So here’s the story of my labor with Penny.  Way less dramatic than with Fighter but scary to me nonetheless hahaha.

Last week I was fully expecting to have a scheduled C section after my 36th week checkup.  Cos my BP was so far controlled by medicine only and we didn’t want to risk it further especially cos 37 weeks is considered full term already and IUGR babies have a higher risk the longer they’re inside.

So I was totally prepared for a scheduled C section where I could errr further prepare for it… in preparation wtf.

So my next appointment with the obgyn was supposed to be Monday to do some last minute checks and discuss a date for the C section.

On Saturday night (early Sunday morning) I jolted awake cos what felt like water was pouring out between my legs. O_O

At first I thought it was just heavy discharge (sorry TMI, men) and blearily grabbed a tissue off the side table and just wiped.  And closed my eyes again.

Next minute they popped open because I felt another gush. O_O  This was at 3 am.

Leaped out of bed, ran to the toilet to wipe and it just looked like a very clear watery substance. Then I felt more dripping out.

Could this be… my water breaking? O_O

All trembly, I went slowly back to my bed and started googling, “how to know if you’re in labor” wtf.

I still wasn’t sure at this point because movies always showed it as if the water just gushes out like from a drinking cup.  Mine was just coming out in small spurts and drips. But it said if in doubt to check with your midwife or to just go to the hospital.

So I gingerly tapped Fatty and said, “I think my water broke.”

And Fatty efficiently went to brush his teeth and change clothes wtf.

Meanwhile I was sitting on the toilet bowl cos water was still dripping out of me wtf, my bag half packed.  Fatty helpfully asked, “What do you need? I help you pack.”

“Uhhh… makeup” wtf.  Because I want Penny to see me pretty ok wtf.  And we need to take pictures ok hahaha.

Anyway, by the time we got dressed and ready I was starting to feel slight twinges in my back.  Which turned into definite waves of cramps by the time we got to the hospital.  4 am.

Checked into the labor ward, got hooked up to the machine that checks contractions.  Was told my obgyn would be coming in after seven only.

Over the next few hours…. I was half in agony already.  I say half because it was probably one of the worst pains I’ve felt in my life… but I still knew there was more to come.  The cramps were coming in every two minutes and while the pains were bad, I knew it would get worse.  I also knew I wasn’t at the max of my tolerance yet but I didn’t know how much worse it would get.

At 5 am I was like GIMME ALL THE DRUGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

At 6 am, the anesthetist (from my previous delivery) came and gave me an epidural.

And in ten minutes the pain subsided. T___________T

Because of all this – the contractions and everything, I was expecting a natural delivery now, instead of a C section.  And I was frustrated and scared.  I’d prepared myself for another C section and had made peace with that but now with the thought of a vaginal delivery, I was terrified.  I didn’t know what to expect, having never read up on it and just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it.

When my obgyn came in, she checked my dilation.

I was at 1 cm WTF. And my water bag apparently hadn’t even burst!  I think it was just leaking a bit, but I didn’t ask more.

She told us, we could wait another 3 or 4 hours to see how much further I’d dilate.  And then we would decide if we were to try a vaginal delivery or just C section.  She wouldn’t push me too hard on going for a natural birth cos of my high blood pressure and the fact that I had a pretty recent C section scar.  Also, there was a significant amount of protein in my urine by then which meant the preeclampsia had kicked in big time.

The other option was to just go for a C section right away.

But if we waited 3/4 hours she estimated I’d be maybe 3-4 cm dilated and I’d have another 10 hours or so ahead of me to wait further.  I didn’t think I wanted to or would be capable of that to be honest. 🙁  And if I wasn’t dilated enough or anything else went wrong, I’d still have to do an emergency C section.

So we decided to just go with the C section.

The anesthetist pumped me up with more anesthetic.  I kept telling him, “you sure I won’t feel anything ah?  Better give me more ah” wtf damn annoying hahaha.  Cos in my head, epidural was for vaginal births so what if it wasn’t strong enough for surgery!  Stupid dunno why I doubt a specialist lolol.

I think he must have been annoyed and given me enough to knock me out for two days wtf. #truestory

Surprisingly, this time the OT didn’t feel as cold as before.  And I managed to stay awake enough to note what was going on.

I was numb from waist down.  I remember my doctor asking if I felt her pinching me very hard and I didn’t.  I remember her saying she was cutting and soon I would feel some tugging.

I felt the tugging.

And then I think Fatty, who was sitting next to me breathed, “she’s out.”

I remember holding my breath, waiting for her to take her first.  Then I heard a lusty baby’s cry.

And then she was in my arms.

Penny’s first photo with us. 🙂

And that was it.  It was over in less than an hour.