The Pros and Cons of Being Pregnant

Here’s a list of baby bump pros and cons (based on my own experience!)


PROs


For some reason, people are nice to you
I honestly don’t know how to explain this.


Priority Lanes, Courtesy Area, Whatever-you-call-it
I did not have to line up in long lines at public restrooms, check-out counters and everything that requires lining up and waiting. I had instant access to EVERYTHING!


I was always hungry
While this may be a disadvantage for some, for me, it was very helpful because I was able to gain some weight (I was extremely skinny before)


I was exempted in doing household chores
Thank you, Lord!


I didn’t have menstruation for almost a year
Tipid sa napkin! :p



CONs


Gigantic Boobs
While helpful for some women, I don’t feel happy about it. My boobs and my tummy met at some point during pregnancy. It’s VERY uncomfortable.


High Heels
After the third month, I was not able to wear high heels anymore. For half a year, I endured wearing JUST THESE flats everyday:


Nail & Hair Color and Treatments
I didn’t have any of these for 10 months because I was afraid of the chemicals that might enter my body and affect my baby


Energy is limited
I easily got tired from walking and even from just sitting all day


No smokes & booze
No explanation needed


Bi-hourly trip to the rest room
Baby puts pressure to the bladder, making you pee frequently


Stretch Marks
The evilest after-effect of pregnancy. I really do hope Palmer’s can fix this

Baby Has Arrived!

Two weeks ago, actually. It took me a while before I can rant about it because of the following reasons:
1. My repaired cut (vaginal) hurts like hell
2. I had to wait for my husband to get back to work so I can use the computer (because mine is busted and I don’t have money to have it repaired)
3. Tinatamad lang talaga ako :p


Going back, here’s what happened during labor and delivery:


On May 7, upon waking up, my tummy felt hard as rock. I had discharge but no contractions and baby moved just once (she usually moves almost all the time). But since I already had three false alarms, I just ignored it. At noon, I went to MOA with my husband to buy a part of his vaporizer and to consult my previous OB from Borough Medical because I had colds. When we got there, she touched my tummy and did not pay much attention to the colds I was originally complaining about. She then performed an Internal Examination (a.k.a. “finger”) to me and boy did we found out that my cervix has already dilated to 4 cm and that I was already on labor (dilation must be 10 cm in order to deliver the baby normally).


We rushed to the Caritas Family Hospital (formerly Family Clinic Hospital, Inc.) and I got admitted at around 2:30 PM. An ER doctor did an IE to me and said dilation is 2 to 3 cm. I did not believe her and did not want to. I mean c’mon, I’m getting sick of all those false alarms and all I wanted was to give birth right then and there.


Waiting to get checked-in to the Labor Room


Before 4:00 PM, I was instructed to stay in the Labor Room. It was an old room with two old hospital beds and old aircon and old comfort room and basically old everything. They did not allow my husband to go in and didn’t even allow me to bring in my cellphone. I was just there lying on the bed, waiting for my cervix to dilate to 10 cm and observing contractions— which I only had every 10, 15 and sometimes 30 minutes and each lasted for 10 seconds, meaning they were just Braxton Hicks contractions. The hell of boredom due to inactive labor has then officially begun.


At 5:10 PM, the doctor who was supposed to be the one to attend the delivery checked on me and said dilation was 1 cm. I wanted to laugh out loud and cry at the same time. Really, now? From 4 cm to 2 cm to 1 cm? You mean to say my cervix decided to constrict instead of dilate? Left with nothing else to do, I spent the whole afternoon sleeping. At 8 o’clock, they said dilation was 2 to 3 cm. I was very, very hungry at that time because they did not allow me to eat since my admission. God must have touched their hearts, so they gave me beef noodles and said “huling kain mo na yan a”. After a couple of hours, the nurse told me that she will do “labatiba” to me. I had no idea what it was so I asked “Ano yun??”. She just told me that “palalabasin lahat ng dumi”. We went to the C.R. and she inserted a small tube to my anus, allowing some form of liquid to enter. After a few seconds, I felt like pooing, and so did I. “Labatiba” is “Enema” in English. More info here.


