...........It all started on Sunday, 15th June 2009. It was so called the final weekend to my pregnancy. Iskandar and I were busy sorting out the house since we won't have enough time to do so during weekdays. We vaccumed, changed our bedsheets & duvets and also washed the car. Around 5p.m, I went to the toilet and there was a "show". I didn't take much note about it because it was too little to make a big fuss about. Although to be honest, I was really excited that I had some bloody show. We went over to my brother's to wash the car and I was telling my sis in law that I had some bloody show when I peed. Sis in law then advised me to give he hospital a ring just to make sure that baby's still A-OK in there. I should have known that during pregnancy you have to make a big fuss about almost anything and everything because there's life in there that you can't monitor on your own.When we got home about 9p.m, I felt a slight "contraction" (note: at this point I still did not know that it was contractions). I asked Iskandar to monitor the contractions for the whole hour. It was going on for about 10 minutes apart. He asked me to give the hospital a ring but I resisted because I didn't wanna be those false alarm people. I didn't trust his monitor so I had to write down the contractions as and when it came. To my surprise, it was 10 minnutes apart.
We then decided to give the hospital a call to make sure that everything's OK, what more with the bloody show I had in the evening. About midnight I rang the hospital and told the midwife my situation. She then asked us to come in for a thorough check because I had some blood coming out of me already. So we went and waited to be seen by the midwife. By the time we saw the midwife it was already around 2a.m. At first I didn't want to go to the hospital because Iskandar was working the next day but silly me obviously the baby comes first before his work! Around 3a.m, the Midwife's confirmed that the bloody show was only urinary infection and there was nothing to worry about. As for the contraction-like, it was really slight contractions and I was at that time 1 cm dilated. They couldn't admit us into the hospital because I wasn't 4cm dilated. So we were sent back home. I was so disappointed as I am now one of the false alarm people! hahaha
Moving on, around 4:30a.m, my contractions became more frequent and I couldn't fall asleep. Iskandar (yet again!!) insisted on me calling the Midwife to let her know how frequent it was. According to me, it was about 5 minutes apart, but I think I was slightly exaggerating then. :-) Midwife asked us to come in for a check again and now I was 2cm dilated. Although I wasn't 4cm dilated, the Midwife insisted on keeping us in, we were then admitted into the triage. Midwife also explained that because of urinary infection, the contractions and dilation will be very inconsistent so they have to monitor baby every now and then. I was given some "painkillers" (it was only cocodomal, which honestly works like a paracetamol to me; no effects!). Managed to get some rest whilst in our room because we were superbly tired. Pity Iskandar because he was really knackered and had to sleep on the chair! Baby's heartbeat etc was being checked every 3 hours. During midday, I was really in pain. Midwife asked me to go for a bath since the painkiller wasn't working on me. Surprisingly, after a warm bath I didn't have any contractions for about 3 hours straight. I slept straight through.
However, late evening, the contractions started again and this time it was every 3-4minutes. We went in the bath again but this time it didn't help. Bugged the midwife to get me checked just in case my dilation has now increased. Around 10p.m I was already 4cm dilated. This only means we can be admitted into the labour ward. Got ourself a bed at the labour ward at around 1a.m. I was already on Enotox at this stage. Iskandar said that I was inhaling it like nobody's business and it was "funny" how I reacted the whole time on Enotox. heheheh Yeah, I guess funny for some. After being high on drugs for a bit, Midwife came in to break my water (apparently that's their policy). By 2a.m my waterbroke and I seriously have no idea what I felt at this stage.
Around 3+a.m. I remember telling the student Midwife that I need to go for a poo. hahah I was literally shouting at her that I need to poo. She insisted that I don't need to go to the toilet and it was just some sort of pressure.During my pregnancy I planned to go for waterbirth but the reason I didn't go for water birth was because I felt really chilly and I had to be 4cm dilated. By the time I was 4cm dilated, I totally forgot about water birth and my dilation was so constant. I was sitting on a rocking chair at this stage and kept complaining that I was tired and wanted to have a nap. The student midwife said that I had to keep rocking so that the baby will "fall" and my cervix will be fully dilated. I think at that time I was already fully dilated and baby was all ready to come out of me (notice his crowning in some of his picture). Around 5a.m, my Midwife came in and I told her I was tired and I wanna be on the bed. She then checked me and said I was fully dilated and have to start pushing! They tried to take the Enotox of me but I was being rather "rude" and snatched it back from them. hehehe Well, things you do during labour. Once I was off the Enotox, my Midwife started explaining how to push. I kept screaming that it was soooo painful and my Midwife was rather sweet to entertain my behaviour. She was telling me she knows how painful it is but I have to carry on pushing or else I have to go for emergency C-Sect or the DR has to come in to force the baby out. Baby's heartrate was really low and the Midwives were really anxious at this time. (See, I told you baby wanted out for a longgggg time!). I managed to push baby out of me in roughly 45minutes. :-)
Once the baby was out of me, NOONE (not even Iskandar) actually told me that it was a boy/girl. The Midwife onlysaid that "He's doing well and being cheked now" 5 minutes after delivery. I then said, "oh, it's a BOY?". Midwife was startled and asked, "you didn't know?". Hahaha I find that rather amusing because I was at the end of the bed and how am I supposed to know?? But I guess she presumed we've scanned and knew what we're carrying. hehehe
So, that's my labour story. If anyone were to ask me what's the pain like, personally, I think it's bearable and I'll definitely do it again. I would also say that going au-naturel is better than having any sort of drugs because the pain after giving birth is so much worse. If you can bear the labour pain, you can definitely bear any sort of pain. I'm glad I wasn't surrounded with people who claims labour is such a painful stage etc etc. Because really, it's not as bad as how some people would say. If you come in with absolutely clueless yet positive minded, I bet you can do it in a few minutes!
Above all, I have to say that Iskandar was such a gem throughout the whole labour & hospital stay. He was keeping me calm by telling me that I've had a superb pregnancy and this pain is only for a while. Telling me that throughout the 9 months I didn't have any sort of pain and to bear this pain during the last stage is definitely fair. He also tried to count the number of days I was pregnant to make sure I fully understand that a few hours pain is absolutely nothing! hehehe He made me laugh & cry on how sweet he's been throughout the pregnancy & labour. Definitely hormones took the best of me on the crying part, but I really appreciate what he has done for me. I could never look back and complain about anything that he's done. He's a gem and I'm glad we went through this together.
Note to all: Your labour partner plays an important role during labour. He/she has to be someone who understands you so much in order for you to go on with the labour rather less painful. :-)
Also, thank you to all of you who reminded me to read any sorts of prayers and Surahs during the labour. During my contractions, I was reciting Surah Yassin & Luqman constantly. Also in the labour room, we played Surah Maryam, Luqman, Yassin and Yusof and that really helped me to calm down.
So, second birth story anytime soon? ;-)
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