The Birth of Zahir Niyaz - Part Two.

Date: Thursday, 21st November 2013.

It was 630 am when the midwife came to check my temperature, blood pressure, contractions and my dilation. But I prevented her from doing a VE cause I simply don't like it when the midwife does that cause it's a lot more uncomfortable and definitely painful. She tried to coax me out of it, saying that the doctor will tell her off for not doing her "job" but I insisted that I only wanted my gynae to do it. And so she relented.

At 745 am, my "knight in my shining armour" gynae showed up. Boy, I was relieved as hell cause I literally waited for him since 9 pm (10 hours!) He VE-ed me and asked the nurse for the catheter (I think) to break my water bag and whilst he was doing that, I asked,

"Doctor, are you going to induce me?"

"No, I'm not going to induce you. You're 8cm dilated."

"Whattttttt?" (My ONLY reaction to that statement)

"I'm surprised you could withstand the pain, not asking for any medical relief. I don't think epidural is possible (past 5cm) and perhaps the only medical assistance available for you is enthonox (gas). Well done! You're going into labour in an hour or two."

The midwives quickly prepared me for labour and 15 minutes later, I was already in labour room, 8cm dilated. Breathing ridiculously and religiously harder. Every half an hour, the midwife will be checking up on me, trying to "induce" me to use the gas but I refused because the lamaze breathing requires me to breathe out the pain during contractions but the gas requires to the exact opposite - which is to suck it all in, hoping the gas will make me "forget" that I was in pain. Such a fallacy, that gas! To one extent I got so annoyed with the midwife that I sternly said "No" and that was when she stopped. Good god, finally! Of course I didn't spare my husband from the occasional killer stares, finger pointing and threats from me hahaha. Sorry B!

4 hours later, my dilation remained stagnant. At 12pm, I was still at 8cm. My gynae then sent the anaesthetist to get me the epidural (apparently I was told that I might get burnt out from pushing later as I have been tolerating the pain since the night before) but I insisted to proceed WITHOUT the epidural. My internal monologue was saying, "Ah c'mon, it's already 8cm, how long more can this go on cause I just need 2 freaking cm left to dilate? What if the dilation becomes a success and the epidural did not kick in on time?" So yeah, NO was the answer and I kept on breathing. Little did I know that the reason why the anaesthetist came was to prepare me from emergency c-section, if need be.

At about 1pm, the gynae checked on me and informed that he had to do stretching of the cervix. Sound so easy peasy isn't it? I didn't quite understand what that was because the video on Laugh and Learn on Childbirth didn't teach me that. So I was rather clueless of what was going on down there but I just listened to the doctor. I was told to push so the doctor could "dilate" the cervix for me using his fingers. I swear it was NOT not painful at all. The moment that "little procedure" ended, my dilation progressed normally. Then he mentioned that my baby's head was not facing the optimum i.e. not facing down but instead facing to the right, which hence require the baby to be delivered with the assistance of vacuum extraction. Here I am, the layman, thinking that the vacuum will only latch on to the cervix, not knowing that it will be inserted inside! Allahuakbar, the pain, was the worst and most painful thing I have ever experienced! At that juncture, I was pleading in tears, asking my gynae to stop because it was so, so painful. After a few more pushes, I heard the baby's cry. I could only whisper, "Allahuakbar, sakitnya…" as I lost my voice due to intense pushing.

The pain from the labour was throbbing that the whole post birth of stitching, jabbing and what not didn't matter and were painless. All I know is I can already see and hold my son. Praise to Allah SWT, Alhamdulillah, I am a mother of two now. Born at 37 weeks and 2 days, on Thursday, 21st November 2013, 3 weeks earlier from the EDD.

I couldn't have done it without my husband's support through and through. Thank you B for everything, but please next time, if you want to have another baby, do give me an advanced notice. Hahaha.

The Birth of Zahir Niyaz - Part One.

Date: Monday, 18th November 2013.

Diarrhoea. 5 times that day so I decided to give my gynae a visit. Asked the doctor whether I was having a premature sign of labour cause I remember so vividly that diarrhoea was "the" signal that I was going for labour when I was carrying Khaisah. 

