while on maternity leave...

it's been more than a month (38 days to be exact) since I gave birth which means 38 days down on my maternity leave. It's been a roller coaster ride for the past month. But I've gotten used to waking up at 2 in the morning to feed baby Apa. During the first days, it was really hard, but my body got used to the rhythm already.
I have not written about my birthing story yet. Short lang sya and not really that exciting unlike the other birthing stories that I have read sa n@w. But well, here goes...

July 22, 2006

1:00 pm McDo Madrigal Bldg.
Mike and I stopped over McDo to have lunch before going to the doctor(twas a scheduled check-up). I went to the washroom to pee when I was surprised to see blood stains on my undies. Syempre, natakot ako. akala ko manganganak na ako. When I told mike about it, natakot na rin sya. I wolfed down the fries and chicken nuggets kasi kinakabahan na talga ako.

2:00 pm Doctor's office, Makati Med
Had my usual check-up - blood pressure, weight and IE. The doctor told me that I already had a bloody show and that I was already 2cm dilated. But she told me that it could still take a while for me to go into labor. She told me to do the usual stuff that I was doing but take it easy. I even went to Mike's badminton game in Pasong Tamo after.

July 23, 2006

1:00 am
I woke up feeling I was having dysmenorhea. It was painful but tolerable so I was able to go back to sleep. I said to myself, it was probably due to exhaustion or tension.

2:00 am
I felt the pain again. Again, I didn't mind it. I just shifted my position so that I could go back to sleep.

2:30 am
I woke up due to the pain again. I was also hungry so I woke up to eat some crackers. The pain was coming in 30 minute intervals already so I had a feeling that this was it. Pero medyo kaya pa naman so I went back to sleep again.

5:00 am
The contractions were 30 mins apart already so we decided to go to Makati Med already. Good thing we were able to call for a cab right away. The ride was quite fast since it was early in the morning and it was a Sunday.I texted my OB about my situation and she told me to go directly to the Delivery Room.

6:00 am
I was admitted to the DR of Makati Med. I was asked to change into their hospital gown and was immediately strapped to a fetal monitor. The contractions were still at 30 minute intervals and the IE done showed I was still at 2cm. So there I was strapped to a fetal monitor, clutching the pillow I brought grimacing in pain during contractions while the intern assigned to me was asking me not to "make iri." My Ob advised that a pelvimetry be done so I was wheeled to the xray room to have my pelvis x-rayed.

8:30 am
My OB did another IE on me and I was already at 4 cm. I was given an epidural anesthesia which took forever to administer because I could not stay still. I was having a hard time staying still because the contractions were really painful and I was relieving myself by breathing. The resident was already telling me to breath through my mouth and try not to make any noise. She was already telling me that it would take longer if I did not stay still. They even had to change my position 'coz the anesthesiologist was really having a hard time administering it. Eventually, she was able to administer it and I was in heaven...

9:30 am
Results of the Xray came and my OB suggested for me to undergo CS operation. My pelvic bone has stopped dilating. Apparently, my bone structure only allowed upto 5cm dilation. I forgot the term she used but she likened it to a heart shaped without the bottom part of the heart. It was not gynecodal(i think that was what she said.) She explained to Mike what had to be done and the reason she was already recommending the CS operation. Since I was the only patient that time, all the interns and the residents were present when my OB was explaining the reasons. I signed the waiver and was wheeled into the operating room. But before I was wheeled into the operating room, I spoke with my OB and told her that I wanted a bikini cut for my incision. Hehehe... Kaartehan lang talaga. My OB laughed at my request. She was hesitant to do it that way and convinced me to go vertical so being the obedient child, I said yes na lang. In the operating room, I was transferred to antoher table and the assistants began shaving off the hairs down there and the anesthesiologist came to administer the anesthesia that will make everything numb and knock me out. The last thingI remember saying was "ang lamig lamig naman nyan..."

11:30 am
I regained consciousness at around 11:00. They were already in the process of closing my incision. I heard them talking but I could not get myself to wake up and speak. I just felt the binder being placed on my hips and I was transferred to another bed. I was wheeled to the recovery room to recuperate and sleep some more.

1:00 pm
My baby was wheeled in the recovery for me to see. The first thing that I said upon seeing him was "ay, kamukha ni mike." hahaha!!! I could not hold him for long because I was still groggy and a lot of equipment was still attached to me. I told the nurse to bring him na lang at 6:00 pm to give me time for the effect of the anesthesia to wear off.

2:oo pm
I was wheeled back to my room na jampacked ng mga visitors and friends.

6:00 pm
Baby Apa was brought to us to be roomed-in.

We went home July 226, 2006. It's been 10 weeks already and he's grown big na. He's also heavy na. A healthy and happy baby according to his pedia. He's not an unresponsive blob anymore. He's starting to coo and smile a lot especially when playing with him after feeding time. Frustrating at time but in the end, all worries vanish when you see him smile.