this is it!

wow!

wow!

wow!

words cannot express. the irony of the simplicity of the process and the overwhelming consequence of giving birth. on one part of my brain, remembering the pain I am shaking my head in disbelief, nakaya ko iyon? Lucky me since i only had 2 hours of major labor pains, about 10-15 major and painful contractions.. i pity mothers who have undergone half days of these.

and then the other half also shakes, iyon na iyon? I remember asking the people in the DR if it's over, maybe i have asked about 3 times, "tapos na po?", "girl po ba?", "normal ba ako" I had to be sure I wasn't just on a dream break and then waking up in the middle of labor again.. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10

I woke up around 7 am and was getting ready for an early morning walk.. am getting impatient already awaiting my due, 39 weeks is ripe enough. Been reading about natural ways to induce labor and was really into working on to hasten the phase. that morning, i went to the toilet for my usual early empty bladder moment, changed my underwear and was about to fill my bladder again with water when i felt the bloody show. i told my still sleeping hubby prepared for breakfast and called my mom.. I wasn't in a panic since i have a sister who still had time to go back from Las Pinas to Sta. Cruz, Laguna with lots of time to spare. upon checking though, my contractions were 10 minutes apart, though this was just mild versions, i was doubting if this already was 'it." my mom said that she also didn't feel much pains.. later in the labor room with a resident's matter of fact tone "sasakit pa iyan," it truly did.

spent about 30 minutes in the waiting room, about 930ish a place where nurses check if the signs are just false and they would probably let you go home if signals would not progress.. then i was chaired into the labor room where they monitor my baby's signs as well as mine, here i had my dreaded 150/100 BP. here was where the MD resident's words came to be.. uber mega pain! they gave me a dose of sedation as per my OB but i progressed to another level they had to move me to the DR, i was supposed to be given another shot but my contractions got faster..

and more painful!! "mother, lipat ka na (transfer beds from labor to delivery table) baka dito ka na manganak"

but my in my head i was still waiting for my second dose of sedatives! it was mega pain! anyway it was a series of "ire 101s" from 4 to 5 voices including my much loved and trusted OB. I didn't even had a chance to look at my anesthesiologist who amidst my stressful surroundings was the voice of calm. "I need your cooperation, kailangan mo lang ire hanggang lumabas ang ulo then kami na bahala."

"ire ulit!" and your colleagues just enrolled me to ire 101, "i think i have wrong ire techniques! waaahhh!"

anyway, it turned out i learned fast. I had a good opening but initially my baby was still way inside my tummy. Even if they told me to hold breath- push silently- release slowly i couldn't help but to do my bruce lee howl!

12:27 pm a bouncing baby girl..

the last thing i could remember is making sure she was out. then everything was a blur.. for me it was an episode of glee, britney spears edition. imagine the "what you missed recap" during my twilight moment due to anesthesia..

"doc color violet na po ang kamay ko." - was complaining about the BP monitor
"12:27 pm"
"tapos na po ba?, girl po ba? normal po ako?"
"can I have a drink?"

the last 2 questions I asked at least 3 times

then woke up at the recovery room minutes before i was transferred to my room. 3 hours had passed.

when i was reeled to my room, there was my hubby waiting at the corridors, my mom at the room, i still asked my question, "tapos na ba?"