our birthing story

9 aug (full term date): my OB, dr. A tells us, "OK, you are full term na. anytime your water bursts, you feel pain, there is bloody discharge, go straight to the hospital and call me. if all is well, ill see you again on 16 aug."

10-15 aug: nothing extraordinary happened. everything was normal (to me anyway haha!). my belly was matigas (as usual) but there were no painful contractions. i just noticed that my feet started swelling 11 aug. in the past, sweeling usually starts when i get home from work. this time, paggising ko pa lang namamaga na.

16 aug: OB check up as scheduled. we went to the medical plaza but the secretary says dr. A's clinic hours have changed and that she will call me. second later, my mobile rang and dr. A asks me to proceed to the medical city instead as she has an emergency there. oh ok.

in the car, i was telling k, "naku, marami nakong narinig na kwento na nagpapa-check up lang e natutuloy sa admission." k says, "malay mo manganak ka today, baber!" "tse! dami ko pa gagawin sa office mamaya noh. tsaka low batt na 2 mobile ko, nandun chargers. magla-lunch pa tayo sa crowne plaza (i had groupon vouchers). i don't think today is the day. "

at the medical city, we went to the maternity floor and i was whisked to the pre-labor room (medyo nakakakaba ha!). they asked me to remove everything, put on a hospital robe and give them a urine sample. dami preggy dun so occupied lahat ng beds, i had to wait my turn. finally, they ushered me to an inner chamber where there were more beds. the nurse asked me to lie down and connected my belly to a machine that monitors fetal heartbeat and contractions. the nurse then told me i was having contractions ( i wasn't feeling anything). then dr. A popped in, took a look at the monitor reading and tells me, "naku, you're contracting already! di mo nararamdaman!?" (me - sheepish grin) and she proceeds to give me an internal examination (ie). "4cm ka na! pa-admit ka na ha. nasan si kit?" say what!?? while she went out to find k, i started texting everyone i know. then naiyak nako - i was caught by surprise, suddenly afraid, my mind screaming di pa ako ready!!! then dr. A comes back, notices my tears and tells me not to worry. "wag ka na umiyak ha? buti nga nandito ka na sa hospital e. nandito ako, wag ka mag-alala." she was so reassuring, i felt so sad and wished mama was here. :(

at past 10am, i was transferred to the lamaze room (via a wheelchair, my first time!) and strapped again to the monitoring machine.



the other side of the lamaze room. good thing they had skycable. :)



at 11am they hooked me to an iv drip. then k comes in and changes into a scrub. :)





nurses, midwives, and medical students from the nearby ateneo school of medicine would go in and out, monitoring my contractions.



dr. A would also come in from time to time (she was delivering babies in the delivery room/s) to check on me.



they gave me oxytocin (?) to help fasten (?) my contractions (they were moderate to strong, 2-3mins. interval). at 7:30pm, i was 6cm dilated. dr. A kept asking if i needed anesthesia. i said no, i was fine. she and the rest of the medical staff were amazed i was refusing medication! e sa 1cm lang daw yung iba nagngangawa na sa sakit. but i was fine, there was no pain except for some hilab in the tummy/puson area.

around 11pm, dr. A pops in again and seconds after she walked in, i felt my water break. she did an ie - i was still 6cm. on the fetal monitor, she noticed that our baby's heartbeat slows down everytime i was having a contraction. she was seriously monitoring the printout of the machine for a good 10 mins or so and confided with the nurses/midwives/doctors. i sensed something was wrong. she then called k (who was sitting on the couch) to show him the results - maybe after my wt$aer broke, the umbilical cord travelled downwards together with the baby's head (basta she was saying baka sumabay bumaba ang cord sa ulo) and this was stressing out the baby. if i were 10 cm dilated, she would have asked me to push. but i was stuck at 6cm, and she could not afford to wait. baby was in distress. and then she says, "emergency CS tayo."

k and i agreed, of course. anything for our baby's safe delivery. then nagkagulo na. dr. A was giving out instructions left and right. the anesthesiologist, dr. M arrived. i was wheeled into the delivery room (super lapit, opposite lang ng lamaze room tumawid lang kami hehe), transferred to the operating table and prepped. needles poking here and there (there was a skin test yata) and finally i was moved into a fetal position so dr. M can administer the spinal anesthesia. after ensuring that indeed the anesthesia was working, the whole team went to work.



i was conscious all the time, with a curtain separating me from all the action. my arms were also stretched outwards at my side, strapped to the table.



i was anxious. all i wanted was to hear our baby cry. and finally, at 11:27pm (don't pay attention to the photos' time stamps hehe):



kirsten cecille is here! :)



our first family photo:



they brought kirsten to me to latch (not so obvious here) and she did for a little while.



k caught all the action in the delivery room (including a short video haha!) but i will spare you the gory details.



6 lbs 1 oz, 47 cms. priceless.



i think i was the only one who delivered that night.



after they sewed me up (sorry, i cannot think of another term to describe it), i was wheeled to the recovery room where they also brought kirsten to latch. i stayed there until i could bend my knees. i was brought to my room a little before 5am.



i am now officially a mommy! the new adventure begins. :)