Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Baby Imann Birth Story ....From Mummy Peed point of view as a Doula.


To begin with, Wahida is my bestfriend since we were in MRSM Muadzam Shah. She is bubbly, friendly, intelligent, and a determined person. When she found out and told me that she was pregnant, not once I implanted the idea of homebirthing. But I did introduce her to the idea of gentle birth.

It was she who initiated the first step to read through the birth stories in the Hypnobirthing website. From there, she asked me about my experience and (I think) she was sold with the idea. Plus, her husband was first decided to homebirth ans was far  more confident as compared to her. After that, I advised her to enroll for childbirth class, and they decided to sign up for Maria Zain’s AMANI Childbirth preparation class.

Baby Imann Birth Day!

What an interesting day it was.. It was May 5th,2013 our 13th General Election Day. I received a call from Wahida at about 3 pm just after I went to cast my vote. She just informed me that she had her birth show around 1 p.m and that the surges were still mild and there was some amniotic fluid leaked after that. I just reminded her to keep herself hydrated and eat vitamin C if she has any.  I told her that when I birthed Ifwan, I got my blood show at about lunch hour and I birthed the next day. For that reason, I was kind of forget the fact that each labour is different for a while (and I forget that she was in labour until it was about 7 -8 o clock). I sent her an SMS asking how she’s doing, and the the progress of the labour and there was no reply. So, I thought she can still handle it herself. Not long after that, around 9.30 p.m ( I was just arrived in TESCO Kajang to shop for grocery) Nik (the husband) called me telling that the wife was having strong intense labour, started after Maghrib prayer. I asked if she has tried the birth ball, she did but now the birth ball no longer gave her any relief and she has jumped in the pool. Nik asked if I had any word to give her, and I said “ Please tell her not to fight the sensation because that what makes it unbearable”.

My husband asked me who called. “ It’s Nik. Yda’s husband.” I answered. “Why? Is she in labour?” he asked. “Yes. Nik said that she cannot tahan any more with birth ball and she has jumped in the pool already” I explained. “ Then, let’s just go there.” He decided. “ Tak jadi beli grocery?” I asked. “Nanti-nanti lah. Maybe she is in need of emotional support right now” said my husband. On the way to her place, my husband asked me “Do you think she wants you to be there? I mean, ya laa, like you, Masik (my sister) next door pun, you don’t want to call.” . “ That was me, at that moment I just didn’t want any other person in the room. But I think, she wanted me to be around kot, because she updated me when she had the show. Plus, Nik sounds a bit panic”

We arrived at around 10.50 p.m. and Nik left the front door unlocked. So I entered the house straight to the room with my one year old Ifwan Ariff.  I saw Wahida was already doing great. She was on all fours working with the surges. At that moment, she couldn’t really talk so I only talked to Nik for the update and the progress so far. I let my baby to stand by the pool. He stood there and not long after that he cried. Maybe he was sleepy. I fed him to sleep and the host let Ifwan sleep in another room. Thank you Allah for making things easier.  My Alya was asleep downstairs with my husband watching the results for PRU 13 on the TV. I went out of the room where my baby slept and saw Nik was feeding her wife and I left both of them in the room alone, and went downstairs to join my husband watching the TV.

Later, Nik came down and joined us for a while. While we were chatting and made commentaries on the PRU 13 results, we heard Wahida calling for her husband. Nik ran upstairs to the room. I followed. When I entered the room, Nik already held the baby’s head. Wahida was in position half kneeling, and another leg was almost straight. The baby’s shoulder was earthside already. I heard this brave mummy greeted the baby “Assalamualaikum, Imann!”. We waited for about 2 minutes or so before I gave suggestion to stand up. She agreed. So I helped her to stand up and the baby slides to her father. “ Alhamdulillah !! Good girl!!” Nik praised her wife. Immediately after that, he recited Azan to his son. It was so unfortunate for this doula because I failed to capture this precious moment when Imann made his Grand Entrance earthside because I couldn’t find my phone. I only found my phone when I help her to stand up.After that, I asked her if she wanted to rest on the bed, and she said yes, she would love to. Only then we could chat like old friends, comparing experience and all. But one thing that I was really glad to hear was that, she was not at all feel any trauma and she is not afraid of another childbirth. That is priceless!!! Both mummy and baby enjoyed each other company together while the father cleaning up the birth scene. I helped them to capture the moment, taking photos and recording video.

When the baby started breastfeeding, Mummy started to feel the surges again. To make the mother comfortable, I suggested Nik to support Wahida from the back, so she can lie back on him comfortably.  While she enjoyed her surges,  I passed them the drink so she can have a sip or two , as the husband could not move anymore.

After 2 hour of surges, I started to SMS and FB message to Maria and Wai Han for assistance (around 1.40 a.m). I knew that there’s a record of 14 hour for the plassi to birth, but the Mummy wanted to get it done as soon as possible. So, I asked both Maria and Wai Han if they have any suggestion to speed up the birth of the plassi. I was so afraid that it would be disturbing to send SMS to people at odd hours. But to my surprise, Wai Han replied almost immediately, “Cough it out”. “Ok yda, try to cough it out” I said. “ I couldn’t really cough, but I’ll try to do what I can”. She was sort of clearing her throat. She made it quite a few times. Then another SMS came in from Wai Han “Drink raspberry leaf tea to strengthen surge.”  That made me paused quite some time thinking how in the world I can get RLT in the middle of the night. Then I just ask Yda if she has any. And she said yes, she had it.  Thank you Allah for making things easier. I ran downstairs and get the tea. So I made the tea. And another SMS came in from Wai Han “Tried to sit on toilet bowl?” and “During surge, can try pull gently”. “Currently, she’s kneeling..” I replied.

“Yda, do you want to try sit on the toilet bowl?” I asked. “That’s what I thought too.” she said. So I offered to hold the baby, and asked Nik to help assist Yda to the toilet. I talked to the baby, “ Baby Imann, could you please ask your friend to come out??”  Dont know if that work, but I just tried asking the baby to take part. We waited quite a long time in the toilet. She continuously clear her throat, drink the tea until I saw the part of the plassi at the opening. Only then, I tried cord traction to get the plassi out. Yda said that she barely feel the surge anymore. I decided to pull the cord harder than the first attempt ( as I assumed that the plassi was detached already). Third time is a charm. My third attempt to pull the plassi out was successful. The plassi came out in a whole. “Alhamdulillah!!” . All of us were really glad that it was all over and everything went smoothly.

Later, Yda get herself cleaned and I asked Nik to help Yda to settle down, while I held the baby in the toilet. While waiting the parents to settle down, I open the pipe and wash away all the blood clot in the toilet. After she settled down, I helped them to clean the baby as he had passed out the meconium. Just before that, Nik tied the baby’s umbilical cord  with some floss and cut the cord using sterilized scissors. After getting the baby cleaned and swaddled, I asked  permission to go home at about 3.15 a.m. That’s the story from my side.

Above all, thank you Allah for make everything easier. Thank you Soo Wai Han for still replying my SMS in the odd hours. And thank you to both Yda and Nik for inviting me to witness and share this beautiful experience of yours.