Childbirth Journey

I have a friend who might be giving birth today and suddenly, I remember how painful childbirth is. Labor, stitches and everything. I mean EVERY SINGLE THING. 

Pregnancy is the most beautiful thing that happened to me. But growing a tiny human inside you for 9 long months was tiring and challenging. I don't understand sometimes why do I feel lazy and tired all the time but I have to fight those feelings because I have to go to work and be productive. Imagine how sleepy I am while doing schedules, answering emails, attending meetings, etc. Did I mention that I'm also HUNGRY ALL THE TIME? 😂

So imagine how excited I am when I reached my 38th week. My OB said that I can give birth anytime since I'm a first-time mom it can be a week before or days after my baby's actual due date. My husband and I counted the days and we can't wait any longer but it feels like we're waiting forever. Believe me, time has stopped when I reached the 9th month. Plus, the worries? How will I know if the baby will come out? Will my water broke and feel contractions immediately just like in TV? How painful the contractions will be? All questions about giving birth will haunt you when you're nearly due. 

I told my husband that we should stop waiting and just assume that the baby might be taking his time inside me until his full term.

So, it was a normal evening for us. My husband was studying for his research defense and I was about to sleep when I feel my baby's kicks and movements was a little strong than the usual. I told my husband that the baby might be still enjoying and swimming inside his amniotic sac lol. Just then before I decided to go to sleep, I felt something sticky in my V-part. I have this instinct that I have to check it even though I really wanted to sleep that time. So I checked it and ta-daaaa it was my mucus plug. I've done my research about mucus plug and I know that it can mean that I'm a week away from giving birth. Since I know it's normal to pass the mucus plug early, I just told myself that it's nothing to worry about. But then the water follows. There it is, the sign that we are waiting for. I'M GOING TO GIVE BIRTH!!

Honestly, I get the feeling that I will be nervous and panicky when this giving birth scenario will come. You know how moms starts panicking and shouts at everything? NO. I NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT. (but my husband did, he's more nervous than I am haha) I felt more of an excitement than nervousness. I'm excited about the delivery room, the labor thing, my baby, everything! I think most of the first-time moms will relate. I am very confident that I will get through this calmly. I believe that I have a high tolerance of pain, but this experience proved me wrong. 

We got to the clinic at exactly 11:30PM. The clinic was closed and all the lights are out. I had this feeling that there's something's wrong. The clinic never closes. Minutes have passed, finally the helper comes out. Told them that I might be giving birth tonight. But my OB wasn't there.

Plot twist: My OB's husband had a heart attack and they are on their way to a hospital in Makati. 

Still, I managed to stay calm despite that. Told my husband to look for another clinic or hospital. Luckily, when my mom called my OB, she was still in the area and told us that she will come and check me and my baby. I feel bad because her husband needs her but she chooses to come back for us. That's when I told myself I'm gonna do my best to give birth not until the sun comes up. But who knows how long the labor is, right?

My cervix was 2CM already when my OB did an IE and confirm that my water broke already so she admitted me immediately. 12:00AM, I feel a slight contractions 5 minutes apart. I was like, that's it? That's how painful this is? My OB keeps on performing IE to check how dilated my cervix was. I don't know what time is it but the contractions are getting stronger. I just went from 2CM to 7CM real quick. Damn this baby's in a rush to see his momma. I planned this whole labor thing differently, I even bring my favorite books hoping that I'd finish reading it during labor. My eyes went blurry and I can't even read a single word from that book. Okay, if the books aren't working, I'm gonna try this tiny prayer book my sister-in-law lent me. Still, my eyes are blurry. I prayed and asked for His guidance and give me strength to overcome this pain. I was chanting in my head "I am created to do this, I can do this". I can feel the contractions are minute apart. I suddenly realize how amazing my mom to go through this pain three times. The pain was getting worse to the point that I'm begging the doctor to get my mom. All I think about that time was my mother. I need her, she have been through this. My mom told me that I can do it, she told me that I was the biggest baby she had delivered. She told me how she managed to gave birth to me normally and encouraged me that I can do it as well. 

I pushed every strong contractions occur. I was 9CM dilated and I can feel the baby's head pressuring down my V-part. Told my OB the baby's gonna come out and get me to the delivery room but she was like "konti pa, isang CM pa". Her voice was really calm and I was like begging and shouting at her to get me to the delivery room already until she did. 

3:00AM, I was fully dilated and ready to push but the baby won't still come out. So i was asked if I want to squat in order to deliver the baby but that looks uncomfortable. But after 3 long pushes I suddenly felt a gush like all my organs came out. It was my baby. My sweet baby ❤ That moment was very hard for me to imagine, seeing my baby for the first time. I ugly cry while calling his name and I can't wait to hug him already. After 10 minutes, my placenta came out and the doctor had to stitch me because my baby was 3.3kg huge. Imagine that big came out from my... Nevermind. I can't take my eyes off my baby. Hearing him coo and cries for the first time makes my heart melt and cry also lmao

After getting through the childbirth pain, I came to the realization that I AM INDEED CREATED TO DO THIS. I'M A MOM. That moment was too beautiful not to share. 

Our Yoichi