Third Time’s A Charm - Nataley’s Birth

 【My birthing experience during MCO】🤱🏻

Baby Nataley was delivered on W39.6, one day before EDD, same as her brother. Other similarities, contractions started around the same time in the early hours of the morning. 

W39.5 - CNY would be a week later. Doctor said baby could stay in the womb for EDD +10 days, and asked us whether we wanted to set a date to induce labor next week to avoid the CNY holidays. Doctor did a manual dilation. I went back home and calculated based on last pregnancy, I thought it would take another couple of days before any contractions would happen. 

W39.6 - 2.00 am - Contractions happened in the wee hours of Saturday morning. I woke up my groggy hubby to pack up the remaining items of our hospital bag, and we drove to the hospital. That time contractions were happening every 10 mins, every 7 mins. Hubby called ahead to request for epidural and hospital said they have 24 hours epidural. 

3.30 am - Reached hospital, there were no roadblocks along the way. Due to hospital Covid-19 SOP, both hubby and I had to do nasal swab test upon admission. I was taken to the labor room first to go through the birth preparation and monitoring process, then only do the swab test which takes 45 mins to get the results. Hubby had to wait downstairs in a quarantine room while awaiting the test results.

4.15 am - Midwife checked for dilation - 2cm. 

4.20 am - Midwife did COVID-19 nasal swab, needed to wait 45mins for result, and the doctors would not come in until the results were out. I was in so much pain, kept calling for epidural but the answer I got was “Dr is on the way.” “Breathe in and out.”

5.00 am - While waiting for the swab test results, I experienced rapid dilation from 2cm to 10cm in less than an hour! Although I had already requested for epidural upon admission, the anesthesiologist could not make it in time to the labor room to administer the epidural. 😅 I asked the midwife, “No epidural, is there any painkiller? Gas?” Then the midwife suddenly realized and started bringing the gas. 

Then everything happened so quickly, I could feel the baby trying to come out. The most painful moment was when contractions happened every 2 mins for 12 seconds. I could feel the baby moving down the birth channel and it felt like a train wreck/ earthquake rumbling down there each time, baby’s head pressing against the still intact membrane, baby eager to come out to the world. I cried out to the midwives, “I think the baby is coming!!” Then suddenly everything happened with a sense of urgency, the midwives suddenly realized that the baby was REAAALLY coming and they started setting everything in motion - elevating the bed, turn on the light, preparing the baby receiving table. 

The urge to push with each contraction was really very unbearable yet I had to tahan because the midwives were telling me “Don’t push yet!!” Later on I found out it was because they were waiting for doctor to arrive. Then suddenly I couldn’t feel anything and then the midwives said, “Now you have to push!” I looked at them with confusion, “Why? But I don’t have any contraction now.” The midwives said, “You have to push now because there is meconium, cannot wait already!” Then one midwife helped push open my legs, another pushed my tummy while I pushed with all my might (although I couldn’t feel any urge to push, I just mimicked it lol). And after 2 pushes, the baby just slid out!! With a big loud cry!! It was the first time I saw/heard my baby cry so clearly and loudly. I took one look down there and said, “Good baby!” Once the baby was out, the feeling was like going from hell straight to heaven. 🥳

In the end, both my obgyn and my hubby couldn’t make it in time to the labor room cos everything happened too quickly. He got his Covid results at 5.10 am, while baby came out at 5.17 am. By the time he reached the labor room, the nurses were congratulating him. So, hubby didn’t manage to witness the labors of childbirth this time. 😭😅 In the end, I managed to deliver my baby with the help of the experienced midwives! 

5.30 am - Me and hubby were already happily taking pictures of the baby when the doctor arrived. The stitching-up process was another gruesome experience. Doctor had to open up my stitches to clear some blood clot. By the time she stitched me up a second time, the local anesthesia had worn off and I could feel each prick and pull. Thanks to the laughing gas that bide me through each painful moment. 

All in all, throughout my 3 childbirths I experienced:

- emergency c-section

- vbac natural birth with epidural

- natural birth pain without epidural 😁

Thank God for keeping me and baby safe and strong during the whole childbirth process! 🙏  I believe that our human body is so amazing, after one or two days I just can’t remember the pain that I had went through. It makes you forget the pain of childbirth so you can go through it once again. Hahah. 

At the end, nothing really matters as long as mother and baby are healthy, safe and sound. 

#anataleyaday 

#birthstory