CHILDBIRTH SERIES: We Got Pregnant! (2)
Hello, Once Again My Fabulous Tribe.
I hope you enjoyed the first
part of this story or should I say I’m sure you enjoyed it because if you didn’t,
you won’t be reading right?
So you remember where we
stopped right?
Well, my EDDs passed, and to
say I was worried is an understatement. I would have you know that I have a very
strong hatred for medicine and everything that has to do with the hospital, (I have
mentioned that previously in The fight for my life) but for the sake of my baby’s health, I took my
routine pills religiously. I tried as much as possible not to miss any pill or
doctor’s appointment.
I got home and kept trusting
God to perfect everything that concerns me and my baby. My mum and Aunt also assured
me that there was no cause for alarm and that labour would come sooner than I
expect.
I made it a point of duty to increase
my walking exercise to help quicken labour. Everyone in the estate knew me
as the girl with elongated pregnancy as I was always walking around all the streets
in the estate. I would intentionally climb the staircase at least 10 to 15
times every day because I needed the baby to become uncomfortable with staying
inside my stomach and start finding her way out.
On Thursday the 30th
of April, after my usual walk around the estate, I called my doctor on the
phone and told him that I only had the usual discomfort in my lower abdomen as
a result of the pressure from my protruding belly and the heaviness of my body
but nothing unusual. As a matter of fact, I started crying on the phone because, people of God, at this point, I was super tired, my tired was even tired. I remember
telling my mum that I was tired of the pregnancy and she hushed me loudly that
it was a wrong statement to make. According to her if I say I am tired who will
complete the gestation for me. She admonished me to mind my language and
consciously keep speaking positively.
My doctor concluded that I should
come with my luggage the following day being Friday the 1st of May
that they would induce labour for my baby to come out. I lied to myself that I felt
better and that it was a better option but me, myself, and I knew that I was as
petrified as a duck being shot at by a hunter.
Around 10.30 pm on the 30th
of April, I was in the sitting room watching a movie on Africa Magic on DSTV
contemplating if I should go to bed or finish up the movie when I suddenly
became pressed and went to ease myself. I finally decided to sign out and
retire to bed around 11 since I was feeling very exhausted and drained for the
night. On getting to my room, I started feeling like I didn’t clean up well
after using the restroom and this gave me some discomfort so I took some tissue
and wiped again.
To my greatest surprise, sleep wasn’t
forthcoming so I just stayed in bed pressing my phone after my night prayers
and hoping that nature would take its course and overwhelm me. By this time
there were lots of activities going on in my stomach and abdomen that I didn’t fully
understand. I suddenly felt wet in my private part again and I was wondering, ‘Didn’t
I just clean up a few seconds ago?’
I got another tissue and wiped and before I understood what was going on, the wiping became a repeated process for about 30 to 35 minutes. By this time it was almost 1 am and I noticed the pain in my abdomen had increased in intensity. Little did I know that what I was wiping was what is called ‘the show’ which usually precedes the breaking of water that eventually leads to the beginning of the birthing process.
My abdomen suddenly became painfully
turgid in an excruciating way that hurt my pelvis, back, and waist all at the
same time. I was laying on my side and had to stay still while muffling the cry
that was almost bursting out of my mouth as a result of the pain and discomfort
I was feeling by clenching and grinding my teeth together. And just in the
space of about 5 to 10 minutes, my entire body became calm instantly. I just
assumed that it may have been something I ate or did that upset the baby. So I got
up and tried to walk slowly around the room to see if it would soothe my system
somehow.
The dehydration I felt at that
moment is incomparable so I went to the kitchen to get some water and after
gulping about 60cl of very chilled water (it even had some ice in it), I thought
I had passed all the discomfort for the night. I kept some more water beside me
because I was suddenly feeling like someone returning from a sojourn in the Sahara
desert. At interval, I sipped some of the chilled water and it didn’t take long
before I started feeling pressed so I helped myself to the restroom but by the
time I was done, I couldn’t walk back to my bed. I had to stand still for the
next few minutes because that excruciating pain had returned and held me on one
spot making it arduous for me to make any movement except clenching and
grinding my teeth once again while bending my body on the bed from my waist down and kneeling on down.
I kept trying as much as possible not to scream from the pain because the entire house was asleep. I was later made to understand that what I was experiencing is called contractions. This happens when the muscles of the uterus tighten up like a fist and relax. It is the process that helps to push out of the baby. So it comes and goes at interval as the birthing of the baby approaches and when it comes any form of movement is usually hampered, you just have to stay still else you will experience the highest discomfort of your life.
