my due date is tomorrow (12 feb). even though my midwife kept telling me 2nd babies tend to come sooner and quicker, especially with cases like mine, who has given birth not that long ago, i really thought he wouldnt come on time (cayden was 6 days overdue).
so when i felt painful contractions last wednesday (9 feb), i couldnt believe that kian's on his way. was really happy that i wouldnt have to go through another week of difficulties, selfish as it might sound. the contractions started at around 10:30 in the morning. i have downloaded a contraction app on my phone that monitors how far in between the contractions are and how long they last, which was really helpful!
from 10:30am till about 6pm, the contractions were about 10-15minutes apart, lasting about a minute each. very painful but manageable. i was still able to play with cayden, watch tv with him and wash the dishes. i twitted, sometime that afternoon: is feb 10 "the day", believing it will take that long before my contractions become 4-5mins apart, which would be the time to go to the hospital (as advised by my midwife).
around 6:07pm, i texted my midwife, just to let her know that i was in labour already but no water breakage yet (with cayden, my water broke first before having painful contractions). she said to contact her (not even go to the birthing centre/hospital yet) if the contractions become 4-5 mins apart or if my water breaks.
tantan came home around 7pm that night. i was in bed because pain has become more excruciating (but not as painful as i can remember with cayden's so i wasnt really panicking yet). he brought me dinner in bed and in between contractions, we were still managing a conversation. and even though the contraction app was telling me that my contractions were coming too close to each other (like 3-4mins apart, lasting 1.5mins each), i still didnt give it much notice only because i can still feel kian moving in my tummy. but i didnt think for once that that "move" is actually him going further down and trying to get out! and i thought that bec kian's moving, he's making the contractions come too quickly and that if he stops, contraction will ease up again.
anyways, around 8:20, i felt like pushing with every contraction. and pain has become very very torturous. i told tantan to contact my midwife but he couldnt get through. he then tried phoning the hospital and the ward where my midwife was supposed to be didnt really know what tantan was on about (midwife told me that if we couldnt get through to her, to contact the ward instead). all they were saying was to contact the birthing centre as that's where we originally planned to give birth.
at that point, i was already screaming with every contraction. i told tantan to try calling the midwife again and fortunately, he was able to get through. but the one who answered wasnt my midwife as she's already off work. the reliever told us to phone for an ambulance bec i told them i wouldnt be able to walk anymore. the paramedic will decide whether to bring me to the hospital or to the birthing centre and the midwife will just meet us where ever.
tantan phoned 999 and while he was being asked lots of questions, i can feel kian crowning already. i was lying on my left side and they were trying to tell me to lie on my back. i couldnt!!! they asked if my water has broken yet - i wasnt sure. i honestly believed it hasnt although at that point, i felt like i peed! the phone operator asked tantan to take my bottoms down and that's when they (tantan, mom and cayden - yes, he was there watching!) saw blood and kian's hair!
the medics arrived 5 mins after placing the call. there were 2 guys and 1 girl. the first guy paramedic at the scene was the one who delivered the baby. he arrived just in time to catch kian's head (after only pushing 3 times!). and then a few minutes after, his whole body followed. he was out at 8:40pm. tantan cut the cord. i saw and held kian only very briefly because i was having another contraction. the placenta was on its way out as well (medics thought it will take at least an hour, in time for when im in the hosp already). after that's over and done with, they brought me and kian to the hospital. tantan followed in our car. my mom was left with cayden and to tidy up my mess (she said it's difficult to commit a crime - it's hard covering up the evidences lol)
we were probably at the hospital around 9:30pm. kian was weighed (3.77kg/8.2lbs) and cleaned a little bit. i was checked but i had to wait hours before i was stitched up. i suffered from 2deg tear again. the annoying bit was, i was checked by the midwife, then she called a junior doctor (male!!) who then called a senior doctor. all three poked all my holes down there and it was more painful than the birthing experience i just had!
after that, i had a scare. i was about to take a bath. i peed and big clots came out. i got really dizzy to the point of fainting. pulse rate was 68, bp was 80/60. midwife stayed and monitored me for about 30mins. fortunately, it was nothing and everything went well after that.
finally, i was taken to the ward at around 3am. had a shower and tantan was asked to go home. he came back as soon as he was allowed to later that day. i only managed 30mins of sleep bec kian was being fussy. we were discharged around lunchtime that same day, after seeing the pediatrician and having had the hearing screening test.
i hoped and prayed that kian wouldnt wait that long to come out. i was happy for him to pop out on his due date. we were told over and over by different people that 2nd babies will pop out quicker. but we didnt really expect it to be that quick!!! nonetheless, we're happy that everything turned out well, for both me and kian. it was an experience nonetheless. we were hoping for another water birth, but heck, a home birth??? never in our wildest dreams!!
