Okaylah. Standard delivery story first.

I delivered 6 days after my EDD (expected due date). Pain started 5 days after EDD.

I was unwell before that, had a bad case of cough. Been coughing so bad, until my left rib hurt. It lasted more than a week. At first, I tahan only with medications bought at the pharmacy. But it persisted, so I resorted to real medicines, obtained from the clinic, was given antibiotic.

At the same time, I anticipated for labour. But I guess it's good that I didn't deliver when I had the cough, didn't want the baby to get infected, and, I didn't want to push while I'm coughing! Koyak rabak nanti...Hehehe...Been telling myself not to feel depressed, at least my body would stock up the antibodies, good for the baby! God's plan is pretty cool...

Hari-hari fikir, is it today? Will it be tomorrow? Tapi bila weekend datang, please God, don't let me deliver over the weekend. The doctor said I would be induced if I still don't deliver 6 days after EDD and advised me to come to the hospital if baby doesn't move as much. Masa ni I depressed because I didn't want to be induced...(Takut sakit teramat)

Should I lie (doctor, baby doesn't move as much) so that I could deliver earlier? Decided against it because didn't want to deliver based on a lie, bad omen nanti to baby...Hehehe...Kang betul-betul reduced fetal movement kang, menyesal dulu pendapatan...

Initially planned to deliver at another hospital, but ended up in the hospital nearer to Mother's house. Best decision ever! I can't imagine how someone can travel while having the pain. And my husband got the sleep he needed (dia memang mengada-ngada, tidur wajib cukup!).

So, pain started at 6.30am. Sembahyang Subuh pun cepat-cepat sebab rasa nak terkencing je..."Yes! Nabi pun lahir hari Isnin!" as I thought I would deliver on Monday.

Wasn't so bad at first, still managed to continue sleeping afterwards. Had only tea and biscuits for breakfast. Pain becoming more regular, so I started to finish up packing my hospital bag: things like handphone charger etc etc.

Went online to buy flight tickets for my husband. Was supposed to buy it earlier but biasa lah, kerja last minute. Lepas tu ada problem with the transaction process, kena contact the customer service pulak...I am superwoman okay! Boleh cakap-cakap sambil tahan sakit.

At 12pm, told my husband that we would go to the hospital after 2pm (hoping that I would have show or my water would break by that time). I didn't want to go earlier because well, malas nak duduk hospital lama-lama...Then, we had visitors (datang nak beraya), but they didn't stay long as my husband politely told them, my aunt and uncle, that I was having labour pain. Vomited because was in so much pain. Basically, perut sudah jadi kosong. Nak lunch pun tak lalu...

At 2.30pm, baru terhegeh-hegeh nak fikir baju apa nak pakai. Seriously, takkan I nak pakai baju cantik-cantik, nanti kena darah etc. So, I pakai selekeh gila, which were a knee-length pyjama (one of the few clothes that still fit me at that time) with a pair of yoga pants. Haha! Sempat lagi asked my husband to remove all jewelleries from my body.

On the way, singgah ATM because my husband didn't have any cash. Tak larat nak marah, swipe card je tak boleh ke... But I guess, cash is important kalau nak beli food etc...

Sampai hospital at 3.30pm, immediately was asked to change to hospital gown. Thank God! Takde lah buruk sangat...

Pain since 6.30am and I was only 2cm at 3.30pm. Ugh, so annoying. That was the first time I experienced VE (vaginal examination) and it was not as bad as I thought it would (based on what I read on the Internet). Just inhale deeply and relax...

CTG took longer that it should be because I kept moving and squirming because of the pain and the sensation that I needed to pee so badly...! Finally, CTG was normal but discovered blood all over the bed.

Scan was done and my amniotic fluid was more than it should be. Nak deliver dah baru dapat detect. They decided to wait for the water to spontaneously break.

Was given a painkiller injection called Nubain. Okaylah, ada kurennggg sikit aje...

Wheeled to the ward.

Scolded my husband for not bringing food or drinks for me. (Itu pun nak kena ingatkan ke?!!!) When he wanted to buy, scolded my husband for wanting to leave me. Haha!

My husband has low pain threshold. Seeing me and other women in pain made him dizzy. Ugh, annoying lagi. I tengah sakit, dia pulak nak ngada-ngada pening. Focus on ME, please!

He bought me mee goreng! Who the hell have the appetite for oily food at times like that! Luckily, I have energy bars with me. Well, tak de lah energy bar sangat, setakat Chewy by Quaker tu je...And Vitagens.

Friends called randomly, didn't have the mood to talk. Didn't tell anyone I was in labour, tapi diorang ni macam tau tau je tau...

Everytime the contraction came, memang sakit, but only for that time frame. After it went away, rasa okay je. So, agak annoying di situ because the contraction became longer and more frequent (naturally)! The nurse came, told that it was now moderate to strong contraction (I felt no different whatsoever, it had always been moderate to strong!). VE again, 5-6cm.

