Delima is a Portuguese last name. But the literal Filipino/Tagalog translation of Delima is
of five {de = of ; lima = five}
Our family is blessed with D3's arrival 2 weeks early and now we are a party of five.
I knew something was different the day before Sebastian's birth. I felt tons more pressure on my bladder. I frequented the bathroom only to realize i really don't have much bladder contents. {didn't want to say the u---- word for those not comfortable with bodily fluids} I thought I actually have a urinary tract infection.
^^conversation with my friend^^
So I went about my day. I saw patients in the afternoon and finished all my dictations. I regretted not calling my OB's nurse while driving back home. My plan was if the pressure continues, I'm gonna ask for a urinalysis {urine check} the next day.
The evening with the fam went fine. I made dinner and I finished the last of the freezer meals. On one of my bathroom trips, I noticed more discharge {sorry for another bodily fluid} yellowish and thick. I called Derrick and said :
this might be my mucus plug???
Anyway, I continued working in the kitchen. Finally around 9:30 or so I started paying more attention to my "Braxton hicks". They actually went away and came back although irregularly. I took our prenatal class book from 2009 for D1's birth and reviewed the stages of labor. {hey even MD's have to review things like this}.
11p: my contractions were coming 7-8 minutes apart. I told Derrick that we are most likely in early labor and he should probably call his parents before it's too late. My in-laws came around midnight and picked up the sleeping kids. After that, I obsessively timed my contractions using this free app.
I knew I needed to rest and sleep but when the contractions started, I opened my iPad or iphone and timed the contraction. I must have slept for 30 Minutes maybe less, maybe more.
Around 4:00a, since contractions were about a minute long every 5 minutes for an hour, I called the OB line. My OB was on call! Yesss! She told me to take a warm shower, whatever's comfortable and head to the hospital.
There was NO traffic! We got to the hospital in less than 10 minutes. I was still smiling and joking around with the nurses in between my contractions. My labor nurse was so sweet. I rated my pain as 7/10. She checked and I was 7 cm dilated. So yes my contractions were doing something to prepare my body for delivery. I was so thankful. the pain was actually doing something.
I was moved to the labor and delivery room. D3's heart rate was fine during contractions.
Changeover for nurses was at 7a. My admitting nurse bid us goodbye and wished us good luck. I met my other nurse who was as helpful and sweet. I also agreed to a student nurse to follow me along. {I'm a resident. I know the value of learning and teaching so whatever, I can share this once in a lifetime experience as a "teacher"}
I thank my husband. I would not have made it through another normal, unmedicated birth without him. I prayed during contractions. I focused on my breathing and expanding my lungs. I kept thinking:
one contraction at a time, and tried to forget that the pain will intensify and continue during the transition phase. The anxiety and anticipation was worse this third time around. I knew what was coming and I was scared. I'm so grateful for my husband who is an awesome labor support.
As the contractions came back to back, I held my husband for dear life. I held him for strength while my nurse stayed with me and rubbed my back to relieve the pressure and back pain. She checked me in between contractions and I was progressing fine. I was 8.5 cm dilated. Again, I whispered
thank you Lord because the pain was doing something.
It's a blur now but as the contractions grew stronger and closer together, I asked Derrick to call my mom. I needed her. He called her but he predicted that mom won't make it in time. Baby would have been delivered by the time she drove up to the hospital with the rush hour traffic. {Derrick was right. Mom came after Sebastian was born}
I asked my nurse to check again because the pressure and urge to push intensified. She said i was 9.5 cm dilated but my bag of waters was still intact. She asked if she should call the OB and have my bag of waters artificially ruptured. I said yes.
My Ob came. She told me Peds staff and nurse were coming because amniotic fluid was stained with meconium {Sebastian had a bowel movement in utero}. My ob ruptured my membranes artificially. I remembered saying:
baby coming now! She said:
yes, baby coming now.
I pushed with all my might thinking
get this baby out! I didn't even realize the contraction was over. My Ob had to stop me and say milder push on next contraction. second contraction came and I pushed again! Sebastian had a nuchal cord. I remember my Ob saying she had to reduce the cord but Sebastian did it all on his own. One more push and he was out!
Derrick said:
it's a boy! {oh thank you Lord}
I saw Derrick and he cried {just like
when Isabel was born. He told me later that he cried mainly for me because my pain was finally over}
I didn't hear Sebastian cry which frightened me. But Derrick saw Sebastian with his eyes open and looking around. His apgars were actually 7 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes of life. Those are pretty good apgars!
There were probably 10 people in that room. Quite a crowd compared to my other deliveries. The RT was there. The Peds nurse was there. Thanks be to God, they did not have to do anything {like suction his trachea to get the meconium out}. They checked him out and by the time I was done delivering the placenta and getting my stitches, he was in my arms!
With my other babies, they were already in my arms when I was delivering the placenta or getting my stitches. This time, it's a little delayed but I am glad Sebastian is alright and healthy. He had some minor forehead bruising and conjunctival hemorrhage {rim of ruptured blood vessels surrounding his iris} because of the fast delivery {and I pushed like a crazy woman} but overall he is healthy, eating well, pooping and peeing like what a newborn should do!
He's already a blessing in other ways --- I had two phone job interviews 8 hours after and 11 hours after his delivery. One was scheduled a week before his birth. I thought I'd still be pregnant. Derrick thought I was out of my mind talking with employers when I had lack of sleep and lack of prep or questions for them. Must be the joy and adrenaline of having a new baby but I accepted the challenge. I was just so excited to have my boy and the opportunities to talk with employers.
Thanks for the prayers. My
prayer request was because of my job situation. I thought I had a job here but now it's all up in the air. Hence my challenge right now applying to other hospitals in-state and out of state.
I wasn't ready to
share my job situation because it's such a sore topic. I grieved for my job that would allow me to work part time and stay home with my little ones part of the week.
Now, I had the courage to share because I have my great blessing in my arms.this baby is a blessing. This maternity leave is a blessing.
As David wrote in psalm 37:
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
I prayed for a healthy baby and we got Sebastian.
Now I continue to trust as God takes care of my family of five and leads us wherever he wants us to go.
Linking up:
mums make lists,
babies and beyond,
camp Patton.
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