Are you ready to read this post ?
I am very sure most girls who haven't experience this will find it
quite a journey...
Know that my first option was to deliver my baby via natural birth without any Epidural
Ok, here it goes! On my 39th week appointment, my doctor told me that my baby is
huge for my size and she was worried my baby's weight might increase some more as
it did quite drastically for the last week and since I love to eat sweet stuff. Yes, I admit, I've been eating
a lot of Skippy x Nutella with bread and Durian Ice Cream during the final 2 weeks.
My doctor suggested if I wanna induce labor
( is a procedure used to stimulate uterine contractions during pregnancy before labor begins on its own. Successful labor induction leads to a vaginal birth. )
In my own terms, bagi perut sakit dan baby akan keluar.
They will have to insert a tablet thru your vagina to begin labor.
I told her to give me two days to think about it and during that two days, I was cutting down on my sugar but I was still very hungry.
I tend to get moody or will stressed out if I don't eat something sweet.
I was very frustrated and I told Marcus that I might give Induction a go
because I was afraid if I keep on eating, the baby will grow bigger which might lead
to emergency caesarian and I don't really want to go thru surgery.
I wanted to experience natural birth.
So, we called the doctor and set an appointment where I then checked in on Monday night
and will probably give birth on Tuesday morning. But when they were preparing,
the nurse found out that I was already 3/4 cm dilated and she said, OMG, we don't have to proceed with this procedure.
I was so so so so so so HAPPY when she said that, meaning I don't have to go thru
induction where I get to save money and because all along I wanted it to be natural.
That night I was excited, I kept asking Marcus that how come I don't feel the pain yet? It was
already 10 pm when the nurse told me that I was 3/4cm dilated. She then asked me to sleep and that she will check
on me thru out the night. Nothing happened, no pain till 5:30 am then she came in and injected some liquid ( I don't know what's it called ) into the place where the "sun don't shine" and not even 5 minutes, I rushed to the toilet to let everything out. Best feeling in the world hahah.
Then they shift us to the labor room by 6:30 am where they started to put drips on me and then it is when my contraction pain begun. Marcus was beside me the whole time. The pain was still quite bearable the first 2 hours till about 8:30 am, the doctor then came in to visit me and my water broke, from then on the contraction pain became much more stronger. It was starting to be so painful that I asked the nurse for pain relief options
1. Epidural
2. Laughing Gas
3. Pethidine
I opted for Pethidine because they said it will make me sleepy and it's just a normal injection at my buttock and it won't hurt compared to Epidural. The nurse said it will make me sleepy and not concentrate on the pain so much so that I can rest and then save energy to push later.
I was so sleepy that I don't remember much till the contraction was super super painful.
That was the worst pain in my life. The pain was there every half an hour and gradually got closer and closer till pain every 2 minutes if I am not mistaken, and I remember Marcus was beside me, I was squishing his sweater which he wore and sometimes his hand. It gotten so painful that the nurses provided me with laughing gas as well. Marcus was in charge in feeding me the gas whenever my contraction pain came.
Bearing the pain for about 3-4hours, I was then already 8cm dilated. The nurse told me that I can start preparing myself to push. The gas did helped a little, did not really stop the pain but it kinda took me of my mind. It was quite addictive because I felt better after inhaling it. But I think I over used it cause I was super drowsy by the time I was supposed to push. I was even smiling and telling Marcus : Are we going diving? Remember Pom Pom Island? I miss diving. I said that when I was quite unconscious. I could barely open my eyes.
I couldn't really concentrate and keep making mistakes when the doctor ask me to push. I forgot the breathing techniques and Marcus was trying to keep me awake when there was no contraction pain. He was so supportive and he witness everything. EVERYTHING, as there was no covers.
What I remember was pushing about 2 times and the baby is out. But Marcus told me I pushed 4 rounds, 3 times per round. Honestly, I didn't even know that the baby was out as I don't really remember the last few parts of the labor. I was shocked when the doctor placed the baby on my chest, I remember telling them :
Oh, my baby is out already???
I was semi awake then. But I remembered the look at Marcus' face when he saw his first son. I will never forget that look.
The doctor then told us that my placenta didn't came out and it was a rare case and she was trying to take it out and even mentioned that I might need to go to surgery right away if she cannot take it out manually, but she managed it and told me that my placenta is huge because the baby is huge. Thank God I don't have to go thru surgery. She then sew me back ( yes, she actually cut me open and stitch it back, but don't worry ladies, due to contraction we don't really feel it )After that, I slept for about a good one and the half hours in the labour room while they clean my baby.
Later I was pushed to our junior suite, we wanted a bigger room because we have a huge family and a lot of our friends were coming to visit. Once I reached there, my family greeted us with a huge smile and congratulated us.
Thank you Lina for making my room look beautiful :)
Thank you Jillian for the flowers
Our Junior Suite view
Thank you for the balloons Jolyna! Thank you Keith and family, Zeb/Kylye , Lina, Stan and Lynn for the lovely gifts!
I wasn't discharged the very next day because I needed extra rest and monitoring. I kinda knew something was wrong with me as I couldn't walk during the first day and the second day.
The nurses in Prince Court were TOP NOTCH! They were so so so supportive and caring! I give them 5 stars for their service! I was so blessed to have helpful nurses around me. They are so encouraging and told me that I am a brave and strong mommy and they salute me for not taking Epidural at all as they were shocked by my size and my baby's size. Hehe...
The doctor came in the next day to examine why I can't walk, and told me that my stomach muscle had separated because the baby was big for my size. I was devastated. I was sent to physiotherapy right away. I remembered I cried after the session when Marcus pushed me out and I saw my parents. I was so depressed at that time, for not being able to walk and the doctor said that it will take about 6 weeks to heal.
With me being not able to walk, my mom had to stay back to take care of me. She and Sheena helped me during my toilet trips to clean up myself. I wasn't mobile.
The worst part was that I couldn't carry my baby and be the mother who is alert and always on top when the baby cries. I had to rely on my family whenever my baby cries. I can't play with him, carry him when he cries immediately, changed his diapers or bath him.
I was mostly bed ridden. I felt like I wasn't a mother just yet.
That is also why I said no to guests coming to visit at my house at the time being.
Sorry yeah! Let me recover first!
Our families has been very supportive and it was my dad who asked me to face my fears and try to walk forward. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that I discovered that I could walk backwards and side ways with stockings! So basically I was moon walking for 2-3 days haha, but very slowly lah of course!
So after a week, I am glad to say that I am now able to walk forward slowly. I can now carry my baby and walk to the other room to change his diapers. YAY! My stomach still hurts whenever I walk, but it's bearable. God will heal me.
Thank you to my lovely husband for being so supportive during the delivery room, cleaning the house and waking up middle of the night whenever our baby cries. I love you so much!
and introducing.....
Baby Mika :)
Mika ; Gift from God