THE BIRTH STORY

Hello, Alonzo!

It has been a long time since I posted about you! I want to keep this blog alive, but I could not think of where to start since A LOT has happened since the last post! So, after much thinking, I decided I'll post about the day you were born. Why? Because giving birth to you is probably the greatest thing I have ever experienced! And because I do not want to forget that day.

So here it goes:

On January 4, 2016, you were almost 42 weeks and were overdue inside me. We went to our weekly check-up to ensure that you were still doing A-okay inside me. Dra. Flores, my OB-Gyne, said that we can still wait another 2-3 days or we can opt to try to induce labor since she was beginning to worry that you will get stressed from the tighter space inside and you might poop and eat it or some other things related to being overdue. Your Daddy and I told her that we'll think about it. We went home, ate lunch, and talked about our options. Eventually, your Daddy and I decided to induce labor. We were scared something might happen to you and we were also excited to see you already!!! So we packed the things we'll need in the hospital (I only packed your things weeks before), and headed to Philippine Children's Medical Center in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

At around 3:30 PM, I was brought to the Perinatal Center where the drug used to soften my cervix was placed inside me. After 30 minutes, I was brought to the room where Daddy was waiting for us. We ate dinner while watching TV Patrol and I was already feeling back pains. I did not know then that I was on labor already! I told the doctor doing rounds that I was experiencing back pains so she did an internal examination (IE). And well, the drug worked right away because I was 1 cm already! We felt so happy and excited! That meant that we were close to seeing you!

I was brought to the Labor Room around 5PM. Everything was happening so fast! My back hurt so much and I was already feeling contractions. It was so painful lying down so I sat up and did breathing exercises. It worked for some time. When I reached 5cm I couldn't stand the pain any longer. Your heartbeat was still strong so everything was still okay. You were pushing yourself out that was why everything was so painful. When I reached 6cm, I was given an Epidural Anesthesia and it helped relieved the pain for a while. The contractions were coming every minute and it was so painful I asked for more anesthesia. They told me the anesthesia was wearing off easily so they had to give me a higher dose. With that, I did not feel any pain in my abdomen during contractions. It went numb. But I felt the pain in my legs! I reached 8cm at around 2 AM on January 5, 2016. You were still pushing yourself out but still unsuccessful. We were closely monitored by Dra. Flores and the other resident doctors. At 3AM, I was still at 8cm and was in an enormous amount of pain! You were still pushing yourself out, but still unsuccessful. Dra. Flores said she will give us another hour. But then your heartbeat started to go down every time you pushed out. She explained that what was happening to you was a cause for alarm and since I was stuck at 8cm for so long meant that I would not be reaching 10cm. We had to do an emergency CS, she said. I agreed right away. They brought me to the Operating Room. I was awake the entire time they were doing the operation! I felt every force they placed on my abdomen to bring you out. Then at 4:43AM I heard you crying for the first time!!! IT WAS SO SURREAL!!! You were a healthy 2.8 kilogram baby boy!!! All the excruciating pain and tiring waiting were all worth it!!!  They showed you to me all bloody and crying then you were given to the NICU for cleaning. Then they closed me up and was brought to the Recovery Room where I woke up at 9AM. The first time I held you was in the afternoon of January 5, 2016. I was brought back to the room with Daddy. We went home on January 7, 2016 and life was never the same again!

So there you go! By the way, Daddy said he heard you crying for the first time, too! He was outside the Operating Room to give the consent form for the operation.

This is a short version of the day you were born. Now, you are a very playful, jolly 8-month old baby!


Love,

Mommy

Inside the Mommy Hotel!

Hello, little boy! Here are pictures of you inside mommy's tumtum! We will see you soon, my love!

30 Weeks Strong!

Dear Alonzo Mari,

How are you doing in there? You are now 30 weeks and 3 days as of today! You are Mommy and Daddy's little big boy! We can feel you kicking harder now. Five days ago, while I was watching my nightly teleserye, I screamed in shock because I saw my tumtum moved liked there was a mouse running underneath my skin! Then I realized it was you, baby boy! My tumtum moved like the one in this video, but just for one time. Mommy and Daddy couldn't felt any happier knowing you are bigger and stronger now! 

