The Least Expected Day

I have not slept well on the night of July 16. It had always been my problem- how to have a good night's sleep. However, the following day I still managed to wash the newly bought baby clothes and blankets though I was feeling lethargic. There was a wedding that day but I was not in the mood of going out to watch. You know weddings here in our place is a jolly and enjoyable occasion as the gongs were played by locals and visitors alike. So after washing the clothes, I lied down to nap to ease away my throbbing head. At near lunch, my sister texted me to get my kids' clothes packed so that they will pick us up after we have gotten food from the wedding reception. We will be going to our parents' place in town and swim at our uncle's swimming pool the next day. That was the plan. My parents came so we will be riding in their car. I was to decline because I am not comfortable having all my kids with me and riding a jeepney

I packed my kids' clothes and mine while I have my eldest fetch his younger sister at her playmate's house. After my sister and mother came from my sister's place, they all went to the reception to get food. Then off we went after.

Out of the blue

Everything's fine with me the whole time and I went to bed at nearly 10 pm. I was almost asleep when I've felt a warm liquid from down my private part. My senses sprung back to an awake mode while I was trying to figure out what it could be. I've felt my pants were already soak then I got my hands to feel the mattress under, it was wet. I was shocked and I brought my hands to see what could it be. It was clear. I ran to the bathroom because the gush of liquid can't be held no matter how I tried.

I took off my already-soaked pants and undies and sat at the toilet bowl. The water coming out was flowing steadily. When I was able to hold it, I opened the door and called my sister who was sitting in the living room telling stories with our parents. I told her the water's leaking, it might be the bag of water that broke. I asked her to bring me another pair of pants, underwear, and a sanitary napkin from my bag which she did. I changed the sanitary napkins three times in less than five minutes and I was at the bathroom the whole time. My sister told my parents about it so they said to get my things ready while our father and our youngest brother went out ahead to get the car ready. I even brought my toddler's disposable diapers because the water won't stop leaking.

At the hospital, we were met by staff with wheelchairs to which I declined to use because I was feeling well. I and my sister went to the triage department while our dad parked the car. After filling out documents they let me in first while my sister was left behind. Due to strict restrictions by the hospital that my sister was oriented first at the triage. One of the nurses on duty asked me some questions regarding the symptoms I have while another one is calling for the OB-GYNE on her cellphone. In a matter of minutes, the doctor arrived. Prior to that, another nurse led me to a room where I am to be swabbed for COVID-19. She said it was a rapid test. I get anxious while waiting for the result of the test. Thankfully, it came out negative. The nurse who asked me about the symptoms relayed it to the doctor. I was immediately led by the doctor to the emergency room where a part of it was designed for internal examination (IE). A midwife came to have my blood pressure taken. She showed the result to the doctor which she asked if I used to have a high blood pressure. I answered no because my normal blood pressure is 110/90 mmgh.

I was 2cm dilated the doctor said after performing an IE. An IV line was administered and inserted on my right arm by another nurse. I texted my sister outside to tell our father to go fetch my husband at the village and bring the baby bags which I have prepared a month prior that day.

Before I was wheeled to the OB ward they let my sister in. Four other women in the room are awaiting their deliveries. I was led to an empty bed when a nurse came to give me a shot for inducing labor pain. Yes, all through those times I've felt no labor pain. Then they let me take in every hour for five consecutive hours a tablet for cervix thinning. After an hour our father came with the bags and pillows which my sister fetch at the entrance.

Once I have used up all the diapers, my sister went out of the hospital to a nearby 24- hour pharmacy. Unfortunately, it was closed and doesn't already operate 24 hours. There was no staff at the hospital pharmacy and thankfully a nurse had lent us one. It was a sleepless night for both my sister and me. She kept asking if I was feeling any pain.

Throughout, I was closely monitored by a midwife especially my blood pressure, and the baby's fetal heart tone. The midwife was very jolly that I even joked with her every time she came. Thankfully, my blood pressure stabilized.

At 6 in the morning, I was taken to the UTZ room to see how the baby is doing. The radiologist told he's fine. Later in the morning, a group of nursing students from the city university came for their duty. They have this clinical instructor who keeps telling me to do squatting which I don't heed to because my whole body especially my legs is too restless to move. I even get annoyed when she told me I am not helping myself. Haler! Wala akong labor pain, madam. I almost told her but I just kept quiet.

