Monday, April 23 2007,
After leaving SGH, we dropped by Takashimaya to buy the Corelle set that was on sale. My hubb had it arranged for the delivery to be on Saturday, confidently thinking that we would be home by then, if all goes well. We chowed down KFC before rushing back home to clear up some unfinished chores.
1545hrs
We rushed down to SGH. We reached Ward 53A at 1615hrs. I was showed to my reserved bed and given the very unflattering dress to change into.
The Oh! So flattering dress!
After that, it was just a long wait for the doctor to come. My hubb left to do his prayers at the nearby musolah.
1845hrs
The doctor on duty came and inserted the pill. Just one pill, but a very potent one that is.
2020hrs
My hubb came back to the ward.
2030hrs
My mum n bro came by.
2100hrs
The contractions started. So how do I describe it? Excruciating pain? Sharp pain? Hmmm...I think the word that describes it does not exist yet.
One moment I would be laughing and talking with my mum and the next moment, I was squirming, twisting and turning left and right, in pain, on the bed.
2130hrs
The pain was so bad that I was clenching my teeth and tears started flowing from my eyes. The contractions were 10 mins apart. My hubb suggested that I walk about to ease the pain. The nurse only allowed us to walk along the corridor of the ward and advised us to tell her if we are ready to go down to the Labour Ward.
2200hrs
We walked 3 lengths of the corridor, my mum included. Everytime a contraction starts, I would stop in my path, squeeze my hubb's arms, clench my teeth and practice the "pant-pant-blow" breathing technique that we learnt at the Antenatal class.
But a short while later, the pain was worse and I was crying in pain. My hubb decided that we should go down to the Labour Ward where I will be able to get pain relief. I changed into the Labour Ward top and was wheel chaired to Ward 52.
Between 2230hrs and 2400hrs
As soon as we reached Labour Ward 52, my hubb was told to stay at the reception area first and fill out some forms while they get me ready in the room.
I remembered the Midwife telling me how to use the laughing gas mask.
"Hold this over your nose and breath in deeply, everytime you feel a contraction coming", she said.
The gas smelt weird.
Infact, I dont understand why it is called "laughing gas" coz it felt nauseating enough to make me want to puke out. Maybe it should be renamed to "puking gas".
But after the first few breaths, the effects were "woohooo" and the smell didn't matter anymore. It made me feel light headed, as though I am in a Lala Land.
And since I wasn't wearing my glasses, I faintly remembered blurred people fussing around me, taking my blood pressure and fixing the heart beat monitors on my tummy. One of the blurred people approached me and asked if I would want my baby to have some type of jab which they will give right after birth. I knodded my head (although I wasn't very sure if I actually did coz my head was sooo light!) when in my heart, I was cursing her. Couldn't she do this earlier on or later after I've given birth or they could ask my hubb right?
Although I was zonked out, I could still hear "the blurred people" talking.
"I think must give her a jab lah. She's so restless like that"
"You ask her lah, if she wants"
"Ok, I ask her"
"Miss, you want a jab, I give you Penthidine jab ok, very good for your back pain. Can last until 5 hrs"
I knodded. Only at this point, I realised that although the gas was making me feel light headed, my back was still in pain.
They checked and told me that I was 1cm dilated and gave me the jab in my right thigh.
God, all this pain for only a cm! One tiny cm!
0100hrs
After the jab, my hubb came into the room. The nurses turned down the lights and the sound from the heart beat monitor.
The jab took awhile to take effect. In the meantime, my hubb had to stand by my side, massaging my back continuously until the jab took effect, which was quite some time later. Thanks dear!
Between 0100hrs and 0500hrs
After the jab took effect, I was able to "semi-sleep". My hubb also rested on the black armchair, although he intermittently woke up to check on me.
In that "semi-sleeping" stage, I suddenly felt the urge to pee and asked my hubb to tell the nurses. He came back to the room with a nurse who placed a potty beneath me. After a while, I told the nurse to take it away as I couldn't do it in the potty, lying down.