Gynae said, "Oh it's just normal diarrhoea that's inducing braxton hicks contractions (re: false contraction). So you shouldn't worry, the diarrhoea should subside by the end of the day. Baby's still not engaged."

With a sigh of relief, I exited the gynae's clinic. Oh by the way, I was 36 weeks and 6 days on this date. 

Date: Tuesday, 19th November 2013.

Apparently still going to the loo. What the heck, I thought. It's just diarrhoea. Can't be "cleansing of the bowels" yet. I was still working and driving around with a big belly, mind you and today, I was on my 37th week of pregnancy. 

Date: Wednesday, 20th November 2013.

Still getting diarrhoea with stronger contractions. It can't be (cleansing), I thought. That morning at work (yes, I was still working), I felt something was amiss with my body. Body felt achy, legs felt as if they were 10 times heavier, I was getting what I thought as "menstrual cramps" and the numerous visit to the ladies which weren't that far felt so laborious and tiring! So I decided to head back to mom's during lunch to get some rest. Had my lunch, rested a lil while watching tv and for all you know, it was already time to get back to work. 

Tried to get up and descend the stairs but I couldn't. The pain was just so intense! Decided to take the half day off. Slept for 2 hours that noon and when I woke up, the contractions were just getting crazier and crazier. But I was so relaxed I thought it was one of those strong braxton hicks contractions and left my thought at that. Took my shower, waited for my husband to come home from work and Khaisah from the school and had my dinner. 

It was then time to go back to my place but I was immovable. It was so gruelling to move from the dining table to the door. Mom insisted that I stay at her place cause she somehow or rather felt that I was going to deliver real soon but the confident me said, "No lah ma, I'm okay. But to be safe, okay, I'll go back to my place to take my three-quarter packed hospital bag and some other stuff and I'll be back here." Mom agreed. So Hashley and I left, leaving Khaisah at mom's. 

It was on our way back to Setia Alam that I started to time my contractions. It was 5 minutes apart and 5 minutes apart sure is an active sign of labour. Guess what I did? 

I called one of my best girls, Farissa, who's a doctor and confidently asked, "Sha, I'm having 5 minutes apart contractions, you rasa I sempat tak nak go home and take my stuff? Tak beranak kan?" 

Sha said (not verbatimly), "Hey, tak jam ke nak balik Setia Alam? 5 minutes apart contraction is a sign of labour and since this is your second pregnancy, labour maybe cepat. You should be at the hospital!"

Boy was I confident or what! 

HAHA. 

My husband immediately made a u-turn and headed straight to the hospital. He was stuttering (panic la tu hehe) to get the nurse to wheel me to the maternity ward (I was walking step. by. step. by the way haha) The midwife did the CTG scan for 30 minutes - contractions every 3 - 4 minutes) also VE-ed me and found that I was merely 1 cm dilated. She spoke to my gynae and guess what, I was to be admitted. Gynae said he'll meet me in the morning. It was 9 p.m. at that time. 

HAHA.

With no clothes, no hospital bag, nothing, nada. Husband in shorts and tee, I was in a loose tee and maxi skirt. That was it. You know hospitals are crazy cold, what more at night! Called our parents and informed only very close friends that I was admitted. Parents in law came in to accompany me whilst my husband went back home to fetch all the stuff that I had packed. That night, the contractions were just getting more and more intense, I could only rely on the Lamaze breathing technique and my husband's help to massage my back (my gosh, the back pain was a motheerrrrrr …!) Technically, I didn't get proper sleep that night. 

**Okay, I shall continue Part 2 in another post lest I will bore you with this already-lengthy post. Stay tuned, alright :)

Zahir Niyaz bin Hashley.

Salam all,

Introducing our new bundle of joy who came into this world on 21st November 2013, alhamdulillah. A lot to be updated, but for now, this will give you a slight hint of what I have been up to ;)

Thank you all for the well wishes, prayers and love given to us. We 4 truly appreciate it <3 Birthing story will be up in due course hehe.

Love and light,
Me