I cannot believe we reached 30 weeks, Alonzo. 7 weeks ago, when we were confined because of threat of pre-term labor (that is delivery before 37 weeks), the doctor said you should at least reach 30 weeks. But look at you now! No more spotting for Mommy for the past two or three weeks. Looks like we are going to reach a full term, baby! Hooray!

 Alonzo at 30 weeks

On our last check-up, the doctor said you were small for your gestational age. You only weighed 1057 grams. The normal is between 1050-1650 grams. It is Mommy's fault, anak. I think I do not eat enough for you. I am sorry, baby! I try to eat more and more often now. Dra. Flores (my OB-Gyne doctor) said you should at least be 1600 grams on our next visit. That is two weeks from now! Let's eat, eat, eat!

Daddy's dinner treat at S&R Congressional

This weekend, Daddy and I will be getting a 3D/4D ultrasound. That is a procedure to see the little ones like you inside their mommy's tumtum! That means we will see you inside my tumtum! What will you be doing then? Hmmmm. We cannot wait to see you, Alonzo Mari!

Love,

Mommy

Your First Movie!

Dear Alonzo,

Yesterday, we watched (well, you listened...) Heneral Luna in the theaters. It's a movie about one of the first generals of the Philippines. We believe it's your first movie in the cinema which you can hear! How was your experience, baby? I can feel you moving during some parts of the movie. Were you scared with the new sounds you heard? 

26 weeks pregnant with Alonzo

Look at how big you are! You are now 26 weeks and 2 days, my little boy! You are becoming stronger and stronger! I can feel your kicks and sometimes I am surprised at how strong they are! You also react to certain sounds the first time you hear them. One time, we listened to Mozart and when the first note sounded, you kicked! I am still amazed at how fast you are growing and developing! In less than 14 weeks, we will see you, little one! I hope you are doing okay in there! Hold on, baby! We love you very much!

P.S. It is 95 days before Christmas, Alonzo!

Love, 

Mommy

Hello, my little boy!

Dear Alonzo Mari,

You are now 25 weeks and 3 days old inside my "tum-tum"! "Tum-tum" is a word Daddy made up which refers to tummy. How are you, my little boy? I always love to know how you are doing inside my tum-tum. Every time your Daddy and I ask you that, we would feel a movement from you. We're guessing it's a kick. But whatever it is, it makes us feel extremely happy knowing that you are strong enough to let us feel that.

It was a little past ten last night and your Daddy and I were about to sleep when we saw blood coming out from me again. This, I think, is the 5th time that it has ever happened. But unlike the other incidences where it was brown, this time it was red (doctors say red is fresh blood and brown is old blood). I felt so frightened seeing blood again because this might cause pre-term labor. You might be forced to go out of Mommy Hotel before your designated check out date which can cause a lot of complications to you. And that, my baby, is something we never want to happen to you. Your Daddy and I rushed to Philippine Children's Medical Center to get you checked. We have done that before - rushing to the hospital because of bleeding - and the feeling never changes for your Daddy and I. We both cannot think properly because we are too scared something bad might have happened to you. Sometimes we cry and even blame ourselves because we might have done something which has caused the bleeding. Anyway, back to last night. After all the tests, the doctors finally concluded that everything is a-okay! You are perfectly fine. You were very malikot when the doctors were checking your heartbeat which surprised them. It made me feel proud to be the Mommy of the malikot kid.

But you know what Alonzo, sometimes I just want to be in the hospital. To stay there until you come out in December. You know why? Not only am I sure that we'll get the best care for you, but because I can hear your heartbeat, anak. When we were admitted 2 weeks ago for five days, the nurses checked your heartbeat every 4 hours. Your Daddy and I looked forward to those times, even at the wee hours of the night, just to hear your heart pumping life to that little body of yours. Sometimes we even heard some "wooosh" which are your movements. Last night they placed a fetal monitoring device on my tum-tum and I heard you for a whole 20 minutes. It was music to my ears, Alonzo. The best music. It seemed like I can feel you in my arms and kiss you with my lips.

We cannot wait to see you, Alonzo! But don't hurry up. You still need to stay in Mommy Hotel for at least 12 weeks more! We love you, anak. We hope and pray that you will always be healthy and strong!

Love,

Mommy