My Labour Story...

Here is the story of my labour...

Day 0: 10pm – Gel inserted for induction. I normally have hyper tense cervix muscle which makes it very uncomfortable (and painful) for any pap smear or vaginal examination (because I don’t know how to relax enough!). I was supposed to have the balloon catheter instead but my obs figured gel would be less of a pain for me. I could not even go through the vaginal examination and gel so I was given a shot of morphine. That somewhat helped.

Day 1: 8am – Supposed to have my water broken but again I struggle with the vaginal examination. I was given Panadeine Forte (strong pain killer) earlier in the morning to avoid morphine but since 6am I was vomiting and that drug didn’t stay in. So again I was given another shot of morphine. Obs came in to break the waters at about 10am (and by then I had vomited probably more than 5 times). Then I was given the hormone drip to assist with contraction.

Day 1: 1pm – I have requested for epidural (I knew I was going to need it anyway in the later stage, so no harm of having it as early as possible). Epidural was the best thing ever! I salute ladies going through birth without epidural; I don’t think I could have survived it. Urinal catheter inserted as well. The insertion of the epidural was smooth and painless. I flooded the whole floor and bed with warm water from the uterus in the process.

Day 1: 2pm – Cervix dilated well – 6cm. I could feel some contraction but not too much. Still busy vomiting with every drink of water or food. I was on the drip (thank goodness) to keep me hydrated.

Day 1: 5pm – Cervix was ready! Started pushing with the help of a wonderful midwife and hubby.  Even with the epidural, I could feel the contraction on my upper abdomen and was able to time the push. I could also feel that there was ‘something’ (which I assume is the baby and not huge chunk of poo) that is in the process of coming out.  The joy of epidural, can feel enough to know what is happening but not enough to feel much pain. I was still vomiting throughout the push process.

Many things didn’t work smoothly for me down there – I had tear tissues while pushing. Although bub was engaged, the position of shoulder/neck was not perfect with the head to just push through. Obs had to try to adjust her head, used vacuum to assist but that wasn’t enough so forceps had to be used. I had to have episiotomy (cut/incision) besides having a tear earlier! Ouch! She came out 1.5 hours after pushing, and placenta soon after.  Obs spent  the next half hour stitching me up. I could see lots of blood, I could see his worried and very focused face, I could feel the sensation he was stitching me up but it wasn’t painful. Bub was in my arms/chest the whole time, and was a natural at sucking immediately. Her eyes wide open looking around as soon as she came out. It was a beautiful moment. Although it wasn’t quite that fun when I vomited about 3 times while having her on my chest.

Total exhaustion, but having the miracle of life on me is just beautiful.

After labour: I wasn’t in pain but was extremely exhausted. I started feeling some pain in the perineal area later in the night and it got worse the next day. My tummy was flabby and loose and I felt really uncomfortable with different sleeping positions (it was a lie when they say the first thing you look forward to after the baby is out is to have a comfortable sleeping position!). I had ice packs and pain killer the whole night and day. Pain got worse on Day 4, as I was moving around. Thank goodness I was no longer vomiting. No bowel movement (although I feel like there is something stuck there all the time and did not dare to “push”).Could not sit because it was painful. Could not stand because it was painful – but had to. Best position was to lie in bed but everytime I close my eyes the pain got worse because in my mind I started to picture and feel the “delayed pain” of when my obs was stitching me up. I could not get any sleep. Staying awake seems to be less painful for me. Closing my eyes and my delayed pain experience went haywired in my brain waves.

Horrible Horrible Horrible. I told my husband – no sex in 6 months, if ever. Then I told him next baby it will be an elective c-section. Then I realised there could be other pains associated with that too that I may not cope. Then I said this will be our only child, and maybe we can look at adoption in future. I was miserable from the pain, but the pain did not stop me from cuddling or trying to feed my little one.

Today I feel a little bit more positive (Day 6). Maybe less pain (my remedy is washing with warm salt water and drying it with hairdryer after each toilet visit), lots of painkillers (ice packs seems to be making it worse for me so I have stopped using them), having my mum around and my hubby to do everything so I can get some rest at home in between hospital visits (bub is still in hospital due to jaundice). Maybe knowing that the pain should ease soon and we will have bub home today (hopefully), maybe the joy of looking forward for motherhood has masked the negative feeling.