HELLO WORLD!!!

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I was born last September 7, 2005 at 9:40 am at The Medical City.

I weighed 7.9 lbs and measured 50 cm. (My APGAR score is 9.9!)

My mom and dad named me Evan Sebastian.

Guess who I look like? MY DAD! Hihi... Sorry Mom! ;)

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Two weeks ago, I finally expelled my placenta and delivered our much-awaited “chubby cheeks” baby boy-bundle of joy into this world. The next fourteen days after that fateful day had been a whirlwind of activities and emotions. The very expecting and well-prepared preggy mom that I was before, I still was not able to fully geared up myself for most of what occurred during those memorable (yet blurry in my memory now – how time flies so fast!) days. Motherhood is indeed a joyful but challenging phase in a woman’s life.

I have so many stories to tell. But I have so little time these days. I can only do this in between feedings (and diaper-changing).

So for now, let me share with you first the events that transpired during that very special day in our lives, the 7th of September…

Since I started my maternity leave last September 5 (Monday), I just stayed at home, doing last minute preparation for my scheduled trip to the hospital on September 8 (Thursday). Yes, we already requested for a scheduled cesarean on that date. I want my baby to have the same birthday as Mama Mary, he being a blessing from God to us. But then, it seems God has a different plan… because that Wednesday…

5:30 am: I was awaken by a new kind of pain in my lower abdomen. Oh no, is this what they call prelabor symptoms already? But I am just on my 39th week! I tried to ignore the pain since I know the early stage of labor (latent) can still last as long as a day and does not yet require a run for the hospital. However, the contractions seems to grow stronger (read: more painful) and become more consistent already. I started timing it and it is already at an interval of 5 minutes each. Yikeess! Am I in ACTIVE labor already?!!? But it’s only Wednesday. I am SUPPOSED to give birth tomorrow as per our plan!

I woke up Riki, we called my OB-GYNE after thirty minutes of observing the consistent contractions. After giving her a brief description of my conditions, she told me not to wait any further and rush to the hospital already. Yes, I am indeed in active labor and will be giving birth anytime.

It was fortunate that the contractions started early in the morning and Riki had not left for the office yet. He was still supposed to report for work that morning since our plan is to check in the hospital later that night. So hurriedly, he got dressed, picked our bags, and got ready to leave for the hospital.

However, I was not ready to go yet. I may have prepared our hospital bags, even the loot bags/goodies we will be giving out to our visitors later, but I have not yet “readied myself” for the trip. So I asked him to sit still first, drink some water and give me at least 15 minutes more.

Trying to ignore the labor pains, I took a quick but satisfying hot shower first (no way I am going to the hospital without shampooing my hair! I know it will take a while before I can do that after giving birth!), put on some fresh clothes and dabbed some lip and cheek tint in my face.

7:00 am: Now I am ready to go to the hospital. :)

7:30 am: We arrived at The Medical City, parked our car at the basement and walked to the Admission Office on the ground floor. Yes, we were not panicking yet and we tried to deal with the situation in a calm manner, since we were certain naman the baby won’t be coming out in an hour or so pa. I already have my admission slip prepared by my OB-GYNE the weekend before so I just handed it to the hospital staff, and they already know what to do. I was instantly wheel-chaired to the Pre-Labor Room, where they did all the necessary tests, fetal heartbeat monitoring and other preparations. Upon examination, my cervix was declared to be opened 3 cms. already. My God, it is just 3 cms and the pain is this excruciating already!? It’s C-Section definitely for me!

(But I am proud to say that although I was in great pain…yes I have low tolerance for contraction and labor pains….even an IE was hurtful that time… I did not do those stereotyped violent shouting and “blaming the husband” moaning we normally see in TV shows and movies. I just grimaced and twist silently in pain. Hehehe!)

