The Day Marion Is Born

I have been wanting to update my blog with proper post, there were so many things I wanted to write I don't know where to start. I had promised myself that I would write about the day I delivered my daugther, so that would be my first ever post for the year 2011.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Marion was 9 days overdue. It was such an agonizing wait for us all. I got so many advice regarding how to induce labor naturally, some of it plain superstitious and some made me flabbergasted. What I did and believed in was praying to God that everything will be ok, and asked for the elders especially my mother's blessing. Apart from that, I followed one tip that I got from babycenter.com which actually proved to be effective (I won't revealed here which one, write to me if you wanna know hehe).

On 10th Nov, the day after I went up to kampung to see my mother and asked her to 'persuade' my baby to come out, I finally got a 'blood show' at about 3pm. I had been having mild and irregular contraction for the past few weeks. After I got the show, I followed my MIL went out to buy some stuff, hoping to kick start the first stage of labor. By 7.30pm while having dinner at the restaurant, there were mild cramping and about 15mins apart, and I had to leave the restaurant by 9.30pm to get some rest. I managed to sleep quite well as the contraction had stopped, and awaken at 2am by a strong one. I didn't want to wake Momo up as the contraction was still irregular and went back to sleep.

The next day, I took a walk with Momo around the house to further encourage the labor. While having breakfast, the contraction got stronger it took my breath away, but it was still more than 5mins apart. We made our way to the hospital soon after and I brought my hospital bag along just in case I would be warded. Got checked by my doctor at 9.30am and she confirmed I was in active labor and my servix had opened abt 1.5cm. She estimated that I would deliver in the evening, and she admitted me to the labor ward to be monitored.

Eventhough I went for the antenatal class provided by Kuching Specialist Hospital before, I had never learned any breathing technique. I did as what I have seen in the movies all these while, and it worked to relax me and saw me through the painful contraction. At about 12pm, I saw more blood when I used the washroom and told the midwife about it. The nurse became concerned and told my doctor immediately. By 1.30pm, I was asked to go to the delivery room. My doctor came soon after and I was told my servix opening is still 2cm, and she broke my water to speed up things. About 2.30pm, the contraction became unbearable it scared me so much. I finally gave in and asked for epidural to ease the pain, despite Momo's concern of the procedure. But what the heck, even the pain from the procedure is much welcoming than the contraction pain, and helped me to relax and rest before the start of the second stage of labor.

At about 3pm, we went through a bit of panic moment as the midwife ran in to see the monitor and then shook my belly with a look of terror on her face. A moment later, she breathed and told me that she heard the baby's heart beat had stopped for those few seconds. Luckily after she 'awaken' the baby, the heart monitor showed that the heartbeat had turned back to normal. At the same time, I was checked and informed I was 5cm opened, and by the rate of things going, I would be fully dilating real soon.

At 3.30pm, suddenly the pain from the contraction was building up again despite the epidural. When the midwife saw me panting, she informed me that it may be a sign that I was already fully dilating and ready to push. She asked me if I want to be checked again. And yes, true enough I was 10cm opened, and she told me I can try to push, and went out of the room again.

At that point, I was puzzled and looked at Momo as I did not know how. So I just did what my MIL told me to do sometime before. I laughed as I felt the situation was still a bit unreal. A few minutes later, the midwife came back with another nurse, and taught me when to start pushing, and how to do it correctly. My doctor came in for a while to check on me, and reduced the epidural drip to help me to time my push with each contraction.

From then onwards, other than the moral supports that I got from my husband and the nurses, it was like a lone battle for me. I fought really hard, at a point I was so exhausted, giving up and looking silently at the midwife to help me get the baby out whatever way possible. She saw my pleading eyes as she looks on and got a worried look on her face. She must have went out and called my doctor about it, but the doctor said to give me chance as I was progressing well (I was told of this later on by the doctor herself).

As the baby's head was approaching nearer, more shouts of encouragement came from the nurses and Momo. I felt helpless as my energy level getting lower and frustration came over me as I did not know how far more I had to go. The environment in the delivery room change when all of them suddenly became quiet and were looking at the heart monitor, and with urgency, Momo told me that the baby's heart beat had stop, and the midwife urged for me to push harder as we need to get the baby out asap. Momo told me that it was all up to me as the baby's life depend on me now.

I became panic, and suddenly out of nowhere, I found such a powerful strength in me that I have never known existed, and begin pushing with all my might. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my baby. At that moment too, my doctor came, and they were rushing to get ready the bed to receive the baby. I pushed within 3 more contraction afterward and the baby's head finally crown. I could feel all my muscles tightening as the doctor stopped me from pushing and made the episiotomy incision. I screamt for the first time, urging the doctor to do it real fast as I couldn't hold it any longer, but the midwife told me not to scream to save my energy for the final push.

Finally, amidst scream of encouragement and one big push, at 4.41pm on 11th November 2010, Marion was finally born. I heard the cutest cry ever.... I couldn't see her at that time as I did not have my specs on, but I've known for sure she's perfect little girl as Momo kept telling me so. It was only days later on Momo told me he cried when he saw her coming out of me, and said it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

I cuddled my baby for the first time after she was wiped clean and while I was being stitched up. She was so calm when I hold her, and it was a moment I would never forget in my whole life. Her fingers are so tiny and somehow, weird as it sounds, I did not dare to look at the rest of her as I was scared I might find some imperfection. In my state of grogginess, I had refused to give her back to the midwife, as I was puzzled why anyone wants to take my baby away from me, until she explains that the baby needs to be given her jab. She had fallen asleep in my arms, and cried the moment the midwife took her away from me.

I had always wonder how every women I'd known whom have given birth can recall the minute details of their childbirth experience, be it 4 years or 40 years it has occurred. And now I understand why, nothing in life can compete with this kind of experience. No wonder despite the pain, most women did not mind going through it all over again.