After "sleeping" awhile, I woke up again, this time coz I felt a warm trickle down south. At first I thought it was the "Bloody Show" but the nurse told me that it was my waterbag bursting. Well, it didn't actually burst, but sort of leak. She told me to get some rest coz the baby's coming soon. Despite feeling uncomfortable, I was able to sleep quite soundly. The magic of Penthidine!
0500hrs
The contractions started again. This time more intense and closer. Infact, it felt like there wasn't any interval in between at all! In the dark room, I called out for my hubb who was sleeping quite soundly on the armchair.
"Dear!.... Dear!"
No reply.
"Fauzi!.... Fauzi!"
Still no reply.
I then resorted to throwing the small pillow which I had put underneath my back to him. Haha...the small pillow landed nicely on his lap, without even waking him up!
The pain was getting reaaaaaally bad now. I gropped around in the dark for the emergency call bell, in between deep breaths of the gas.
Right before the nurse came in, my hubb woke up. I asked the nurse if I could have another Penthidine jab. She checked that I am 3cm dilated and it was about 5hrs since the last jab and said ok. She gave me the jab on my left thigh.
Approx 0630hrs
I tried very hard to sleep but the pain was very bad and the Penthidine dont seem to work at all! My hubb started to massage my back again. Seeing me in so much pain, he asked if I want the Epidural. After numerous moans and deep breaths of the gas, I relented, "I want the Epidural"
My hubb called the nurse. She checked and told me that I am 5cm dilated and so it was too late to give me the Epidural. She told me that she will call Dr Yu.
I think my moans of "Ya Allah! Ya Allah!" got the nurse worried. She walked in a few times into the room and reassured me that she had called Dr Yu and she is on the way.
Approx 0715hrs
A dishevelled Dr Yu arrived. After getting ready, she told me to push whenever the urge came. I tried to push but yet it was not strong enough.
My hubb told me to "let it all out" and not to clench my teeth. So during the next urge, I sort of let it all out, but still not to the point of screaming. But it was only when I heard my hubb say" I can already see her head dear", that I squeezed my hubb's arm, closed my eyes, and was pushing with all my might. When Nurul came, my hubb kissed me on my forehead.
According to my hubb, who saw it from the other side, after Nurul's head came out and then one of the shoulder, Dr Yu quickly scopped out the other shoulder. While on this side, all I could feel was a very HUGE relief : )
A nurse excitedly dangled Nurul by one arm and leg! and asked me " See, boy or girl? Boy or girl?"
To which I weakly but angrily replied " I cant see!" (Well of course, i am without my glasses! Duhh!)
I swear if I am not in this compromised state, I would surely give her a tight slap for dangling Nurul like that but that Lil Baby knows how to stand up for herself! While the same nurse was cleaning Nurul up, she grabbed the plastic apron the nurse was wearing. Nurul's grip was so strong that another nurse had to help release her fist.
"Yo lady! That's for dangling me naked in mid air! Now, put me in my mum's arms!"
Meanwhile, Dr Yu massaged my tummy and out came the placenta with a plop. She then stitched me up. I didnt even feel it when she snipped my perineum. It must have been during one of the pushes.
After the Hep B jab (which I signed for in my semi-conscious state earlier on), Nurul was placed back in my arms. Her eyes were open wide, looking intently at me and my hubb. And the moment that made my eyes watery was when she curled her fingers around my index finger. It was amazing. My daughter, our daughter!
Hello dear!
And when I brought her close to my chest, she instinctively latch herself on to my breast. The miracles of Allah! She was sucking really strongly. I was overwhelmed with emotions. So this is the special feeling that they were talking about. The bond between a mother and her child.
Nurul was then taken to the High Dependency Nursery for observations whilst my hubb followed. I had a short nap and was later wheeled out to my bed.
So this is my Labour Story. If you ask me if I would like to be pregnant again, I would say, YES!
posted by LiN at 12:40 PM
