Labor Stories

Sunday, 27th June 2004
5:30pm
Upon reaching the hospital, hubby and myself proceeded to check-in and we were sent directly up to the labour ward. When we reached the labour ward, I showed the doctor’s letter to the nurse in charge and she told me that she’ll have to check for dilation before making sure whether I can be admitted.

In the room, I changed in to a hospital robe and waited. Nurse proceeded to hook me up to the monitor to see baby’s heartbeat and contraction while she checked for dilation. After doing so, she confirmed that I would probably have the baby soon (“Maybe tonight,” she says). Then she told me that she is going to pump medication into my anus to clear the bowel. After that, I just lie on the bed and waited (was told to wait for at least 30mins). When I felt the need to go to the bathroom, I called for the nurse and she came to unplug the wires from my belly. Now up to this part where I went to the toilet and then walked around the room (coz the wires were not reattached back yet), my dear hubby has been making himself confortable for the labour on the armchair. I think he went to sleep while I walked around in the room and sometimes rush to the toilet. As the contractions grew stronger, I lay down on the bed and the nurse asked if I wanted Epidural. I told her no and she asked me if I wanted a jab (this doesn’t even work!) and I took the jab.

Around 9:30pm
I took naps on and off after the jab and at one point, hubby told me that he’s going off for a while and that his sisters will be over soon. Contractions were kind of teruk (actually, it wasn’t but I thought so at that time anyway) and reluctantly I nodded. When the entourage arrived (my 2 SILs, one of their boyfriend and my MIL), I was in quite a lot of pain and was asking the nurse when the doctor will arrive. At that moment, I was only dilated to 7cm and it seems to have stopped there after the rapid progress I made. Since I really did not want Epidural, the nurse suggested that I take the gas.

Thinking back, the gas made me really delirious as I cannot remember how many times I asked for the doctor, the nurse must be fed-up with me. My SIL #1, being the one to pass my requests to the nurse, was also hysterical (I think!) coz she ended up taking the brunt of my frustrations. The dilation was taking it’s own sweet time because for the next 3 hours, it crawled from 7cm to 9cm and seems to stop there. The feeling I has was indescribable. I already feel a need to push but the doctor was not there (the nurse very clearly told SIL #1 that doctor will not be there until dilation reach 10cm, which SIL #1 shouted back at me in the midst of my delirium). I must say that when you need to push, you need to push… coz I did try not to but fail to during some of the stronger contractions. At the point, the nurse told me off for pushing so early because it has cause my perineum area to swell a little.

Monday, 28th June 2004
Around 12:30am
I cannot remember the exact time of the doctor’s arrival but after he arrived, everything went in fast motion. I felt better with the doctor being there, that’s for sure. And he was getting ready, I can see my MIL and SILs hovering at the fringe of the curtain… they were having front row seats to all the drama! The doctor guided me to push during the contractions, after a few tries he did an episiotomy. After a little more time, seeing that I do not have enough breath left in me to push for baby’s head to appear, doctor did a vacuum.

At 1.23am
With the help of the vacuum and the episiotomy, baby was out fast. His little body followed during the next contraction (this was much, much easier) and my whole body felt such relief I can remember it till today. Now, I know I did not mention my hubby after he left at 9 something. This is because he was not there to see his baby come into the world. He was rushing back for dear life but only managed to reach my bed just AFTER baby came out and doctor was sewing me up. One good thing was MIL and SILs were there watching baby come out, baby being put in my flabby tummy, nurse cleaning baby and then nurse cleaning me up. I was still in awe that Ivan weighed 8.31lbs because one week before, during my check-up, doctor measured and told me that baby weighs about 7 plus lbs. His eyes were also opened when he was placed on my tummy.

I fell asleep as baby was pushed out of the room.