Ocean’s Birth (VBAC Story)

May 26, 2023

You never know what’s in store for the day kapag malapit na ang due date. I was 39 weeks and 3 days. Hindi naiinip, hindi nagmamadali, pero pwede namang lumabas na si baby kasi ang sakit niya sa ribs.

Pasado 6 AM, I woke up to my OB’s (Dr. Cecile Francisco-Ordinario a.k.a. Doc Osome) message na may in labor siya today kaya cancelled ang clinic. May checkup kasi ako dapat. Bale sa kinabukasan na lang ako pupunta.

I couldn’t get up pa kasi nakaunan si Tikoy sa braso ko and I wanted him to have more sleep. Kahit na medyo nagduda ako na nag-break na ang water bag ko, chill pa rin. Mamaya ko na alamin. (at hindi naman siya nag-break)

It would have been cool to give birth today. Kung magkataon, tatlo na kaming pinanganak on the 26th. 

It seemed like a normal morning until napansin ko ang cramps before 9 AM siguro. Parang tightening lang yung feeling nung una. Hindi naman masakit pero regular. Hindi pa ako bothered so dedma muna. Kael has errands to run so he asked me first kung aalis pa siya. Sabi ko go lang, kaya pa naman basta uwi siya agad.

By 10:15 I sent a message to my OB saying my contractions started already. Notable na ang sakit sa puson. She told me to have a warm bath or go to Metro North ER for an internal exam. Nag-log na rin ako sa Contraction Timer app para malaman ko kung gaano katagal na ba interval ng surges. Sandali pa lang akong nakakapag-input e aba pinapupunta na ako agad ng app sa ospital haha. Inisip ko pa na baka mali ako ng paggamit.

Since hubby was still out, I had my bath muna. I bathed Tikoy too. The warm water helped with the relaxation. Napansin ko rin na naging mas mahaba yung interval ng contractions habang nasa shower ako.

After maligo, sinampay ko na yung mga bagong labang damit ni Tikoy while he’s having sopas for lunch. Kumain na rin ako pagkatapos at sakto namang dating na rin ni Kael.

Sabi ko sa kaniya bilisan niyang kumilos para makapunta na kami sa Metro North. My contractions were getting uncomfortable and I tried sitting and draping myself on the birth ball.

We booked a Grab papuntang hospital. Pasok kami sa ER at ang result ng internal exam ay 5-6 cm. Woot woot! Masaya na ko doon. Yun nga lang ang taas pa ni baby. ER called my OB to relay the news then pinakausap ako kay Doc. Our next step was to go to Clinica Antipolo Hospital na where we plan to give birth.

We went home para makuha ang mga gamit. Bid goodbye to Kuya Tikoy and told him wala munang dede, Oaties Milk na muna. 

I was trying to distract myself while nasa byahe. I had my devotional prayer na rin sa sasakyan since di ko alam hanggang anong oras aabutin ang labor. Higit one hour ang byahe papuntang ospital from our place. Kung tutuusin pwede naman kami sa malapit pero sa Clinica Antipolo kasi pwedeng kasama ang hubby sa labor and delivery room. Dito rin pwedeng mag water birth which is what I planned.

Around 4:15 PM dumating na kami sa ER. Di pa kami nakakababa from Grab, may lumabas na agad na nurse to assist us.

Konting interview, vital signs, fetal doppler. Hubby was also busy filling out forms (admission, etc.). 

I was wheeled to second floor ata papuntang Operating Room. Nandoon din ang Labor Room. Wala pang 5 mins Doc Cecile was there na rin.

Kinabitan na ako ng CTG to monitor baby’s heart rate and my contractions. Nasa 6-7 cm na rin ako.

I remember I enjoyed labor with my first birth because of this CTG. Aliw na aliw ako noon na makita yung graph at i-compare intensity ng contractions ko. Pero nag epidural na ako noon by 6 cm so hindi ko alam yung sakit ng active labor.

Ngayon, hindi na ako masayang makita yung graph at numbers. Haha. Kasakit na niya.

Kahit may nakakabit sa akin na pang-monitor, I was allowed to move and change positions. I was even allowed to eat (sa first birth hindi pwedeng bumangon dahil sa monitoring, bawal kumain at bawal din mag cellphone).

So naglipat-lipat kami ng pwesto para makatulong sa position ni baby. Ang daming dinala ni Doc sa akin haha. I used the Cub inflatable, peanut ball, stress balls. Kwentuhan kami ni Doc while naka-massage and counterpressure siya, something I really appreciate. Tutok talaga siya sa patient. I left my Clary Sage oil at home but she gave me a cotton ball with a few drops of it. To add to my comfort, kumuha pa si Doc ng surgical glove na nilagyan ng mainit na tubig. 

