“The knowledge of how to give birth without outside interventions lies deep within each woman. Successful childbirth depends on an acceptance of the process.” – Unknown
I felt mixed feelings then.
We have known each other for several months already. I kinda anticipated what it would be like, even prepared for it but when the time finally came to meet each other, it was still always a surprise, unexpected and yet, amazing!
Indeed, just like an “eyeball”*, meeting my children for the first time was quite overwhelming and memorable!
28th of August, 19**
6:00 a.m.
I have seen the sky from an opened window and lo, the sun was already rising then. I have been in that clinic for nine hours already. Hindi raw ako marunong “umiri”. Of course, it was my first time to give birth. But, actually, I was somehow afraid to do it. I was already tired and sleepy. Akala ko I would die if I will do it. Then, it happened! I breathe with all my might, and with a smooth swooosh, I felt her came out! Meryn Krystynn! It was all I remember, it was wonderful and really smooth like she just slide out of me, no pain and all. I have seen the doctor put her on my stomach and I just fainted. The next moment I opened my eyes, I was already all cleaned up and transferred to my room.
29th of November,20**
6:00 a.m.
All night I have been fussy and shamelessly noisy. The midwife and her assistant will leave me alone in the room and I will relish those times to shout the labor pains I was feeling then. Iri na ako ng iri nuon, even it was not the time to do it pa. The room was closed, but I was bothered by the wall clock in front of me. Counting the hours made time even slow. The midwife told me a number of times that she already see the baby’s head popping out. Naiinip na ako nuon, nasa isip ko lang ay “ang tagal naman!” Then, so it happened! Kerr Jared finally came out. But it was really painful, I actually felt myself torn in the wrong places. (They have not done any episiotomy to me, I’ve learned later.) I saw my son and all I remember was how red he was all over! (That’s how he gotten his name.) I thought it was finished and I was so ready to finally drowse off but the midwife told me that I can’t sleep yet. I still have to push out the placenta and I think, it was more painful than the actual childbirth.
8th of July,20**
2:00 a.m.
From 3 cm by 8:00 p.m., my cervix was opening by 1 cm each passing hour. The nurse attending to me taught me how to manage the increasing pains noiselessly. By the time, my OB arrived, everybody was all prepared and all set for the delivery. My OB and the nurses guided me how to do the breathings right. I think, after two previous childbirth, “ngayon lang ako natutong umiri ng tama!” But after several tries, the baby was not yet out. I started to panic and to doubt myself if kakayanin ko. Thus, my OB decided to administer the anesthesia. In spite of two attempts to shift body positions, they got a hard time putting it because I was overweight—the needle seemed not long enough, but they’ve done it! My lower body felt very numb afterwards. Though I still feel the contractions, they were not as painful as before the anesthesia. They were also not as forceful. Kaya kasabay ng iri ko, the nurse was also pushing down on my stomach. Then, it happened! Tashina KariDee finally came out. “Iri pa ako ng iri nuon when my OB told me, “ok, tama na, lumabas na sya, at bilog na bilog”. I might really felt so numb then that I even have not actually felt letting her out! When the OB placed her on my stomach, I can’t help but cried. Indeed, she was big and beautiful!
“Birth”, as the word suggests, means the bestowing of some form of life by the nature, to this world. Being born is the purest virtues that can be held by a living being as after that one is exposed to life, where one can breathe, feel, have emotions, i.e. it’s in this world that these one is exposed to all such virtues. This is a state in which we consider the achievement of a new form of life. Birth should not always be linked to the birth of child, but it can also be the achievement of a new life, a new ray of hope, fresh ideas and a lot more.” – Unknown
© 2011 M.C. Padilla
*Eyeball – (Verb) Informal. to look at, check, or observe closely. (Noun) Close confrontation.
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