Little Princess

It has taken me a long time to put up this blog. Being on the chinese confinement regime and a full time "cow" is not an easy job.  Before I complain about my miserable life of bathing with herbal water and not being able to wash my hair...

My wish for a natural delivery without epidurial has came true! My mum told me she survived without a drip of pain killer. And if I were to be giving birth during her era, I might have been forced to go without any form of pain relief. Here is my birth story:

5.00am – Had mild contractions and found some discharge with a little pink dot inside. Went back to sleep due to the false alarm episode.

7.00am – Contractions seem more painful. Found mucus plug (a thick yellowish discharge) with red lines. Discharge subsequently was red in colour. [Woke hubby up! Hubby instantly became excited and started to get ready. I went to bathe and began timing the contractions. They were 2 minutes apart.] 

7.50am – Reach TMC [Messaged my parents, sister and called my aunt to tell them that I am in hospital and most prob will be giving birth soon.]

8.10am – Went to the observation ward. Nurse check and found that I was already 4cm dilated, effaced and baby’s head was low. Contractions were much worse than the contractions from the false alarm. [Kept running in and out of the toilet with every contraction. Was so afraid I did not finish poo-ing.]

9.10am – After using the laughing gas (Ethonox), the nurse actually told me that I was coping well with the pain and what I was experiencing was the maximum pain. After a few more round of contractions, I decided not to risk screaming the entire labour ward down and I was given pethedine on my right thigh. 

9.20am – Gynae came in for the 1st check. He found that I was 6cm dilated and decided to break my water bag so that the labour will progress faster.  [For me, I could not feel the water rush out. But my bump did feel pretty good from the "water" gush!]

9.50am – Contractions seem to be getting closer, there was no time for a breather. My head was starting to spin a little from the contractions so I closed my eyes and breath each time one came up. Midwife transfers me to Labor Ward Rm 3.

10.40am – Feeling the urge to poo and pee, the midwife did a final VE. I was fully dilated and ready!

Pushing was put in progress... Baby finally arrived after less than ½ hr of pushing!

I kept falling asleep when the contractions were gone. But when the contractions came, I was rudely awaken! Half way through the pushing, I kept thinking if I could just "PAUSE" and that this will be the last time I attempt such an act. 

The pain was intense but forgettable (I have clean forgotten about how the pain is like). I guess it's second nature to a woman and when you ask me now, I will tell you that it is a once in a lifetime experience you have to go for! And yes, I will definetly have more kids.

Even though my gynae did a perinial massage for me while I was pushing, I still teared. I was given about 3 stiches there. The antiseptic lotion (alcohol) stung my wound. I was very tempted to not pee so that I can avoid cleaning the wound.