Day of bundle of joy

It was such a wonderful day. Anticipation and excitement on the arrival of baby has come. It has been a long wait, with the final anxious week wondering when exactly the due date would come. In fact the doctor suggested to induce the arrival of baby for fear that the placenta was way past due. Placenta that are "ripe" would mean less nutrients to the baby thus the suggestion.

But it was with much fervont prayer that natural birth process proceeded. In fact when the contraction started my wife wasn't sure it was an actual contraction and bore with the labour pains starting from 1am that early morning when I have just completed doing the laundry. I was a little tired, but had only fitful sleep as my wife was trying to determine whether it was an actual contraction.

Eventually by 5am she was rather sure, and we got ready to go to the hospital.

By 6.30am the midwife checked and there was dilation of 4cm. So it was finally coming! And time to admit her in. She was wheeled into the delivery room while I went to ground floor for registration. It took awhile to get it done so by the time I went to the delivery room the dilation has reach 8cm. My wife opted for epidural as she couldn't stand the pain anymore. Although it was considered a little late for such a procedure it still did its effect of numbing the pain. I guess the anesthesist was very good in his dosage estimation. I heard one instance where it was given too much until the mother do not have feeling at all and was not able deliver until it wore off. And took several hours! My wife case, the dosage was just right, enough to numb off the pain and yet still have some dull feeling.

By 7.30am the dilation was 8cm and by 7.50am it was at full dilation of 10cm and it was time to deliver. The gynae has just arrived for initial check. Then the midwife took over for the natural birth procedure. Try as my wife might, somehow she couldn't push properly. The midwife has to teach on the spot the technique of delivery to push from a certain set of muscles and push during the contraction. Somehow with the use of epidural there is always the chance of not doing it right because of lesser feelings.

So in the end, doctor has to step in and switch to using suction method of delivery. A slight incision had to made too to widen the opening for baby to come out. The doctor had to tug a bit to pull the baby out while my wife pushed on one of the contraction. Finally the baby head pop out and it was all over!

Baby came out with a cry as the nurses drain away the fluid necessary for breathing. Soon the cord was snipped off and baby was placed on mother for initial bonding before taken away for cleaning, while the doctor cleared away the rest of the placenta.

And of course I am now the proud father of a new born baby son and starting texting to get the word out on the good news! Such a biological marvel and how wonderful God in his creation! And of course the advances of technology meant I could tell not just my friends and family of the wonderful event, but the whole world too!

So happy birthday my dear child and welcome to the brave new world!