Aside from intense contraction pains, uhaw na rin ako and gutom. Medyo nasusuka rin ako, buti may Omeprazole si Doc. Since di pa available ang room namin, dinala na rin ni Kael ang mga gamit sa OR. He handed me our baon though hindi rin naman ako masyadong nakakain because of the pain.

I don’t know what time it was when Doc decided I could immerse in water na. Basta about 7-8 cm dilated na ako.

Nasa kabilang room lang pala ang setup. It was serene, I wish I took a picture. 

Nagdagdag and bawas pa ng tubig sa pool kasi di ko kaya ang init. My body adjusted naman kahit na feeling paso sa una.

I was really looking forward sa relief from warm water. However, hindi siguro masyadong effective sa akin or talagang winner na ang contractions ko by that time.

I was getting through contractions with the help of hubby, Doc Cecile and a nurse (nalimutan ko name ni maam). Buhos sila ng pool water sa tyan ko while giving me words of encouragement. Nakakalakas ng loob. 

At some point I asked for sterile water injection na. I was trying to save that option sana for pushing pero huhu na talaga. So we went out of the pool and then punta sa bed. Masakit din yung sterile water injection and apat na turok siya. Kaya tina-timing sa contraction para pili na lang kung ano ang iindahin ko haha.

Nagbigay na rin si Doc ng pain reliever (nakalimutan ko anong tawag) na tinusok sa braso ko para makapahinga ako and makatulog. I tried to take a rest pero ramdam na ramdam ko pa rin ang surges. Hindi kayang itulog. Again, baka sa akin lang.

After what feels like hours (pero minutes lang talaga), I asked about Saddle block and Epidural na. This is it pancit. Prior to giving birth, sinulat ko pa reasons ko why unmedicated ang gusto ko. Kaya rin ako mag water birth sana is because nakaka-lessen ng pain ang being immersed in water (pero sa akin nga parang walang masyadong effect). At lesser chances of tearing din.

Ang goal naman din talaga ay makapag-VBAC so no hard feelings dapat.

My birthing team tried to contact anesthesiologists on duty kaso may mga binabantayan pa silang pasyente. And then I remembered wala man lang pala kaming photo sa pool. Kapag kasi tinurukan ng saddle block or epidural, automatic di na pwede water birth. Bed na itey.

So while waiting for anes, immerse muna kami ulit. Malay natin mailabas ko na sa pool si baby. And I tried.

I was trying all I could remember from the birth classes I took online. Up breathing, horselips breathing. Relaxing my whole body. Marami ring labor positions and partner positions na pwedeng gawin pero during this time pala dahil sa pain hindi ka na rin masyadong makagalaw. 

Sabi nila labor is 90% mental. Pero yung birth affirmations, visualizations, and all other tactics that I could use pa sana, wala na sa isip ko. I wish I endured longer. Sabi pa naman ni Doc nung nasa labor room pa kami, buti raw hindi ako nagpa-panic.

I was gripping Kael’s hands and he supported me in every way he could. I remember him telling me to inhale and I must have said something like, “wag ka nang mag-instruct kasi nasa exhale na ko”.

Doc Cecile and the nurse were also cheering me up. Binubuhusan din ng water yung likod ko and kinakapa rin si baby. I was trying to push kapag contraction na and dito na rin nag-break bag of water ko.

I can’t even begin to describe how hard and challenging it was. Of course I have an idea kasi parang nga raw menstrual cramps x 10. Pero iba yung actual haha.

Hindi ko iniisip yung mga susunod na contraction at yung mga tapos na kasi dapat take one contraction at a time. Kasi yung present one was enough to bring your knees shaking.

I was taking deep breaths, grunting and making involuntary noise. I even found myself saying things I wasn’t really thinking about like “ayoko na”. Nagulat din ako na may tumulo nang luha sakin.

I felt sleepy while nasa pool and it was probably because of the pain reliever. May effect naman pala, baka delayed lang. Medyo bagsak na katawan ko. I told Kael about it nung nasa room na kami. Sabi niya ganito nga raw mata ko non haha.

That was like the crux of my labor. Those minutes na nasa pool for the second time. Ang bittersweet lang nung every contraction I was trying to push, feeling baby going down, hoping sana lumabas na siya rito sa tubig, and at the same time praying hard na sana dumating na anesthesiologist. Every after contraction gusto kong magtanong kung nandyan na ba si Doc. Haha.

