Jem's Childbirth Experience

Dearest Chiqui,

I have to start with saying "Thank you". Because of your classes My partner (Andy) and I were successful in delivering our baby by Lamaze!

From the very beginning of our pregnancy I was already looking forward to attending Lamaze classes. My Oby-gyn suggested your classes but with Andy's hectic schedule we almost couldn't make "habol". Fortunately late into my 8th month of pregnancy we were able to attend.

On the morning of December 27, 1999, I was experiencing some pain somewhat like menstrual cramps. We were planning to go to the hospital anyways that day because of our weekly check-ups. When we arrived I was also experiencing diarrhea and slight fever so my OB wanted me to be observed just for a short while. So I was hooked up to a fetal monitor and observed from 12:00 noon to about 5:30 p.m. Andy was so convinced that I was just having cramps from my bowel movements and insisted that we go home. My OB was pretty skeptical because she felt that I was having early signs of Labor. But she released me and we went home.

When we arrived home I was quite exhausted and feverish. The "poopie cramps" (Thats what Andy called them) Have not yet stopped and they were beginning to get uncomfortable. I then ate fruits,did some stretches and practiced some labor positions.(I really found the squatting postion very comfortable and pain relieving) next I took a nap.

I woke up around 9:00 p.m. and noticed that the "poopie cramps" have not yet gone away so I started to time them and they seemed to be in 25 minute intervals. This being my first baby, I really didn't know what to expect so I just kept on doing my breathing exercises and stretches just to keep me relaxed.

11:00 p.m. I thought that taking a hot shower would relax me even more, so i did. The intervals were now down to 15 minutes apart.I still didn't think anything of them.I continued eating and watching T.V. This next part I can clearly remember...

Andy walks in and asked me if the cramps have gone away. He was surprised that they haven't yet then offered me a popscicle. There I was, 1:00 in the morning sitting on the bed, eating a popsicle and all of a sudden, my water broke. It felt like someone pulled a plug out of me!

I looked at Andy and said "Uh-oh, I think my water just broke" Andy's eyes widened as I wobbled to the bathroom and sure enough it was my water! I then started this feeling of excitement that the day was finally here, the day that I've been anticipating for 9 months finally arrived!

Andy started running around the house grabbing things as if we were going camping and stuffing them into a backpack. My bag was already packed and waiting by the door along with my labor kit and pillows.

We arrived at the hospital around 1:30 a.m. at this time my contractions were 3 to 4 minutes apart and despite my condition, I turned down the wheelchair that was offered to me and walked myself up to the second floor where the delivery room was.I was feeling so relaxed and so ready to deliver my baby.

Unfortunately when I walked in...the nurses wanted to strap me down to a fetal monitor which confined me to the bed. I wanted to continue walking around cuz it made the pain easier for me to bare everytime a contraction came. Lying in bed just made me feel them 10 times worse and I didn't like the feeling at all!

My first IE I was only 3 cm. My contractions were coming stronger and all of a sudden faster at about 2 minute intervals.I started to moan to ease the pain. My moaning turned into screaming and I was asking for some kind of pain reliever. They asked if I wanted to be sedated and that was totally out of the question because I wanted to be awake thru the whole thing. So Andy and I worked on our breathing instead.

At about 2:30 a.m. my OB arrived and I was now 8cm. I started to get that urge to push but the nurses were advising me not to. After about what seemed 4 more intense contractions I was then wheeled to the delivery room.

As soon as we got there, I changed beds, they sterilized me then they told me that on my next contraction I can go ahead and push. With Andy at my side all suited up I was ready...

With one big push our daughter was born!

She was 7 lbs 13 ounces and 20 inches long! We named her Audrey Jade.The most beautiful baby that I have ever seen! Andy said that she was practically air born cuz she came out so fast!

The funny thing was that I had to get 5 stitches from my episiotomy and i asked for anesthesia for the stitches and Andy said " you just delivered a baby with no pain killers and now you want anethesia for some little stitches? ... I ended up getting the stitches without anesthesia! =)

So now I'm a Mommy and I'm loving every minute of it!

She looks a lot like her Daddy. You didn't tell me that they grow so fast. She is 2 months old now. Looking back at my delivery it was really not that bad. Being convinced that my contractions were "poopie cramps" helped out a lot.

I was glad that I spent most of my labor at home because I was able to walk around and do my stretching and breathing exercises rather than being confined to a bed.The healing process was faster because I didn't have an epidural. My friends who had had an epidural tell me that their bodies feel so weak the next morning. I was able to walk that same day and go home the next.

Like I said in the beginning of my letter... "Thank you Chiqui"... Lamaze is definitely the way to go!

Sincerely,

Jem Q.
Feb 2000