Tuesday, November 18, 2008
My Day
18-NOV-2008:
Since YL wrote about her labour experience 3 years ago, I am inspired to relate my story too. However, mine is pretty uneventful and quick - thank God for that!
One thing worth noting and that not many people do was that I picked a date to be induced - not because of any medical needs but because I wanted my baby to be born before the year ended. As soon as the doctor told me that my baby was mature, I pointed my finger randomly at a date in the calendar - 22 Dec 2005, which was 2 weeks earlier than the EDD.
In the morning of 21 Dec 2005, the doctor did a swap at the cervix hoping that labour would start later that day, but nothing happened. On the same day after dinner, I checked in to the hospital where I would "wait" for labour to start. A midwife inserted a pill into me but all through the night, I didn't feel the slightest contraction, not even mild cramping.
At 9am on 22 Dec 2005, I was led to the labour room where I had my waters broken by the doctor and was put on drip. Then, the contractions came - strong and regular about every 3 mins - the only type of contractions I've ever felt. For the next 3 hours, I did nothing and spoke nothing to Saimun who was sitting quietly at the corner, except to stare at the clock above me ... counting every 3 mins when the contraction would come. Midwives checked on me every now and then and one offered me local anesthetic. I took it and after that I "slept" - my eyes closed but not actually asleep.
Shortly before 12pm, 2-3 midwives came in to set me up, saying it was time. Huh? Then the doctor came in and he asked if I had the urge to push. Actually, I didn't and I think I was still half asleep from the anesthetic. But anyway, I did about 3 pushes and everytime the midwife said I wasn't pushing right. She said "Your face is red but you're not pushing", but she didn't actually teach me how to do it. Then the doctor said "Relax your legs". He said only those 3 words and I understood immediately what he meant. It was amazing how I connected with my gynae. :-) And so I pushed and shot pee all over the place. Hahaha! I think it took less than 5 pushes and Dominic was out. The doctor held him up like a trophy and I noticed that he was slightly blue. I only had 3 hours of labour.
Dominic's eyes were wide open - very, very alert but when I talked to him, there was no response. He just stared at me, stared at everything, stared at nothing, not blinking. He didn't response at all when I put him to the breast. By now, he wasn't so blue anymore and his feet were so, so, so cute! I know many of you would think that the pain was unbearable and it's not fair for women to have to endure this but believe it or not, I would love to go through it all again. :-)
