My Birthing Story with Georg Daniel

We celebrated our baby Georg Daniel's third month yesterday at my parents' house. How fast time flies! Why do babies grow so quickly?

Baby Georg Daniel after his bath yesterday.

It has been three months since I gave birth to him and yet I have not found the time yet to document his birth story through a blog post. I was so caught up in the breastfeeding sessions, diaper changes, bathing, soothing and many other duties which also include caring for his two older brothers and homeschooling them. I sometimes wonder why we need to sleep! There is so much to do even when you're a stay-at-home mom! hahaha

Our Baby Georg Daniel all set to celebrate his 3rd month.
He's wearing the outfit given by my mom.

I wanted to make that blog post as beautiful as possible... Thus, this perfectionistic tendency contributed to the delay. Today, I've decided to let go of that desire. I choose to simply dive into writing this post and do my best to make it as beautiful and memorable as I can.

My due date based on most of my ultrasound results predicted that I would give birth on December 4, 2014. My doctor said that since he is my third baby, I can give birth a week or two earlier than my expected due date.

I hoped and prayed that I would give birth as close to my due date as possible because my second child's birthday falls on November 19. I wanted to make his birthday celebration extra special because he will be a big brother soon. Thank God! I was still able to organize a nice and fun, intimate birthday party for my second child before I gave birth! :) (You may read about it here.)

Aside from that, I also had projects that I wanted to finish. One of them is our maid manual that I wanted to update, my 4-week cycle menu plan and grocery list. I wanted to finish these projects before I give birth so that even during while I'm on maternity leave, my husband and maids can use these as guides or references if I cannot take on these tasks because I'm recuperating from childbirth.

Thankfully again, God answered these prayers of mine and I finished all these before I gave birth to my third child.

I still remember that day when after eating lunch, I went to the comfort room to pee. Then, I saw that I already have a bloody discharge. I thought that this could already be my mucous plug.

I promptly informed my doctor and she said that I should go to the hospital right away. I informed my husband too. He was in the office then.

Good thing, it was my husband's lunch break so I was able to talk to him. There are days when he is in a meeting most of the day so it's hard to contact him when this is the case. I thank God that on the day that my mucous plug was removed, I was able to contact him easily.

I took a bath right away. Asked my maids to help me get my things ready (which I already put in a big bag) while waiting for my husband to arrive from his office.

The traffic then from our place to the hospital where I was supposed to give birth was moderate. To state it plainly, it's not as fast I we hoped it would be. Thankfully again, my contractions were not yet as strong to make me panic or give birth in our vehicle. We still made it to the hospital.

In my hospital room, walking around
and doing squats.

In the hospital, we were given a choice by the residents who checked on me to go back home or to get a room already. My cervix was not yet dilated big enough. If I remember it correctly, I think it was only at 3 cm. We waited for my doctor to arrive for her clinic schedule that afternoon. My husband and I watched episodes of The Flash while waiting. I also felt that the contractions were getting stronger as we waited outside my doctor's clinic.

My doctor did an internal examination (IE) of my cervix when she arrived. She advised that we just get a room already since our house is far from the hospital. When she did an IE on me, my cervix was already between 5-6 cm dilated.  

Like in my past experiences, I made a birth plan which was signed by my doctor. We simply implemented it when we checked in.

My goal was to give birth without any medication and as little intervention as possible. I did not have an IV. I was allowed to eat until I was not yet in active labor. I was free to move around my room and do whatever exercises and positions I felt were comfortable for me and were helping me.

I kept walking and squatting repeatedly, knowing that these movements would help make labor progress faster. I was determined to apply what I learned the birth class that my husband and I attended years ago in preparation for the delivery of our first child.

I also rested when I felt tired. I either sat or lied down in bed and continued with our The Flash marathon.

When night came, I tried to sleep as much as I could.

In between, a resident doctor would do an IE to check the progress of my cervix' dilation. I really didn't like this procedure. I found it painful. I tried to delay the IE as much as I could, unless my doctor tells me it's necessary.

I was able to have some sleep that night and eat breakfast a bit of lunch that day. My doctor came to have her rounds I think after lunch. When she checked my cervix, she said that the dilation progressed again and it was time for me to go to the Lamaze Room of the hospital. I gave birth to my second child in the Lamaze Room also the last time.

That's me while in labor at the Lamaze Room
(in between contractions that's why I was still smiling).

I liked it there because I was the only pregnant woman giving birth there unlike in a usual labor room. I did not like my first birthing experience wherein I could hear the other pregnant women crying or cursing because of the pain they were experiencing. Their sounds distract me from carrying out my own birth plan. I also believe that fear is contagious. So, when I learned from my doctor that the hospital already has a Lamaze Room, I told her that I want to give birth there.

My doctor estimated that I would give birth to my third baby around 5-6 pm that day. The contractions were already stronger and more frequent. They were still tolerable though. There were also times when the contractions slowed down or were less frequent. Since I was already strapped to a baby monitor, my doctor told me to stimulate my nipple whenever the contractions subside or stop so that my labor would not be prolonged. I did what she advised.

I'm really glad that I learned techniques on how to deal with the contractions especially during active labor. Learning these techniques did not take away the pain but they helped me give birth again without any medication. I kept in mind, with the help of my husband (who is my birth coach as well), that the contractions are my friends and that the stronger and more frequent they come, the better. These will speed up my labor. These will help my baby come out faster and easier.

I do not remember my water bag breaking. I just remembered that the pain from the contractions were so painful already I was having a hard time focusing on what I needed to do. When my doctor came around 5 PM, I was already about to give birth. She hurried her team to prepare my bed and the rest of the equipment and things that they need. Everything happened so fast. Before I knew it, I could already feel the baby crowning and I was already asking my husband and my doctor if it's time to push.

I remember being asked to push thrice. I was already feeling weak. I only had water being wiped on my lips since my last meal. I'm still thankful to God though that I had the energy and strength to still bring out my baby naturally.

I was relieved when I heard my baby cry and they said that the baby was already out. After that, everything seemed to unfold at a much faster rate. 

My very much awake and alert Baby Georg Daniel right after birth!

Thus, on November 28, 2014 at 6:47 pm, our baby Georg Daniel was born!

I'm glad that my doctor and her team still followed the First Embrace or "Unang Yakap" protocol which is also in my birth plan.

I remember seeing my baby and breastfeeding him right after giving birth to him. I remember my husband cutting his umbilical cord.

As agreed, my doctor used topical anesthesia while doing the repair in my perineum. My husband said that I quickly dozed off after this was administered.  

I rested in the Lamaze Room for a few hours before I was wheeled back to my room with my baby. My baby was roomed-in right away so I can breastfeed him on demand. We did the same thing with my second baby.

Baby Geordan at the hospital before our discharge.

My parents and two older kids went to visit us that afternoon. My brother drove for them.

My kids were very happy to see their baby brother. They even brought a book to read to him.

My second child reads to his baby brother. Sweet!

My parents were very happy to see their third grandchild.

First family picture with our newborn baby Georg Daniel and my parents.

They went home around evening. Actually, it was a challenge for the boys to go home and stay there while my husband and I were still in the hospital. They were crying at night and they kept calling us in the hospital. It broke my heart to hear them cry and to know that they missed us. But we had to endure that. Good thing that my mom was with them to comfort them at night.

We went home with our newborn baby on December 1. We were greeted by banner that our eldest son made for us. It was hang on our front/main door.

  

I praise and thank God for keeping me and my baby safe during my delivery. I praise and thank Him that He made all things fall into place... that He answered my prayers and delivered me from all my fears.