Birthday

January 2: I certainly wasn't expecting it to be that day. I was bleeding, but not heavily. And I was experiencing light menstrual-like pains, which I expected would grow more intense as the time approaches. We even went to the Ob-gyne for my weekly checkup. We had an IE and I was already(!) 3-4cms. dilated. I asked the doctor if I was due anytime soon, she said definitely the weekend, which is like a day away. After our appointment I even had a pedicure, and we had lunch at Honeybear. Come afternoon, and I noticed the intervals were getting closer together and the pain definitely noticeable. We went to San Pedro Hospital where my cousin Kathy was waiting, to assist and to support us (so sweet). At the admitting section, Ron filled up the necessary forms and I was rushed to an assessment area where they will monitor the interval and intensity of my contractions, and also to check the baby's heartbeat. Thankfully, even though I was alone there, the nurses were warm and comforting, so that made the tension quite bearable. Shortly after being set up for observation, my Ob-gyne arrived and performed another IE, now i was definitely 4cms. But do I get admitted? Nope. We were advised to go home for the night (whaaat?). Sorry kid, it won't be tonight. You won't have the same birthday as your great Grandfather.

January 3: I wasn't able to sleep. The contractions were 5-8 min. apart, and it was PAINFUL. It was true what other women said, like dysmenorrhea, only 10-20 times worse. We endured the night and decided at 3:30AM to go back to the hospital. We went through the motions again, this time it was just the 2 of us, Ron and I. I even forgot to kiss my husband as the aide brought me back to the assessment area. I must admit, it was nerve-wracking to go back thinking that it was THE time, and I was all alone and nobody was there to help me through it, just a bunch of nurses and doctors. The resident Ob-gyne performed an IE and I was already 6cms dilated. I was thinking of giving birth the natural way sans epidural. But if I couldn't take the pain at this stage, what hope is left for me? So at 7cms, I finally decided that I will NEED the epidural.

After that, everything was a blur. They kept telling me to go to sleep, to rest, save my energy for later. It was still early. At around 8:30 A.M., my OB-Gyne arrived. She then proceeded to ask me how I was, am I comfortable (duh!), and then she was coaching me. I was really sleepy. But the baby has to come out some time or I'll be out cold! Then at 9:00AM, I was already 10 cms., it was time.

After seeing my son for the first time, all I could remember feeling was love, relief, anticipation, and wanting to sleep. Happy birthday Jacob Alan Carlos H. Reyes!