Check out this amazing birth story of a mom who ended up giving birth alone at home. One word to describe her? STRONG.
What can you read in this article?
- Giving birth alone at home - how it happened
- Tips on how to ease the pain during labor
I gave birth to my firstborn when I was exactly 18 years old. I was very happy and confident about my pregnancy because I had the support of my mom and dad.
Even though I was a single mom back then, I didn't care. I'm so thankful that my parents supported me. Even though I let my dad down, because I gave away the chance of achieving my dreams in the United States, they were still there for me. And I wouldn't change a thing on how it happened. It changed me a lot.
I didn't plan on giving birth alone at home. But it happened anyway. Allow me to tell you my story.
From my first ultrasound, my original due date was April 30, 2014. But my baby was born on April 10.
Labor started the day before I gave birth. But I didn't even know that my water bag broke that morning because it felt normal - like I just peed. The whole day went by without me feeling any contractions nor pain.
The start of labor
But it was a different story when evening came. All of a sudden, I felt something strange. I felt some pain in my back and also some muscle tightening around my abdomen and my torso and pelvic area. It felt like I was having my period but no blood is coming out.
Then it started to feel even weirder because my whole stomach was getting hard and also, I can feel the tightening all over it. There came a time that you feel like you want to shout because of the pain. Luckily, I was talking to some friends during my labor so they gave me advice on how to at least ease the pain.
First of all, squats are the best exercise during labor. Breathing exercises can help too. Those really helped me a lot. And since I was a medical student as well, I had an idea on how to time my contractions so that it will not be that early to go to the hospital.
But I wanted to get myself checked to see how the baby was doing. So I asked my mom to wake up my dad since he was still sleeping because he had to be awake early in the morning to drive his tricycle.
Around 1:00 a.m., my mom woke up my dad, and then my dad hurriedly went downstairs knowing that I am in labor. He tried to ask me if he should get his tricycle already and I told him not to rush, to take his coffee and eat breakfast first. After he ate, he asked if he can take a bath first and again, I told him to take his time.
By this time, my contractions were getting closer and more painful, but I didn't want to bother my dad's morning routine, given that he just woke up.
So after all the morning ceremonies, my dad finally brought us to the emergency room. I already had my baby's stuff and my maternity bag with me just in case I needed to be admitted. When I entered the ER, I was asked to lie down on a hospital bed. One of the doctors did an IE (Internal examination) and told me that I was around 4cm of dilation.
Waiting it out at home
When I heard that, I thought it was way too far from "reality." I wanted to go home first because I was hungry and I wasn't confident walking around the hospital having labor pains.
So I signed a waiver saying that the hospital is not liable in any case of unforeseen events while I am on my way back home. We rode a jeepney and also a tricycle to go back home. My dad was there waiting for his regular passenger and he asked me why I came home. "You might give birth at home."
But I told him not to worry because I was just 4 centimeters dilated and I had enough time before I would give birth. He asked me what time should we be ready to go back to the hospital, and I told him around six o'clock in the morning.
After that conversation, I started walking on our way home. But that's when the contractions started getting more intense. I guess I stopped at 3 houses before I reaching our house. When my mom opened the gate, I went straight to bed and lied down for a while.
I drank a cup of water and sat down. After a few minutes, I went to the bathroom as I felt the need to pee, and then all of a sudden, I felt like I like needed to poop. But since I can’t force it, what I did was I tried to use my fingers to get it out. Luckily, I got it all out without forcing it. After that I washed myself with water and soap, but I could feel the head already!
The moment of truth
So I went straight to my bed and at that time, the contractions were closer together and kept coming. I can already feel the need to push so that the baby could come out.
My mom shouted to our neighbors asking for help, but it was 2:00 in the morning already. My mom told me to put on my underwear and go back to the hospital, but I can’t since I can already feel the baby's head and I know that I stand up she will fall off the ground.
Luckily, one of our tenants woke up and ran out to our barangay to ask help. My cousin and aunt woke up as well. My aunt is a nurse but not in practice since she switched careers.
When the ambulance arrived, the driver asked me to push as the head was really coming out. After another push, my princess said hi to the world. She cried so much and I felt like I was floating by that time I heard her cry.
They used the bedsheet cover to carry me up to the ambulance and within three minutes, we were back at the hospital. They cut my baby’s umbilical cord inside of the ambulance and they brought her inside after that.
Before going out of the ambulance, I felt that there is something in between of my legs - that was the placenta. I stood up and it fell on the bed sheet right away.
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As I walked into the ER, all the nurses were asking me why I went home, why did I give birth at home. But to be honest, I didn’t want to like to have my labor here because the hospital was already crowded with patients and I couldn't focus.
The doctor kept arguing with me and giving me a lecture about giving birth alone at home. So the ER staff decided to bring me to the delivery room instead. When I arrived at the delivery room, I waited for another hour for the midwife to stitch me up.
The anesthesia faded immediately. Halfway through the stitching, I can feel every bit of the needle being pulled in and out of my vagina. I just prayed to God so I could endure and hoping to have it finished as soon as possible.
I hope my story (yes, it really happened) inspires you somehow to not be afraid.
After giving birth alone at home, here's what I can say to the other moms out there: all the struggles and pain that you will experience during your labor is worth it when you see your kid and hear her cry for the first time.
Just believe in yourself that you can do it and always pray to God for His guidance during your delivery.