Let's Dive into My Lightning-Fast 10-Minute Natural Birth Experience - It Even Shocked Me!
Let's Dive into My Lightning-Fast 10-Minute Natural Birth Experience - It Even Shocked Me!
First, the good news: My due date was October 3rd, and on September 21st, I gave birth to a handsome baby boy. Before pregnancy, I was already on the heavier side, standing at 158 centimeters and weighing 140 pounds. I also had chronic hypertension.
Throughout my pregnancy, I kept up with regular check-ups. At 34 weeks, the ultrasound indicated that I was two weeks ahead in my pregnancy. Due to my high blood pressure, I was informed that the baby needed to be delivered around the 37th or 38th week. At that time, I had no idea that inducing labor was an option, and I believed early delivery could only be achieved through a C-section. I was quite worried.
Despite my hypertension, I didn't experience any adverse reactions. So, my delivery was postponed until the 38th week when there was a bed available at the hospital. This was on September 17th.
On the day of admission, I went through various medical examinations. The next day, I underwent an internal examination to assess my cervical and pelvic conditions. I was informed that I could go for a natural birth and that labor induction would begin the following day.
The hospital typically allows a maximum of three days for labor induction, with each day consisting of 8 hours. If there's no response within these three days, a C-section becomes the next step. I began induction on the 19th, and initially, I didn't feel much. I went to the delivery room in the morning with a urine basin, toilet paper, my phone, and a maternity pad.
My first day in the delivery room was quite an eye-opener. Internal examinations were performed every 4 hours, and many pregnant women weren't wearing pants. When they needed to urinate, they would use a bedpan to handle it themselves. During lunchtime, family members could ask the doctors to bring food. I started the intravenous drip at 10 AM, and by the afternoon, I was experiencing regular contractions every 2 minutes. However, they weren't very painful. At that time, I was still quite inexperienced, so I was rather pleased, thinking these were the normal pre-labor contractions. I patiently waited for my cervix to dilate, but after 8 hours of IV, there was no change, and my cervix remained closed. So, I packed up my things and returned to my room.
With the experience of the first day, the second day was much easier. I started the IV around 10 AM and endured the process. According to the fetal heart monitor, my contractions were quite regular, but the pain was less apparent. I had internal examinations at 4 hours and 8 hours, but there was still no cervical dilation. So, I returned to my room once more. I had already mentally prepared myself for a C-section.
I shared a double room in the hospital. My previous roommate had undergone a C-section but was recovering well. I didn't have strong reservations about a C-section. However, when I returned to the room after my second day of labor induction, I was shocked because my new roommate had also undergone a C-section and was still in severe pain. She had high blood pressure and a more serious condition, had her C-section at 36 weeks, and was receiving numerous IV bags and pain relief pumps. She couldn't take care of herself at all.
My mind was significantly shaken at this point. On the third day, the doctor artificially ruptured my amniotic sac, telling me that cervical dilation would be easier after this, but they also warned that if there was no progress that day, I'd have to undergo a C-section the next day. I was so disheartened that I actually burst into tears.
After some consolation from my husband and mother, I returned for labor induction. Contractions began around 10 AM, and it was quite bearable at first. Contractions occurred every 4-5 minutes, but I thought I was doing well. Then they intensified around 1 PM, and I requested an internal examination, which revealed that I had dilated by only 2 centimeters. I was excited at that moment and called my mom to let her know that I might give birth that day. Because the pain was becoming unbearable, I hadn't eaten anything for lunch, but during brief pain-free moments, I managed to eat half a chocolate bar and drink a bottle of an energy drink.
After reaching 2 centimeters, the pain became excruciating. I asked for an epidural at 2 PM, and my husband had already signed the consent form. However, my mother disagreed because she was afraid that the anesthesia might interfere with the birth, causing a lack of sensation and complications. Still, I was in so much pain that I couldn't be concerned about appearances. I cried and screamed in the delivery room while my blood pressure, which was already high, soared due to my agitation.
The doctor administered medication to lower my blood pressure, but I was in genuine agony. My blood pressure had reached 190, and the baby's heart rate was inconsistent. I was scared, desperately inhaling oxygen, afraid for the baby's safety. At 3 PM, the cervical dilation was still only 2 centimeters. I was devastated and felt like it was the end of the world. I continuously called my husband, pleading for the epidural, but my mother still wouldn't consent. I was completely falling apart.
Now, let me tell you about the two other pregnant women in the delivery room, who also added to my stress. The first was 38 weeks pregnant, and her water had broken. At 2 PM, her cervix hadn't dilated at all, but by 4 PM, she had reached 6-7 centimeters and was rushed to the delivery room. The second woman was having her second child and was reportedly dilating quickly. By 4 PM, her cervix had dilated by 3 centimeters, and she was also taken to the delivery room. Meanwhile, I was still in distress, thinking that it was taking too long to reach 10 centimeters!
At around 4 PM, I desperately needed to have a bowel movement. The doctor wouldn't allow it and told me not to push. They were constantly monitoring the baby's heartbeat and checking on my condition. At 4:30 PM, I was finally at 8 centimeters. At that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope, but the pain was beyond words. It's a kind of pain that cannot be adequately described.
