Leon Maddox's Arrival

Just would like to share once again my child birth experience.

My due date was last Sunday, August 28, Saint Augustine's Day (Doctor of the Church), and it seems I'm part of the 5% of mothers who gave birth on their exact due date. (I was late with my first-born and was expecting the same with the second one.) This time around he just came right on time.. :)

It all started at 5:13 am on Sunday morning. I couldn't tell at first if the pain and pressure I was feeling was a contraction. I forgot all about the pain from the first pregnancy cause it was an induced childbirth. Not that it didn't hurt but I was more excited to meet my first born that I just knew I could take all the pain along with that process. Anyway, because the same pain was coming regularly like 7-8 minutes apart, for 50 seconds... I woke up my husband at 6am and told him that I might be giving birth soon.. I was trying to keep him from being so excited so we talked for a bit. I was concerned that I may not be able to do it without any Epidural. I was already in doubt. Narealize ko bigla, masakit pala... :))

Louie helped me time the "pains". The contractions became 4 minutes apart this time but were shorter (30 seconds). At 6:30 pm I took my shower and dressed up just in case the "pains" continue to progress. We rang the hospital's maternity suite. I was advised to immediately go to the hospital but I said to the midwife nurse that I still want to have my breakfast so I might drive thru McDo first. It was a risk but I was really hungry. We needed to rush but I even had a hard time leaving the house cause Luigi was crying. He wanted to come so badly. I just had to walk out without giving him another look.

Everytime a contraction was coming along.. I had to chew my sausage mcmuffin slowly and Louie has to pull over.. Hehehe! Looking back, it was a funny sight.. trying to breathe slowly through my contractions and chewing my brekky at the same time.

Fast forward, we were at the delivery suite at 8:30 am and 4 cm dilated already. An hour later, my OB came and because my contraction slowed down, he decided to break my waterbag. So I obliged... I was 6cm dilated after that. The contractions suddenly became stronger.. After 2 hours, we couldn't time it anymore. But I could remember texting my family and friends imbetween contractions and somehow I was losing track to whom I sent the messages successfully.. Hahaha! Great pressure was coming along with each contraction and it was happening every 2 minutes and lasts for at least a minute. And I try to breathe slowly, letting my body sag on the bed, relaxing the tensions, through each pain as my coach (my hubby) would always suggest. My OB was telling me that I looked relaxed and I told him of this Bradley Book and I think he got the idea that I don't want any form of pain relief.

It's a bit hard once the pain reaches its peak... Needs a lot of effort to relax the abdominal muscles to let the pain run its course, so to speak. I just moan through each breathing.... And I try to remember, that this one too shall pass as I silently ask for St Gerard's help and prayer.

At 11 am, I was roughly 8 cm dilated. I was like .. "Gosh.. 2 more hours to get to 10??? Oh No!". The main problem was my posterior cervix. At 11:30 am, I told the midwife to check on me again cause I was starting to feel the pressure downwards - meaning I might want to push too soon again and I was afraid again that it would cause another major tear. She checked on me and I was just between 8-9 cm. She went out to talk to the OB, and was advised if I wanted my my cervix pushed behind the baby's head on the next contraction.. I obliged again, just to open the way for the baby's head. AND BOY, IT DID HURT BIG TIME!!! It was the first time I shouted. And when she did that, I had the urge to push a bit, so a bit of the head came out.. I looked at the time and it was 11:46 am. The midwife rushed to call the OB and instructed me to pant and avoid anymore pushing. The OB came and he helped me push the baby out slowly with 3 more contractions...

On the next contraction, I felt the head crowning. I had to ask my OB to confirm it so I'd know if I'm near the "finish line". They asked me if I wanted a mirror. I'm scared to see it, I really said no! Then, another push popped out half of the baby's head. He was hanging out there.. Hehehe! The OB gave me a smile and asked me to have a look at the baby's head... Final push and his body was all out at exactly 12 noon.

I was so happy that it was all over and that I can finally wrap around my arms our little Simba (Leon - "lion" Reyes - "king").

Leon weighed 8.8 lbs and measured 52.5 cm.

View Leon Maddox's first pictures.

Luvsyu,
Maan