8:15 am: My OB-GYNE arrived at the pre-labor room already. After checking my chart and my actual condition, she teasingly asked me the question “So, you still want to do trial labor first?” to which I immediately answered “NO! Please let’s get this done with. My baby is already in the cut-off weight to qualify for a c-section, the pain is killing me yet my cervix is only 3 cms dilated, what more if it is 7-10 cm! And I know I will end up cesarean anyways, so why prolong my pain!”. Riki, who was at my side during that time (and who seems to be in more pain than I was) totally agreed. So I signed the consent forms, the nurses did the pre-delivery/operating procedures (e.g. shaving and IV application) and off we go to the operating room.

8:50 am: The TMC’s delivery/operating rooms were so squeaky clean, brightly lit and relatively spacious. Everything looked so conducive for surgical operations. Hehehe! All the equipment are new so I felt relaxed and confident (the meticulous patient that I was) that my procedure will proceed smoothly and safely. Luckily, there was also a clock on the wall so I was able to keep track of time as the operation progressed.

This is my first time to have a surgical operation. And this is also the first time that I was bare in front of strangers, male and female. It felt weird at first, but since I know it’s plainly “medical” business, I tried to focus my attention on other things instead.

My anesthesiologist was a cool cono male doctor. He even asked me what type of music I want played during the procedure! Astig! I doubt if he has Lemonheads or Sebastian Bach in his player though. Sayang, if only I knew, I would have brought my own CD. So I just let him play whatever is in his collections. I started hearing a Julia Fordham song, or was it SwingOut Sisters?! (I am not a fan, so I can’t remember the title of the song… hehe) and that helped me relaxed a bit. He started working on my spinal cord and applying the local anesthesia/epidural/what-have-you in my back.

After a few minutes, I felt my lower body started to get numb, until I can’t feel any of the pinches he had been doing in my tummy anymore. That is when they started “slicing” me already.

During the entire “opening up” procedure, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, listening at the music in the background, and eavesdropping at my anesthesiologist and pediatrician who were chatting besides me while my OB and her team are doing the work below. They were talking about showbiz news so I would like very much to join in their conversation, if only my OB had not instructed me not to talk during the procedure. Dang! This procedure is so cool. I can’t feel anything at all (note that this perception will slightly change in my post partum/recovery story).

9:40 am: I heard Evan’s first cry. My baby is finally out!!! I want to take a look at him right then and there but there is a blanket cover plunked in my chest area blocking my view. From the sides, I saw the pediatrician and her team carried and placed him in the bassinet at the other end of the room and started cleaning him. He was still crying. What a strong (but shrilly) cry. Wow! My baby is so brusko! :)

My OB came up to me, asked me sweetly if I was ok, smiled and reminded me not to talk yet. Then she told me that Evan already had meconium stain (he made poo-poo already inside the womb) but he was ok. He seems not to have swallowed the substance yet, so nothing to worry about. She assured me that they will take care of Evan at the NICU and congratulated me for being a new mom. After that defining moment, I have forever developed this deep bonding with my OB.

They wrapped Evan in a thermal blanket and brought him to my side. Finally I was able to see him, greet him for the first time and kiss him in the cheek. Yes, he really has those cute chubby cheeks. I AM NOW OFFICIALLY A MOM!

After that short encounter however, they whisked him away from me again to be brought to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where he will be taken cared of in the meantime. I still have to be stitched up.

I had been expecting all along that I will be rather emotional and tearful during this particular moment, when I first see my child. But I was not. Rather, I felt so relieved and contented, so I was all smiles. Relieved that the delivery was all over, that Evan was born healthy and with no deformities. God has been so good to us!

11:00 am. I was brought to the recovery room, my intestines and uterus back inside me again, still wide awake (the sedative did not work on me. hehehe!)

Whew! In just half a day, I have gone through my birthing stage…maybe not during the date that we initially wanted... but in a manner I have always preferred… swift, smooth, painless and peaceful.

Or so I thought. Wait till you hear my post-partum narrative.