Hello ladies! This is my experience of delivery day.
As any first-time mom would, I had taken my prenatal classes, did yoga, read pregnancy books, took proper care of my health. I was very nervous when due date started approaching.
My hospital bag was ready. I knew what I was supposed to do when into the labor- breathing exercises, hip rotations, calming music. What I dint know was – How contractions would feel. Thanks to TV, I thought there would be water breaking or sudden period like cramps in stomach or something very much predictable.
But when it was the day, my experience was totally different. I was having my evening walk at 6.30 pm. Suddenly I felt heaviness near abdomen. But that wasn’t new. I had experienced such heaviness through third semester. They call it -false contractions or Braxton-Hick’s contractions.
I came back home to relax. After around 1 hour I started getting frequent urge to use washroom. We thought, it was bad food causing stomach flu. I had dinner & went to sleep by 10.30 PM. Woke up around 2 am with urge to use toilet again.
Diarrhea is one of the signs that your labor is nearing. And yes, OfCourse I didn’t know that. Urge to go to the toilet, is caused by your baby’s head pressing on your bowel.
Post 2am there were frequent turns to washroom & little back pain. When I noticed the time difference between bathroom visits, I got a hint that I might be getting into labor.
But naturally, it was late night, everyone was asleep, and I didn’t want to wake up people until, I was sure. By 4am time interval between 2-bathroom visits had reduced to around 20 mins.
Thats when I woke up my aunt. But still I wasn’t sure that I was approaching labor as I dint feel period pain or severe backache. My aunt made some hot jeera water (cumin tea) for me. It seems that it is a home remedy for inducing contractions.
I was actually into labor. And cumin tea helped to prove us that fact. Contractions were happening every 15 mins. I even started getting sever backache.
We decided to go to hospital & started car at around 4.30am. Hospital was hour long ride. And the moment I got up from car to enter hospital, my water broke. I entered labor room with help of nurses. I was already 6 cm dilated. Got scolding’s from nurses for not coming to hospital earlier.
Once in hospital, everything went on as per norms. An enema to empty bowel, contractions, pain, episiotomy to ease childbirth. And finally, arrival of my baby at 9.25 am.
That’s my story about getting into labor. Well, this wasn’t something to scare you. Everyone has different experience, and this was mine.
Below are the signs that labor might be starting:
1. Contractions or tightening’s.
2. When the plug of mucus from your cervix comes away.
3. Backache
4. An urge to go to the toilet, which is caused by your baby’s head pressing on your bowel.
5. Your waters breaking.
You can also go through Signs of Labor – American Pregnancy Association
continued in part 2 – The D Day – Part 2 – Happy Mom Happy Family
