The first word to describe my pregnancy definitely has to be: unplanned. I was aware of the pregnancy long before my period date rolled around, I could just feel it. A few home pregnancy tests confirmed my suspicions. Of course I wasn't unhappy about it, maybe a little confused, nervous, worried. My husband was ready for a child, in fact was even putting pressure on me. I wasn't too inclined, but eventually decided it wouldn't be any harm.
1.5 years into our marriage, my husband and I found out that we were expecting. What followed was a mixture of sheer bliss, total nervousness, combined with the occasional bout of morning sickness and lots of heartburn.
There were certain ground rules I was supposed to stick to during my pregnancy (as laid out by my in laws). I wasn't supposed to wash my hair for the first 7 months of pregnancy (gross, I know), I couldn't use nail polish, or henna on my hands, or colour my hair.
The first tree months of my pregnancy were marked with my family being extra cautious of me (I belong to a very orthodox Indian family so even the thought of bending down while pregnant was a taboo). I had good amounts of morning and evening sickness, and coughing up a lot of acid at least twice a day.
At the beginning of my fourth month, we travelled to India, which was a blessing in disguise since I got to meet my mum (happy dance). I stayed in India for a month, out of which a week was spent at my mum's place. By now my morning sickness had mostly subsided, and I could eat without the risk of throwing my guts out without warning.
Upon returning back, life resumed as usual, with the occasional symptom here and there. I was fairly active during my pregnancy, which helped during the actual pushing labour phase. But being active doesn't mean I didn't haven fair share of sleep. I slept A LOT. Drowsiness just comes as a part and parcel of pregnancy.
During my fifth month of pregnancy, I had an ultrasound to check if my baby was healthy. I also found out that I was having a boy. Both my husband and I were ecstatic, though my husband was rather hoping for it to be a baby girl. I even wept in the ultrasound room while looking and listening to my baby's heartbeats.
Sometime during my seventh month, I had my baby shower ceremony (traditional gujrathi ceremony with lots of lovely sarees and jewelry). I was exhausted but well pampered and taken care of throughout. This was also the day I could wash my hair after 7 grueling months of battling oily hair and itchiness. Surprisingly, I had no flaking during this time. My body took it upon itself to prevent flakes in the most natural ways possible.
Back to topic, my baby shower ceremony was a success and I couldn't be happier at the way it turned out. I had the best support from my family, who tried their best not to put too much pressure on me.
Moving on, during my eighth month, I had another ultrasound, during which it was revealed that I had mild to moderate decrease in my amniotic fluid level. It came as a bit of a scare to both my husband and I. Upon consulting my OB-Gyn about it, she said it wasn't serious and nothing to worry about. However this wasn't to remain that way for very long.
Throughout my pregnancy I had very consistent and severe UTI (urinary tract infection). I was given medication as well as injections, but it just wouldn't budge. First dosage of antibiotics was for 10 days and I hoped it would go away, but my next urinalysis showed it didn't. Hence my doctor prescribed a dosage of antibiotic injections to be taken daily for 5 days. I got my next urinalysis a week after completing my dosage, and yes, the infection was still there, not wiling to budge at all.
During the last month of my pregnancy, UTI became a constant source of worry as I was experiencing very painful contractions because of the same. At about the same time, we found out that my mild decrease in amniotic fluid had developed into fully fledged oligohydramnios (by idiopathic causes).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligohydramnios
Eventually after a painful 2 weeks of continuous contractions, our doctor suggested we induce labour, since going on with pregnancy would be dangerous to the health of both the baby and I.
On the 10th of July, at 40 weeks and 5 days, I was admitted to the hospital at 9 am, and at 10 am I was administered a prostaglandin tablet to ripen my cervix. For the next 6 hours I patiently waited for something to happen; a little twinge, a small contraction, something. But nothing happened, and at 4pm on the same day, I was administered another tablet. About half an hour later, I started getting mild contractions which strengthened as the night approached.
Again at about 10 that night, the nurse attempted to administer another tablet, but in vain. I refused to get another tablet administered till I could meet my gynecologist the next morning. I was scared that my cervix wouldn't be ripe enough to go to the next stage of labour induction; oxytocin. The whole night, I had contractions, and couldn't sleep.
The next morning, at about 10, my gynecologist came in, checked my cervix and informed me that I was 4cms dilated, and gave a go ahead for me to be administered pitocin (commercial name for the hormone oxytocin). I was given pitocin through IV at 11, and my contractions strengthened almost immediately, and within the next 30 minutes I was writhing in pain from the strength of them. My midwife very patiently told me that this was just the beginning and the contractions would get stronger.
The same day at about 1, my Gyn came to check my dilation again and informed me that I was 8 cms dilated and ready to be taken into the delivery room. Once in there, I was told to lie on my side till I was completely dilated (I don't think I've ever cursed someone as bad as I did on that day, the poor midwives might never forget me).
Once completely dilated, I had my "bloody show" as they call it, and my water broke within a few minutes of my show, and that was my cue to begin pushing (this was at about 2 pm). After that, everything was a huge big blur, and a distinctly remember telling my husband that I would kill him if he ever touched me again "sheepish".
Apparently it turns out I'm quite the screamer. My husband tells me I screamed throughout most of my labour, a detail that I have no recollection of, to my convenience.
One little detail that I do remember, however, is my episiotomy. Usually most women swear that they don't even feel the cut of the episiotomy over the already excruciating pain of the contraction. I beg to differ. My cut was taken just as my contraction was dying down, so I felt the full force of it.
The final few minutes of my labour consisted of me pushing as hard as I could, with little luck. After the episiotomy, and once my baby's head started crowning, the midwives decided to pull him out just as I bore down the last time to push him out. My push was strong enough for them to get a good hold on his head and he came out all together. My husband said that last scream made even the strongest midwife come to a halt. Outside the labour room, my father was on the phone with my mum, and they could hear me screaming, and they swore that my screams were goosebump-inducing.
After that, there was nothing. Absolute vacuum, as I like to refer to it. For those few nanoseconds, I was floating in an abyss of nothingness. Completely unaware of the world. Then I heard the best sound in the world, the sound that brought me back to the world; my baby's cry. That cry brought me to the reality of the situation; I had just given birth. I was a mother. Among the hustle and bustle, my husband came to me with weeping eyes and thanked me. At that time, I had no idea what he thanked me for. After my baby's 'whatever they do after birth' was done, I caught a glimpse of him as the midwife brought him near me. I didn't dare take him in my arms because I was too weak, and more importantly, I still didn't trust myself.
After getting cleaned and stitched up, I walked out of the labour room and finally took my little one in my arms for the first time. That day, I apologized to my mum for causing her so much trouble throughout. I know what she went through was far worse than I did.
Since that day, life got a new meaning. A new reason to exist came to me, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I make my child a strong, secure man.
And with that, my little one was born on the 11th of July at 2.35 pm with a birth weight of 3.225 kilos.
