26 Jan 05 - A Star is Born

I was confined in the hospital since Sunday night. Was not allowed to be discharged until Iden decided to come out. It was a waiting game. Waited for two nights with no progress in my labour. My cervix was only 0.5 cm dilated. At the stroke of midnight on 26 Jan, I was getting impatient and requested the nurse to admit me into the delivery suite. I thought at last things were moving. Took two bottles of chicken essence (was told that this helps to boost my energy and strength which I need when delivering), called ipapa and off I was wheeled to the delivery suite. I was strapped to the CTG machine, drips, etc when I entered the suite. The contractions were quite regular and the pain was still manageable. I was still able to joke! But the show has just begun. As the labour progessed, the contraction became more intense. My energy was sapped and I just could not take it. Was given a jab of pethidine on my thigh. The jab and gas helped me for a while. My cervix was 4 cam dilated after about 3 hours. As Iden was trying hard to come out, the pain became worst. I had initially wanted to be a gungho woman and not to succumb to epidural. In the end, I gave up. The pain was just too much to bear. So, an epidural was given. Immediately after that, I was so relieved and managed to take a nap (so did ipapa). I was woken up by a beeping sound and the contraction pain at about 6 am. Apparently, the epidural had gone wrong (that's why the beeping sound)! The anethesist had to re-insert the needle into my back for the second time. I lost my temper at the nurses and the anethesist. They should have come to help me when the beeping sound happened (it sounded throughout the night but the nurses could not find out what happened). The second time insertion of needle was tough. I was already 8 cm dilated. Can you imagine the pain you experience at that stage and at the same time have to remain very still for the needle? Once the needle was re-inserted, I felt relieved again. Phew! Soon after, my gynae came. He checked and announced to ipapa that he would let him be a father before 12 pm. As he was saying this, he broke my water bag. The real action began at about 11 am. Iden was very eager to see his papa and mama..... it was my turn to push now. At 11.55 am, Iden was born. The first words I said to him when the midwife put him on my belly was "Oh, you little rascal." Then, all the other actions kicked in. Weighed him, cleaned him, gave him the Hep B jab, my gynae stitching me up, etc. Iden weighed 3.285 kg and was 51 cm tall at birth. After he was thoroughly cleaned, the midwife brought him to me again. I took a long good look at him. It was an amazing feeling. From a tiny dot to a baby.... words cannot describe how I feel then. Then, I started my first try on breastfeeding. I was glad that Iden took it quite well. By about 2 pm, everyone (me, ipapa and Iden) was more settled. Iden was sent to the nursery while I was sent to the normal ward to rest.