My Second Labor

Eirsa was born via c-section procedure due to no progress after 16 hours of labor (may be around 6 or 7 hours of active labor), overdue and that Allah wanted to help me by having cysts removal during the same procedure.

This time, I'd set my mind to try to go for normal delivery as I want to experience the true labor, plus if I had c-section this time, I could no longer opt for normal delivery for the 3rd labor and of course it's easier in terms of financial. The EDD was 1 March 2012.

I started bleeding (quite a lot) on 29 Feb 2012, around 4am. But the contractions were not progressive; perhaps some mild contractions every 8 minutes. We went for check up at 12pm and I was only 1cm dilated. My gynae advised us to go back home and return for admission at 9pm.

At 9pm, I registered for admission with still on and off contractions. I was still bleeding, like normal menstrual. But as advised, I stayed in the labor room for that night, without my husband, as he had to take care of Eirsa (my parents-in-laws were not around until 1 March 2012). Throughout the night I surprisingly had uninterrupted sleep, due to mild and inconsistent contractions. The bleeding still continued.

Gynae paid me a visit in the morning 1 March 2012, but as expected, the progress was still the same. She then gave us time out so that I could take some good walk to promote the contractions and we would need to 'check in' later at 3pm that day. My husband and I managed to run some errands and I feel almost no contractions at all until we returned back to the labor room. So I asked my husband to have a good rest at the nearby hotel since it was impossible to sleep comfortably in the labor room. We need him to be refreshed in the next morning. I would definitely give him a call if it's the time.

12am, 2 March 2012. Strong contractions started every 1/2 hour and every 10 minutes starting at 4am. I told my husband to come at 9am after he had checked out and had his breakfast. Gynae came at 8am and I was 2cm dilated. A small by relieving progress. Gynae then broke my water, to urge the contractions and instructed the midwives to induce me with 1/2 dose. I requested to first monitor the contractions as I as far as possible would not want to be induced. But the contractions seemed back to mild contractions every 10 minutes. With that kind of pattern, I had no choice but to be induced. With slower flow, my contractions were strong but every 3 minutes. Gynae instructed to fasten the flow to reach the 2 minutes elapsed time contractions and that when my fear of being induced started.

The contractions were every 1+ minute and the pain was, I must say, triple than the natural contractions. I could bear the natural contractions alone earlier, but with induction, even with my husband around, I could not handle the pain. It was too painful that I was all sweating and shivering every single time. So we opted for epidural. But I have to wait for 3 hours with the extreme pain for the epidural since the specialists were all occupied. And it was a long long long 3 most painful hours in my life.

The epidural was finally installed at 12pm and I could finally had my lunch. At 1pm I was attached with CTG and the reading was frightening.

Baby's heartbeat dropped to 70 beats per minute (bpm) every each contraction (which was every 1+ minute) as compared to the baseline of 110 bpm (low) - 160 bpm (high). The reading was only back to normal when the drip was removed. But without induction, my contractions progress was back to mild and every 10 - 15 minutes. And my water was slowly reduced. All readings were sent to my gynae for her analysis and further advise.

At 2pm my gynae came and checked for my dilation; I was only 3 cm dilated. It was after 5 hours being induced, resulted to very strong contractions every 1+ minute and dangerously low baby's heart rate during each contraction. She said that it was too risky to wait for full opening, especially with the poor baby's heart rate. And we had to reluctantly say yes for another c-section procedure.

And alhamdulillah. Everything is safe now. It was a tough decision but it was a must. God knows best. :)

Till then.