Flicker Says Hello!

Dumping this here for now, will refine when I have more time to write.

This was a post I shared with my mom group in Facebook about 2 weeks after giving birth.

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Hello everyone, I would like to introduce the latest addition to our family, Marcella Isla. Born last October 5 via NSD. 10 years in the making. But worth all the wait!

Prior to getting pregnant, I struggled with adenomyosis (per my OB in layman's term namamaga daw ang matris) for 2 years. Some days super painful siya to the point na almost mabablack out ako and I bled heavily each time nagkaka period.

Since I was already turning 40 this year, me and my husband decided at peace na kami with one child and okay na to have my uterus taken out. So I asked my OB last January if I can have the surgery already. But she hesitated, requested for an ultrasound which still confirmed the adenomyosis. Nagsama pa ng 3 more myomas and ang PCOS ko naging bilateral pa this time. I took that as a sign. It's time to let go na. But God had other plans, 2 weeks after that ultrasound I got pregnant.

This pregnancy wasn't easy. I was put on bedrest and took duphaston till the 16th week because the adeno is making my uterus contract. Thankfully, with my ob's guidance and care we reached full term and gave birth at exactly 39 weeks.

OB expected I'd give birth between 37-38 weeks but makapit si baby. I did prenatal yoga, deep squats, walked 2x a day 20mins in the morning and 20mins in the evening. Pinag eveprim na din ako nung nag 38 weeks. Finally, regular contractions came at 1am the day we hit 39th week.

Labor wasn't easy as I have very low pain tolerance. We arrived at the hospital around 4:30am. OB resident IE'd and nasa 3-4cm na daw. Naiyak ako - "ganito na kasakit doc, 3-4cm pa lang???". They called my OB, prepped me and akyat na sa Labor Room 5:30am. Pagdating ko, i prayed. Prayed for my safety and the baby's safe delivery. Messaged friends as well to pray for us.

My birthplan requested for limited IE and sinunod naman nila. Since inakyat ako ng 530, naka 2 IEs lang. One with the resident OB confirming nagprogress na to 5-6cm by 7am then with my OB around 8am na naging 8-9cm na. After that everything was a blur na. Sa sobrang sakit, I asked for epi but OB was determined to follow my birthplan (nilagay ko kasi natural, unmedicated) and too late na din daw talaga to give.

8:30 they wheeled me into the OR. pansin ko walang standby anes, with me were 2 OR nurses (one coached me to push), my OB and the pedia + pedia nurse. Halo halo na, fear, pain. I was crying kahit anong pigil ko not to. After what seemed like a lifetime of pushes, at 9:45am lumabas din si baby.
I cried ulit, "anak ko...bakit ang tagal tagal mong lumabas" hahaha. I couldn't believe I was able to vaginally deliver this 6.6 lb baby. All 4'9" inches of me. Nailabas ko sya with no epi.
They let Isla stay with me for about an hour (we bonded, pinalatch) and then pedia nurse took her na kasi my husband and I decided isabay na din bilateral tubal ligation. Eto yung nagpatagal sa akin sa recovery kasi nag administer ng spinal anes and 3-4 hrs ang recovery period.

By 3pm, nalipat na din ako sa room and sumunod na din si baby iroom in. Around 5pm though, bigla akong nakaramdam ng heavy gush parang tumagos sa sheets. Tawag ako sa nurse, maya maya nagkagulo na. Sobrang lakas pala ng bleeding. Nag uterine atony na pala ako. Dami tinurok to prevent further bleeding. Buti na lang di bumaba sa 100 ang hemoglobin ko no need to transfuse.
Eventful ang birth story but extremely grateful pa din to everyone who prayed with us. God made us wait so long, I'm sure there's a reason why.

12 days after, I still couldn't believe I'm now a mother of 2. Ibang level ng challenge naman now that we're trying to exclusively breastfeed esp since I only have 1 functioning breast. But pipilitin kong masustain until Isla is eager to take my breast. Please continue to pray for our bfeeding journey. Thanks for reading!

OB - Dra. Rosellie Aguinaldo
Pedia - Dra. Ma. Isabelle Virata