Around 5 PM, I felt the urge to push, and an internal examination confirmed I was 8 centimeters dilated. I heard the doctor say the baby was descending very quickly, and my cervix was unusually wide, like a football goalpost. I was in extreme pain, but the doctors were making jokes and seemed indifferent to my feelings.
After I was moved to the delivery room, I kept trying to push, while the doctors guided me. The two pregnant women who had been brought into the delivery room before me were also pushing on their own. I couldn't help but wonder whether doctors were supposed to assist in the birthing process. But I was in so much pain that I didn't have the capacity to think about all these details. I just kept pushing on my own. My husband arrived, and the doctors said I was definitely going to give birth faster than the other two women because my cervix was dilating rapidly, and the baby's head was descending rapidly. They left me in the room with my husband and even brought him a glass of water. I thought, did he really think I would have the time or inclination to drink water at that moment?
Then several doctors entered the room, telling me to push when I didn't feel pain. At that point, I had lost all sensation of pain, I just felt an intense need to push, and it was extremely difficult to slow down. But I tried to push as slowly as possible, while following a technique I had read about before - pushing for at least 10 seconds or more. Here I must mention that eating chocolate and drinking an energy drink before giving birth was indeed helpful, and I had the energy I needed during labor.
Just when I felt ready to push the baby out with all my might, the doctor said that I was pushing too fast and asked me to slow down. But slowing down was almost impossible; I tried to manage my speed. At this point, I felt something being pulled out, and I heard the doctor say that the baby had arrived. Immediately after that, I heard the cries of the baby, and I was informed that I had given birth to a boy. The doctors were joking around, saying, "That was so fast, it was only 10 minutes!"
My husband was taken out of the room, and the doctor removed the placenta. They were taking care of some things in my uterus, and they told me that because I had pushed too quickly, there was a tear that needed two stitches. At that moment, everything seemed to brighten up, and I no longer felt any pain.
The doctors allowed me to have my first look at the baby, and I noticed that the baby's skin looked like that of a pig without its hair shaved. I turned to my husband and said, "Why doesn't he have hair?" Looking back, I realize it's quite amusing that I was worried about something like that.
Two hours later, I was moved back to the recovery room. The doctor told me that the most important task now was to drink a lot of water and urinate, preferably within two hours. If I couldn't urinate within this timeframe, they would have to insert a urinary catheter. The thought of this frightened me, and I desperately drank brown sugar water. Finally, after two hours, I managed to get out of bed and urinate. My body felt incredibly weak, and I was drenched in sweat, but it was all worth it. The next day, I was essentially back to full strength.
First, the good news: My due date was October 3rd, and on September 21st, I gave birth to a handsome baby boy. Before pregnancy, I was already on the heavier side, standing at 158 centimeters and weighing 140 pounds. I also had chronic hypertension.
Throughout my pregnancy, I kept up with regular check-ups. At 34 weeks, the ultrasound indicated that I was two weeks ahead in my pregnancy. Due to my high blood pressure, I was informed that the baby needed to be delivered around the 37th or 38th week. At that time, I had no idea that inducing labor was an option, and I believed early delivery could only be achieved through a C-section. I was quite worried.
Despite my hypertension, I didn't experience any adverse reactions. So, my delivery was postponed until the 38th week when there was a bed available at the hospital. This was on September 17th.
On the day of admission, I went through various medical examinations. The next day, I underwent an internal examination to assess my cervical and pelvic conditions. I was informed that I could go for a natural birth and that labor induction would begin the following day.
The hospital typically allows a maximum of three days for labor induction, with each day consisting of 8 hours. If there's no response within these three days, a C-section becomes the next step. I began induction on the 19th, and initially, I didn't feel much. I went to the delivery room in the morning with a urine basin, toilet paper, my phone, and a maternity pad.
My first day in the delivery room was quite an eye-opener. Internal examinations were performed every 4 hours, and many pregnant women weren't wearing pants. When they needed to urinate, they would use a bedpan to handle it themselves. During lunchtime, family members could ask the doctors to bring food. I started the intravenous drip at 10 AM, and by the afternoon, I was experiencing regular contractions every 2 minutes. However, they weren't very painful. At that time, I was still quite inexperienced, so I was rather pleased, thinking these were the normal pre-labor contractions. I patiently waited for my cervix to dilate, but after 8 hours of IV, there was no change, and my cervix remained closed. So, I packed up my things and returned to my room.
With the experience of the first day, the second day was much easier. I started the IV around 10 AM and endured the process. According to the fetal heart monitor, my contractions were quite regular, but the pain was less apparent. I had internal examinations at 4 hours and 8 hours, but there was still no cervical dilation. So, I returned to my room once more. I had already mentally prepared myself for a C-section.
I shared a double room in the hospital. My previous roommate had undergone a C-section but was recovering well. I didn't have strong reservations about a C-section. However, when I returned to the room after my second day of labor induction, I was shocked because my new roommate had also undergone a C-section and was still in severe pain. She had high blood pressure and a more serious condition, had her C-section at 36 weeks, and was receiving numerous IV bags and pain relief pumps. She couldn't take care of herself at all.
