Third time round

Today is day 10 postpartum. Idris is a week and 3 days old. 

I read through past posts about Omar & Hamzah and it seems recapitulating the birth experience around day 10 is in order.

So let’s see.

Birth story no.3 is pretty gross but also pretty amazing.

To start with, this pregnancy has been rife with BH contractions. I got them fairly regularly and almost always when I went for a walk. This pregnancy I was also working longer than I did in previous pregnancies. (Ah, the 3 months Malaysian civil service maternity leave I took for granted.) 

Its end of semester, so I was simultaneously hoping to be able to finish classes & exams and hoping to not have to waddle around heavily pregnant anymore. I kept wondering if I might go into labor during a lecture or something. Luckily, when I started feeling more regular contractions, it was on a WFH day. They were slightly different from the BH contractions & around noon I started to time them. By 3.30pm, they were about 3-5 mins apart so I called the obgyns office and they suggested I go in because I have GBS and would need antibiotics. I told Matt & we took a short walk around the block, then Matt went and sent Pan in to daycare/overnight stay. By 4.30pm we were at the hospital and getting triaged.

However it seemed my contractions weren’t strong and I was only 3cm dilated. Instead they were alarmed by my high BP. Doc said she recommends induction 🥲 I was like can’t we just wait for labor to start? She was convinced I wasn’t near active labor yet but she wants the baby delivered because of the BP & I was 39 weeks (6 days shy of due date). She wanted to give pitocin & break my waters. I know I could’ve protested more but at the time it felt pointless.

So they moved me to labor room at 6pm to get started on pitocin. But then! Within a few minutes of taking pictures & checking out the facilities…my water broke. I had never had my water break before and I thought I had accidentally peed. It was interesting, it literally sounded like a quiet balloon bursting and a gush of water came out. Afterwards it just kept trickling which made me realize it wasn’t pee. The contractions got more intense and because my water broke they decided not to give pitocin and started me on antibiotics instead. Huzzah!

About an hour ish later the contractions felt more intense and my mucus plug came out. I think around 8pm I started feeling like I needed to poop badly so I told the midwife and she said they can check my cervix. The doctor that did it said I was 7cm dilated but apparently not ready to push yet. But man each time contractions came I really felt like pooping. So ladies and gentlemen, I actually did 🥲 I cried and asked Matt to help me wipe 🥲 Oh, the indignity.

After that I was like, screw this I  want to poop in the toilet. So the midwife unplugged me and let me go to toilet but then I was scared I might actually push out the baby even though they said I was only 7cm. sure enough I had a contraction on the toilet and the midwife stuck her hand under me and said she felt a head. so pooping on toilet was aborted and I was taken to the bed. Immediately, 6 people came in and I was ready to push. I must’ve progressed from 7cm dilation to 10cm within that last 30mins! I did a first push + a few mini pushes his head came out, second push + a few mini pushes his shoulders came out, and then third push his whole body came out and it was such a relief! 

Plop he came onto my belly and I tried to breastfeed while they clamped the cord & Matt cut it. Im pretty sure I pooped on the bed a bit too but I didn’t care anymore. Alhamdulillah! My baby was on my chest, the intense contractions were gone, I pushed out my placenta, and Matt was there kissing my forehead. The doctor said I didn’t tear and didn’t need stitches. 

And again I feel like, alhamdulillah there were a few things I did/kept up that I think helped. Walked a bunch, at least an hour long 3 times a week  occasionally even hiked even when I was 38 weeks. Drank a cup or raspberry leaf tea everyday starting week 36 (much to Matt’s displeasure but I’m glad I did!) Also did a last minute okra & budu meal when I started feeling contractions #throwbackOmar’sbirthstory. 

And during contractions I just zikir loudly and pronouncedly. It didn’t take the pain away, and boy were the contractions painful, but it helped me ride it through until the pain abated.

Overall, I’m glad for this pregnancy & my birth experience. My first & last one at advanced maternal age insyaAllah.

So, welcome, Idris Aemon McCall, aka Kirby… my youngest born, brother of Omar & Hamzah, son of Matthew. Grandson of Napi & Niti, Michael, Marjorie & Lyke. Nephew of Uncles Zaki & Hafiz, Affah & Namem, and Uncles Ben, Alex & Austin. 

May Allah bless you with good health, happiness, character, humor & kindness, and with brilliance and beauty, as He has blessed your brothers. 

Alhamdulillah for my three baby boys.