Labor Stories

Since I was the youngest in my family (of 5) and I didn’t get pregnant till I was 38 years old, and that I didn’t know anyone in Toronto (lived in L.A. for over 22 years before moving to Toronto … I imgrated from KL right after my highschool) … other then my hubby, my 3 older sisters and my niece (from L.A.) decided to come to “assist me” with my son’s arrival.

The month before they were schedule to arrive, I called my sisters almost everyday to keep them updated … make sure they had their passport, visa and all the ingredients they would need to make my favorite foods that I missed from KL … good excuse eat mah!!!

Anyway, being a diabetic, my ob told my husband and I, that I should have a C-section instead of a natural birth because our baby is going to “Big”. My ob is such a funny guy … he was talking to us about the whole procedure/option … going natural or C-section.

He said, we can go with plan “A” Natural Birth … that’s the “New In Thing Now”. No Epidural, no nothing … going Caveman (or Cavewoman) … Grrrrr … He added, we can go through all that, pain and all … so I can experience the whole Child-Birth thingy … plus 24 hours or more (give or take) of agony and then, end up with C-section because my baby is too big to come out naturally anyway.

Or plan “B” … booking a date for C-section and “pop’ comes the baby!!! Hmmmmmmmm…. pain and agony for 24plus hours or “pop” comes the baby??!?! So we book a date for this great event!

Originally, my son was due to be born Dec 10th, so we decided to name him Nicholas … X’mas … St. Nick … hint, hint, wink, wink. The only date available was Nov 30th. So we took the date and kept the name!

We arrived at the hospital “North York General Hospital” in Richmon Hill promptly at 6:30am. We went through the whole check-in procedures. The nurses were very nice to allow my sisters & niece to wait in the immediate waiting room area instead of outside where family and friends has to wait.

Anyway, they got me hooked up to and IV while they get everything ready and my doctor to arrive. I was sitting in this check-in area where they have little cubicles for other pregnant mummies who are ready to deliver. Everything was calm … no shouting or screaming.

They even allow my sisters & niece to come in to check on me, though one at a time, the whole time I was at the check-in area.

I was feeling very excited, just imagine in another hour or so, I get to finally meet my son!!! Everything was going smoothly. I remember thinking to myself, “Hey, this is easy … nothing to it. I was even wondering what was all the fuss. This is a piece of cake … can do this again!!!”

Then, this lady in one of the cubicle check-in area screamed!!! My God! That scream was so loud and scary, even the hairs on the back of my neck stood up!!! I grab my husbands hand and squeeeeeeeze!!! His face was as shocked as mine … dunno whether from my claws or from the lady’s scream! I heard the nurse said, “Only 2 cm. You will have to wait and try to relax”.

I must say, at that moment I was “Thanking God” I had to do a C-Section! I didn’t care what other people had told me about the danger and the possible complications. I even had a flashed back from one of my lamaze class, where the instruction was telling us that the pain is very real. Just imagine squeezing bowling ball through a 10 cm hole! I was wishing someone would get me out of there!

Anyway, the nurse must have read my mind. She came and took my husband and I into the surgery ward for my C-section. Phew! That was close!

In the surgery ward, there were 4 nurse and a anesthetist. One of the nurses helped me up the surgery table and the other told my husband where to stand. Then, the anesthetist introduce himself (I was too nervous to remember what he was saying) and told me to sit up straight. He then explained to me what he was going to do and what would happen and what I would feel.

At that point I was telling myself, “Whatever … can’t understand/remember what you’re saying anyways … just smile and nod!!!”. He had a nurse stand in front of me … hugging me, while he give me the epidural shot. I was expecting this PAIN … then, he said, all done. Relax and the nurse helped me to lay on my back.

All this happened in what seems to be less then 1 minute. I noticed I can’t feel the lower part of my body. They then put up this screen so I can’t see what the doc is doing to my tummy. My husband was asked to sit next to me by my head, to talk to me so I don’t panic.

I was more worried about my husband, who can’t stand the sight of blood, who may faint when they show him our baby … covered in blood! I heard him telling the doctor and the nurses that he doesn’t like the sight of blood, so he will NOT be cutting the cord! He even had the nerve to tell the doctor not to “Splash” him … don’t any blood on me okay?? That’s MY MAN!!!

We told the doctor to try to “Delay” the delivery after 9am … my brother checked on the “Feng Shui” & “Date & Time” for me, and he said, the later the better! So, my dear doctor was moving in slow motion so he can delay the delivery procedure.

