Giving birth : Between Life and Death

This is my journey while pregnant and during delivery of my second daughter. I would like to share this to encourage all moms or moms-to-be out there that your little one's life is in your hands, so we need to take care of ourselves while pregnant and always reach out to God to protect us from any harm.

My estimated due date was on March 12, 2018 according to my 1st ultrasound, they found out that it's 80% girl. The result is a bit confusing. We are all happy to know that she's very active and healthy.

Last January 31, 2018, i thinks it's already 3pm. I feel the urge to pee so i go to our bathroom, when i wipe to dry out my pee i noticed a bit of blood (maybe it's a spotting). Just to make sure, i let my relatives check it and it's a real blood. I don't know what to feel, excited but nervous because i'm just in my 33-34 weeks of my pregnancy. It's not yet safe to give birth.

We hurriedly went to the lying in where i do my pre-natal check up. When i arrived, i told them everything. They are writing a referral slip for me to a hospital i chose. I also signed a waiver that i agreed to be refer. Before they let me go, the check my vital signs and the baby's heart rate, are all normal. But i have a contractions in my belly and my cervix dilated to 0.5cm but no blood is found during the Internal Examination.

We arrived at my choosen hospital for second opinion about my case. We waited for almost 2hrs before the OB finally came to check us one by one (yes the are some pregnants waiting too,i'm #4). Vitals signs are already checked, and IE is also done. The result is i'm dilated 1cm, my blood pressure is low but thanks to God that the contraction suddenly stopped. Dra. advised me to bedrest and eat plenty of nutritious fruits and veggies, take my pre-natal vitamins regularly.
I just want to b secure so i already talked to Dra. that if i can't do it in the lying in , if she can accept me in her hospital. She become silent for a while then say YES, since you are living near my hospital and i think you will obey me during your delivery. I smiled and thank her.

This is also the date where bloody moon shows, i don't know about the old folks myths that the pregnant (about to give birth) needs to watch the moon so we can give birth easily.

February passed so fast and my unborn baby grows more. I need to do a proper diet to prevent her from growing too much so i can give birth normal. I only eat red rice, no more white rice, fruits, no softdrink and juices, and of course no junk foods.

Until March comes, still no sign of labor. We reached March 5, it's also my youngest sister-in-law's birthday. We celebrated it in a Restaurant, i eated less rice but more of they're best seller dishes and a dessert.

When we came home, i noticed that my underware has a thick jelly-like mucus. I'm waiting for the thick jelly-like mucus with a spotting of blood (that's when i started my labor with my 1st daughter). My discharge continuous, still no pain or contraction in my belly. But i already prepared my hospital bag with my needs and baby needs.

March 7,2018 i was awake with a wet sticky liquid in my underware. I thought i was just dreaming that i pee on my undies. When i stand up, the liquid continuous to flow. I told my husband of what's happening, he kissed me and ask if i'm ready to give birth because he is so excited to see our second baby. While i change my clothes, he woke up his mother (my mother-in-law) to accompany me to the hospital because our 1st daughter is also awake and crying. Maybe she's confused of what's happening, i wear clothes for going out and had a bag (maybe she thinks i'm leaving her). I told her that when i come back baby 2 is already outside, she can play with her.

We are immediately admitted, they told me that i'm having a "leaking bow" , they said that the amiotic fluid is slowly leaking but since i have no pain and contraction yet this is not a good condition. They do IE and my cervix is only 2cm, i need to be 10cm dilated to give birth.

Dra. is in delivery room she has a patient about to give birth but still in labor. I was brought there so Dra. can check me while waiting for her 1st patient to become fully dilated. She do an IE, it's only 2cm and she confirmed that i have a leaking bow. She's actually taking her snack, she gave me one egg (old folks believe that eating egg can help you give birth easily).

They brought me to a labor room, i will bedrest there while waiting for my cervix to dilate more. I have a dextrose and they put some meds for skin test. If i'm not mistaken they're about to put a antibiotic so i was prevented from infection. They put an aparato in my belly to check my baby's heartbeat.

I just rested in that labor room the whole day, i even pee at the bed pan. I'm not allowed to stand up, i very hungry but the only food they give is 1 bottle of water and 3pcs cheesecake. That's the only food i ate except for one boiled egg. It's already 2pm, i'm still 2cm. They induced my labor at 3pm. At 5pm they ultrasound my baby. When they do an IE, i'm 4cm already but my baby's heartbeat rises to 182 the normal is up to 150 only.

They texted and called Dra. for my situation, before she arrive the nurses are assisting me to find the right sleeping position so my baby's heartrate lowers. They even put a oxygen because i'm also having a difficulty in breathing, when baby's heartrate rises too much there is a tendency that she loses her oxygen and can lead to death.

