I have arrived!

Day, Sunday 16th of July 2006.

Announcing the arrival of baby Amelia!

After some eight hours of 'minor discomfort', supermommy and my dearest HC has successfully delivered Baby Amelia.

Not that it came with no scare.

Mission started at 10am when we checked into the hospital and HC got her oxytoxin fix at 10:14am. By 10:30am, the doc has popped over to do the 'opening ceremony' of bursting the water bag.

So one should expect after 6-8 hours or so, the cervix should be pretty well dilated and we should be ready to strike it home.

The contractions were good and regular, and baby's heartbeat perfect. The only challenge was dearest mommy was starting to feel the discomfort although she handled them pretty well. But that meant trying out several lying positions in bed to try to relax and get comfortable. Despite docs and nurses suggestion of 'painkillers', we stood firm. No drugs!

Then by 3pm, it's not looking good. After 5 hours of so, the cervix has only dilated to 3cm!
That's a whole 7cm to go to engage into the last phase of labour. Doc says, could be baby is too big or cervix too small. Whatever. If this continue, she needs to be cut up!

Sister Maha poped by at 4pm, noticed the EFM charts are haywire because HC was moving about in bed because of the discomformt. Commented that HC was a strong gal by the way she's coping with the contractions without any pain relief UNLIKE the gal next door who is already on epidural and she's groaning and screaming away.

Then she started her pitch.

'You know, you should try the happy gas. If you are too tense, the cervix can't open etc etc. You don't need epidural because you can take the pain. But like me, I also needed the gas and the pethidine jabs...
..So do you know how to use this gas mask? If you want to, let me know .....it's all part of the bill you know'

Well, at that point it was either this or C-sect, so we were sold. So HC got some quick instructions on how to use the mask and started inhaling the Entonox.

But then this also meant she can't really get good rest because she need to hold up the mask everytime the contractions came, so Pethidine please.

That worked well plus the fact Sister Maha gave some very much appreciated assistance to clear HC's bladder.

So, by 5pm, doc came over. Good news, 9cm! Hey in about half an hour, the show can begin.

And so by 5:30, after minutes of resisting the urge to push (we were told to at the prenatal class so as not to do premature pushing because that may harm the baby), HC got the go-ahead. Doc came in, HC told him got urge to push, doc says 'got urge to push is it, ok then, PUSH!'

Then the flurry of activity sort of gave me a strange feeling. Doc got into his gown and PCK boots, midwife and nurses got into positions besides HC. One of them ask mommy to push as though she had some bad constipation for days!

Ok, so PUSH!!! After a few attempts, doc noticed baby heartbeat a bit softer. Time for the ol' trusty suction pump.

So, with some concerted effort, mom pushing, midwife pushing on the tummy, doc sucking with the pump and daddy unsure of how to help except to give mommy a slight nudge from the back to help her push and of course, simulate the constipated feeling together with mommy (as though it helps!)..SWissh!.. mission accomplished!

And nurse says, "Good, see you again next year!"