What!!! It's nearly 10pm and I was only 5-6cm. I was hoping to deliver on Monday, guess that was not going to happen.

Since I thought my progress was slow, with no food for the whole day, I could feel that I won't have the energy to tahan, so, requested for epidural.

While waiting for the doctor, siap masuk toilet and I was on my all fours to try to tahan the pain. Discovered that it helped, so I tried doing it on the bed. Haha. Buruk perangai. Suka hati lah...Selawat je...Drifted in and out of sleep trying to pass the time.

Wheeled to the labour room. Was told too late for epidural. WTF! Doctor said don't need epidural since she thought I would dilate pretty fast after she break my water. Why didn't you break my water earlier thennnnnnnn!!!

Oh, because at first, wanted to wait until my water spontaneously break by itself.

Then, she did break my water, controlled ARM (artificial rupture of membrane). Special procedure, not the normal ARM, but controlled ARM because my amniotic fluid reading was 23 (which is more than normal).

Became 8cm. Given another painkiller injection (Nubain). Tak ada perubahan pun!

Perut kempis. Baby's kicks became more palpable.

1am, called my husband to come to the labour room. Sedaplah dia dah tidur siap-siap dekat rumah.

Midwife asked my husband to urut my pinggang/ belakang. I didn't appreciate it because
- don't like people to touch me when I am in pain
- I tak sakit pinggang atau sakit belakang pun! I sakit perut okay, perut!!!!

Tried the gas...Only minimal relief, but kept using it in hope that the chemical would somehow build in my body and will finally have some effect. Sungguh hopeful masa ni.

But, I can still smile smile at that time. Ye lah, jumpa suami kena smile smile. And must smile smile to the midwife too, barulah suasana ceria...Sempat lagi borak kejap...Midwife siap cakap, "Eh, Miss Ectopy ni siap senyum senyum pulak." Then, siap cerita I was supposed to deliver around Raya time, how was Labour Room during Raya? They said, "Busy gilaaa!!!" Eh, saya ingatkan time Raya ramai orang balik kampung? "Tak, Miss Ectopy...Banyak yang kena emergency caesar pulak tu! Nasib baik Miss bersalin hari ni, tak adalah busy sangat..."

My husband complained that the labour room smelled funny and excused himself. I know, pening nak pengsanlah tu...

I had very minimal handling by the staff. They checked me once or twice and simply said, "Ha, kalau rasa nak teran tu, teran je lah..." Masa baby nak keluar tu baru diorang siap-siap put on their gowns and gloves. Very experienced people...

I thought I would be 10cm in 30 minutes, but it passed...Thought it would be in 1 hour, but 1 hour passed...Dua jam jugak lah nak tunggu 10cm tu!

"Kak, lepas baby keluar dah tak sakit kan?" I asked (sempat lagi nak bercakap). "Haa...lepas tu dah tak sakit dah..."

So, well, I was 10cm, my husband was waiting outside. The midwife asked, "Miss, Miss nak panggil suami?" Urgh, tak payahlah...Dia tu masuk labour room pun dah pening-pening kepala. "Miss, Miss nak saya panggil doktor?" Urgh, tak kisahlah, midwife deliver pun dah tak kisah!

The usual pushhh, curi nafas sikit, and pushhh...Yeah, you try doing that! Nafas I pendek kot...I don't know how I'm supposed to curi nafas.

My motivation was, lepas baby keluar, dah tak sakit! So, please keluar cepatttt!!!!

"Miss, sikit lagi! Good, good...Dah nampak kepala baby...Push lagi...! Kalau boleh taknak episiotomy!" said the midwife.

Hish, I cannotlah...Last-last episiotomy. She didn't tell me but I was aware lah.

At 3.02am, baby is out! Baby is cantik! Yeay!

"Miss, baby rupa husband!"

Peluk peluk kejap...Injection was given to me, pastu tunggu the placenta...Pastu baru midwife tu cakap, "Miss, tadi saya buat episiotomy, so kena jahit ni..."

Buatlah apa yang nak...She was so experienced, I didn't feel any pain at all. Siap tidur-tidur lagi masa kena jahit tu. But I was sooo thirsty. Never felt THAT thirsty in my entire life, seriously! And I felt soooo sooooo tired! Exhausted, memang pancit habis!

Tapi lepas baby keluar tu, I thought the pain was not so bad lah...Still boleh tahan what...Terus fikir nak baby lagi! Oh, tamak haloba!

"Miss nak air kosong ke Milo?" I opted for Milo. Even though I was so thirsty, didn't finish the drink. Then, saw my husband and was wheeled to the ward...

Okay, end! (I think the way I've written pun dah boleh tahu I am in a rush, hehe...Oh, my baby!)