It have been 5 days since eternity ....

At least that's how I felt in the labour ward. It did seemed forever! After 5 kids, I never imagine the 6th will left me 'traumatized'. Or is it because I'm just getting too old to be contributing to Singapore birth rate?

1 day after my due date, the contraction began at a 'comfortable' intervals of 1/2 hrs for at least 24 hrs before reality finally sank in. At 10 mins intervals, this contraction REALLY hurts! Well yes, the ones that felt ripping off your internal lower organs. 5 hrs later, I was off to the hospital, confidently feeling that this should be done and over with in the next couple of hours. How wrong was I. It turned out I was only 1 cm... 1CM!!! dilated.

I was whisked to a normal ward until I'll be at least 3cm dilated. 5 hrs later, at 9 am, an assessment ( urggg.. I hate that finger screwing whatever they did?!) revealed I was still and only ... close to 2cm.

As te contraction intensified, by 10 pm I pleaded with the duty doctor to wheel me to the labour ward, just so I can get hold of the 'gas' that somehow ... relieves the pain. Wish granted, 1/2 hr later in the labour ward, my contractions was 5 then 2 mins apart till it felt there's no more intervals. Quited frustratingly .. I was still not dilated. Still at 2 ... I was too weak, too desperate for a relief. I opted for epidural, and sure enough it work like magic. For awhile...

As I see my contraction's activities from the monitoring device, I was just glad I took epidural else, I don't think I can ever made it ... 5 hrs later ( I really realize it now that all state of changes happended exactly 5 hrs later?!) with epidural effect went off, the baby was crowning and I simply can't push him ot for the next 1 hr. That was a trauma, as the peak of all contraction was really at that point and I had to endure it for 1 hr.

But Alhamdullillah, my Lutfi Hadi was born on 23rd March 5.17 am, weighing 4kg 40 grm. :)