RAVELIO - BIRTH STORY

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights." -- James 1:17a

Our son has been born.  He is so delightful to enjoy ever since he's in the tummy.  And this is Ravel's birth story:

Monday, April 9, 2012

7:00AM: I was awaken from my sleep because of tummy ache.  It felt like a funny sensation: a little like a menstrual cramping, a little like hungry feeling, and a little like bowel movement feeling.  I went to the restroom; but I couldn't go.  So I tried to go back to sleep.
8:00AM: I was awaken again to the same feeling.  Went to the restroom again; no bowel movement again.  BUT this time, I found bloody mucus as I wiped.  I woke Marcel up with excitement.  And he confirmed that it was the mucus plug.  Yayy, another sign of labor.

9:00AM - 5:00PM: I did two last rounds of laundry, carbo-loading, and walking around the neighborhood.  I was definitely in early labor.  The contractions went from 15-30 seconds long and 30 minutes apart to 30 - 60 seconds and 20 minutes apart.

7:00PM: After dinner, the contractions were now 10 minutes apart.

10:00PM: I was progressing into an active labor with the contractions came every 5 - 6 minutes.  I tried to sleep on them but couldn't.  Since we were hoping to have a natural non-medicated birth, we decided to stay at home some more throughout the active labor -- even though the hospital suggested that we should come when we're at 5-1-1.  So I hopped on the gym ball and started rocking to relax.

11:00PM: Now the contractions were 1.5 minutes long and 4 minutes apart.  The gym ball didn't work anymore.  I still couldn't sleep.  All of the sudden, I felt like snacking.  So Marcel prepared banana and Indonesian chocolate pia for me to snack on.  He thought that it's strange for me to still have appetite in such an active labor.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

00:30AM: The snack eased the contractions.  I was able to relax in bed.  Though I couldn't sleep on them, at least I could close my eyes.

2:00AM: The contractions were 1 - 2 minutes long for every 3 minute.  It was hard for me to relax in bed.  I took warm shower.

2:30AM: After shower, the contractions slowed down to every 5-6 minute again.  So Coach Marcel suggested that I conserve energy by trying to sleep.  Of course I couldn't sleep.  I hopped back on the gym ball.

3:00AM: I started having bloody show every time I peed.  And the contractions picked up again to every 3 minute.  Marcel called the hospital to give the birth team a heads up and make sure the bloody show was as expected.

4:00AM: I had more bloody show and was now at 3-1-1.  So we decided to head to the hospital.

4:15AM: Arrived at the hospital.  Walked like a penguin.  The 5-minute trip to the Labor & Delivery unit took forever with me tending to the contractions in between.  I rested my forehead against the wall during the contractions since Coach Marcel was fully loaded with the hospital bag, gym ball, etc.

4:45AM: Went to the triage room.  The doctor did vaginal exam as a standard procedure to formally admit me.  It was so uncomfortable.  I never liked vaginal exams.  Errgghhh.  I was 6.5-cm dilated by then and formally admitted.  I really hoped for a bigger dilation.  Felt a little disappointed that it was only 6.5 cm.  But oh well.

5:30AM: Moved to the Labor & Delivery room.  The nurse reviewed our birth plan and posted that on the wall.  I asked for my Popsicle before they put me on a 20-minute EFM.  The result was good.  Baby's heart rate was normal and as expected.  The nurse cleared me to walk around.  I learned well from the penguins and walked like one for the next 30 minutes.  I leaned on my forehead against the wall during the contractions while Marcel's coaching my breathing and noting my contractions.  We continued to do the 20-minute monitoring and 30-minute walking in the next hours.

7:30AM: The nurse shift changed.  I got introduced to two nurses that I ended up being thankful for having.  They were so supportive of and encouraged natural non-medicated birth.

9:00AM: I couldn't walk anymore.  I felt tired.  Marcel asked me to rest in bed.  I was definitely in the transition stage by then as the contractions peaked several times in each cycle.  To Marcel's surprise, I was still able to rest in between contractions even at the transition stage.

9:30AM: I felt the urge to push.  But the doctor insisted that she needed to do another vaginal exam to make sure that I was fully dilated.  Errgggh.  And of course, she said I was only 8.5-cm.  But I just couldn't resist the urge to push.  I told one of the nurses about that.  She said that I could push only for a bit each time.

9:53AM: During one of the contractions, I guessed I pushed a little too hard.  I heard the pop and felt the gush of water.  My water broke.  I asked Marcel to call the nurse.  She came by to confirm that it was my water that broke and cleaned up after my mess.  :-)  I moved to my gym ball after gaining a little bit of strength from laying down.

11:00AM: The nurse could sense I was bearing down even more during my contractions and suggested that I start pushing.  I smiled from ear to ear and agreed to that.  They installed the squatting bar for me to push with and placed the gigantic mirror on the floor for me to see the progress.  Then the doctor came in and did another vaginal exam (errrgghhh).  She said that the baby's head was already there and cleared me to push.  FINALLY!!!!

11:15AM: I squatted and saw the baby's head in the mirror.  One push.  Two pushes.  Three, four, five and six pushes later.

11:25AM: Ravelio's head, shoulders, and arms were out.  The doctor asked me whether I wanted to pull him out.  I said yes, grabbed him out, and placed him on my breast.  He looked at me.  I looked at him.  Our eyes were locked at each other.  I fell in love with him and thanked God for the safe birthing process.  He started latching.  I forgot that the doctor's still "fixing" my down below.

11:30AM: I was bleeding quite a lot even though my tear was normal.  The doctor investigated more and found that I had an internal hematoma the size of a Coke can on the left side of the vagina.  They needed to administer pitocin to avoid me from getting hemorrhage.  Coach Marcel checked the situation and agreed to the pitocin.

11:35AM: The umbilical cord was still pulsating.  Though we preferred to wait until the cord stopped pulsating before Marcel cut it, after discussing with the birth team the benefits and risks of waiting given my bleeding, Marcel decided to cut the cord then.

11:37AM: The placenta was out by itself.  The doctor continued to care for my hematoma and stitch my tear.

12:30PM: The birth team left the room.  Marcel and I had the time to bond with our baby privately.  And that's the second time (in 11 years that I know him) I saw Marcel shed tears (of joy).

2:15PM: The nurse bathed, weighed, and measured Ravel in the room.  My adrenalin was slowing down.  While Marcel was watching the newborn procedures done on Ravel, I took the chance to close my eyes and rest for a bit.

3:30PM: Moved to Mom & Baby room.  And the recovering process continued.

Ravel's birth was all that Marcel and I planned to experience.  We thanked the Lord for this experience.  It's a perfect way to complete the 39-week journey (despite the hematoma).  :-)