Maddy's Birth Story

At around the 36th week, my OB did an internal examination ("IE") and informed me that I was already 2-3 cm dilated.  I was surprised to hear that since I haven't felt any contractions (other than what I assumed were Braxton Hicks contractions).  She advised that I go on bed rest and take a leave from work.  She wanted me to reach 37 weeks at least, so the baby would not be considered premature.

Well. That didn't happen. I just really wanted to maximize my maternity leave and I wasn't going to use precious leave days sitting around the house.  So yes, I still went to work. Still did my pregnancy exercises. Still swam twice that week.  

The following week, I had another checkup. I was already around 37 weeks and 3 days that November 21. Before going to the OB, the hubby, mother in law and I even went to Ramen Yushoken (recently opened in Oakridge!) that lunch and passed by the Christmas bazaar at Oakridge Pavilion.  

 (lunch at Ramen Yushoken)

So when the OB did another IE at around 4pm, she exclaimed that I was already 5cm dilated and considered in "active labor"! Huh?! Regardless of the fact that I felt no painful contractions whatsoever, she insisted that I be admitted already. Okay. There goes my plan of a luxurious bath before I go into "ge lai". 

(picture picture lang before I was admitted into the Labor Room around 5pm on Nov 21)

I was admitted into the Labor Room at Cebu Doctor's. Gah. No cellphones. I gave my sister a call before I was wheeled in, to let her and my parents know.  I didn't even get to bring in a book. I only had a flimsy hospital gown. I laid down on the bed, with 4 or so other women in the room who were in various stages of labor. It was not at all pleasant to hear other pregnant mommies' moans and groans. I found a resident doctor's gynecology textbook and asked to borrow it. Read a good deal into it before my OB came to visit around 8pm.

She did another IE, declared me to be around 7cm dilated and broke my water.  I felt painful contractions around 30 minutes after that. Boy. They were painful! It wasn't an acute kind of pain, the type that you would get from a gash or wound.  It was a radiating pain from the gut/pelvis, like LBM-feelings on steroids. I was lucky to have a bed beside a wall. I was knocking my head against the wall every time the contractions came, which at first were around 3-5minutes apart and 30 seconds long, and which became around a minute apart and a minute long.

I vaguely remember being wheeled in to the delivery room soon after. I remember a lot of doctors/residents in the room, and being asked to push! Even if I wanted an epidural (I informed the OB from the outset that if I could deliver without anaesthesia, I would prefer that), I couldn't have been given one anymore at that point. I dilated quickly to 10cm. After a lot of pushes (apparently I was fake pushing at some point - I thought I was pushing, turns out I wasn't haha), baby Maddy came out at 9.55pm! Her neck was in a cord coil, hence her face was purple and "bruised".  But she was healthy and we were roomed in the next day.

Short and sweet labor. Hurrah!