First time mom: Baby Emma’s birth story ♥️

Writing this at 7.54am on the 27th Apr 2019 since the nurse has woken me up for a quick check-up and to be honest, my adrenaline-filled system refuses to let me get some shut eye post-labour.

Dear God, I’m so thankful I can finally witness my precious Emma kicking & screaming at 5 this morning after 39 weeks and 6 days of waiting.

Friday

Afternoon- When my contractions came in at work, it wasn’t too noticeable with some tightening/uncomfortable sensation. I dismissed it thinking it was just my usual bloated-ness from lunch with the baby and all my organs mashed up in there. It did however turn into minor contractions slowly becoming more frequent and regular reaching abt 2-3 contractions every hour after my dinner... though still very bareable with not much pain honestly. Not wanting to be dramatic, I dismissed them thinking they might be Braxton-hicks (a false alarm where the uterus is just practicing its contractions). Can you imagine going all the way to the hospital just to be sent home?! *shakes head*

Evening- Everyone talks about ‘nesting’ right before labour and they weren’t kidding. I didn’t want to get my hopes up high but I had a sudden urge and energy so I decided to change the bedsheet just in case (they were white), check through my hospital bag in my head (I had already placed it in Dan’s car) and made sure all my documents were ready.

Daniel was at a work function so I decided to just drop him a ‘by the way... I’m having contractions’ while watching Avengers: Infinity War since we bought tickets to watch Endgame the next day at 10am (if you’re wondering I didn’t get to watch it *sad face*). The contractions were definitely getting slightly painful.. or maybe it was just in my head.

Night- He came home about 10-ish and we were just chatting catching up on the day before my bedtime at 11pm. The contractions continued but again, still manageable and I somehow managed to doze off.

This is where it got progressively dramatic real fast. I woke up every hr to pee with quite painful contractions and by 2am I just couldn’t go back to sleep. The contractions were every 5-8 mins and I was moaning in pain.

Saturday

2.40am- I groaned in pain quite loudly this time and finally Dan got up and said he’s bringing me to the hospital. ‘Really?!’ I mumbled and he just shot me a death look. Again, I didn’t want to be dramatic or

maybe I was just in disbelief. We changed and well... I just had to brush my teeth once more before making our way to JMC.

3.20am- We went straight to the maternity suite on the 7th floor and pressed the door bell since it was the graveyard shift; everything was locked and it was so peaceful, quiet except for my groaning. The nurse greeted me as I handed my pregnancy book over. She ushered me to the weighing scale but another contraction came and I just stood by the nurse’s counter hanging onto the rail thinking, ‘looks like this is for real’. 30 seconds later it faded and she took my weight before showing me to my room. I got changed and emptied my bladder as instructed then climbed into the bed. Daniel went to register (with RM3k deposit if you’re wondering) while the nurse asked about my medical history.

After a few questions, I felt as if she knew I was in a lot of discomfort as she stopped quite abruptly. Im not quite sure if she had managed to finish every single question. I had started to yelp a bit every time the contractions came. She decided to do a VE (vaginal examination)- 7cm dilated! The other midwife went to call my doctor and they did a real quick orientation in between my contractions. Apparently I was dilating really quick for my first pregnancy.

4.15am- Dr Joseph arrived. He came in looking quite awake but just staring at both us. I was unsure if he was choosing his words carefully or waiting for us to speak first but anyway, I chuckled at the awkward silence and he muttered, ‘it can’t be that bad if you can still laugh’. Honestly, it was THAT bad. If I had to describe, it felt like the worst ‘menstrual/constipated/back pain’ I had ever felt.. Yet I would like to think I handled it pretty well considering I hadn’t ask for painkillers. Then again, I wasn’t offered any plus my ego probably got in the way or I just couldn’t think anymore.

He checked- I was 9cm along.It was almost time but not quite yet! He said he would be back in 30 mins but the midwife stayed with me all the while. This is when it gets pretty blurry.

4.30am- He came back and the nurse checked, I was fully dilated - 10cm. They prepped the bed; installed leg rests at the sides as well as removed the foot of the bed (dan and I gasped at that moment as we were surprised it was detachable) and the doctor proceeded to suit up (more like gown up). It was great I didn’t have to be rolled out of the maternity suite into another room. The suite itself acted as the delivery room, that helped lessen the anxiety for sure.

I can’t remember how often my contractions came anymore but I was screaming at every one of them despite them telling me to breathe deeply and to conserve my energy to push. Poor maternal effort they would probably say but I was trying... just maybe not the most efficient way possible. Dan was saying I still look decent so I probably wasn’t trying hard enough *rolls eyes* haha

5am- Doctor said no improvement though he did think I had enough energy. He said something about my contractions being too short or not strong enough and I was having back labour(where the pain was in my back as she was pressing against it at every contraction) so I couldn’t push. He offered to use a vacuum but I wanted to try a while longer- that is try all of 15 mins before surrendering and asking for it. It took him a short time to try attach the vacuum, I was surprised at how tiny the contraption was and all I felt was some pressure. Amidst all the pain this was nothing, he just told me not to push while he adjusted it. It took a good couple of minutes which did feel like forever in that moment.

The next contraction was coming I could feel it and he was done hooking it up. I pushed twice and I could feel what they call ‘ring of fire’ as the biggest part of the head was coming through (honestly as I’m writing this I can’t remember the intensity anymore but it didn’t feel as bad as i thought it would reading many birth stories prior describing this to be the most painful part of labour). I was also blessed I suppose as baby Emma is a tiny one which made things much easier.

I looked at Daniel and asked for confirmation if she was out. He said yes and I thought it was over but little did I know, it was only her head... suddenly another spike of contraction came and I pushed, Emma was finally here! I turned to Dan, ‘You lied! You said she was out’.

5.17am- They placed her in a towel on my belly as the doctor offered Dan to cut the cord. A minute later, they put her on my chest and I could finally hold her. My perfect little Emma is finally here.

It’s now 12pm and I’m lying here tearing as I’m editing this beside my precious little girl. My newborn. My first born. I can’t remember what it all felt like anymore. All I know is that she’s healthy, that my love is here and we are complete. (Final edit 4th May)