I had always been wondering why they call it a DELIVERY. I wish it was easy as that. I think it had to do with the stork thing -- that babies are delivered by storks. Well... at least my particular stork was one of the best storks ever.
I believe my story starts when I went to my Doctor November 17, 2008. She told me "mid-line ka na Peach. You will be giving birth already in a week." In a week? I thought... he's coming early. I was supposed to give birth first week of December. I thought... hmmm... no more afternoon walks at the mall then lest I suddenly give birth in the middle of Megamall.
Then, fast forward to the early evening of November 18, 2008. I felt unusually tired that day. I felt some cramps that similar to menstrual cramps. I just ignored it as Braxton-Hicks. I had worse abdominal cramps and aches when I had diarrhea the week before so I did not think much of it. I just slept but earlier than usual.
At around 1:00 AM, I woke up feeling the need to urinate. That was when I saw that my membrane had ruptured already. I called Manay Rachel -- our Mayordoma -- "I think its time already." She immediately prepared herself. I also knocked on the door of my parents room and woke them up too. My Dad immediately told my Mom to accompany me but I told him that I would be fine with Manay Rachel. It was me, Manay Rachel and my personal assistant Jen. We then proceeded to Medical City.
I was worried. My husband was still in Bicol. I called him up but he seemed disoriented having woken him up from sleep. Manay Rachel called him up and he left Iriga at 6AM.
However, my fears started to disappear. I looooove Medical City. They were so efficient. Everyone knew what they were doing and I truly felt so confident. My fears were more personal and did not have to do with the hospital or their staff. When I informed the emergency room person that I was going to give birth, he immediately called the person at the Maternity and in about 5 minutes I was wheeled to the Pre-Labor Room where I was interviewed and cleaned. At around 4 AM I was wheeled to the Labor Room where the epidural was attached to my back.
The Labor Room was quite nice. They had classical music piped in -- maybe to calm the mothers waiting for delivery. There was also a photomural on the wall -- which surprisingly was the same as the mural in our dining room. I was half-expecting Cho, our cook, to come in and bring nilagang baka. It was quite funny and truly calmed me more.
At the onset I was already prepared for a normal delivery. Although I did not take birthing classes, I read up on normal childbirth so I knew what to expect. However, I did not really plan on an epidural. I wanted it to be a natural birth sans pain relievers etc... However, I think it was the standard procedure in Medical City so I just played along. It is just fortunate that my birth was so textbook. No glitches at all. I prayed for a textbook birth because I wanted to recognize my time when it comes and it did, blood first, water at the hospital... etc... I was coming along pretty well also, my cervix was dilating on time also.
However, my baby's head would not descend according to the time that was expected. At around 11AM I was already 8cm but the baby is still not going down. The resident doctors and the nurses were concerned because the baby's heartrate was slowing down during contractions. At around 2PM in the afternoon, Dra. Abat, my OB-Gyne decided to ask me if I agree to a ceasarian section because the baby was starting to get distressed. I immediately agreed. I did not want to stress out the baby unnecessarily.
So at around 2:30 PM I was wheeled to the delivery room and the baby was out by 3:15 PM. Baby Nico's cry was not very loud, but maybe its just because I have been used to the loud screams of my brothers when they were growing up so it seemed weak to me. I was quite worried but the Doctors assured me that the baby was big.
The funny thing was, the Anesthesiologist said "Naku, misis, ang laki ng baby nyo. Parang maglalakad na." I really wanted to laugh but they were still closing up my uterus. They reasured me that the baby looked healthy. Truly, his APGAR score was 9.9.
When he was brought to me, I thought, he did not look at all the same as his picture in the 3D ultrasound. His face was all red and seemed "maga". He looked all scrunched up. But I felt relieved that he looked healthy.
Then at around 5PM, I think, I was wheeled to the Recovery Room to be there for about two hours. I was wheeled out at around 8PM. The first person I saw was of my husband's. I wanted to talk to him for great lengths but I was told not to talk, laugh or take anything to eat yet for fear of gas pains. I felt relieved. It is over.
My baby Nico has been delivered. Another chapter of our life starts.
