Recount of the long long day....

Thought that I should really write down the horrible long day to remember as many times friends give very brief details of the main events of labour but leaving out many details of it. I thought I had attended the class and asked enough questions to friends but still only to find many surprises on the actual day. So here it is...

- We made the appointment with the gynae to check in to the hospital on 27th Aug @ 9pm for induction since I was getting sick n uncomfortable and all. And although the baby was in position since weeks ago, the cervix doesn’t seems to be dilating enough to have labour anytime soon.
- So the midwife did checks of BP, baby’s heart rate and cervix and decided with the gynae that we should start the process at 12midnite
- At 12, the midwife inject a tube of stuff into my ass to clear the bowels. I was supposed to hold for 5 mins or as long as possible. So, and of course as expected, I was running (really running) to the bathroom with couple of mins
- Then a pill was inserted into the cervix to try to dilate it. We slept thru most of the night except to be disrupted with a couple of check on the progress.
- At 4 am, another pill was inserted as the progress was not ideal.
- Then at 8am, the water broke by itself and contraction gradually sets in…So, it was good and we were on course to have a natural birth. Oh another not dignified thing to note, I was on a super big pad and still dripping all the time… I kind of lost the feeling if there were any pee that could accidentally slip out at the same time… anyway very wet! Eeks!
- 10am – dilation of 3cm (still good though slow) and I was coping quite well, breathing as I was supposed, bouncing around the exercise ball and eating my breakfast. The ball really helps since I hated lying on bed as it gives me backache as well
- 11am – dilation was still at 3, so it was too slow, and the midwife suggested to give me a IV drip to speed it up. So we said ok
- Contraction was too much and I went into the birthing pool. It is basically a big bath tub fill with warm water to soothe the contraction…. For those ladies who think this is a great thing that is not available in Sg, there is really nothing much you are missing out on. I still have to use the breathing to counter each of the contraction. And the fact that the pool was so big, I didn’t manage to find a comfortable position for long. For record sake, I did think of going for epidural immediately but since the pool was available, I thought there is no harm trying so to be able to tell the gang back home about the experience… and it was such a bad choice I think.

- 12 noon – I decided that EPI is my choice after all. So I got out, dried and was given another stronger drip to get ready for epi….and the anaesthetician was suppose to arrive in 15mins.
- 15 mins turned out to be 1+hour!!!! And that was the most horrible part of the entire process!!!!!! Sander was patiently giving me massage, feeding me with water and stuff and I couldn’t talk at all. I feel bad that I was feeling sensitive and in case he touch me on the wrong spot and I can only shake him off instead of telling him properly. He was pestering the midwife for me and they were all trying to make me more comfortable since they have no idea where the damm doc is!
- When the stupid anaesthetician finally arrive, he kept talking non stop which was really irritating. He chatted happily with Sander while slowly administering the epi. Bending over and not moving was extremely at that point of time as I was trembling a lot. There was certainly pain from the needle but comparing with the pain of the contraction, it was bearable.
- Life was not beautiful immediately after epi. I still felt the pain for 15 mins before the effect kicked in. Unfortunately after about 15 mins, the contraction was too strong that I had to give myself an extra push of it.
- After knowing how the med works, life was again ok and guess what… I NEEDED FOOD!!! Haha… through the whole process I remember asking for food for quite a number of times and even after labour, that was the first thing I needed!
- Well, things were calm for the next few hours n I even slept while the midwife check on me every now and then.
- Expected popping time was about 7-9pm . Then suddenly at the 5pm check, the midwife said she is ready! And they immediately call for the gynae. So all was set up for the pushing…oh , and I almost forgot, the inserted something to my pee hole to pressed on my bladder to clear all the residual out to get ready for the pushing… aiyo very no dignity again needing help to do the basic of peeing

- The first few push was difficult as I still couldn’t feel my muscle from the epi effect. Then gradually getting the grip of it. And Sander was doing a live commentary of what is going on below while I channel all my energy to pushing. As I slowly regain my senses, the pushing became more effective and within moments, her head could be seen! And then the gynae had her hand ready to receive and then suddenly she was making a lot of movement and I continue the pushing. After that only did I realize that she had given me a cut as the pelvic thingie seems to be tearing.
- Anyhow, once Kirsten is out, she started crying and they immediately wrap her in a cloth and brought her up onto my chest. It was an amazing moment when I first meet this thing that has been growing in me and it was amazing how she stopped crying when I grabbed her on my chest. She looks like an alien with all the blood n white stuff but she is beautiful to me.
- After some moments, the midwife offered Sander the ‘scissors’ to cut the umbilical cord. Very calmly, he took it over and cut it!!! I am so proud of him!!! We had this discussion before and he said that he does not want to do it but he did it!!!
- They took Kirsten away for some cleaning and measuring while the placenta was being delivered and I was being stitch up. I even asked to look at the placenta to know about the thing that has been feeding my gal for the past 9 months. Then the midwife cleaned me up and pushed us all back to the ward.

A lot of focus was of course given to the little one in the days after. However I was still suffering in pain. Had to eat all sorts of things and do more of those no dignity things for the road of recovery. Eg, drinking glucose stuff to build on the iron , drinking stuff to soften and help the bowel, using antiseptic on the wounds, the midwife checking on my placenta and stitches, eating painkiller ….. urghhh I had been fortunate to be healthy for most of my life and never been popping so many medicine and stuff before!

This long entry is to help those preggy fren to be better prepared and not to scare you ok :) I know as much as I hated those moments, I know I will like to repeat it all over again if given the blessings....

Finally here is the happy moment, our first family photo