Our baby boy was born on 26th February 2010. He arrives safely right on the dot of his due date. Very pleased with it.
The labour was very smooth, and it was quick. I started to feel mild contraction at 5.18am on the 25th. It was so mild that I could continue to sleep, and continue to do usual daily activities. I kinda had the feeling that the little one will make an appearance soon.
Apart from the mild contraction, I had a 'show'. I rang the maternity unit of my hospital and told them about the contraction, the midwife advised me to stay relax and to stay at home as long as I could, because it was the latent phase of labour. I was not on active labour yet.
I had a nap, I spent some time chatting with Sugar, he was not working and we spent the whole day together. We had dinner together, chatted, and the contractions continued. It did not hurt, but it was a little bit uncomfortable.
After dinner, I decided to lie down for a rest, but the contraction had turned stronger. I was bleeding and I was not sure anymore whether it was the mucus plug or it was something else. I rang the maternity unit again, and the midwife advised me to go in to the hospital.
So, at about 9.30pm, we arrived at the hospital, at the antenatal unit. The midwife checked on me, monitored baby's heart beat, and she was happy that I should go home and wait for active labour to begin. Everything seemed so fine. So, we went home at about 11.30pm. At about 1.30,am I felt the regular strong contraction. I could no longer lie down on my bed. I started to do deep breathing to ease the pain. The pain was managable, but very uncomfortable. I called my midwife again, and she told us to go back to the hospital. I grabbed my hospital back and off we went to the hospital again. Luckily, the hospital is very closeby, about 5 minutes drive from our house.
Arrived at the hospital, midwife checked on baby's heart beat, and the contraction became stronger and stronger. The midwife, Jeannette was so caring and supportive, she taught me to breathe through every contraction. She checked on me, I was only 2cm dilated. As the contraction came stronger and stronger, she finally agreed to send me off to the delivery suite. As I was having the Group B Strep, I needed to put on antibiotics before the birth.
Arrived at the delivery suite at about 2.00am. I lied on the bed, breathing through every strong contraction. Sugar right beside me, and he was doing the breathing with me. I requested for an epidural as the pain was so strong i dreaded some pain relief. Two very helpful midwives, Lynn and Louise at the delivery suite advised me to use Entonox (Gas & Air). I was quite relieve to have some form of pain relief. The gas and air helped eliminate the pain, I felt quite pleased with it. Sugar was beside me throughout. I was nervous, but I knew, I would see my baby very soon. Lynn, the midwife was very humorous and she joked all the time trying to switch my attention away from the pain that I had.
Within 2 hours of breathing and with the help of Entonox and lots of drinking water, as my mouth and throat had gone very very dry. I was told that I was already 10cm dilated. It was a good news. I had my antibiotics on, and I prayed hard that baby will be fine and healthy. When I feel the urge to push, I made a few 'big' pushes, and there he was, crying out loud! Our baby arrived safely. Such great joy, but i did not cry... I was completely relieve, as I had made it! What a great achievement.
Our baby boy made it to the world at 5.20am. He was then put straight to my tummy, to have skin-to skin contact with me. I was overwhelmed. I did not cry, although I thought I would. Sugar cried and left the delivery suite to send the good news to all our family and friends.
What a short and straight forward labour!
A million thanks to Lynne Gethendae and Louise Shaw, the midwives on that day who helped deliver my baby.
