Blessed to have her: The birth of Manaal

It was the end of 2011 and I was due in November. When everyone was eagerly waiting for Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation, I was waiting for my little munchkin. Days passed by and I had no contractions not even Braxton Hicks contractions. It was then my Ob Gyn decided to induce my labour. I was so relieved that my pregnancy was going to end and finally I can have my little one in my arms. The doctor decided that I would be induced on the 11th of November (11/11/11 lucky baby I thought!).

I was admitted in the hospital at 5 am and the nurses hooked me to hydration IV, antibiotics (as I was strep b positive) and Pitocin. Within an hour I started to feel my contractions. At first they were as light as menstrual cramps but as time passed by they began to intensify. My OBGYN decided to break my water so the labour would proceed quickly. As time passed by I couldn’t bear the contractions, with the nurse checking me every 15 minutes. She suggested me taking an epidural. Taking an epidural was not in my birth plan but at that time with the contractions coming so intensely I could only beg for it.

As soon as I got my epidural I was in relief; my lower body got numb and I was relieved. Time to time nurses came and checked me and I was going pretty good. Finally at 7 pm I was dilated to 10 cm and the nurse decided that I must start pushing. As soon as I started pushing the nurse worriedly looked at the fetal heart rate and called the OBGYN immediately. This made me slightly tense but she didn’t tell me what was going on (her heart rate was dropping down). I had an excellent doctor and I trusted her completely. With three set of pushes my beautiful baby girl was finally born at 7:20 pm. I was speechless for a moment, waiting for nine long months and now holding her in my arms.

I am glad that I was blessed with such a beautiful daughter, she is 7 months old now and I am enjoying every bit of motherhood.

Send us your birth story! Whether you had a home birth, hospital birth, 37-hour labor or emergency C-section, we’d love to read the tale of your little one’s grand entrance. Write up your birth story (click here for tips on getting started) and email it, along with a few photos, to birthstory@pnmag.com. We’ll share it on our Birth Day blog and may even print it in an upcoming issue!