day | 2005

February 14. Valentine's Day. Everyone is excited for, then "Mum and Dad's Baby". All four grandparents are ready with camera in hand and smiles passed around for everyone. The delivery room door opens ever so slowly (like in the movies) and the doctor comes out with a smile on his face as he removes his face mask. 

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Unfortunately, that's not Jakjak's moment of birth. Although the doctor gave an estimate that Jakjak will be born on the 14th of February, he was too excited and came out two months earlier. Do the math and we come to Jakjak's birthday, the 24th of November. Born via C-section at a featherweight 811 grams. Of course, all this to the shock of mum and dad who were not expecting him until his due date.

Yes, Jakjak was a premature baby boy at only 28 weeks. He was so fragile that he had to be in Neonatal Intensive Care as soon as he got out. From day 1, he was strong as an ox and stubborn as a bull. From the doctors' and nurses' point of view, he was a pretty good fighter and they told me that his chances for recovery were quite big. Of course, they all could have just told me that because I was the father of a ti-nee-tiny baby boy who was as thin as bones. Add to that the fact that this was our first baby. And also probably because my sister was a nurse at the NICU facility in Asian Hospital back then.

Believe me. For a first time dad, seeing your first-born in that state of helplessness is not the best memory of your baby's childhood.