My Birthing Story (the second time around)

I gave birth to Janysha Andrea Recta Jamias on December 23, 2009. I've been into a series of unfortunate events that only now I had the time to share my 2nd birthing story. All is well with this 2nd pregnancy. But giving birth to Jandi was very traumatic not only to me but to my husband and the whole family as well. Gotta warn you that this might be a very long post. Don't worry, I won't bore you as I will post some photos with it. So are you ready?

November 2009
My OB had me on bedrest because my cervix is semi opened. All I was thinking that time is how can I do some shopping for the little one, and of course, I need a new outfit before I give birth. I was so disappointed.

December 18, 2009
This day marks my 37th week. House arrest has been lifted, and I went with my family to do a bit of shopping. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the whole time, coz I've been experiencing a little contractions and some pains in my tummy. And of course, everybody's busy shopping for Christmas, a lot of people inside the mall. I'm having a hard time breathing and a lot of people just accidentally bumped into my tummy that made me so grumpy.

December 22, 2009
I went out with Janna and my brother. He bought his remote control for his camera while me and Janna stayed inside the car. After that we went to the mall to do another attempt to shop something for me and the baby. But again, another series of contractions were present and my super kabadong brother told me that we should head home at baka daw sa mall pa ako putukan ng panubigan.

December 23, 2009
My scheduled day for my weekly check up. OB did an IE and she smiled and asked me...

Dra. Nogoy: Kailan mo gusto manganak? Ngayon, bukas ... kailan?
Me: Doc bakit po?
Dra. Nogoy: Eh kasi you're 4 cms dilated na ... actually, 5 cms na
Me: What? Di na ako aabot ng January 2010?
Dra. Nogoy: So ano kailan mo gusto manganak?
Me: Eh di ngayon na doc, wag na natin pigilan.

She reserved a room for us at FEU Hospital right away and was advised to proceed to the hospital by 2:00p.m. I was at her clinic at around 11:00a.m. I texted Jason, asking him to go home immediately. I'm not going to give birth to this baby without knowing that he's with me. But my ever workaholic husband told me that he can't make it by 2:00p.m. coz he has to go to the bank to withdraw some cash for his laborers. It just happened that day was their Christmas party, too. So I asked my O.B. if I can buy some more time because I'm still waiting for my husband to come home. My O.B. told me that I'm in active labor but it would still take a while for me to give birth. She told me to just relax while I wait for Jason.

2:00p.m. the bloody show ... I texted my OB ... OB sa "Doc, may bloody show na ako, do I have to go to the hospital na? Wala pa din kasi si Jason." OB said, "Normal lang yan kasi dinutdut kita kanina (she's referring to the IE), ok lang yan, mag-relax ka lang habang hinihintay mo si Jason."

3:30p.m. I asked my brother to take a photo of me. Coz I haven't had a decent preggy photo (again) the whole time of my pregnancy with Jandi. So my brother took some shots of me while waiting for Jason. Take note: I'm on active labor and I'm 5 cms dilated hehehe.

I didn't realized I was this big ... when I had Janna, I was a bit smaller ...
a bit lang naman hehehe!

Since I was on bed rest on the last leg of my pregnancy, I didn't have the chance to buy a maternity dress for myself. I have no choice but to wear the same maternity dress I wore when I gave birth to Janna.

4:00p.m. Finally, Jason arrived ... he and my brother hurriedly put everything inside Jason's pick up ... hospital bag, baby bag, laptop (yes laptop ... hehehe!), PSP, everything we need on our 3 day stay at the hospital. By the time I was inside the car, contractions went on every 15 minutes. The baby really wanted to come out that day already. She's so active and I could feel she's pushing her way down there. Arrrghhhhh labs, bilisan mo at nakakaramdam na ako ng sakit!

4:30p.m. Jason parked his car near the lobby of the hospital, not near the ER ... so I have to walk a bit until we arrived at the ER. Labs, wala naman sinabi si doc that I need to walk para mag-descend ang bata, pinahirapan mo pa ako maglakad! Anyway, while I was at the ER waiting for my cue to go to the DR ... I started praying for me to have a safe delivery... no complications please, Lord. And make it safe for my baby ... I'll make sure I'll push hard so she'll get out in no time ... gagalingan ko talaga promise.

