The "BIG day"~

January 27th, 2010

The "BIG day"...Do not mistaken this as my wedding day. That day has long gone. Okay,maybe i should change my title to something like "My 2nd Biggest Day" but i think i will stick with my current title The "BIG day". After all, today is the coming of my 1st princess into this world and it's a once in a lifetime thing. Until nearly term i wasn't feeling any labour pain so following specialist's plan, i had to be induced medically.

At 7am, I woke up and took a nice long bath, shampooing my hair thoroughly because after this, i'm not allowed to even wet my hair during confinement period. I know, hard to imagine right but lets just hope my mum would show me mercy, or change her mind after she could no longer tolerate me stinking like a fish market..haha. Checked all my bags to make sure that everything my princess and I need are in there. Then at 7.45am, hubby and me left the house for Seremban Specialist Hospital (aka KPJ), seriously excited but didn't know what to expect.

Sunny day with bright blue sky - the view from my labour room

It was a beautiful day with good sun and blue sky. After registering at the admission counter, me and the other expecting mothers were brought to our individual labour rooms. The room was cozy, quite spacious with a personal television and a shared bathroom. It was like a mini hotel room. Now i just have to wait for my Obstetrician specialist, Dr Kala, whom i know i will be in her good hands.

Me just settling down - anxious about what is to come

 After a while, a staff nurse entered and administered me ravin enema (a laxatives, something that makes 1 wanna pass motion instantly) from my behind. My goodness, that was my first ravin enema experience. It took only a mere 3 seconds to feel the urge and as much as i wanted to control myself, i could not...Imagine the effect. Okay..okay, Ivan is telling me to stop here before you people feel grossed out.

By the way, did you know that giving birth shares the same sensation as defaecation? Hence the importance of laxatives pre-labour, because the only object we want to evacuate during delivery is our product of conception, not bowel content.

CTG(cardiotocography) - to monitor contractions and fetal heart

The nurse then inserted a branula, and started me on intravenous Pitocin drip (a type of medicine administered to initiate my uterus to start contracting). I was also placed on  CTG monitoring ie a machine which helps monitor baby's heart rate and uterus contraction strength. Dr Kala came in shortly and examined me. She did an ARM (artificial rupture of amniotic membrane also done to start my uterine contraction) and to my relieve, the liquour was clear. *Meconium-stained liquor indicates fetal distress and its something to be alarmed of.* After the physical examination, she informed that my cervical os was already 4cm dilated and reassured me before allowing me to rest.

CTG's looking good

It came to my realization i was bed-bounded, not allowed to climb off the bed for any reason. Had my breakfast and just lied down listening to baby's heartbeat from the CTG. I must have let my thoughts wandered before entering dreamland on the comfortable bed only to wake up at 12pm. Surprisingly, the pain wasn't as bad as i had expected. Was more like a very bad dysmenorrhea ie.period cramps but to me, it was still tolerable and therefore i didn't request for any analgesia ie.pain reliever.

I didn't have any appetite but forced myself to eat a bit of the hospital lunch as i knew i would need the strength later. By 1.30pm my uterine contraction was increasing in frequency and intensity which gradually made me feel uncomfortable. The pain was also becoming more prominent to me. What i couldn't stand in addition to that was the constant urge/sensation of passing urine and motion which came with every uterine contraction. Only thing was i couldn't. Felt like there was always something pressing on my bladder but nothing i can do about it.

Trying to eat despite my contractions

At 2pm, Dr Kala came and examined me again. Told me i was already 9cm and encouraged me to bear down whenever a contraction came. *Bear down - to push as in constipation, it helps push down the baby*. I did exactly as told. However, at 2.30pm the nurse examined me again and told me baby's head was still only at station -2 ie. the head is still deep inside. Imagine the disappointment when i heard that. I felt like i was pushing so hard as the discomfort was becoming more and more prominent but baby's head was just not moving. It was then when i felt like giving up. I felt like i simply can't push anymore and really thought to myself i would rather a caesarean section than to continue.

I complained to Ivan and told him i could not do it anymore. He held my hand and told me not to give up, told me to pray and ask God to help me; he asked me to think of our baby. I persevered on. At 3.30pm, the nurse checked me again and this time, the station was -1. Baby's head descended but was still high. I was really worried that baby might suffocate inside. The pain was becoming unbearable but i refused analgesics. The nurses placed me in lithotomy position and encouraged me to bear down. After 2-3 times trying, hubby told me he could see baby's head still high inside and was amused she already has hair. I was so exhausted by then i felt as if i could not continue.

*sorry,no pictures..Ivan did not have enough hands to click on the camera*

It was nearly 4pm by then and thankfully, Dr Kala appeared to save the day. She said baby would need the help of a vacuum because i have been trying for too long ie prolonged 2nd stage labour. The process of inserting the vacuum delivery set was really painful but what came next i did not expect. Dr Kala told me to push as hard as i can with each contraction and she would pull the vacuum to help me. I remembered the pain when she first pulled - it felt like i was going to burst/explode. I screamed ~~ i am embarassed to admit but i could not tolerate the pain neither could i keep quiet. Dr Kala pulled 3 times before baby's head came out. By then, the pain was so excruciating that i already felt numb. I pushed 1 last time for baby's body to come out and that was it.

*sorry,no pictures again..Ivan was too busy looking at baby*

I heard baby's cry. Baby's first cry. And guess what, i also started crying. Crying because of the pain and that i survived it, relieved that the process finally ended, happy that baby is crying loudly and squeling. The nurses dried and wrapped baby up and gave her to me. I hugged her and brought her close to my chest and i started crying again kissing her face. The emotion that washed through me was so intense. I was just thanking God over and over again for everything. Even now whenever i think back upon that moment, my eyes would just fill with tears.

Baby Christiana Yong Min Xuan, 3.4kg , delivered on 27/1/2010 at 4.13pm.

Ivan was overwhelmed too. He hugged me and baby, kissed my forehead and told me i did a good job and that he was very proud of me for hanging in there. Dr Kala proceeded to deliver the placenta and sutured me up but i was already exhausted by then. Everything became blur...Nothing mattered anymore...Except for the thought of my baby being safe..My little bundle of joy..

Next up..."My little Christiana"