As soon as the clock struck 9am, he proceeded on me. I couldn’t see what was going on but, my dear husband was giving me the play by play. “Aiya, he is cutting you ah. Can feel or not?? Waaaaahh … so much blood. Yuck! Aiyo, doctor putting his hand into your stomach, ah! My god, he tugging and pulling ah. Aiya! Blood Splashing ah! Can you feel anything?? Aiyo, can see something coming out. Aiyo, head … waaaah whole thing out lor!!! (Doctor announcing, Nicholas has arrived!) Hey Baby crying!!! Aiyo, doctor dump baby on your stomach. Cutting cord. Can feel ah?? Nurse taking baby. You stay here, ah. I go see where nurse taking baby, ok??

I am thinking to myself … where can I go dear??? I am laying here with my stomach open … where can I go??!??!

Anyway, nurse was telling me Nicholas was crying too much. There was another doctor standing by about 2 feet away. They were rubbing him and cleaning him up. Finally, I can hear Nicholas screaming!!!!

They finally brought gave Nicholas to my husband to carry and he brought him over to me so I could kiss him. Hmmmm….I can still remember his look and his smell. Then, I wanted to hold him so badly. The nurse said, I had to wait till I go to the recovery room before I can hold Nicholas.

Aaaah, I can understand why we, women can endure such pain. The reward is unbelievable!!! It’s great to be a mum!!!

I read a couple of birth or labor stories from a magazine called “Today Parents” and I just love to read them. Now looking back, I have my own labor story to tell too.

Labor Story Part 1 (First Child):

I was carrying my first son, over 40 weeks. I had to stop working because of my company policy. I was doing nothing at home eagerly waiting for the signs or symptoms of labor. Nothing. I set an appointment with my gynae to check how many cm dilated. He told me only 1 cm but the head is engaged. He gave me a few options, either to wait for a few more days or to go for induction.

I have heard many horror stories about how painful it is, to induce labor. Anyway, I was really bored at home. My hubby and I decided to go for induction.

A day before I went to the hospital, my MIL and FIL came by to work out my son’s chinese name. As my hubby and I do not know any chinese, so they have the honor to give my son a chinese name. As for the english name, my hubby and I decided very long time ago.

On 14 March, at 7am in the morning, my hubby and I scroll down our neighborhood. Some folks say, labor will come faster if I walk a lot. Actually I had been walking a lot when working but some how it didn’t work. We walk for 30 mins and it was time to go to the hospital. The hospital is very close by, only 5 mins away from my house.

By the way, my hubby bought a video camera and he was all nicely dress up to welcome our first child.

Register myself and a nurse came by with the wheel chair to bring me to the labor room. I felt funny sitting on the wheel chair. At the labor room, the nurse asked me to change my clothes into the hospital gown. Then she shaved me. After which she pump a bottle of liquid into my bowel to clean my bowel. Upon returning, the nurse turned on a machine to hear my baby’s heartbeat. It is an amazing feeling hearing my baby’s heartbeat.

My gynae came at 8 am, he greeted me with a happy face, telling me there were a few mums waiting to deliver. I think there were 3. The hospital has individual room for each mum. I like it because I love the privacy. I can’t imagine someone screaming next to me, I will be terrified. My gynae did a check on how many cm I was dilated and then he put a pill in. When the doc left, I asked the midwife, “will it hurt? will it hurt?” The midwife told me if it doesn’t hurt, meaning no contraction how to dilate?

After 2 hours or so, I felt nothing and began to feel bored. Luckily, I bought a book to read. Later, I couldn’t remember how many hour pass, my gynae insert another pill in. Every time he does that, I have the urge to pass urine. I was not allowed to do that immediately as it will wash away the medicine.

At 3:30pm, the nurse started the drip. I had a light snack, “tau fu far”. By the way, no dilation, still 1 cm and no pain. Even after the drip. The nurse push in a TV set for me to watch. I did nap for a while.

At 7:00pm, I felt tightening of my womb, the nurse say it is contraction but I don’t feel any pain, just discomfort. In between 3 to 7pm, my gynae tried to burst my water bag but couldn’t as it was too high up.

At 8pm, my gynae came again. I told him I am tired, can I have a c-sect instead. He told me all those mums who check in before me and after me had delivered and you are still here. You are a tough gal, and the medicine just did not work on you. Jokingly I told him that it is in my family history and I told you to give me a c-sect and you rejected. He is a good doc as he always belief in natural birth. He rejected my request to have a c-sect during my visitations.

Anyway, he finally did a c-sect for me. Fortunately he did it and I guess God was there, as my baby already passed motion in the womb. He couldn’t cry when he was taken out. The paed was on stand by took him and suck the meconium out from his lungs. He is fine. I was very tired and knew about his situation until the next morning.

Link: http://mybabybay.com/blog/?p=13