July 5, 2005, 17 days after our wedding day, two red lines from the pregnancy test faced me. I smiled knowing I’m gonna be a mom but scared knowing that I’m gonna be a mom!
For my first trimester, I don’t have food cravings. As far as I remember, there is only one crave I requested from hubby, that is to let him buy a Kit-Kat chocolate wafer for me and unfortunately he bought Knick-Knacks chocolate biscuits. Not a big deal for me, I still ate the Knick-Knacks 😀 Since its my first pregnancy, we are kind of OC – you know like being extra careful in everything stuffs and lots to avoid of. Good thing my OB is Dra. Atoc who is based at Mactan Doctors Hospital, a conventional type of doctor yet open to embrace new techniques and approach to caring pregnancy.
5 months later, I quit my job and went home to our hometown. Nothing can help me relax than the comfort and support of my family especially my parents. I know I should stay with hubby and give birth beside him but him at work and me home alone all day seems scary. While at my hometown, I had anyone. This time Dra. Paano-Go is my OB, she’s recommended by a very good friend and my cousin, Annalie, who at that time is also pregnant. Dra. Paano-Go is also her doctor so that alone is a big comfort. My cousin and I happen to have same expected delivery month.
On the night of March 6, 2006, I felt contractions every after ~20 minutes and because I cannot sleep, I asked mom to bring me to the hospital. But the resident doctor who checked my cervix informed me that its not open yet. Talk about false alarm. I tell you my tummy is in pain that night! That same night at the same hospital, mom told me that my cousin is on the delivery room about to gave birth. That makes me wanna push so we can have same birthdays on our daughters 😀 (some wishful thinking eh :D) The following days, hoping to get dilated before my due date, I took long walks. By the way, I was told that walking exercise will not make you dilate instead it will prepare your breathing as you make your big push.
On my due date, March 12, still there are no contractions 🙁 We waited for 2 more days and still no progress so I went to check with my OB the baby’s status. My ultrasound results then showed small particles beside my baby. Afraid that it might be the baby’s first droppings (meconium), my OB recommends induced labor on that day. I went home, called hubby, took a refreshing bath (mom said, I should at least be presentable :D) and checked again our hospital bags and relax (coz really I’m excited and at same time in panic mode). By 7pm that day, accompanied by my sisters, we’re at the hospital ready for induced labor. Late in the evening, the resident doctor check me and I’m 1cm dilated, I think I don’t sleep well as I already feel the pain due to contractions yet when the resident doctor check again, it still 1cm. Yes, just the resident doctor, I haven’t seen my OB that night.
The following day, still no progress with the dilation but its comforting to know that hubby is home. Also, my OB’s presence. She personally checks my cervix and yep its still 1cm. Its so upsetting bearing the pain for almost 8 hrs already and yet no progress. My water broke by midday, we were told that those particle seen in the ultrasound are not my baby’s feces. I forgot to ask what were those particles.
By 8pm that night I was told I’m 5cm dilated but seems like I cannot take the pain anymore. I heard my mom asked me for something and I can’t answer her straight. According to her, seeing how I respond to her makes her conclude that I cannot wait longer for 10cm complete dilation, thus, she decided to tell my OB and hubby to proceed with cesarean delivery. Yes, I also agreed to perform CS since being in pain for ~24hrs is so unbearable. I remembered being wheeled to the operation room. They have to let me curled so they can give the anesthesia, subconsciously I followed their instructions. Have heard their questions yet I vaguely remember my answers but I swear I heard my baby cried and I heard my OB’s comment that my baby is clean. Next thing I know, I woke up and asked dad about my baby.
By morning, OB checked on me and inform me I could visit my baby at the baby station and I should start breastfeeding my daughter. All the pain vanished as I held my little baby for the first time.
Original Post at Balot’s Chatter.