My son is almost 5 months old today, only five days away. He is now a very active, very handsome baby, and the growth milestone is unvelievably hits. He is laughing, rolling over easily, start eating rice cereal, mastering his head and arms movement, and just a little bit away from sitting up. I'm so proud of Arik!
I write this blog while watching him asleep. Wow... How my life has changed since he joined our family.
And then it struck me. I haven't write anything about him, while he is the biggest part of my life! So here it is, a Mother's tale!
My Birth Story
It was December 10, 2012, almost two weeks after I take my maternal leave. I was 38 weeks pregnant and so eager to let Arik's out.
Being 38 weeks pregnant is so uncomfortable, I went sick of my pregnancy, my big belly and the back ache and the false contractions. I walk on the treadmill everyday with so much determination just to get the contraction going.
So when I feel series of mild contractions in the afternoon of December 10th, I was soooo happy and leave to hospital in a hurry. Lufi is a SIAGA husband, and he drove me to the hospital which took an hours drive from our home.
In the way to the hospital (RS Hermina Arcamanik), my body was sweating, I was very nervous, and ofcourse in a growing pain of occuring contraction. And I remember thinking, how if it's just another false labor, and the hospital send me back? How agonizing the wait will be! And when my true contraction came, what if I start to labor on a car on the way to the hospital?? I don't want to deliver this baby on a car!(I was a devoted viewer of Discovery Home and Health on my maternal leave, so forgive the drama, hehe) And thus, and added stressor.
My husband check on me from time to time. Hold my hand in every stops. And encouraging me that everything would be just fine and that I will manage. But I can see the look in his eyes, and he was just as nervous as I was. Hahaha
We arrived in the hospital at 8.15 pm. When we came to the front office and explain our situation, the front officer called the nurse station immediately. No question asked. And ding! An elevator door opened with a mobile chair for me. The nurse was supportive, and I was brought to the second floor, the labor room, on a chair.
Aaannndd I remember my heart was beating soo much faster as we treaded the walkway to the labor room. I couldn't believe that it was actually happening! To me! OMG OMG OMG, I'm becomming a mother!
By the Love of God, it was the most exciting moment of my life!
The Observation
The nurse brought me to observation room. They had to check my contraction interval to determine whether I will go into labor pronto or not. Because by the book, the labor is only happen when we start to have a mild to strong contraction one minute in duration with 4 minutes interval each. I was only having 4 contraction on the way to the hospital. So they gear me up with a monitor and told me to wait.
Hell yeah I'll wait.
After waiting for almost half an hour (felt like forever), they check me back and realize that I only have -again- not enough contraction. They bell my belly to wake my baby up, just perhaps he was so drousy to move his butt. They wait for 15(ish) more minutes to see any development before they decided to check my dilation.
I was a mere 2cm dilated...
I was moooree than pissed to my self. It was like a mix of painful, eagerness, and nervous, dissapointed at the same time.
But thankfully,÷15 minutes later, one of the nurse told me that they called the doctor, and she would visit me at 10 pm. The nurse gave me a tip that I had to undegone an acceleration procedure, coz I was 2cm dilated in a week now and it's dangerous for my baby. (What! But my OB never mentioned it to me before!)
Apparently on the last visit (5 days before), my OB had stripe my lining. It's a procedure of thinning the plug in birth cannal and force contraction, and as a consequence I was start to dilated. I didn't know that because she told me that I had no dilation at first, and after the procedure I think she forgot to mention that striping means I was left with 2cm opening.
After signing an MoU of having an Acceleration procedure, my doctor came to check my opening and stripe me again (I cant describe how painful that procedure were!), and the nurse came to put a balloon like device to my birth canal.
I thank my husband for being there with me when all of those procedure were taken place, because I couldn't bear the pain if it wasn't for him holding my hand all the way, whispering encouraging words.
And that was the agonizing first part of my birth story. A mere 2 hours from my check in. And it wasn't really started yet.
The Horrible-Agonizing-Pain
Right after the insertion, they transferred us to a bigger room. Pretty cozy and has an airy feel to it. I was a cool labor room, with sophisticated equipments, but I didn't feel threatened at all. (well to be honest I think I was threatened by a long scissor they put in a tray, hehe). I like the room very much, too bad I didn't keep a photo of it.
The accelerator was serious about the name. Contractions after another was kicking in, each was increasingly painful.
I walk about the room for a while to ease the pain, but around 11:30pm, I decided that I have a better pain management when I curled up on a bed.
Every ten minutes or so, a nurse came to check my progress. And I remember that I was hopeless when the clock struck midnight and I still on 4cm.
The ballon plug was pulled around 1am. Meaning I was 5 or 6cm dilated. Oh my lord, it feels like forever! I was exhausted, my mental strenght was wiggly, and I need to poo. The worst situation ever, because the nurse told me to hold any urge to push anything yet.
At 2am, I was curled up in the bed, holding (or probably grasping) my husband arms everytime a contraction came. My mother in law devotedly rub my lower back, and my mother was sleeping on a couch. (Mom, not cool)
At 3am, my mouth was dry for whispering out God's name for 2 hours non-stop. And each of my contraction was 30 seconds away, and the duration is ridiculously longger. My lower back was in an excrutiating pain (not only the pain but mostly because I had to stop the urge to push). I thought that I will be on labor forever.
At 4am, I was half fainted. Nervously checking the clock everytime a long and painful contraction ends. I was only able to glance at it though, because another contraction was already on the way. I remember pulling my husband hair out of pain and despair..
At 5am, I lost most of my mental strength, and totally exhaust my energy. I was so sure that I will deliver the baby in no time. But apparently I was still on 7cm. The exhausted nurse told me that she already called my OB and I will have the labor soon.
Not long after the nurse left my room, I have two consecutive contraction and I couldn't gather my body to stop the urge! So I told my husband (more of yelled, actually) that I couldn't stand it anymore, I need to push!
He jumped off the chair and told the nurse. Then came a package of nurses and equipments, and pretty soon the doctor joined in. I can't describe the relief and joy of seeing my OB in the room! Finally!
I remember it was started around 6am, perhaps 6:30 because it was already bright outside.
My OB check my dilation and gave an OK to push. She briefed me about the breathing and pushing methods, then asked a nurse to support my legs because I didn't have any energy to keep them apart.
First contraction came. I pushed and I pushed and I pushed. But he's not there yet.
Quite frankly, the pushing part was the easiest process. And I enjoyed being free to push after so many hours of desperation.
On the second round, yhe doc realise that my full bladder blocking up the birth canal, so they put a cathether to tap it out.
Knowing I'm atshmatic, the doctor gave me an oxygent supply to help my breathing technique. And she assign another nurse just to support my head and torso. So it was two nurse both sides, not to mention another two to assist the doctor, and a nurse to clean up my mess.
Another contraction came. It was the third contraction. I pushed, I pushed, and pushed, but Arik was still shy.
The doc told me that if the baby wouldn't came out in the next contraction, she had to vacuum him out.
I hate vacuum procedure.
My husband grasped my hands harder and told me that I was good and I just need another push. That was enough reason to building up my mental, spiritual, and physical power for the next round.
On the forth contraction, after mustering up my strength and focus, I pushed very hard, and my water broke! Oh my lord, it was the nicest feeling in the last 7 hours.. People start to cheer and encourage me to give juuuust another push!
Another heartful push, and my dear son was born...
I was laughing and crying at the same time..
A big relief...
A mission accomplished, at 7:20 am.
@dinarkarani
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| The first photo of Arik |
