It all began with a "show" on Saturday morning (7th June) and several more tiny bit show followed throughout the day til Sunday noon when I started to feel slight contractions. Vague menstrual cramps, very irregular.
At about 3pm, Sun (8th June) we went to East Shore (where I will be delivering) to have a foetal heartbeat monitoring done to see if baby's doing fine. Nurse assessed my belly with the pressing tummy technique and said that baby's still floating (not entirely engaged), in another word: I'm not in labour yet (although there's the bloody "show" : mucus plug broke). My gynea arrived at the hospital and checked my cervix, claimed that it's effaced, and can break my waterbag to have labour start. One look at the nurse and I know I don't want that. My aim is to have as natural as possible labour. I asked my gynea to let me off and suggested that I would prefer to walk to get the contractions started. Thankfully, he agreed.
And so we went to Bugis, walked till 6pm, then went to airport to send Wilson off ( shame he missed the whole action scene after that). Contraction started to get more regular (every 5mins) while we're having dinner at Pasta Fresca at T2. After sending Wilson off, we head home and Chong called gynea and was instructed to get myself admitted.
So I showered myself clean, sprayed perfume, nicely propped up myself silly with light makeup, taking my own sweet time. Enjoying my final moment of being pregnant. (unknown to the horror that I'm about to face).
Upon reaching the hospital at about 11:20pm, again another nurse checked my fully blown belly and said that my baby still not fully engaged but when my gynea arrived, he claimed that I'm already 3cm dilated so labour has started. I was confused but yet I went ahead by allowing him breaking my waterbag. That was about 12:15am ( now Mon 9th June).
And so began the horror movie. Gynea prescribed Syntocinon drip to speed up my labour. His comments: with the drip, my labour could be within 8hrs, without the drip I'll never know, since it's my first pregnancy. It could be 8 hrs or less, or it could last up to 30hrs!! But being fully aware of the effects, I refused it. The drip will make contractions twice stronger, hence speeding up labour. Stronger contraction would lead to possibilities of me begging for epidural due to the intense pain and again, as NATURAL as possible labour, with little possible medical intervention, was my aim.
So there I lie, on the bed, strapped with the foetal heartbeat monitoring device, not allowed to move about. Just lie on the bed, savour each contraction which now slowed down to about 8mins apart. So much about bringing my gym ball and hot waterbag.. hospitals do not allowed the usage of all those items in case we get ourselves hurt. And apparently hot waterbag (to apply it on my back- helps ease down the contraction pain) will cause excessive bleeding during labour. Nurse suggested we get some sleep (sleep huh?) and so Chong got this nice black leather one seater sofa that can be reclined with a push on the backrest, while I have the nice super single white linen bed to lie on. The room lighting was dimmed but sleep I did not have any, (bet Chong did) but at least the contractions were getting more intense and frequent.
By 3am, nurse came to assess me (as instructed by my gynea who left after breaking my waterbag) and to my delight, (NOT!) I'm still at 3cm dilated! Woopiee... that was very encouraging... after almost 3 hrs of pain, I've not progressed at all. Again I was offered the drip. Thought about it... begged the nurse that I needed to go to the toilet while I consider if I wanted the drip (which at first she refused because she claimed by now I have nothing left in my bladder- I was given the drip in the anal earlier to discharged every crap I have in me). She gave in and while I went into the toilet, she left the room to attend other patients (busy night apparently with 4 patients in labour). Coming out from toilet, I squatted on Chong's sofa and told him I do not want the drip. It's a risk I know, of not knowing how much longer I have to endure the labour or how much longer I could last before begging for either the drip or epidural to get the labour over and done with. But I said no anyways. And so almost half an hour later, the nurse came back and coaxed me to get back to my bed to have the foetal thingee strapped on me again.
Throughout the ordeal, I managed each contraction with something to focus on, or breathing. But in the end, Hail Mary worked brilliantly for me. So tip to those Christian girlies who plan to labour in near future ;)
5plus am, and nurse came to check and yay, I'm finally progressing- 7cm dilated!
Not long after, from strong and frequent contractions, I started feeling like I need to pass motion. Oh for those curious of how contractions felt like (apparently it's different to each individual) mine felt like intense menstrual cramps, cept it's more frequent and shorter intervals. I asked Chong to tell the nurse I felt like pushing but one nurse told us it's not possible as I was just 7cm dilated awhile ago. And so doo-doo me continude to bear the pain and the hold the pushing urge for about another half an hour.
What felt like to be holding up a huge ass pile of shit (which I now believe is the baby's head) with all my might for about 4times, I insisted Chong to get the nurse to have me checked. And true enough, when the nurse came to me, she never leave after that. Other nurses started coming in, lights on, equipments brought it (as according to Chong...cos my eyes were shut tightly since I started having that intense urge to push so I wasn't aware of the actions taking place). Apparently, Chong noticed the first nurse who came in and after checking me, she mutely uttered "call the doctor quick" to another nurse so that I did not hear it (as not to worry me I suppose).
My gynea arrived about less than 15mins later (as you can see in the photo above, the shuffled hair... who knows if he didn't brush teeth either!!). What I can roughly remember, was voices instructing me to push when told to push and to stop and breathe when told to do so. I did exactly what the voices, women, man... told me to do so and in about 3 instructed pushes and breathing, Joshua's out!!! with a slight tear! shucks, so much for skipping episiotomy, I had a tear anyway...
Chong:- Just wanted to add, once the time reached where the nurse found out it was time, and called for the doctor, everything moved so fast! I remember being half asleep and blur blur to the maxed, when suddenly it was time for the pushing! But really, for the dads-to-be, once i saw my baby Joshua's head crowning, tears filled up my eyes! Think that was more due to the excitement that it was finally happening than anything else. BUT, once my prince came out fully, the doctor put him on Mel's chest area just for a short while for her to see him. And eventhough the pain was still there and how drained out physically and emotionally she was, you could see her maternal instincts come into place automatically once she saw her baby, and whispered to baby Joshua "It's ok my darling...don't cry...mummy's here". I tell youuuuuu....when I saw that, I felt like bursting into tears! But seeing that my doctor was around, and even my wife herself wasn't tearing at all, I just kept everything all inside, and TRIED being a man. :P Anyways, back to Mel's story, sorry for the interruption. hehe
And so the ordeal's over. 7:19am, Joshua was born naturally, without any assistance, medication or happy gas. Boy was I lucky, being spared from the much expected long and draggy labour. In total, my labour was about 7hrs. No Nithy, it wasn't even close to "farting" altho I'm sure many women wished it would be. And yes Willie, it felt almost like jab, cept that it's gazillion times more painful!! (men!! they should experience labour for once in their life!).
Sorry if it's a lil too draggy. I figured it's easier I typed out the boo-boo drama then having to repeat it over and over again. (which I did the first day after I delivered!! tiring lahhh)
