I was due for my 38th week checkup with my OB on June 7, 2017. It was just one of those days for us. I didn't feel anything different, just my usual pregnant self. My OB usually has an afternoon schedule on Wednesdays but that day, I woke up to a text message from her secretary that the clinic would be moved to 9AM. I panicked a bit since she had ordered that we get an ultrasound and a non-stress test before our next appointment. My husband and I hurriedly prepared to go to the hospital for my checkup and we were there in time for our appointment. It was the routine doppler scan for me and reminders about my upcoming due date. I was already dilated 1cm but was definitely not in active labor. My OB told us that I could give birth anytime at that point but couldn't really say when. I even texted my friend who assured me that she remained at 1cm for an entire week. This put me at ease. I was worried that I'm super unprepared for a surprise delivery. I was supposed to come back the following week if I haven't given birth yet to schedule a possible induction since the baby was getting really big. If we wanted to have a normal delivery, I would have to deliver him soon. She then told us to still get our ultrasound and non-stress test that day.
After the checkup, we went straight to the Women's Health Center for my ultrasound. The baby had grown again and was estimated at around 3 kilos. I guess we had already expected this and carried on with the rest of the things we needed to do that day. I had a urinalysis as well before having lunch then straight to the OB DR complex for my non-stress test. The non-stress test measures the baby's heartbeat and checks if there are changes whenever there are movements and/or contractions, and also measure the strength of my contractions. My stomach would be strapped to a machine in order to measure those things and I hated having to lie on my back for an hour, I remember my hips being in pain. I was having mild contractions that day but really, I couldn't feel them. I remember reading that people have different pain tolerance and perhaps I had a higher one. The resident then asked if she can do another IE since it had been a few hours since my OB did one. I remember hesitating but she convinced us that there could've already been changes so I said okay. It was super painful, compared to the IE my OB did earlier that day. She also told us that at that point, I was at 2-3cm. Apparently, I was in active labor.
Things happened really fast after that. She asked for my admission papers, which my OB had already given me a week or two before and told me that I needed to go to the labor room with the nurse. I wanted to go home, maybe take a bath and prepare our things but I couldn't do that anymore. I had to rely on my husband to do everything at that point. I got really nervous as I listed down the things that my husband had to get from our house to bring to the hospital. I knew that my husband was too. This was it. We were going to meet Hiro in a few hours.
I kissed my husband goodbye and told him to get back as soon as he can. We were supposed to stay in a High Risk Pregnancy Unit so that my husband could be with me as I go through labor but as luck would have it, it was being cleaned that day. I had to be by myself for a few hours. I got wheeled in to the labor room and spent the next few hours in bed, without anyone to talk to really. Plus, I was really thirsty and hungry.
My dilation was progressing normally and I remember meeting the anesthesiologist who asked if I wanted an epidural. I honestly think I could've been able to handle the pain of the contractions without medication but it was the IEs that were painful AF. So I said yes. They said they would take me to the HRPU as soon as they're done administering the epidural. I waited what could've been another hour or more before they took me to the OR. There was a kuya who helped me get into a fetal position and held me in place while the anesthesiologist put the needle in my spine. I took a deep breath for the first injection, which I believe was a general anesthesia. The second one, I didn't feel anymore. The anesthesiologist informed me that feeling itchy would be a side effect of the epidural and I really was itching all over the place. I wanted to scratch every patch of skin in my body.
My OB also came in to tell me that they would rupturing my water. They asked me to lift my body as they fit a bedpan and did it. She told me that the liquid was clear, which was good, and that hopefully, my dilation would progress a lot quicker. At that point, I was at 7cm. Still on track.
I was brought to the HRPU, and they called my husband in shortly after. I was quite surprised that my mom also came. I knew that she was excited to see her apo. I told her that it would take a few hours before she gets to see Hiro so she decided to leave around 11pm. 3 hours had passed when they made another IE and sadly, I was still at 7cm. They decided to do an emergency c section since my baby would be in distress since there was no longer any water. My OB said a prayer for me, husband and my baby, which made me feel at ease.
The next few hours would be a blur for me. Mostly because of the anesthesia and morphine in my system. I could no longer remember some of the conversations that my husband I had haha. I just remember that I was meeting Hiro soon. My father in law also asked if it would be possible for me to give birth on June 8th, which would be an auspicious date for the baby and for us. The doctors assured us that the birth would definitely happen after midnight as they needed to prepare the OR.
I don't think I felt the nervousness anymore since I was so groggy and out of it. I remember being asked for the names of all my doctors right before the procedure. I missed out on my anesthesiologist's name which made her tampo, hehe. I was then told that they will be giving me a drug that would make me feel drowsy but they would make sure that I was awake to hear my baby's first cry.
To be honest, it would probably be a lot different if I had a normal delivery. I wish I did have one. I'm sure I would be able to recount all the details from the room, all the noises, if I wasn't under so much medication. I do remember hearing Hiro cry. I remember my husband sitting near me, clasping his hands together. I remember looking at him and feeling his nerves or maybe excitement even though he was a couple meters away. I remember hearing instructions being given to him on how to cut the cord. I remember taking my very first photo with my son, and our very first family photo.
I hold Hiro as I type this and look back at everything we had to go through to get here. I'd say that everything truly was worth it.
