Oh yes, everyone including myself would have thought that this blog is finally dead but believe me, I did not wanted to post anything negative with severe Pregnancy blues (strikes just before postpartum depression) or Postpartum blues here. I also did not want to jinx anything but now when yours truly is a mother, she is going to follow what she believes in. Common sense. There is nothing like jinxing!
Ah, let me start the story of my delivery. I promise to write a boring and long pregnancy journey soon, if anybody is really bored. Here I go!
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12th June, night it was. This nine months pregnant lady (Yours truly) was asleep out of fatigue. Either I dreamt or was it a hallucination where in I saw a baby in Blue light smiling? No, I do not believe in any religious omens or supernatural activities - most probably my baby in the womb had kicked the water bag and I was already in the puddle of fluid. I got up at the very moment and rushed towards the washroom- Bhapak! I am not kidding, I felt there was a 1 Lt water bottle inside my stomach which was now broken. I called my dad from the washroom while changing into my old Pyjama. Dad at once called the doctor to check, meanwhile I just came out and was fairly confident that this was IT. Our baby is going to be out in this world in a few hours. And...
I knew that this baby has its own mind- My Dad had arrived just in the morning from his business trip, My brother had just left for Delhi by road and I was going to gift a one night two days Spa package at a luxurious hotel to Mr.ISB, to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary knocking the door in two days. Little did I know that the baby would be arriving two weeks before the due date, hence all the plans were just going to evaporate.
Now, once the Doctor asked us to reach hospital as soon as possible, my Dad pulled out my hospital bag which was already carefully packed and procured by my Mumma. I was just trying to keep every one calm (Oh no, not my Dad. He is one of the five calmest guys of my life!) as I was worried about my mother, who because of a broken leg would just cry feeling helpless. I asked her to be her usual self to keep my spirits high, and that is what helped me the entire night. My Mumma called my M masi to accompany me in the hospital who by the way, did not waste any time in reaching. So, in flat ten minutes we were en route to the hospital.
I took out the mobile while trying to relax in the car with wet (Read: Drenched) Pyjamas. I quickly typed a message to Mr.ISB with whom I was chatting just before an hour, hence I was sure he was awake. I asked him to book first flight to Ahmedabad possible and get in touch with my dad once we reach hospital.
On reaching hospital, I chose to quickly climb the tiny staircase of the hospital rather than taking the elevator while sprinkling amniotic fluid all over. A nurse was already waiting for me on the entrance. She checked baby's heart rate and confirmed the broken stage of water bag (oh, I knew it)- everything was okay. I was asked to change my clothes and admitted in the room we had chosen beforehand. Now, our doctors - the husband, the wife and the daughter (now called as Doctor Uncle, Doctor Aunty and Doctor F, because that is what they had become!) had everything prepared- Doctor uncle and Doctor F had reached by the time I had changed while waiting for the labour pain to start! Wasn't it in line after the fluid leak? Well, no our baby had decided to be little bit more calm!
My dilation was zero even after an hour. Pain was hardly there. Fluid loss was a lot more than normal. Hence, my Dad and Doctor Uncle decided to wait for the labor pain to start while getting in touch with my Fai M who herself is a doctor and was supposed to fly to US of A on the next day - Ah, Nothing can fortunately happen in my life without she getting into any medical matter, if not taking the matter into her hands (because the an ENT surgeon can only do so much! Hah!)
Now, all I could do was to get reminded by my Masi to sleep as once the labour pain peaks I wont be able to sleep. My dad kept on coordinating with Mumma, other members of the family and of course, my brother who at once turned the car towards Ahmedabad- from a place six hours away to see the baby! Very strong support came digitally, as I was in touch with Mumma, Mr.ISB , Relatives from US and my Gynecologist friend who herself was about to go through delivery in two days.
Doctor F and the nurse kept on coming to me every 20 minutes to check baby's heart rate, contractions and ah, fetus movements. Believe me, every time they asked if I feel the movement- I was not sure. It was getting stressful along with first level contractions. However, contractions were not progressing and Doctors were noting down the continuous leakage of amniotic fluid. My Dad, coming from a Doctor's family had an idea that I might have to go under C Section. However, Doctors decided to buy time till early morning 6.30 am. Exactly the time when Mr.ISB would be reaching hospital thanks to Vistara Airlines which started operating between Mumbai Ahmedabad, at such odd hours the very week and hence tickets were available.