And ayun nga dumating na si Doc Guil Trazo (Anesthesiologist) fresh from World of Fun with his kids haha. Seeing him was a relief already. They helped me out of the pool pero sa sobrang iksi na ng contraction intervals I couldn’t really move agad. Yung tipong kahit nasa bed na ko at tuturukan na, papalipas muna kami ng isa pang contraction. 

I was given saddle block anesthesia. In fairness hindi kasakitan ang turok. Another reason why as much as possible gusto kong unmedicated ay para less risk of sakit sa likod and sakit sa ulo. But just like what my OB said, magaling ang Anes niya. 

And from there, gumaan na ang mga bagay. Talab agad ang anesthesia. Konting prep, nag-instruct about pushing, then game na ulit. Di ko matandaan kung nag-episiotomy na by this time. Basta nagpaalam si Doc bago siya mag-cut.

By 8:59 in the evening of May 26, 2023, baby boy Ocean Episcope was born. He was immediately placed on my chest. Dede siya agad and nag-poop na rin.

After a few minutes, kinuha muna siya ni Doc Angel Santos Jr. (Pedia) so daddy can cut the umbilical cord. Makunat daw sabi ni Kael haha. In no time he was back to me and dede ulit. 

So balik-balikan natin yung mga hindi ko nasulat sa itaas.

Hubby

While nasa bed na ako and may anesthesia na, nagpaalam si Kael pati kela Doc kung pwedeng lumabas muna. Nahihilo raw and hirap huminga. E paano lunch pa ang huling kinain. Ni hindi uminom ng tubig, nagkape lang. Naka-recover naman siya agad.

Baby

Cord coil si baby kaya paglabas ng ulo, inalis na agad ang nakapulupot sa leeg niya.

Nakwento rin ni Doc na while I was pushing, puro kanan ang punta ni baby. Di ko matandaan kung nasiksik siya doon. Basta tinulungan na siyang makalabas.

Me

While I was resting after ng delivery, I couldn’t help but think na kung nagtiis pa ko ng konti, I could have birthed him in water. Kahit cord coil daw pwede naman as of Doc Cecile, though it would have taken me longer. Bale mae-exhaust ako and I might not have the energy to push sa dulo.

I shouldn’t feel wrong about something that made my life easy. I’m glad to have known that labor pain and I’m grateful to have birthed under anesthesia. (And let me say ang badass nung mga nanganganak without anes!)

Saka isa pa, how can I feel bad when my prayers were granted? I got my VBAC! The Lord God made everything work together! Hanggang ngayon manghang-mangha pa rin kami ni Kael. We’re not even worthy pero He has always been faithful.

We were also blessed to have an amazing birthing team. Ang light lang ng atmosphere. People were joking, doctors had banters. We were supported and made comfortable. 

I’ve always had high respect for people in the medical field lalo na sa mga nasa labor and delivery. To them, it might just be another day of work. But to couples who are about to welcome their baby, to the mom who’s being stretched to limits, their care and compassion will never be forgotten.

Nung nakauwi na kami tinanong ni Mama kung kumusta si Doc Cecile. Ang sagot ni Kael, “maalaga po, parang nanay.” 🙂

Clinica Antipolo hospital

We didn’t get the chance to tour the hospital bago ako manganak so medyo surprised kami na maganda pala yung lugar kahit hindi kalakihan. Kael and I loved our time there. Friendly and helpful ang nurses, malinis ang room pati yung cr namin, ang ganda ng view sa bintana haha. Sabi nga ni Kael para raw kaming nag staycation.

At may bonus pa nga. I am Doc Cecile’s VBAC #200! Dahil dyan, libre ang pf niya weeeee! Actually may time na na-stress ako kakabantay kung ilan na ba haha. Aabot kaya ako pang-200 e ang layo ko pa. So sinama ko na lang sa prayers ko. If it’s for us, it’s for us. Kung mas kailangan ng ibang couples, it would be given to them. Pero ayun nga, super thankful kami. <3

During our follow-up checkup, I asked Doc for a recap ng pangyayari or confirmation na hindi ako CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion — hindi kakasya ang ulo ng baby sa pelvis). Alam ko namang hindi kasi nakapag-VBAC kami. Pero it turns out yung midplane ng pelvis ko e masikip. Nakapa raw ni Doc nung under anes na ko. So although nag-aadjust naman ang head ni baby or nagmo-mold para makalabas siya sa birth canal, tama lang na hindi namin siya masyadong pinalaki sa tyan ko.

VBAC

Ang laki ng difference sa recovery compared noong na-CS ako. I plan to write about it in another post. It also has something to do with knowing how to care for a newborn. Truly, nothing beats experience.

Ang saya na nakapag-VBAC kami. Glory be unto Him.