Safely delivered at 36 week

At around 10 am, I felt little dull pain in my back which doesn't last longer than a minute. As time goes by the pain is getting a little emphasized. And I was still leaking lots of water. Thankfully, my blood pressure stabilized. It took off a thorn from the burden because I could get an emergency c-section if my blood pressure doesn't drop. The doctor said the rise in my BP could be due to the shock I have felt when my bag of water broke.

The pain was not getting more intense for the next hour. I was already feeling irritated because it was not the labor pain I have when I have my previous deliveries. My previous pregnancy deliveries were too intense in just a short time that's why I felt the need to push. This time was different. The students' CI came again and told me I ready myself for an emergency c-section if I still won't give birth by lunch. Like what? I don't want to. If I have to grade the intensity of the pain from 1-10, it was still by the 5th intensity. So I told my sister we will go to the delivery room even I am still at 4cm dilated. I am gonna try to push.

The nurses came in and asked if I am already going to give birth. I answered them I will try to push. I fixed myself at the delivery table and gathered my strength. Breath in, breath out. Mentally counted 1-2-3 when I felt a little pain, closed my eyes then push, push and push then stopped. Why did you stop? The nurses and midwife asked. With the student nurses around I was getting anxious but later I didn't mind them. The second time I tried to push the nurses and midwife was getting impatient already. I asked them to help me by giving me a fundal push because the pain was little and short. But they said no, it can't be. They said to push longer because of the baby's crowning.

Then again push, push, and push while a nurse was coaching me on how to properly push because I was already turning my head. Though the pain was short I still tried to push long because I am thinking that I am only tiring myself if I kept stopping when the pain fades.

Puuuuush. Then swoosh, baby out at 10:56 am. It was a boy. I was relieved when they put him on my chest while he's giving out a shrill cry declaring to the world his arrival.

He was too tiny with not too thick, black, and soft hair. His color was a pleasant pink with red, red lips. He weighed 2.9 kilograms and with a body length of 50 centimeters. Moreover, he was given BCG, HepB, vitamin K and credes prophylaxis.

I was brought back to the room for pregnant women because there was still no vacant bed in the mother and child room. The four other women who were admitted first said how come I delivered quickly when it seemed I have no labor pains at all while they were already grimacing in pain when I was admitted.

Unexpected...

10 hours later, as I was changing his nappies I noticed the unusual warmth of his skin. His color seemed to flash and has difficulty breathing. When a midwife came in to take his vital signs, I immediately told her which she said she will tell the nurses.

As early as 6 in the morning, the pediatrician came in to check on him. My little one was immediately wheeled into the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, inserted with an IV line on his right hand, and was placed on oxygen therapy. The doctor said he has severe retractions. In less than 30 minutes, his fever begun to subside. However, his breathing difficulty is still there. It was so heartbreaking to see a tiny bunch of a human in that state, not to mention that he is your child.

The NICU only had one bed wherein the mother of another preemie (6 months) on an incubator is lying to watch over her child. My baby was only lying in a crib that's why my husband and my sister as the interchanging watcher only sits in the chair. Whoever is the watcher goes out when I go in to breastfeed. I get exhausted whenever I go to the NICU because there's no comfortable place for me to lie. I only sit the whole time. The supposedly NICU room was a spacious one but water from the 2nd floor above it is leaking thus it was transferred to the Newborn Screening Test room which is only good for one bed.

Meanwhile, I was discharged after 24 hours from delivery. But I was transferred to another mother and child room which is nearer, a door away from the NICU. My baby was sent to the X-Ray room for a chest examination. It was confirmed he has neonatal pneumonia. He was given antibiotics right away.

The nurses and midwife on that shift who assisted me in giving birth were puzzled when they came for their duty that day. They said my baby was doing fine the whole day during their shift. There was no sign of him being sick but why so sudden. Like the pediatrician, they asked if ever I had cough and colds during my pregnancy and I said I did because I like drinking ice water due to the very hot weather. Those times, I had not drunk any medicine but had taken olive oil, lemon with honey, and hot water therapy. That may have caused my baby to acquire the virus.