When our vitals becomes normal, they started to ask if i will agree to be brought in a bigger hospital where Dra. is conducting a C-section. I ask them why, they told me that if this situation continouos you need an emergency C-section for the safety of the both of us. I heard from the nurses that the ultrasound result is already given, i asked if my baby has a cord coid because i've seen something in the monitor while they doing the ulrasound. The oldest nurse then told me that she's fine except for her size ,she's about 8lbs or 3.6kgs. Too big for me because i'm petite. I told them to call my mother-in-law and call my husband also so we can decide urgently.

Before they even try to call my husband, Dra arrived and do an IE, she just smiled and said that we will be fine. She instructed a nurse to inject something in my dextrose, it's already 9pm i guess. I fall asleep, until my back and belly are hurting at the same time. Dra do an IE again, then told the nurse to bring me to the delivery room.

The pain is persisting, it's past 10pm. I'm feeling so uncomfortable and feeling so hungry. They just let me rest there for a while until 11pm. I'm 7cm dilated, Dra smiled again and said 3cm more you can do it. 11:30pm i'm 8cm. The contraction is persisting radomly. At 12:00am March 8, 2018 , the contraction is every five minutes and i'm dilated 9cm already. I farted a lot, but Dra told me it's a good sign that baby is pushing down. She cleaned me to prepare for giving birth, she turn the big lights on towards my dilation.

"Oh i'm already touching her head, she has lots of hair", Dra happily says to me. I smiled back. I tried to push and another push but the contraction stops. My hands and legs are starting to feel numb. The nurses started to massage my hands and feet. Dra said maybe i'm just hungry, they ask some noodles to my mother-in-law. They brought they noodles to me but i can't eat it because it not cooked yet. I asked for some water instead.

The numbness worsen, i'm shaking, feeling dizzy and having breathing problems. They put an oxygen and trying to talk to me so i come to my senses. I'm praying silently asking God's help to push my baby safely. All i am thinking is i can't die eight now, she can die too. I can't let that happen because i didn't fight and i have a another daughter, i can't let her live without a mother guiding and supporting her.

I smelled the aroma of seafood ramen they brought me, then the contraction consistently continuous. 1st attempt the contraction stops, another try not yet successful but her head is already seen clearly (that's what they called crowning). I take a long deep breath, i prayed hard, one long push...a loud cry! She's finally out :)
Baby girl is out at 12:23am, March 8, 2018.
Dra told me that this day is the birthday of her loving and intellegent who is already graduating in a med school. She is smiling while looking at my chubby baby, and said surely she will become intelligent and kind too.
My heart is filled of happiness seeing her and i prayed again to thank God for his help.

This photo was taken by one of the nurses assisting Dra.
(from left, Dra, my baby, me)

A nurse get by baby and put in a baby bed (i guess) with a warmer. She's awake playing her hands.

My pain doesn't end her, we waited for the placenta to come out. It still hurt like a baby is coming out. Then they clean my uterus inside, so painful! After that she put 2 gauzes inside my vagina, i think the gauze is soaked in betadine.
I cried hard when she started to stitch my cut, from inside to outside skin, anus to my vagina. Everytime the needle touches my skin i cried a lot, i can feel the pain. I think there's no anethesia injected. She also clean me with warm water then put my undies with the maternity pads.

They brought my baby into nicu. I stayed in recovery room then Dra visited me but she noticed that i started to chill. She get the light warmer and let me use it (it's actually for newborn babies). Almost an hour before the chill stops. That's the time i fell asleep. But i was awaken by a pain in my uterus. The nurse massage my belly so it hardens, she told me not to let it be soft it can make me bleed more blood. She told me to take a rest first to recover, i'm starting to look pale.

At 4am i guess, they give me my baby. They let me breastfeed her, the nurses joyfully said that the baby's hungry, everytime she comes near the nicu she cried louder and louder. She stops to cry when i breastfeed her, she's very hungry.

After an hour they let me change clothes, we are about to take some rest at the ward. We need to stay there for 24hrs after birth for observation and some test.

That night the result of her urine and blood test is that she gmhad a little infection due to long hours of leaking bow before she comes out. They put a heplock in her left had and started to inject antibiotics, they said she needs to finish it 'til 7 days. I'm also taking my post-natal meds.

She has her heplock covered with diaper to prevent from pulling out.

We are ready to go home, here.

Meet our baby Faven (blessed)
Born: March 8, 2018 / 12:23AM
3.6kgs, 52.5cm long.

I now realize how our mothers deserve to be loved by us (daughters/sons) because they actually let their life be between life and death just to bring us in this world. I salute to all daughters/sons who take good care of their mother who is already old. Let's all cherish their life while they are still alive. Everyday can be mothers day, let them feel how thankful you are that they are your mother.

This second birth to my daughter taught me a lot of lessons in life. To keep your faith in God no matter what because He knows you can get through it. Great battles are given to His great warriors. To appreciate everything you have and thinking positive in every situation is alwats better than expecting something to be in your control. Life is full of surprises, just be ready to receive it and it will be given to you.

Thanks a lot for reading steemians!