As of this writing, my new baby is still at the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) because he can't steadily breath on his own. I feel stricken and very much worried that his current situation can affect his growth and health in the future.
This is What Happened
I am past my due date when I went to labour. My due date was last January 20. The first plan was to give birth simply in a Lying-in or Maternity Clinic since I am sure I will have Normal Delivery. Nowadays, it is only encouraged for a pregnant woman to give birth in a hospital if she will need to undergo Cesarean delivery or if complications occurred during labour.
So what I did was I went to the Lying-in where I will give birth and had regular check-up last January 18 because I got worried as I haven’t felt pain in my lower abdomen and my due date is only 2 days away. I was advised by the head midwife of the clinic to come back on January 20 so she can do an Internal Examination (IE). Note that IE is needed to see if your cervix is open and how near are you into meeting your baby. Well, what happened was I came back to the clinic again last January 20 but the head midwife wasn’t around. There was another staff who advised me to undergo ultrasound so they can see if my baby is still well inside me. I reminded her that the head midwife said I should have my IE but she said to just do the ultrasound first. So that’s what I did.
After 2 hours the result came and the ultrasound gave out a normal result, meaning my baby is still okay. The ultrasound was made in a nearby hospital so I came back again to the clinic and shown the result. I asked again for the IE but the staff said to just come back on January 23 for the IE. Because I trust the clinic, I did what she advised which is actually a mistake.
Fast forward to January 23, I visited the clinic again in the morning. The staff that I talked to last January 20 wasn’t around so another staff assisted us. She did the IE and informed me that I am already 2 cm. The staff said that by the afternoon, my cervix can already open to 4 cm. which indicates that I am having an active labour. She was right about that; around 6 PM I was already having an active labour. At 9 PM, I asked my mother-in-law and hubby to take me to the clinic. They accompanied me and had a full-course labour there. Only one guardian is allowed so hubby stayed while my mother-in-law went home. Good thing our home is near the clinic so she can come back anytime.
At 2 AM I can feel an intense pain not only in my abdomen but also in my lower back. It feels like my bones are being crushed into million pieces and my abdomen will split into two. An excruciating pain I can't imagine going through again. When 5 AM hit the clock, my water broke and this is the start of my nightmare. The assisting midwife informed us that my baby already poop inside so that means viral infection had occurred and I need to be taken to the hospital quickly. There was a commotion between my family and the midwife because the midwife at first don’t want to accompany us to the hospital but my mother-in-law insisted because she needs to explain to the doctors what happened.
I was taken to the Sta. Rosa Community Hospital as it is the nearest hospital that also accepts Philhealth, a government health insurance program. During the journey to the hospital, I was in so much pain that I thought I am going to pass-out. I was taken to the Emergency Room and was assisted by the nurses. Everyone was doing there job fast as my baby's life is in danger. I remembered I can’t talk because of the intense pain. The nurses kept saying “don’t push yet” (wag ka muna umire) as they take me to the Operating Room. The pain was already too much that’s why even though they say to don’t push I still kept on pushing hoping my baby will soon come out fast.
At the Operating Room, my baby didn’t came out right away. It took about an hour and so again before I gave birth. The nurse took him away for cleaning and examination as he was covered in so much filth. After a few hours I was put under sedation and anesthesia so the doctor can stitch me up without any pain. I woke up in the ward. I was transferred there while my baby is nowhere to be found. By the way, I gave birth to him at around 7:20 AM on January 24, 2018 and was taken to the ward at around 12 noon. When I asked for my baby, the nurse informed me that he is in the NICU and will be explained by the pediatrician his case to us.
It felt like an eternity waiting for his doctor to tell us his condition.
In the evening, the pedia doctor finally visited the ward. The doctor told us that he has severe pneumonia due to the excrement and UTI, according to the lab results. She said that if my baby came out minutes late, he may not have survived because the filth has covered his entire body already. More so, the doctor told us that a tube will be placed on his mouth down to his stomach while an oxygen is needed because he still can’t breath on his own. The news really broke my heart so I literally have sleepless nights now thinking about my baby.
At night what I can do is pray to God that everything will be alright with my baby.
The doctor said that my baby needs to stay at the hospital for 7 days because of the antibiotic, oxygen and tube. I was already discharged but will still stay at the hospital since I need to breastfeed him. Now, what I can do is pray and hope for the best that he will be okay and healthy after 7 days…
To everyone I humbly ask for your prayer for my baby. In advance, I am already thanking you for your prayer and support.
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January 26, 2018 - 12:18 PM