My expected due date was Sep 7th, but I had feeling that he would come out on Vinayaka Chavithi day Sep 2nd. My parents were with me at that time. I was feeling uneasy and tight around my stomach from August 31st morning. I had theoretical knowledge but I was not sure if I would understand what contractions are? But I did and didn’t tell anyone at home as I didn’t eat them to panic. I tried all hot tub bath (yeah it was super tough to get up with that stomach but it was soothing for a bit which made me to think about delivering in water too 😉 ), yoga, and some exercised with aerobic ball etc. But by midnight it was intense and I checked with the timer if they are with 5-1-1 rule and they were. I woke up my husband at around 1am of Sep 1st as I was already going crazy and asked him not to wake up my parents as I wanted to wait until I dilate properly as they won’t admit. He was busy packing the hospital bag, I finished full box of ice cream which was really soothing and then in the morning I woke my parents to go hospital. As we have already registered it was easy to get in immediately but I was sent back as I didn’t dilate properly. Looks like book rules doesn’t always go perfectly.
I tried the same techniques to manage the pain and by 1am on Sep 2nd, I couldn’t stand anymore. The contractions were in 3-1-1 rule and rushed everyone at home to take me to hospital. This is time I was properly dilated and admitted immediately. Initially my plan was not take epidural and give natural birth but by seeing me tired and sleepless for two nights, my mom requested me to take epidural affirming me that it’s ok to take it and its not going to make much difference in the long term health. I took epidural and took a power nap for couple of hours which gave me some energy. This was first Vinayaka Chavithi without doing pooja at home. We heard the story on YouTube and by 9am my epidural was slowly weaning and taking extra shots didn’t workout so I was give another full dose. Suddenly I got fever and baby’s heart beat started fluctuating which came back to normal after an hour or so of administering antibiotics.
I started pushing once the Doctor broke my water and asked me to push. I was super excited and can’t wait my baby to come out. I woke my tired husband who was sleeping so that he can hold the baby first. My mom and husband were cheering me to push updating how they can see the hair and head etc while my dad was nervous and tensed waiting outside not knowing what was going inside. After almost 3 hours of pushing, doctor asked me to stop pushing as the baby’s head was coming in different angle which may be dangerous or hurt baby’s head and told we have to go for emergency c-section. I was not prepared for the c-section but I don’t have other option as I can’t take risk for forcing for normal delivery. This transition was kind of shock for me and it was super tough not to push when the baby is already half way down with my epidural weaning off that fifteen minutes was like hell while they were preparing the room for c-section. Another dose of anesthesia which my body couldn’t handle any more, I lost control over my talking n sensation with shivering and the anesthesiologist was little nervous until the delivery and I got normal. Deep inside me the question of why for c section and if the baby was healthy was killing me, that’s when I heard the cry n wanted to see but couldn’t. The most helpless, nervous, happy moment and I was crying out with many reasons. My mom and husband were telling me that baby was healthy and nothing to worry. Finally after wiping baby, taking measurements n weight they put the baby on my chest and I cried out loud. The moment I felt I was born again.. The moment I was alive again ❤
Due to heavy blood loss by pushing initially followed by C-section, I was in hospital for 5 days where I found that I had spinal headache because of anesthesia. Let’s keep this story for other day. I’d strongly encourage for natural and normal but the taboo that obese people or who don’t exercise or not physically fit or who can’t bear the pain opt for c-section is not true. There are many reasons, portion of the baby, canal size etc which determine the smoothness of delivery and its nothing wrong in using the technology rather than forcing for natural which may impact baby or mommy’s health. As a person who saw the both sides of the coin, I’d say C-section is more painful later than normal but having that mental blockage for going only for one particular may lead to more depression as for me. At the end we want happy n healthy mom and baby.
Joy of Jyo 