The doctors concluded that the dilation was 3 cm at 10:12 PM and called it a day.


At around 11 PM, they finally ordered me to go for a walk. Good thing they allowed my husband to accompany me


After an hour of walking around the hallways of Labor & Delivery Room, I went back to the old hospital bed and slept. When 4 AM of the next day came, I was not able to sleep well anymore because the contractions grew stronger and formed a 5-minute interval, which finally meant active labor.


My husband showing some moral support



Actual dilation record


My cervix reached 9 cm dilation at 10:54 AM. The Obstetrician performed then an artificial rupture of membrane (a.k.a. amniotic sac, a.k.a. water bag). She used an ice pick-like tool to rupture it. When I saw that thing, I wanted to run away because I thought it would hurt, but good thing it didn’t. In a couple of seconds, a gush of water about a cup came out of me.


Full dilation (10 cm) happened at 11:15 AM. I was then transferred to the freaky Delivery Room. Although I can still walk to go there, they used a stretcher to transport me. It was my first time and I loved the ride (though I wouldn’t want to use that thing again for any reason). Then the anesthesiologist gave me an epidural/spinal anesthesia. (I believe it wasn’t necessary. It is commonly used for CS deliveries, not for NSDs.)


In a few minutes, the OB arrived and the game began. The contractions were extremely painful, but I needed them. I had to push when my tummy was contracting and stop when it was not— it’s a standard procedure. I had three failed attempts of pushing. I didn’t know if the doctor was discouraged by that or if she was motivating me when she said, “Hindi ka pa umiiri nang mabuti. Kung gusto mong manganak nang normal, depende sayo yan”, but that really helped. I was challenged by her words and so in my fourth try, my baby’s head finally came out and I felt her entire body being pulled out of me. In two seconds, I saw her and heard her first cry. I was stunned. I think I was able to flash a weak smile but I was not able to make my expected dramatic moment of tears because I was immediately knocked-out probably by tiredness.


Everyone, meet my princess..





She is the most beautiful baby girl I’ve ever seen. I will love her more than myself and I will make sure that she will be able to do everything that will make her truly happy. Most importantly, I will ensure that she will grow up a woman of God.

My Unexpected Pregnancy

I’ve been wanting to do this since the first day I learned about my pregnancy, but I was not able to do so because I was working for almost 10 hours daily and I usually become very tired when I get home. Now that I am on the second week of Maternity Leave, I’m glad I finally have the time to babble about my pregnancy journey.
I am one of the 36% Filipino women (according to NSO Statistics 2012) with unexpected pregnancy. I just exited my teenage years, started out in the corporate world and had soo many plans for the future. My then boyfriend, who is now my husband, hasn’t even met my mother when I got pregnant. My mother expects a lot from me, and truthfully, I did not intend to fail her expectations. It is still fresh to me how I told her about it. The only thing I was able to utter was “Mommy..”, then I handed her one of the three pregnancy test devices I used. She was shaking when she took it. When she finally determined what it was, she asked, “Buntis ka?”, although we both know that the question was unnecessary. She almost fell to the ground while crying softly as she could. That is one of the hurtful moments I ever had. I was hurt seeing my mom hurt because of me.


The actual PT devices I used



While it seems to be negative, I don’t regret anything. I am beyond happy with the events that happened next. I realized just how much my mother really loves me; I got married to my husband; and above all, I am about to receive the most precious gift in my life—my daughter. I also have to mention, even though I’ll be giving my first birth to a girl, God granted my wish to have a son as the eldest in my family. He is none other than Gian—my husband’s son and is now my son, too.


My baby girl



Kuya Gian



Today, (if I am correct with my guess about the first day of my LMP), my baby is now 9 months, 2 weeks and 1 day. She is due to go out on May 16, but my doctor said it would be fine to give birth anytime now. I just turned impatient today. I’ve been going back and forth from home to the hospital every two days and it has become exhausting that I just want to give birth now. I hope to get admitted as soon as tomorrow night to end the false alarms and spare some time and fare money. Above all, I wish safety for both myself and my baby.