10 cm

What an eventful week this has been! Our much awaited arrival is finally here, Alhamdullilah. 6 days late but she made it nonetheless. I'm drafting this entry while we are recovering at the hospital just so that I remember to write about all the juicy details while they were still fresh in my mind!

Firstly, I just want to say that everyone's birth story is different. Some have it a lot easier while some have to suffer a near death experience. All we can do is pray that God will help us along the way Insyaa Allah. Now on to the actual birth experience!

I started having mild contractions on Monday night. They were about 10 mins apart and lasted for about 30 secs. On Tuesday afternoon, I had a checkup and guess what, my blood pressure was up. The dr did an exam and said I haven't started dilating yet but cervix was soft and short which is a good sign. They decided to admit me that night to monitor my bp. If it goes any higher they'll induce me. But everyone seem convinced I would deliver naturally the next day anyways seeing as I already have mild contractions.

So on Tuesday night I was in the hospital following admission for high bp and suddenly the contractions started coming strong and regular, 4 mins apart. The midwife gave me some oral painkillers and told me to get some rest first before it gets worse. This was around 4am on Wednesday. But after taking the pills, the contractions became milder and by Wednesday daytime they were back to 5 mins apart and lasting 30 secs or so. I started pacing up and down the hospital corridors as this will help with the dilation. I did this the whole of Wednesday, day and night. At night time I was all alone as the husband can only stay until 9pm. Sheer agony.

Finally, around 2am on Thursday, the contractions became more intense, 3 mins apart and lasting for a minute. I thought, this is it! 5cm dilated at least. But when the midwife checked and said it's only 2cm, I felt defeated. But I continued on pacing up and down the corridors since I couldn't sleep anyways.

At 930am on Thursday morning, the doctor examined me and said it's still 2cm so we'll break the waters and start me on oxytoxin to get the contractions going. I didn't care by this point what they wanted to do, just get her out safe and sound!

Waters breaking was fine. Oxytoxin was a whole other thing. The contractions started coming close and super strong, almost overlapping. I was already weak from lack of sleep and the Entonox wasn't really helping either. I could still feel the pain. I looked at the husband and said the dreaded words, I want the epidural. I could see it in his eyes he wasn't happy with this but he knew better and asked the midwife for it.

I got the epidural around 12 and suddenly everything became so much more manageable. By 4pm I was 10cm dilated. They started preparing me for labour and at 436pm I started pushing.

3 contractions, 6 pushes and 6 minutes later, at 442pm on Thursday 29 November 2012, I held the most beautiful being I had ever seen in my arms. And I knew everything was worth it.

Assalammualaikum, Yasmin Athirah.