I'm a Mother Now!

Assalamualaikum and Helllo! I skipped a lot of major life events didn't I. I am now updating on my first labour experience! I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM A MOTHER NOW!! Everyone has their own labour experience, here's mine...

15 January 2018, Monday 10:37 pm

Currently at 39 weeks 4 days pregnant. Arrived at Umra with Iqbal and Ibu for a regular weekly checkup (or what we thought it would be). Ibu wanted to follow us for the checkup at least once she said, little that we know this is the last one for our first baby.

At first checkups were done monthly, then fortnightly and now weekly. As per last two checkups, I did CTG. Its a device that can detect the baby's heartbeat and contraction.

Definition from google: "Cardiotocography (CTG) is a technical means of recording the fetal heartbeat and the uterine contractions during pregnancy. The machine used to perform the monitoring is called a cardiotocograph, more commonly known as an electronic fetal monitor (EFM)."

Both last two weeks' CTG was all normal, but today's CTG shows the baby's heartbeat was quite high. Then we went for consultation with the doctor and did ultrasound as usual in which doctor will check on the growth of the baby and amniotic fluid. 

My amniotic fluid is low at only 5.70 cm. The nurse already predicted that it is low during the CTG, she said that my tummy looks very compacted. Doctor said it should be at least 7.00 cm and due to this, she said i have to be induced. When? TONIGHT.

Google explained: "The AFI is normally 7 to 25 cm. In addition, each individual pocket of fluid should be 2 to 8 cm. Fluctuations outside of this range define oligohydramnios (too little amniotic fluid) or polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid)."

Since that we have all the baby box, my bag and Iqbal's bag all packed up already in the car, i can be warded right away. I never thought i would have to be induced.

Google explained: "Labor induction due to low amniotic fluidlevels is very common. ... Some care providers may want to induce you (trigger labor with the help of pharmaceuticals) because they are concerned that a birth defect is causing low levels of amniotic fluid.Low fluid levels could be restricting your baby's growth."

Called my parents (papa mama) straight away. I'm scared. I cried.

16 January 2018, Tuesday 5:02 am

The first induced pill was inserted down there at 12.00 am. Didn't feel much contractions yet but yet i can't sleep. Doctor checked twice on the opening. Latest at around 4.00 am, it was 2-3 cm and she told me that my cervix is already soft. Which is a good sign.

The second time the doctor came to check on me, i was sitting down instead of laying on the bed. Then she said...

"Oh! You're such a small lady! Your baby is big."

Nurse had given me a liquid that was inserted at the bottom, for me to poop. The effect is only within 3-5 seconds. That was the best pooping session i had in my life, feels like it flushed out everything in there.

Mama is here with Iqbal. Keeps me accompany all night. They did not sleep well though, awake everytime nurse came in to check on me. 

As for me, i did not sleep at all.

16 January 2018, Tuesday 1:08 pm

Still just mild contractions. CTG was made every few hours. They asked me if i wanted painkillers as the CTG shows that the contraction is quite high. I said "No thanks, still bearable."

Doctor called me downstairs to scan and check on the baby. Iqbal and i went downstairs to see the doctor. All normal, the heart, the tummy, everything. Except for the amniotic fluid, still insufficient. Dr. Rafi (the Director of Umra Hospital himself) gave me three choices:

1. Wait - to wait on the effect of the first induced pill and let it come naturally.

2. Induce - to insert second induce and the pain will be more.

3. Caesarean delivery - drastic choice.

Dr. Rani recommended to wait. I also felt like choosing the first choice. Went upstairs and ask for mama's opinion. She agrees with the first choice. Iqbal told the nurse and then i talked to the Dr. Rafi via ward phone and he told me to eat "kaw kaw" until 2.00 pm, then i have to fasting, can only drink plain water.

I ate KFC Zinger burger. 

There are two nurses that came to check on me often, my two favorites. One is indian lady and another seems like nepal. The nepal nurse asks me to exercise by walk around, walking like duck, squat and go up and down the staircase. I did them all.

16 January 2018, Tuesday 11:55 pm

After almost 24 hours, i still haven't felt any strong contractions. CTG as usual, every few hours. Contraction is increasing throughout the time but i only felt mild ones.

Went to see Dr. Rafi again on the late evening. Did ultrasound and it is still the same, all good except amniotic fluid. It is fortunate that the baby did not poopoo in there.

Dr. Rafi asks me to see his wife, to check on the opening. His wife checked and it hurts. After that blood starts coming out. This time she gives me two choices:

1. To wait some more

2. Caesarean delivery

To insert second induce pill is no longer a choice, as my contractions are increasing, not decreasing. As mama and ibu (and so does kaklong, aiman, aizad, abang syabil and aqil) are both upstairs, we decided to ask them first. They all agreed to the first choice. I also feel like caesarean is quite a drastic choice.

Iqbal told the nurse and the doctor asks me to fasting after 3.00 am.

Near midnight (ie after 24 hours of the instertion of induced pill), i started to feel strong strong contractions.

However, nurses often says that i am still smilling wide, even during contractions.

