It's been two months since Max was born. I kept delaying writing about my labor because it brought back so many emotions: loved, joy, fear, pain, and blessed. Also, telling my labor story makes me miss my mom terribly. Last time I was in tears just when I start writing about it. Thank God for His strength, joy, and presence that enables me to love and nurture my baby. So... here is the story:
July 30, 2008 @ 8:00 PM
Starting to feel some contractions during our last childbirth class but then it stopped. People in our childbirth class were clapping when we arrived late because they thought we won’t make it to the last class.
July 31, 2008 @ 9:00 AM
I told Chris to go to work since no further sign of real labor. My mom message me to tell us that she tried to change the airplane ticket to come earlier but all the flights were full. I told her it's okay. I think the baby want to wait for them to come before showing up. =)
August 2, 2008
My mom and dad arrived at San Francisco
August 3, 2008
- Morning
We went to church. It feels so good to worship the Lord together as family. A friend at church told us that eating watermelon may help starting labor.
We went to church. It feels so good to worship the Lord together as family. A friend at church told us that eating watermelon may help starting labor.
- Afternoon
We eat Taiwanese Poridge then went to IKEA. We did get to eat watermelon afterward, went home and took a nap.
- 6:30 PM
Woke up with urge to pee. I went to pee but the water keep on leaking. I didn't think much about it. Just put on pad and went back to sleep. Not too long afterward, I feel contraction crams. It was pretty long. I was sure then the real labor has began because the previous ones were short.
I hold Chris' hand tight and telling him, "the baby is coming tonight."
Please cook dinner for mom and dad. Otherwise they may not have anything to eat for dinner tonight. Then Chris went down stair to cook while I time the contraction using: http://www.contractionmaster.
I hold Chris' hand tight and telling him, "the baby is coming tonight."
Please cook dinner for mom and dad. Otherwise they may not have anything to eat for dinner tonight. Then Chris went down stair to cook while I time the contraction using: http://www.contractionmaster.
- 7:00 PM
My mom woke up. I told her what's going on and get ready to go to hospital. By this time the pain was pretty bad. She helped me breath, "hi..hi..hu...hi..hi..hu..."
- 7:30 PM
Turned out the contraction is every 3 minutes by now and each contraction last about 1 minute but the pain was still bearable. According to the books I read, it's time to go to hospital when the contraction is about 5 minutes apart and 1 minute long.
I called my doctor to let her know. The doctor was more panic than me. She told me to go to hospital NOW. Chris was still taking his time, after cooking dinner, he took shower, packed his back and such because he thought the labor gonna take a long time anyway that's why we planned to stay at home as long as we can.
Turned out my labor was a super fast one. My dad was panic; he can't wait for Chris to be done and almost want to drive me to the hospital himself. =P
I called my doctor to let her know. The doctor was more panic than me. She told me to go to hospital NOW. Chris was still taking his time, after cooking dinner, he took shower, packed his back and such because he thought the labor gonna take a long time anyway that's why we planned to stay at home as long as we can.
Turned out my labor was a super fast one. My dad was panic; he can't wait for Chris to be done and almost want to drive me to the hospital himself. =P
The contraction was painful but I bearable. I still manage to go down the stairs and got into the car my self. The pain got worse in the car on the way to the hospital. Thankfully, the hospital is only 15 minutes from our house.
- 8:00 PM
I was in a lot of pain when we arrived at the hospital. I couldn't walk so I asked to be transported by wheelchair to the labor room.
- 8:30 PM
The nurse checked on my cervix opening. She said I was 4 cm dilated and my cervix is completely effaced. She told me that the baby will be born soon. She asked if I was going to have the epidural, if so I better have it now before it's too late looking at how fast my labor goes. I said I was going to wait a little bit more but then the next contraction came - a very painful one. Immediately, I asked her for the epidural. There goes my original plan to go for natural delivery =P.
- 9:00 - 9:30 PM
The anesthetic come to give me the epidural. The nurse was truly outstanding. She kindly step aside and let Chris holding me. I squeeze his arms as the contraction comes and I asked him to sing with me the song: "Great Is The Lord." The hard part was not to move during the contraction while the epidural was administered
- 10:00 PM
The epidural started to kick in and I don't feel anymore pain. The nurse check me again, I was 6 cm dilated. So... we waited, chatted, took pictures, and video
- 11:00 PM
The nurse checked again and said I was already 9 1/2 cm dilated.
- 11:50 PM
I was told to start pushing even though my doctor wasn’t there yet. The nurse said for first time mom usually takes 2 hours to push. So I asked for a mirror so that I can see when my baby comes out. 30 minutes later, the nurse asked me to stop pushing because the baby is about to come out and my doctor wasn't there yet.
- 12:40 AM
My doctor arrived.
- 12:46 AM
Baby Max was born. Praise the Lord!