5:30p.m. I was wheeled to the LR. I kissed Jason, for I will not see him for hours. For sure he will not bore himself naman sa hospital room dahil my brother was with him the whole time, at meron siyang dalang Sun Wireless Broadband (shameless plug). This is it ... I'm back after a year and 7 months ... in the same bed that I was when I had Janna, with the same OB residents. Just like when I had Janna, I was the only one who's into labor that time and I'm so lucky that all people are focused on me. Actually, every now and then umaalis sila kasi Christmas party ng OB Gyne department ... hala! While waiting for my OB, they advised me to sleep. Sigurado kasi pag descending na si baby eh hindi na ako papatulugin ng sakit. Ang kainis pa is yung mga interns na tanong ng tanong ng history mo na paulit ulit mo naman kailangan sagutin. Nakakaloka! Paano pa ako makakatulog nun?

9:00p.m. OB made an IE, and I'm already 6 cms dilated ... She popped my waterbag and the pain is unbearable. She asked the anesthesiologist that its about time to give the epidural. The anes had the hard time inserting the epidural on my spinal space. Tumaba daw kasi ako and naka-dalawang shots pa siya sa akin. Hello? ang sakit kaya nun no! I was shouting that time, nakakahiya pero I had too to bear the pain. I think every 30 minutes, I can feel the pain. Err doc, painless di ba? bakit may nararadaman ako ... grabe na ang sakit eh.

11:00 p.m. A resident checked on me, when she saw there's oozing blood already in my vajayjay, she immediately did an IE ... she said, "Tawagin na si doc, ready na to naka-position na" ... So that's the reason why the pain is so unbearable ... Oh my God, this is it! I began to pray again, and trying to relax myself coz I wanted to get things over ASAP. They wheeled me to the DR, I know this place looks familiar ... I was here 1 year and 7 months ago hehehe. As usual, may cheering squad nanaman ako sa tabi ko, they keep telling me to push hard. Yah yah yah alam ko na yan ... pangalawa ko na kaya to!

"Inhale! Exhale! Inhale then push ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10" Oo, kabisado ko yan ... since I was on epidural, everything should be in sync. Everytime I'll feel the contractions, I have to tell them and the next thing they'll do is to say those lines. I think I did better with the push this time. I think I had 10 pushing lang eh, basta sandali lang, di ako masyado nagtagal sa DR unlike when I had Janna that I stayed for 2 hours kasi she won't descend when I push. Muntik pa na-CS.

11:42 p.m. Baby out 11:42p.m. baby girl ... I was sedated already that I didn't have the chance to see how she looks like. I didn't even know they let her latch on my breast. Funny though, we had a photo together, which I smiled but didn't quite remember that it happened. Medyo nagising lang diwa ko when my OB and a resident was talking while they clean me up ... "Grabe, sobrang madugo ... sana tumigil na to" Ano? Sana tumigil na to? Anong klaseng statement yun? you mean may possibility na di tumigil yung pagdudugo ko? After that, everything went black!

I was awake again for the second time around when they wheeled me to the Recovery room. This time, and dami nakakabit sa akin na kung ano-ano. They're checking my vital signs every now and then. Hmmm ... mukhang serious to ah ... then my OB went inside the room. "Sheryl, about sa date and time ng baby out, hindi sila pumayag na maging December 24 kahit ilang minutes nalang. So, we changed the date stamped to its original time and date." Nakakalito? it's a long story, wag nyo na alamin. Okay sige na nga. I asked kasi kung pwede gawin nalang December 24 yung birthday ni Jandi para Christmas Eve and ka-birthday ng kuya ko. Hindi pumayag yung sa NICU kaya back to original time and date ang birthday ni Jandi. Then she explains that they had a difficult time cleaning me up. Super dami daw ng dugo ko, nakailang gauze daw sila just to pat the bleeding. napatigil naman nila, yun nga lang ipinaalaml ang niya sa akin yung naging situation.

December 24, 2009 ... 2:00a.m. ... Inakyat na ako sa room, but I'm kinda wondering bakit hindi pa tinatanggal yung catather ng epidural sa likod ko. When I had Janna, tinanggal nila agad. When I was there sa room, they strictly advise me to lay flat in bed for at least 8 hours. Huh? that's new ... para san yun?