My mind was significantly shaken at this point. On the third day, the doctor artificially ruptured my amniotic sac, telling me that cervical dilation would be easier after this, but they also warned that if there was no progress that day, I'd have to undergo a C-section the next day. I was so disheartened that I actually burst into tears.
After some consolation from my husband and mother, I returned for labor induction. Contractions began around 10 AM, and it was quite bearable at first. Contractions occurred every 4-5 minutes, but I thought I was doing well. Then they intensified around 1 PM, and I requested an internal examination, which revealed that I had dilated by only 2 centimeters. I was excited at that moment and called my mom to let her know that I might give birth that day. Because the pain was becoming unbearable, I hadn't eaten anything for lunch, but during brief pain-free moments, I managed to eat half a chocolate bar and drink a bottle of an energy drink.
After reaching 2 centimeters, the pain became excruciating. I asked for an epidural at 2 PM, and my husband had already signed the consent form. However, my mother disagreed because she was afraid that the anesthesia might interfere with the birth, causing a lack of sensation and complications. Still, I was in so much pain that I couldn't be concerned about appearances. I cried and screamed in the delivery room while my blood pressure, which was already high, soared due to my agitation.
The doctor administered medication to lower my blood pressure, but I was in genuine agony. My blood pressure had reached 190, and the baby's heart rate was inconsistent. I was scared, desperately inhaling oxygen, afraid for the baby's safety. At 3 PM, the cervical dilation was still only 2 centimeters. I was devastated and felt like it was the end of the world. I continuously called my husband, pleading for the epidural, but my mother still wouldn't consent. I was completely falling apart.
Now, let me tell you about the two other pregnant women in the delivery room, who also added to my stress. The first was 38 weeks pregnant, and her water had broken. At 2 PM, her cervix hadn't dilated at all, but by 4 PM, she had reached 6-7 centimeters and was rushed to the delivery room. The second woman was having her second child and was reportedly dilating quickly. By 4 PM, her cervix had dilated by 3 centimeters, and she was also taken to the delivery room. Meanwhile, I was still in distress, thinking that it was taking too long to reach 10 centimeters!
At around 4 PM, I desperately needed to have a bowel movement. The doctor wouldn't allow it and told me not to push. They were constantly monitoring the baby's heartbeat and checking on my condition. At 4:30 PM, I was finally at 8 centimeters. At that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope, but the pain was beyond words. It's a kind of pain that cannot be adequately described.
Around 5 PM, I felt the urge to push, and an internal examination confirmed I was 8 centimeters dilated. I heard the doctor say the baby was descending very quickly, and my cervix was unusually wide, like a football goalpost. I was in extreme pain, but the doctors were making jokes and seemed indifferent to my feelings.
After I was moved to the delivery room, I kept trying to push, while the doctors guided me. The two pregnant women who had been brought into the delivery room before me were also pushing on their own. I couldn't help but wonder whether doctors were supposed to assist in the birthing process. But I was in so much pain that I didn't have the capacity to think about all these details. I just kept pushing on my own. My husband arrived, and the doctors said I was definitely going to give birth faster than the other two women because my cervix was dilating rapidly, and the baby's head was descending rapidly. They left me in the room with my husband and even brought him a glass of water. I thought, did he really think I would have the time or inclination to drink water at that moment?
Then several doctors entered the room, telling me to push when I didn't feel pain. At that point, I had lost all sensation of pain, I just felt an intense need to push, and it was extremely difficult to slow down. But I tried to push as slowly as possible, while following a technique I had read about before - pushing for at least 10 seconds or more. Here I must mention that eating chocolate and drinking an energy drink before giving birth was indeed helpful, and I had the energy I needed during labor.
Just when I felt ready to push the baby out with all my might, the doctor said that I was pushing too fast and asked me to slow down. But slowing down was almost impossible; I tried to manage my speed. At this point, I felt something being pulled out, and I heard the doctor say that the baby had arrived. Immediately after that, I heard the cries of the baby, and I was informed that I had given birth to a boy. The doctors were joking around, saying, "That was so fast, it was only 10 minutes!"
My husband was taken out of the room, and the doctor removed the placenta. They were taking care of some things in my uterus, and they told me that because I had pushed too quickly, there was a tear that needed two stitches. At that moment, everything seemed to brighten up, and I no longer felt any pain.
The doctors allowed me to have my first look at the baby, and I noticed that the baby's skin looked like that of a pig without its hair shaved. I turned to my husband and said, "Why doesn't he have hair?" Looking back, I realize it's quite amusing that I was worried about something like that.
Two hours later, I was moved back to the recovery room. The doctor told me that the most important task now was to drink a lot of water and urinate, preferably within two hours. If I couldn't urinate within this timeframe, they would have to insert a urinary catheter. The thought of this frightened me, and I desperately drank brown sugar water. Finally, after two hours, I managed to get out of bed and urinate. My body felt incredibly weak, and I was drenched in sweat, but it was all worth it. The next day, I was essentially back to full strength.
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