After exchanges of many text messages, finally Mr.ISB reached where I was eagerly wanting to meet him before going for the surgery. Once it was decided that I would be taken in at 8 am, my dad left to pick my Mumma who could only walk on one leg with the help of the walker. But, how could she miss this event? I wanted her and Mr.ISB to hold my baby before anybody else and needless to say, timings were perfect as usual!
I was taken to Operation Theater at 8 am and I was nothing but relaxed knowing all three Gynecologists with a pediatrician from the best team of the town and a good Anesthetist were present. I was briefed before every step. Two injections to numb the body below the spine were given which eventually made me feel heavy but nothing else. Doctor Aunty was very kind enough to hold my hand through the entire surgery. Incision was made by Doctor F and the baby was later on taken out (I was told this later on, I could not see anything at that time), I could hear the cries of my baby and suddenly I realized, baby was taken out. Doctor uncle stitched me up and the Anesthetist informed me that I would be given a tranquilizer through an injection so I can rest. Some where in my mind, I was screaming to see the baby and ah, to know the gender at least. Which obviously happened in next five minutes! (they were checking vitals of the baby and also the baby was shown to the new Dad and the maternal grandmother who had arrived just in time) When Doctor Aunty asked me to open my eyes and see our baby and told me it is a Boy- I could not resist but smile and wished to sleep a lot. When they shifted me to my room and connected a few tubes with my numb body- I could feel only the movements. The only thing later on I remember seeing is, my Mumma sitting opposite to me, with a baby in her hand who eventually was moved to Mr.ISB, My Dad and My M Masi. The news were spreading fast and my entire maternal clan and the couple of people of my paternal clan were chipping in to help my parents to manage all the fronts. My In-laws back in Mumbai were, needless to say excited and MIL was already planning her trip to Ahmedabad to see us.
My Photography-challenged Dad had clicked a picture of the baby which can easily be used as a prob to scare shit out of kids or cause depression in the new mother in case the mother is not sedated, however when I was asked to hold the baby after an hour, he was much more re-presentable and looked cute to me thanks to my hormones! I hope our baby forgives his Nana for this ugly mistake when he grows up - Hhahahahaha.
Back to myself, I wanted water all the time which was not permitted to consume for four more hours. I kept on sleeping even when that was the last thing to I wanted to do- all I wanted to do was to talk to my Mumma, Mr.ISB and see the baby. I was amused how fragile he was and how he cried for food periodically with his high pitch voice. Slowly, reality started surfacing out with fading effect of anesthesia, stitches were very very and super very painful even if I would try to move an inch, once my lower portion was no more numb. Catheter was connected with my bladder and believe me, when they disconnected it the next day I was not so happy. Because it meant a trip to the loo which was crazy painful. I would cry too when the baby would cry, because it meant I will have to get up in next two minutes with oh so much pain to feed the baby which was again a dreadful experience with nurses pressing my breasts to check (and force?) my lactation. Needless to say, it took dreadful eight days to even start lactation but that is another story all together.
On the third day, when I was supposed to get discharged I was mobile enough to walk. Walk without too much of pain and all I wanted to do was to meet my Mumma. My Mother-In-Law came to see the baby hence going to home from hospital was not scary with the baby. Next two days at home just flied because, my Mumma with her broken leg took over the responsibility of the very new born baby of ours along with my dad and Mr.ISB- with an eternal feeding supplement so that he does not lose too much of weight while my Mumma's baby can take needful rest hopefully which would propel start of lactation. I kept on sleeping to my heart's content for two nights and believe me, those two days got myself physically recovered from the surgery. While I felt better, a deep emotional trauma was waiting because my very hungry and growing baby started hauling and yours truly could hardly manage him-she was dependent on every one else around. I would save that part for another serious post.
However, this entire birthing experience was enriching, because in myself suddenly a mother was also born. Two big eyes on a tiny face was nothing sort of cheesy love at first sight but in just two days whenever postpartum blues used to strike- his face kept on anchoring my confidence.
About Abby- Our new born baby? Ah, he was now on board to take his parents on a ride for life.
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PS: Abby matches his real name and also, it is the name of one of the characters I loved the most in the series NCIS- Naval Criminal Investigative Service!