8:00 a.m. super sakit ng ulo ko ... tumayo ako dahil I want to pee. As soon as I got up, I had this really super painful and nakakahilong headache sa tanan ng buhay ko. Umiikot paningin ko and my head was like pounding talaga. Whew ... kahit dati pag nakakainom ako, hindi ganito ang hangover na nararamdaman ko after that. Grabe, parang mamamatay na ako sa sakit ng ulo ko. Then I could feel something is dripping from the catather. I informed the nurse about it ... lalaki yung nurse, he said "Ay mom, asan yung nakakabit dito, yung parang lock?" "huh? may lock ba yan? eh nung nasa recovery room palang ako wala na nakalagay diyan." "Sige po, humiga lang po muna kayo at itatawag ko po sa anes."

Sobrang tagal ng anes ... feeling ko hindi na siya pupunta. Nung dumating na, tinanong nanaman niya ako ... "Mommy, asan po yung lock na nandito?" "Hindi ko alam, kagabi palang wala na yan lock na yan. Di ko nga alam itsura nun eh" Umalis siya ulit, went back with a small thing that he put at the end of the tube, and began injecting NSS to it ... wow ang lamig naman nun. He explained why I'm experiencing headache. "What you're experiencing right now is spinal headache. blah blah blah ... what you have to do is lie flat in bed for at least 8 hours again, walang tayuan, pa weewee use bed pan. Pag kakain ka, patulong ka sa husband mo. You have to lie flat po."

December 25, 2009 ... 7:00am ... argh! that headache, it's still here! Bakit ganun, ayaw ako lubayan ... Then dumating nanaman yung anes na resident and again put NSS on my catather .... wow ang lamig talaga nun. Then he said to gently get up, sit down ... asking if there's still headache, and I said no! He let me walk a few steps, asking if nahihilo ba ako or what. I said, No! And he said "ok, you're ready to go!"

10:00am ... we called the NICU if we can room in the baby since we're going home na. After 30 minutes, she's already here ... oh my precious Jandi, you're so pretty like your Ate Janna.

She looks like her father again but some says she looks more like me. Well, it doesn't matter who she looks like. Important is she's healthy and normal.

We didn't enjoy Christmas that time because we were at the hospital. My in laws went over for a visit and see their 2nd apo/pamangkin na di mapagkakailang kadugo nila. Itsura palang kasi di pa ba obvious na kamukha nila hehehe.

December 26, 2009 ... SPINAL HEADACHE AGAIN!!! I was really crying and couldn't do anything about it. I texted my OB about my situation so that she can inform the anes to have my blood patch immediately. Dad and I went to the hospital while Jason stayed at home to take care of Janna.

They inserted a catather again on my spinal space and injected 10cc of my blood. Ewan ko kung ano medical explanation nun, pero after the blood patch, super abrupt yung relief. They let me lie down first for 30 mins, then they let me get up, sit down, walk ... the headaches gone! Grabe sana ginawa na nila to while I was at the hospital para di na ako balik pa ng balik tsk!

January 4, 2010 ... after breastfeeding Jandi, napansin ko lumalakas ang discharge ko ... sabi naman nila normal daw yun. Kasi it helps daw para tumigas ang matres. But by the time I went inside the bathroom to take a bath, the maternity pads were already soaked with blood. And bloods oozing alreading in between my legs. Chunks of blood were also present. I texted my OB, who was in Singapore that time that I'm heading to the E.R.of FEU and relayed to her what happened.

They checked on me and the blood stopped. So they let me go home and bed rest for a while.

But when we arrived at home, my napkin is soaked again with blood and oozed again in between my legs. We decided na magpa-admit na ako. All I was thinking that time is for me to get well kasi my kids were still young and ayoko pa mamatay. I want to be there when they grow old. I want to be there for them, for my husband. Jason was crying that time coz we don't know how this things could happen to me.

To make the long story short ... lumambot daw ang matres ko ... stress ... pagod ... everything ... by January 7, I'm already at home. But it didn't end there...

January 8, 2010 ... it was Jandi's turn to be admitted at the hospital due to neonatal pneumonia. Nahawa siya kay Ate Janna niya who has colds and cough that time. We stayed in the hospital for 7 days.

My 2nd pregnancy is quite very traumatic. I just hope to have no babies for now coz I want to enjoy Janna and Jandi while they grow up. And I want to be back to my pre-pregnancy shape before having a baby again. I know it would take a lot of discipline and sacrifice but I'll do anything just to be healthy for my family.