giving birth, my way
My baby just turned 23 months old! It's unbelievable how a newborn weighing only 2.7 kg (with length of 49 cm) can grow into a 13 kg toddler in nearly 2 years.
I had a lot of fears in giving birth which prompted me to choose to have it in the province, with my mother holding my hand during labor. She gave birth to 7 pesky kids so I must say she's weathered and wise and knows the stuff giving births are made of. She did try her best to be by my side as I shouted and cursed and begged Ma, ayoko na!!!! Please. Please. Please!!!!
Then she couldn't take it anymore... and left me, during my last moments before actually giving birth, to my sister, a certified nurse who held my hand as I writhed in pain, praying more than ever that I get through it as quickly as possible.
I began spotting before midnight of August 10th. I called my ob-gyne and she said that it is normal and I should wait until my contractions come at near-intervals before going to the hospital. I woke up at dawn feeling a sudden pain course through my body. My mama decided to bring me to the hospital then and there, deaf to my protests that the doctor said otherwise.
So there I was lying in the hospital admission bed at 5 am, having had no chance to take a bath first as I planned. I was induced at 1 pm and was finally wheeled to the operating room shortly thereafter.
The real (mis)adventure happened in the operating room. The anesthesiologist was missing in action. Apparently he was taking a nap and no one notified him I was ready. I was near-cursing everyone then. After what I felt was an eternity, embarrassingly-lying-in-bed-with-legs-wide-open-waiting-for-the-darn-anesthesiologist, he finally arrived! He curled me into a ball and I cried and shouted more than ever because my pregnant stomach was being crushed and water was sipping out of me.
He was about to inject the needle into my lower back when the worst thing happened - everything went pitch black, literally! No, I did not faint. Apparently, there was a brownout and the emergency light, well, did not give light on such an emergency. That was beyond anything bad at all that could happen on my labor day. Thankfully, after 10 seconds (maybe, it felt a lot longer), the lights and the 'party' went on. I pushed and pushed with a vengeance and they had to remind me to slow down. I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. ASAP!
Finally, thank God and all the angels and saints, I gave birth to an adorable baby boy!
I sighed a good deep sigh. I relished the feeling of relief and satisfaction. I was utterly exhausted but so proud of myself. I could hear phantom clapping in the background. I heard my baby cry and I couldn't help but smile. I did it! My baby and I made it! More phantom clapping. It was all so whimsically strange and extraordinary.
...Then suddenly my robe was yanked and my baby was laid down on my chest so he could latch on my breast. It was done so callously, my post-card moment was over so soon. But I did smile, a slightly arrogant smile, for the camera and for posterity. I earned bragging rights and a baby after all.
I had a lot of fears in giving birth which prompted me to choose to have it in the province, with my mother holding my hand during labor. She gave birth to 7 pesky kids so I must say she's weathered and wise and knows the stuff giving births are made of. She did try her best to be by my side as I shouted and cursed and begged Ma, ayoko na!!!! Please. Please. Please!!!!
Then she couldn't take it anymore... and left me, during my last moments before actually giving birth, to my sister, a certified nurse who held my hand as I writhed in pain, praying more than ever that I get through it as quickly as possible.
I began spotting before midnight of August 10th. I called my ob-gyne and she said that it is normal and I should wait until my contractions come at near-intervals before going to the hospital. I woke up at dawn feeling a sudden pain course through my body. My mama decided to bring me to the hospital then and there, deaf to my protests that the doctor said otherwise.
So there I was lying in the hospital admission bed at 5 am, having had no chance to take a bath first as I planned. I was induced at 1 pm and was finally wheeled to the operating room shortly thereafter.
The real (mis)adventure happened in the operating room. The anesthesiologist was missing in action. Apparently he was taking a nap and no one notified him I was ready. I was near-cursing everyone then. After what I felt was an eternity, embarrassingly-lying-in-bed-with-legs-wide-open-waiting-for-the-darn-anesthesiologist, he finally arrived! He curled me into a ball and I cried and shouted more than ever because my pregnant stomach was being crushed and water was sipping out of me.
He was about to inject the needle into my lower back when the worst thing happened - everything went pitch black, literally! No, I did not faint. Apparently, there was a brownout and the emergency light, well, did not give light on such an emergency. That was beyond anything bad at all that could happen on my labor day. Thankfully, after 10 seconds (maybe, it felt a lot longer), the lights and the 'party' went on. I pushed and pushed with a vengeance and they had to remind me to slow down. I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. ASAP!
Finally, thank God and all the angels and saints, I gave birth to an adorable baby boy!
It was 2:37 in the afternoon of August 11, 2009 when I was 'officially declared' a new mom.
I sighed a good deep sigh. I relished the feeling of relief and satisfaction. I was utterly exhausted but so proud of myself. I could hear phantom clapping in the background. I heard my baby cry and I couldn't help but smile. I did it! My baby and I made it! More phantom clapping. It was all so whimsically strange and extraordinary.
...Then suddenly my robe was yanked and my baby was laid down on my chest so he could latch on my breast. It was done so callously, my post-card moment was over so soon. But I did smile, a slightly arrogant smile, for the camera and for posterity. I earned bragging rights and a baby after all.
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." - Rajneesh
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