Monday, July 20, 2015 9:22 AM
Syu'aib Birth Story
Assalamualaikum,
Finally I have gotten down to typing this. Have been a whirlwind 4 months plus with the arrival of our precious baby Syu'aib and it's time to pen this down for me to remember what happened on that day.
On the 2nd of March 2015 was the last appointment with Dr. Yong TT. Checked my dilation just to be sure and I was not dilated at all. But due to my condition, she was worried that the baby might be too big for natural birth thus she asked if we wanted to be admitted on the 3rd of March for induction. At that point of time, I was still feeling alright as in no contractions or what-so-ever yet. Was kind-a excited to see the baby's arrival so we agreed to be admitted - was agreeable also partly due to the fact that if I were to be admitted then, we might have a chance to have a 4th of March baby which is exactly 10 months after our wedding, even if earlier it would be 3rd of March.
So we went back home and prepared everything like the hospital bag, checked that the baby's things are all ready and the documents to bring along - yes! we were very chillax in that sense and prepared everything in the last minute. Slept quite late and I even had a good night's sleep despite feeling excited.
On the 3rd of March 2015, we purposely reached SGH earlier at 8.15am just to have breakfast and not feel rushed. The check-in time was supposedly 9am. We even took a cab there (yes! managed to convince Dear to take a cab hahaa!)
Went to admit myself in at about 10am after producing all the documents and settling the bills. We paid 3K upfront and so the waiting game starts.
At about 11am the doctor came to put in the pill for induction and strapped me to the machine that checks the contractions. It was quite noisy and despite that, I still did not feel any contractions though the nurses said that there was mild contractions going on. At this point of time I was thinking to myself, "Wow, of this is mild contractions, Insya'allah I should be handle the normal contractions". Even asked the nurse what do contractions feel like so that I know what to expect to which the nurse replied, "It's like period cramp but x1000"
Waited and waited until about 7pm before I started feeling some contractions; it felt kind-a like period pain, tolerable just that instead of feeling like curling up into a ball, I felt like I should press it down and stay put where I was. It was short and tolerable - lasted for a few minutes before going away.
And then it came to 8pm when the time for alone time came, Dear was not allowed to stay in the ward; if he wants to then he can stay outside and wait at the sofa area just outside the ward. We contemplated of him staying but decided that he can just go back home and rest first since we had nothing to do but wait so might as well wait at the comfort of home and even get some sleep. The doctor checked my dilation and said that I'm only 1cm dilated to he can go back first. So he went back at 9pm and reached home at about 10pm and texted for awhile before he sleeps at about 10-ish 11.
At about 11ish, I started to have really bad period-like cramps every 5mins. Thought to myself, "It's painful but still tolerable" so called the nurse so that they are in the loop and they called the doctor in to check my dilation. It was only 1cm dilated even though the contractions came every 5mins. I was thinking to myself, "I need to stop thinking about the dilation and just take it in"
Oh yah, the checking for dilation was not painful but uncomfortable. Sort-a like digging your nose deeply inside? Haha cannot really explain well on this. But at that time, after the doctor checked, I felt uncomfortable and went to the toilet to notice that there was blood on the pantyline which I wore just in case (tmi here). Told the nurses and they said that it was normal. I also knew that it's normal but at least it was an indication that the baby's arrival is near as it's like the mucus plug was dislodged. Have read about all the symptoms before hand so I was in the know of what to expect.
Texted Dear this, "The mom in the bed infront had her baby with her as I can hear the baby's cries. Can't wait to see our baby" while enduring the contraction pains. Then 11.30pm came and I couldn't endure the pain anymore so I asked for the laughing gas. Doctor came again to check and still I was at 1cm dilated so she said okay she'll arrange for me to be put in the labour ward and have the laughing gas.
Waited and waited till about 12.10am before the nurses came to wheel me in as I was in no condition to walk. The contractions came strong every 1min apart and I was lying in my bed grunting like some animal hahaa! Oh yah, I couldn't reach the nurse call button so my grunts were what distracted the other mummies in the beds beside me to call the nurse and check on me haha! I felt buay-paiseh already; don't care what other people feel, all I want is the laughing gas as I couldn't endure the pain anymore. Texted Dear but he fall asleep already so he didn't reply.
When the nurses came to wheel me in, they asked me to call Dear just in case I am going into labour but he didn't answer. There was a funny moment then; I wanted to put on my inner scarf and scarf but they said don't need already since I was in pain and in a hurry for the gas but I insisted on the inner scarf at least. But then the contractions came and I couldn't wear it so yeah, was all exposed and was still worrying what if there were guys around who saw my aurat haha! Saw some husbands waiting at the sofa area sleeping so I guess nobody saw my aurat.
Reached the delivery suite and asked me to call Dear again but I needed the laughing gas so bad so the nurse helped to call him, successfully. That was about 12.30am and after I got the laughing gas, all I knew was to breathe deeply in and out, deeply in and out.
Remembered Kak Rahimah telling me to only breathe in when the contractions came but it didn't work for me as the contractions came in less than 30 seconds apart so I held on to the laughing gas without letting it go. Nurses asked if I wanted epidural but I just shook my head; by hook or by crook I only wanted the laughing gas.
At some point of time I heard Dear's voice telling me that everything is alright, he is there with me. I was still in pain so I don't even remember acknowledging that, just that I was relieved to feel his presence with me.
The Malay midwife was there to check on my dilation don't know how many minutes apart, didn't even feel her checking me. Just that I heard her saying it was 4cm, then 6cm, then 8cm (time to call Dr. Yong in).
At 8cm dilated, I already felt like something is about to come out from me (the baby of course), made the pushing sound but wasn't really pushing and the midwife said, "Don't push first, if not will tear." I also remembered reading somewhere about not pushing first so all I could do was to make the pushing sound [which Dear said sounded like a whale (?)]
Then I could here Dr. Yong's voice and the midwife saying I'm fully dilated. It was about 2.45am. Time to remove the laughing gas and push the baby out. Was still feeling high from the laughing gas and so held on to it, but Dear's hand was holding me so I let go of it. Remembered the doa's and supplication which really helps take my mind off the pain.
Started pushing but was still high so I stopped for awhile to calm down. Then pushed again before my right leg started to cramped up; DR. Yong asked Dear to help ease the simpul biawak. For the third push, I told myself, "Okay one last push all the way without stopping". And so I pushed and Alhamdulillah out came baby Syu'aib! It felt literally terburai like you managed to poop one huge long poo hahaa! When they put him for skin-to-skin contact, all the pain was gone and all I felt was thankful and love at first sight with the baby. Except for the one time when she's stitching me and I felt a tinge.
So yeah, that is all for now. Might be blogging about the experience with the baby at home but we'll see how, insya'allah!