The birth of Inarah

This is long overdue so here it goes.

On the 6th of Jan, my labor pains were more frequent and painful. I had a show in the early hours of the morning. The show started getting more and more by afternoon and panicking I thought I should run to the hospital. Couldn’t get through my hubby or my mom on the phone and panicked again and again. What if I was really going to deliver in the next hour or so ?

Decided to call my gynae who said I should just stay at home and time my contractions until they are 20 minutes apart. If nothing happens I should come in tomorrow morning and shall be induced. And I thought "Not again". I was induced with Alysha and had to take an epidural as I was in labour for 22 hours. I was hoping for a normal delivery this time, i.e. without the epidural.

Sure enough, nothing happened and in the morning hubby and me arrived at UMMC at 8am. I was checked and told that I was already 4cm dilated and the induction should get it going really fast. My gynae assured me it should be more than 6 hours. Keeping my fingers crossed I agreed.

First 2 -3 hours was bearable. Then I asked for the pethadine as the pain was getting more and more intense. I don’t think the pethadine did anything at all coz even with the pethadine and the laughing gas I was holding on/puling the bed railings at every contraction and trying very hard not to scream. Hubby and Sri was there but after a while either due to the laughing gas or the pain I was almost unaware of who was around and what was happening.

I felt like pushing down and when checked I was not 10cm dilated. Gynae said it was okay as sometimes one can dilate really fast when pushing. So I was put on stirrups trying to push at every contraction. Due to my short term memory (thank God) I can’t really remember how painful it must have been. But I remember looking at my gynae and just shaking my head and saying “No, I cant do this, no, no, no”.

When I was not doing a good job pushing, that guy (he is actually the sweetest gynae I know) had the cheek to tell me that I have forgotten to push from the first time. I wanted to scream out that I was on epidural and was forcep assisted the last time but I remember telling him exactly that in a very calm composed manner.

Anyway, after at least 45 minutes of everyone yelling “push push push, you can do it, yada yada yada” (I bet they would have felt differently if they were in my shoes). baby came out to my relief with the last very very very painful push.

They put her on my chest immediately and I remember thinking, Alysha, she is just like Alysha.

It was an amazing birth experience and although I would recommend that all women try natural birth once in their lifetime, I am sure glad its over.

After she was checked and cleaned, I had her in my arms and started breastfeeding her and let me tell you there is nothing like having your newborn in your arms. Nothing compares to it, nothing at all.

I thank God for seeing me through that and blessing me with this sweetest and most beautiful child and thank you all who helped me see this through. Thats to my darling hubby and wonderful friend Sri and of course not forgetting my wonderful gynae.