17 January 2018, Wednesday 4:59 pm

Contractions...

After midnight, my contractions are getting stronger and stronger. They did CTG every few hours still. At certain time my contractions was at every 10 minutes, then it was every 5 minutes, then 10 again. At around 4.00 am, i can't take it anymore and finally ask for painkiller. 

They did CTG again and the contraction was at every 3 minutes. Nurse went out, and came back in telling me to wash up and get ready to go to the labour room. They gave me double dose of those thing that made me poopoo.

The pain is too much this time. The nurse can see that. The indian nurse (my favorite nurse) told me to istighfar.

Labour Room...

At around 7.00 am, the unforgetable moment begins in the labour room. The contractions is too much i litterally crying and made some noise (not scream though) because it hurts real real bad. 

They had given me painkiller, which were injected near hip but the pain is still too much. Every 3 minutes i felt like poopoo and pushing out the baby. 

They gave me this gas to make me calm, which i can take by myself and breath in out for 2-3 times. Everytime the contractions came, i reach out for that gas thing and then i fell asleep, and awake when the contraction comes again. 

The opening was already 5 cm when i entered the labour room. However, i felt like pushing already.

Throughout the hours, i ask for the doctor to check so many times and just roll right left right left. The pain is too too much  and trust me, caesarean delivery came to mind 90% of the time i was in there. 

At around 11.30 am, it was already 9 cm. However it is not the time yet, said the doctor. I felt like screaming my ass out. I hold on for another hour.

The head nurse came in and said "Oh look she's can still smile!".

I seriously don't know how i can smile during such pain.

Finally...

Near 12.15 pm, all the doctors standby, there were 3 doctors in there (Dr. Ummul, Dr. Rafi's wife and the doctor who went to check on me after the first induced pill), 1 head nurse and about 3 nurses. 

Dr. Ummul delivered my baby. He told me that he will try his best to deliver the baby with help of vacuum. He said that there may be a lump on the baby's head due to baby being stuck down there for quite some time. Moreover, the head placement is a bit off. He hopes vacuum would help. Caesarean delivery would be made immediately if failed to deliver normal.

Dr. Rafi's wife is very kind and gives me such huge support. "Good girl!" "You can do this!" "Very good job!"

The other doctor came in a bit later. 

The head nurse is the sweetest. She had a wet towel to wipe my face to cool me down and tie up my hair up high for me. She also told me thay a lady next room had just delivered her baby and ask me to shout "i can!". I shouted "i can!" with all my heart.

The delivery...

When they finally asked me to push, i thanked god. FINALLY. I now know what it feels like. I pushed for 3 times. Push and hold when they told me too. When i pushed, both doctors besides me help me by pushing my tummy. They told me when to push and when to stop. The baby came out! It felt smooth. The waiting duration was long but labour my such an easement Alhamdulillah. There's my baby girl!

Nurses cleaned the baby first. The head nurse took the baby and put her on my chest after she is clean. Head nurse made the baby kissed me. My baby's first kiss. The head nurse asks if iqbal wanted to take photo of the baby to show to our parents. 💕

Weight: 3.28kg

Length: 51.5cm

Head: 33cm

At 12.22 pm, Putri Adelea was born. Assalamualaikum sayang 😘

23 January 2018, Tuesday 11:58 am

This entry is about my husband, the father of my baby. Iqbal always there for me whenever i did my checkup at Umra. During our last checkup, he kind of panicked when the doctor told me i had to be induced, but he can still keep calm.

During the whole period in ward room 13, he was there for me. He slept on the floor as the first night he lets mama sleep on the second bed (we took 2 bedded non-sharing room) and on the second night, he lets ibu sleep on the second bed.

Just like me, he did not sleep well for those two nights. As the nurse came in to check on me every few hours, he awakes every time.

I was in the ward for more than 24 hours. Iqbal was the one who was there for me that whole time. Only took off to the market to get food for me and family.

When the time came for me to finally being pushed to the labour room, i can see that he is already very worried. My contractions are strong and i was in pain. He was right next to me. 

The contraction was every 3 minutes, and every it came, i reached for the gas and then i kind of fell asleep, i think. Then awake again after 3 minutes. It goes on and on for 6 hours. Everytime i was awake, iqbal was there. One time it was mama. I remember he said "seeing you like this makes me want to cry" during the contractions in the labour room.

When the time finally comes for me to push, iqbal gave me the best support i could ever ask for. Funny thing is, every time the doctor told me to push, i can hear that he was also holding his breath, pushing, like me, for the whole time as long as i did. Which explains why he was also out of breath.

When the baby was safely delivered, it was such a relief to hear the baby cried. It was then iqbal and i also cried like a baby. He kisses my forehead. Then the doctor calls him to cut the umbirical cord. I still cant believe he cuts it.

The nurse then asks him if he wanted to take picture of the baby being fresh from the oven. He took the picture to show to mama, ayah and ibu outside (papa was at terengganu). Mama told me that iqbal came out to them crying, not being able to talk which makes them worried about me and baby (they thought something went wrong) until he finally said "sebak". 

It was tears of joy.