Once in a lifetime exp... i think

Today is totally my lucky day. Know why? haha because today the labour ward im posted to, has a total of 7 babies born during my 8 hour shift. I thought i wouldnt be so lucky, cause sometimes people waited a whole day also cant witness any. And me? i get to witness two, and actually helped to position the mother/ set up suctioning/fetch trolleys and bla bla bla.

Mothers screaming away isnt something pleasant to hear, and it really tensed me up cause the gas doenst seemed to help. You know, Entenox.. or "laughing gas"..?? yea anyway when i reach the ward about 7am, i waited for them to pass report and astuffs, and its my second time there (first time is less than 5 minutes though), i dont know the ward layout or whatsoever AT ALL!! Then guess what? Half way passing report, Mother-Room-5 screamed like hell, for several times. The first few times the nurses rush in and rush out, seemed to be ok.. then the continue one, i also rush in already.. cant stand d you know!! CURIOUS ARGH...

Ok some profile: the mother is a young one, around 19 (when they say 19 i thought my age! who knows one year older than me laaa) So she was screaming, the os already dilated 10cm, and baby eager to see the world, and she wasnt on pethidine/epidural.. the gas is the only thing she has to control the pain, so she keep screaming.. and the nurse keep telling her not to scream. =.= i dunno what to do at first. so i just helped to open the sterile stuffs and prepare the trolley la.. Even that was scary. Knowing so many equiptments in the ward, my first time seeing all those, and im so scared i get them the wrong stuffs (and ended up delaying the delivery whatever), haha. But then it seemed that i get the correct set and the stuffs. Then the staff nurse very pro, just take one glove and poke (erh, wrong word? who cares) two fingers inside to check the dilation.. and then take out and start to ask the girl to push. I was thrilled.. and nervous + curious + a little bit scared (haha) so i stand at the bed there helping to position her and help to ask her push.

Then something very funny happened. While i was holding her, she turned and look at me, then started shouting. You can imagine the picture.. Distress and pain mother shouting, innocent and blur student nurse staring. Haha... But when i first see the hair coming out, i was excited i think i held her hand a bit too tight that time. Then she said she tired but was still persistent in pushing and tried hard not to scream at me. And after a few pushings, the baby literally SLIPPED out of the vagina. I can feel that its slippery like umm.. a fish. BUT! Seriously speaking, wow. Not to say that the mother is as young as my age, seeing her being so persistent and worked so hard to deliver is like teaching me something big. That moms are the best people on earth. And when she sweats up her whole back ( i was holding the back of her neck though) and finally the baby is out, she heard the baby crying her first cry, and she smiled. And it was like double the WOW. Its something literally out of TV dramas. Baby come out, mom smiled. The whole situation is exactly the same. Only difference is that, this time, im the one holding the mother. The second one was a suctioning case so i didnt help out, besides, the MOs are all there.. so no need for this blur student nurse to help la haha.

After everything, on the way back home i kept thinking. Cant shake the blood, the placenta, the screaming and the baby out of my head. And i wonder how many of my fellow Ibrahim friends have the chance to actually not just witness, but to helped out a delivery at the age of 18? Some said after you witness a delivery, you will definitely not wanting a delivery yourself, but hell no for me. i want to feel her satisfaction when the baby cries and ask the question she asked. "Is it a boy or a girl?" And seriously speaking, this ward gives me the best satisfaction i've ever gained since my first attachment. Its amazing.

And to the guys who actually followed their wives into the labour ward and be with her, i give you my respect. Be stronger. Not just for your wife, for your kid as well. (AHEM someone dun think too much. AHEM AHEM AHEM AHEM AHEM) One of the father literally shouted when his baby girl came out today. And when the nurse was cleaning the baby and doing all sorts of stuffs on the baby, he cried i think too excited and happy. Cause when his wife is having very bad contraction pain, he cant help anything and i can imagine his helplessness and guilt. I can almost say out what he is feeling in side. Its all shown on his face. "God damnit why am i so lame? My wife is in so much pain and suffering and i cant even help out a single bit!"

Awww... Its a once in a lifetime experience. I know its a little bit late, but HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY to all mothers and HAPPY FATHERS' DAY to all fathers. and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all 18 May 2010 BABIES!! :) And im honored to have the chance to witness your arrival. *wink*