Home Birth Pros And Cons: Mas Safe Ba Ito Ngayong May Pandemic?

Alamin ang kuwento ng isang ina na nag-undergo ng water home birth. Ano nga ba ang home birth pros and cons? Mas safe nga ba ang option na ito sa sitwasyon ngayon?

Birthing story

Sa una, plano lamang nilang mag normal delivery sa ospital dahil nga sa kanyang second baby ay naranasan niya na ang water birth.

Ngunit ilang araw lang pagkatapos maanunsyo ng lockdown, agad daw na kinausap ni Mommy Ams ang kanyang OB. Dito na na-open ang option na mag-home birth.

“Things progressed from then on and before we knew it, we were already planning to give birth to our baby in our home. God had orchestrated everything from the very beginning. From the very difficult delivery of our first child that led us to decide on having a water birth with our 2nd child — which ultimately prepared us for this birth. To us residing in a city that allows home birth, to providing a Midwife at the last minute, up to the littlest detail such as getting the exact model of the pool we needed, all the other postpartum essentials and the timing, and outcome of the delivery itself. “

Day of water birth

Noong May 6 ng umaga, nakaramdam na raw siya ng contractions, ngunit hindi pa ito masyadong malala. Iyon din ang birthday ng kanyang asawa kaya naman kahit na May 10 pa ang due date niya, ipinagdarasal daw talaga nila na manganak siya ng araw na iyon.

“At around 6am, I woke my husband up and told him I may be in labor already. Still, we went about our day as usual. He went to work and I did my usual chores and the last minute preparations. I kept updating him and at around 4pm, I said I guess it’s time to fetch the midwife on his way home to avoid any issues with the curfew, due to the lockdown. My husband, Joey, and our midwife, ate Evelyn Dalumangcad, arrived around 6pm and she did an IE. I was only 3cm dilated so she said to just do my normal routine and try to sleep after dinner. The contractions were regular, but still not so uncomfortable. I was able to eat, rest and and even wash the dishes.”

Image from @thepassionatemom’s Instagram

Bagama’t nakakaramdam siya ng contractions, nagawa pa rin niyang makagawa ng mga usual na activities at nakatulog pa nga ng regular noong araw na ‘yun. Pero nang magising siya ng madaling araw, ito ang nangyari:

“By 9pm I was about 5cm dilated and was still hopeful to have baby that night. And so I went to bed. Slept in between contractions and then by 3am, I woke up to pee. It was then I shed part of my mucus plug and had a bloody show. My midwife then said we should start filling the pool with water and start warming it up too. My girls also woke up around this time to help my husband out. I still tried my best to sleep and rest and at around 7am, I decided to get up and take a bath. The contractions were still not that painful and so I did some exercises to help open up my cervix even more. I did some squats, walking, and birth ball exercises too. I was trying not to feel anxious by the slow progress of labor and just prayed that God will sustain me until the end.”

Bagama’t matagal ang labor na kanyang pinagdaanan, noong bandang 1PM ng kasunod na araw ay nag-IE o Internal Examination muli sila at siya ay 7 CM dilated na. Kuwento pa niya, lumalakas na ang contractions noong mga oras na ‘yun at nararamdaman niya ito sa loob ng 2 hanggang 3 minutong intervals.

Dagdag pa niya:

“I had no more appetite to eat, but tried to just have a few bites for energy. During this time, with each wave, I felt pressure on my tummy and my lower back. It felt very tight and my tummy would be rock hard in the middle of each contraction. There was also pressure on my pelvis which the midwife said was the head of the baby making its way down the birth canal.”

Water birth procedure

Dahil ganito na rin ang nagiging pakiramdam niya, nag-proceed na sila sa water birth procedure mga ilang oras ang nakalipas.

“By 3:30pm, I was already in the pool and only about 5 minutes in, I already felt the urge to push. The midwife said to just follow my body and push if I feel like it. She said she can already feel my bag of water and I should expect that it will rupture anytime now. The contractions were already very intense and I was feeling strong pressure on my butt. The sensation felt exactly the same as though you are pooping. Only this time, it was accompanied by hardening of the tummy and strong lower back pains.”

Aminado si Mommy Ams na nakakapagod ito at kada nakakaramdam siya ng contraction ay humihingi siya ng tubig na inumin. Ito raw ay importante dahil kakailanganin mo ng maraming energy para rito.

Image from @thepassionatemom’s Instagram

“After pushing several times, my midwife said I wasn’t taking enough breath before pushing. It was because I was already feeling very tired due to the long labor I had. Joey also kept on reminding me to breathe. He was just behind me, praying for me, rubbing my back and kissing my cheek making sure that I was trying to relax despite the pain. I tried my best to focus on something, which was the light in our kitchen. I would just stare at it as I push. I felt like crying already, but Joey kept on encouraging me, telling me I was doing a good job. Apart from God, he truly was my source of strength. I couldn’t have done any of it without him and his support.”

Pagkatapos ng ilang push, pumutok muli ang kanyang panubigan. At dito niya rin naramdaman na ang ulo ng kanyang baby.

“I still had a bit of cervical lip that we needed to deal with. I was asked to do all fours, kneeling as I hugged the side of the pool. Immediately upon doing this, I felt the head crowning. I also felt the ring of fire or the burning feeling on the birth canal which was not as painful as when I had my 2nd baby. I specifically prayed for this, by the way, because I was a bit scared of having it again. After this I remember so vividly that I said, “Ayan na! It’s coming!”. I then went back to my original position sitting down and pushed two times, and at exactly 4:15pm of May 7, 2020, Baby Joelene Marcella was born.”

Noong lumabas na ang kanyang baby, hinila niya ito mula sa tubig at inilagay sa kanyang dibdib upang mainitan ito. Kuwento pa niya, hindi siya kaagad na umiyak pero unti-unting bumukas ang kanyang mata at agad nilang chineck ang kanyang heartbeat.

Image from @thepassionatemom’s Instagram

Nang tanungin kung ano ang kanyang naramdaman, ito ang kanyang sinabi:

“The pain was all gone. I was okay. We were safe and we were all together. If my heart could burst out of love, it would have, at that moment. It was so precious holding her, looking at her, just marveling at the miracle of childbirth. The Lord is indeed amazing for making the body of a woman capable of giving birth to a child. I remember thinking, “Is it really over? Is this real? Is she really in my arms? She was just inside of me seconds ago, and now I have her in my arms. I have another baby. I am a mother all over again! Praise the Lord!”

Dahil maliit lang ang baby, hindi na siya kinailangang tahiin. In-advise lamang ng kanyang midwife na mag-ingat sa pagbuka ng kanyang legs at huwag na munang magbuhat nang mabibigat upang mabilis na gumaling.