2nd May 2015; 2.00 am
It all started in the wee hours, to be exact 2 in the morning on the 2nd May 2015. Even though I felt my pants wet, the only thing in my mind was to get some sleep knowing full well that tomorrow will be a busy day for me .
I was up again around 4.45 am, gently woke up my husband and told him that i think my water bag burst. Speechless, he asked me back what to do. I told him I felt no intense sensation yet, nevertheless asked him to start packing things and get ready.
2nd May 2015; 7.00 am – 4.00 pm
Around 7.00 am i was famished, so we went out to ‘tapau’ some nasi dagang and then proceeded to my favourite shop at SS15 to have my favourite ice tea… yummy. I could feel the surges at times but I just ignored them and kept myself busy eating! I felt the surges around my lower back, unlike period pain. We went back home to get our things and headed for Bangsar Shopping Complex to walk around. Now I felt the surges getting stronger but still far apart, every time i felt it coming I took a deep breath and told myself to relax. I kept asking myself – my baby coming, my baby coming already? I did my Dzuhur prayers and wondered if the surges were real as i could. still pray like norm. I did text Nadine from time to time just to be sure myself.
2nd May 2015; 4.00 pm – 8.30 pm
We decided to proceed to KLCC, in case anything happened PCMC was within easy reach. As the surges became intense and closer, we decided to park near the hospital to time the surges. But when we reached there the surges disappeared, i waited and the surges didn’t come. So I decided to go back home, I just wanted to curl up on my bed. I had a short nap, sit on birth ball and husband gave me a massage.
2nd May 2015; 8.30 pm – 10.05 pm
We went out after Isya’ to have dinner; we had a long list where to dine in before the baby decided to pop out. However on our way, suddenly i told my husband to ‘tapau’ something instead and head straight for the hospital.
2nd May 2015; 10.05 pm – 10.45 pm
We reached the hospital around 10. We were very annoyed with the emergency counter as they really took their own sweet time to prepare the documentation. My husband told them that i going to deliver already, water bag burst since 2.00 am, but the admin person’s response was “ooh basah ke?” Duh.. obviously. In the hospital the surges became stronger and frequent. Thanks to husband for giving me the counter pressure at my back (the surges point). That helped a lot! After awhile I was wheeled into the labor room.
2nd May 2015; 10.45 pm – 3rd May; 12.55 am
As I arrived in the labor room, I was asked to pee first. The surges were intense; all I wanted to do was just to curl on the bed. The nurse insisted to do CTG for 30 minutes ( oh gosh it was so uncomfortable as u couldn’t move), later she told my husband “to go and take your things from the car, including the birth ball, your wife still 1st stage labor la”. I was like heck, it’s been almost 20 hours and I was still 1st stage labor? My husband kept telling the nurse not to do vaginal examination (VE) until he came back.
My husband then came in with all our things, i told him i really want to curl myself and get the CTG off me. The nurse then came in to do VE, and surprised me and said ‘I’m 9 cm dilated’! She then added, “Ok you’re now active labor stage, don’t go to the toilet, very dangerous”. Deep down me i felt like going to toilet and squat. Back to the ÇTG thing, she refused to remove it saying it was dangerous since I was already 9 cm dilated, they needed to know baby’s heart beat every second. My husband firmly said no doc did agree with our birth plan to have intermittent reading. She then mumbled and took it off. Next she wanted to find my blood vein, and my husband who was very understanding said to her, could you please wait until her contraction diminished? I felt glad that we went thru the hypnobirthing class together; he knew and understood his role without me telling him.
I told my husband where was the doc i really wanted to push, but i was confused as the nurse repetitively said ‘not yet’ and doc would only arrive once the head was out. What was that supposed to mean? Every time the surges came, my husband would ask me to open my hands and relax, well that actually worked. My muscle would automatically relax. But i could not hold much anymore, in fact my husband said he could see the hair when the surges came! I got more confused on what to do as the nurse kept saying the time was not up yet. On my part, all i could do was to keep my legs tight.
The doctor finally arrived. But the impression the nurse gave was that we were not cooperative when she wanted to check our baby’s heart beat. If i could smack her, i would, how dare she said that. But well that made the doctor finally arrived anyway.
He checked my baby’s heartbeat using the ultrasound thingy. Everything was fine, he said, he would be in the office if we needed anything. i tried my best to stay calm, focused and listened only to my husband’s words. Every time i exhaled my breath i tended to say ‘aaaaa’. But i could not wait any longer, i moved my position as though I ready to birth, deep down my heart i felt like sitting on my knees and pushed the baby out.
Not long after that, the doctor came in, “Aaa i thought your water broke at 3.00 pm, but actually 3.00 am, i think you are ready to birth”‘ and i was like finallyyyyyy they begun to prepare. I heard that he told my husband it was dangerous to exceed more than 24 hours from the time my water bag broke. And the same nurse asked doctor about vacuum, thank god our doctor was really supportive, he said no, we have to respect their birth plan. The doc wanted to do episiotomy and asked for my husband’s approval. The doctor always asked us beforehand and explained the consequences. Alhamdulillah, my baby was safely delivered after three pushes.
Alhamdulillah for everything, we managed to achieve the gentle birth that we imagined – no drugs, no intervention, but just armed with the right knowledge.
The birth experiece was wonderful! Ive always imagined that giving birth is scary and very painful. However the “pain” is manageable and if you are calm and relax, you are able to enjoy bit of the moment. If i can go back in time, i wish that i can breath my baby out calmly instead of being asked to push. Regardless of it, we’re glad to achieve the gentle birth that we imagined …
