Giving birth during the Pandemic

If you are pregnant and will give birth to your first child here in the Philippines, you better get things organized and ready.

• Pre-natal check-up

• Things to bring during delivery

• Papers (live birth, IDs, PhilHealth, etc)

• Cash on hand

• Lab test results

• Swab test (vaccination card)

Giving birth is the most exciting, most scary, and the most painful thing I had experienced in my life. I gave birth to my first child last Sept. 2021. I started my pregnancy journey happily, having my pre-natal checkups and taking my vitamins which the doctor prescribed. It was a long and tiring journey since carrying a child in the womb is not that easy. Some say, being pregnant with a baby boy is harder than with a girl. I think they are just the same. Pregnancy is hard especially when it's your first time and you don't know what to do. I did my prenatal check-up in a hospital once and there's a long queue of pregnant moms having their check-ups. It's tiring and also risky since we stayed in a waiting area where it's a bit crowded. Me wanting to avoid the virus called "Covid", I decided to have my prenatal in a private clinic. At first, everything was fine. Then later, I found out that clinics aren't allowed to deliver firstborn since there's a risk and complications may arise during delivery.

First-time moms are required to deliver their babies at a hospital because they have complete equipment and facilities. I was due the next month so I got worried a lot. I went back to the hospital where I did my first check-up and updated my records. (We needed to go as early as 3 am just to get a number because they only allow 50 pre-natal patients a day. And there's a lot of pregnant moms being rejected every day.) I was asked to redo all the tests and give the result on my next visit which was 5 days before my due. I was also asked to do a rapid test 1 week before my due. So I went back a week before my next visit because I forgot to ask for the request form for my rapid test.

As I was talking to the doctor I already felt pain in my womb. I just ignored it and went on with my day. She did not release a request yet because she ought to give it to me on my scheduled visit. Later that night I saw the mucus plug being flushed through the toilet after I peed. Pain constantly come and go at 5-minute intervals.

It started at 8 pm until 12 midnight that we decided to go to the hospital. Before going, I took a bath and gathered all the things needed. As we arrived at the hospital I was asked to take a bath again even though I told them I already did before coming. That's their protocol, they say. No one is allowed to enter the delivery room. So I took a bath and went there alone, only carrying one set of clothes for the baby and three wide clothes. I lay on the bed and got checked. They told me to go home since the cervix is only 2cm open.

Traveling home feeling the pain and worrying, we still followed what the doctor advised. But after an hour I felt intense pain that I think I needed to be in the hospital or anywhere near it so that they can attend to me right away.

We went back and stayed outside. Walking back and forth to ease the pain. Asking my husband to rub my back now and then. 3 am and we're still outside waiting for my body to feel the go signal. I don't want to go inside the delivery room because I will be alone and no one will comfort me. My parents went home and just waited for updates if they are needed. I and my husband decided to enter the hospital and stayed in the waiting area to rest. I laid down on the bench trying to sleep and get some rest. Sleepy and in pain we waited until the sun comes out.

6 am feeling more pain I entered the delivery room and took a bath for the third time. I was shaking in pain and feeling cold. I laid down in bed again. It was 6cm wide and I was asked to stay in the corridor to wait with the other expecting moms. By 8 am the doctor broke my water and asked me to wear a diaper. I laid down in a bed on the corner wailing because the pain is unbearable and I was already tired. Doctors and nurses pass me by as they tend to other moms. I was crying, praying, and already pushing. I can't help it anymore. I told the doctor I wanted to push the baby out now. She asked me to lay in the delivery bed which is high hard to get in because of pain.

I started pushing hard, doing what the doctor said. But my baby didn't come out. I lay in the corner bed again, as I was told. And I waited and waited and waited. By noon I laid in the delivery bed again, got checked, and was told I needed to stop pushing because my V is swelling already.

They scheduled me for Emergency CS. I was crying worrying for my baby and myself. I told the doctor, to attend to me first because I might collapse. I was exhausted that I felt I might not able to wait anymore. 1 pm I was operated on and throughout the operation I was asleep. I didn't feel anything nor see anything.

I was woken up by the doctor carrying and showing me my baby. Then I fell asleep again. I woke up again to breastfeed my baby. We were sent to our room which is a shared room. All the pain and tiredness went away after seeing our firstborn.

My husband was so exhausted taking care of me and my baby for 4 days. The hospital doesn't allow changing of companion if he/she is not vaccinated. The pandemic makes it harder for us.

These are the things that we hope we knew before:

• Get vaccinated so that we can freely change companion (bantay) anytime we want.

• The first child must be delivered to the hospital.

• Always be ready for an Emergency CS, just in case. (I was thankful that our family was there to support us.)

• Get pre-natal on the hospital you are planning to give birth to. Because if you are not on their record, they will not accept you right away. Or worst is they will just refer you to other hospitals. (I once saw a new patient from my hospital room window. She was about to give birth but the doctor was telling her to go to another hospital because the ward is already full. I felt the pain while I hear her wail and scream for help. Later, the doctor took her in but she received a lot of scolding.

  They are strict due to the pandemic. And also hospitals are crowded. If only she has a record there, she would have been attended to right away. I hope all moms know this to avoid this kind of situation.

• Giving birth you need to be strong mentally because most of the doctors are grumpy. Some scold you for crying. They won't comfort you so you need to be strong.

Thankfully I survived all of it. I hope all the pregnant moms out there are doing good and are ready all the time.

Thank you for your time. Hope you like it. I want to tell more maybe in my next article.

Photo source from Unsplash