Now after this passed, my body
relaxed again but this time I made up my mind to monitor the next time it comes
and brace myself for it. I shuffled back to my bed picked my phone to call my elder
sister (My Ride and Die) to narrate my predicament to her. While I was
whispering the entire incident to her, the contractions came again and I just
lay on my side clutching my stomach and this time around I couldn’t muffle or
suppress the scream from the pain.
She kept shouting “Hello! Onyi!
Are you there? Onyi o gini? Are you okay? Talk na! Have you told uncle? Onyi!
Hei God.”
I couldn’t respond to all her
questions because the phone had fallen from my hand at this point as I painfully
waited for the contractions to pass again. The next thing I heard was, “Mummy! Come
oooo! It’s like Onyinye is in Labour oooo! I don’t know what’s happening to her
but she’s not talking again!”
I could hear my mum saying, “Nyem
phone nu hu. Hello! Onyinye?! Onyi! O gini. Is your uncle there?”
Too bad I could not respond until the contraction passed then I picked the phone and found out they had ended the call so I redialed her number. Immediately she picked I said, “I’m alright now.”
She just replied, “Uncle is
already coming downstairs to take you to the hospital.” I didn’t want to wake
them from their sleep until I was sure of what was happening to me but my
sister had already contacted them when I wasn’t responding.
Before I could even question
her for disturbing them, my Aunt and Uncle were at the door knocking. My Aunt
just said, “Onyinye I am coming inside!” like a Brigadier General talking to
her subordinate without waiting for me to respond. As soon as she stepped in
and saw all the tissue paper I had been using to wipe scattered all over the
room she screamed, “Onyi, so you have been in labour and you didn’t let us
know? That’s the show you’ve been wiping na. Baby will be out any moment.”
Like a flash of lightning, she
grabbed my already packed bag from a corner of the room and came to help me up
from the bed. “Darling,” she called out to her husband who was at the door, “let’s
start going to the hospital. She’s in labour!”
With the aid of my Aunt, I
carefully strolled to the exit door while my uncle quickly grabbed his car key
from the dining table as he was calling out to my cousin to go and open the
gate. Just before I boarded the car, the contraction came again and as usual, I
had to stand still. My uncle wanted to lift me into the car but at that moment
anyone touching was probably going to kill me. So my Aunt told him to allow me
that it would pass. I stood with my legs spread apart, bending my body from my
waist down and resting my palms on my knee while screaming at the top of my
voice this time around.
I confess I saw God seated on
the White Throne with the Angels and 24 elders bowing before him! Little did I know
that this was just the tip of the iceberg, the main labour was yet to commence!
You don’t wanna miss the main
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Don’t forget, I love you and I am rooting for you!
#staysafe
#staypositive
#stayfocused
#spreadlove
Continue to Part 3
©
Onyinye Udeh
A cliff-hanger surely ��
ReplyDelete"Who will complete the gestation for me" that made me laugh lol
Looking forward to part 3!
Thanks for stopping by dear Wonani.
DeletePart 3 dropping shortly.
Ooh lord as if I was experiencing labor again. Thanks for the break because I needed it too.. Can't wait for part 3.
ReplyDeleteWe really needed that break. The tension was becoming too much. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHmmm, this water break is important oo. The process a woman goes through just to give birth to another life.....
ReplyDeleteInfact, only God can understand. Thanks for sharing your experience with us💕. I hope you have taken enough water now oo🙈😂😂😂
My dear, is God not wonderful?
DeleteYes, I've finished drinking water.
Let's continue now.
Thanks for stopping by.
Ease yourself quickly and come back jor, we’re waiting for Part 3😆
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm done easing myself.
DeleteLet me wipe and I'll be out.
Thanks for stopping by.
This toilet that you're going to every time is it the show again?
ReplyDeleteLolz.
DeleteThis one is a bigger show!
😂😂😂😂😂
Biko come and continue this tori o. A preggo mama is waiting��
ReplyDeleteOh my Darling.
DeleteJust stay tuned, next part dropping shortly.
Omooor X 1 million.
ReplyDeleteThis is informative yet scary.
Thank you for this enlightening post, Tory teller.
I hope I don't freak out reading the next episode.
Dear Kemiclassico, I'm glad you're learning something from this.
DeleteFear not,it's one of those things. Lolz.
Thanks for stopping by.
This is as detailed as I have always wanted such experience to be told. Kudos, Mammy! 🙌🏼
ReplyDeleteThat's the aim Darling. Glad you're being informed.
Delete