At 8 in the evening, my child's first night at the NICU my sister came to replace my husband as a watcher. She felt very pitiful towards the baby because he has deep retraction. He wanted to be held all the time in an upright position. He knew when the one holding him sits then he would cry his lungs out. My sister told me to go sleep while she watches over. I set the alarm clock at 11 pm so that I will go feed my baby. Due to my exhaustion and lack of sleep that I put off my phone unintentionally when it alarmed, and went back to sleep. I sprung from the bed and look at the time on my cellphone. It was already 2 am. I looked around and saw that the other couples with their baby were breastfeeding. I rushed to the NICU and apologized to my sister. She said it's okay. She didn't come to wake me because she knew I was too tired. I replaced her so that she will doze off a bit. But every time my baby cried, she can't sleep and would come back and held him. She was only able to get a two-hour sleep at 6 in the morning. Later did I learn that my sister hadn't sat from the time she watched over my child because he kept crying. That's when I realize I was knocked down due to exhaustion and sleeplessness that I didn't hear the baby crying.

From time to time I keep checking his IV line if it didn't get entangled, or if the flow is good, the location of his venous cannula didn't bulge, and whether his nasal cannula is still in place because every time he moves it would get out of place. His oxygen level was closely monitored by a midwife on duty. Thankfully, his dextrose was well and good not until the fourth night. I have noticed the tape holding the needle in place was wet. Therefore, the nurse had to remove it reinsert it once again on the other hand. It's heart-piercing hearing your baby in pain. The same day, his blood was taken at the heel of his foot for newborn screening. Before that, my baby was roomed into the mother and child room where I felt relieved. The pediatrician made a dawn round at around quarter to 5 in the morning. I and my husband took turns in watching the baby. However, I had to stay longer in the NICU because our baby was too fussy and kept crying. He was only able to rest at dawn that's why I just leaned beside the crib his in. The doctor found me in that state and gently shook my shoulder to wake me. That was when she told me that she already checked on my little one and he was doing better. His retraction is still there but already better that he can get out of the NICU.

On the following day, the pediatrician made her rounds early as usual. She ordered for the oxygen to be put off but I have to observe my baby if ever he will turn blue. Because there were times during his oxygen therapy that when the nasal cannula slips off from his nose, he will turn blue. Thankfully, as the day passed that he's breathing fine. Later on the day, his IV fluid was also consumed that his IV line was taken off and replaced with a Hep-lock. I was more relieved because I can carry the baby freely.

The medicines were given thru the hep-lock, however, I have observed that his heplock's tape was also wet. Thus, I have the nurse's attention. It was confirmed it was also pulled. Another torture for the baby and me because it was again transferred. This time on his right hand. Then on the 6th day, it was transferred to his left hand. It was really difficult taking care of a baby's IV line or hep-lock because you have to keep carrying him. Though you're very careful it still gets pulled out of place...

During the duration of our stay in the hospital, it was gloomy and raining. The sun never peeped in. All three babies in the room including mine already have deep pallor. They were placed on phototherapy. The other baby who is 37 weeks on delivery weighed only 1.6 kilograms. He was born 3 days before mine. Thus, he was the first to have the therapy exclusively for 24 hours or more if needed. My son and the other baby who had a nuchal cord and was born via c-section used the phototherapy alternately.

All three babies were discharged on the 26th of July after they completed their antibiotics. The first baby achieved his beautiful pinkish color while my baby and the other still had a tinge of jaundice.

It was only these days that my baby was cleared off his yellow color. There's still a little pallor but I don't have anything to worry about. I am still letting him under the early morning sun which gets in through the window.

Closing thoughts

During our one-week stay at the hospital, I have noted 4 babies born at 8 months. There are varieties of reasons why a baby is delivered prematurely. My baby as one though born late preterm I am still very grateful because his birth weight and length were on the normal line. He need not be placed inside the incubator to achieve the ideal birth weight before he is to be discharged.

I am only hoping and praying that my baby will grow normally like any child is. As of today, I can see his developments progressing. He's turning his head from side to side then stares at things. He reacts to sounds specifically noises that wake him up. He can turn on his side thru kicking and the most wonderful sight to behold is when he smiles when he's staring at things.

As of this moment, I am awaiting the hospital's text message regarding the NBS result which should have come a month after.

Sorry for the lengthy post. Do take note that most of my articles these days would be more on baby's milestones and development though I have written some in the past. And mommy's journey towards breastfeeding and other related articles...

This should have been posted on August 18 but I was not able to get it done on time. However, I finished writing it all up before September but then I was too preoccupied with posting it.

9-3-21

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