Part 2
3am : checked into Delivery Suite
Walked to LR , change into labor gown and got hooked up to machine for fetal heart rate and contractions monitoring.
Given laughing gas , didn’t help at all.
Cervix checked , 3cm dilated.
Requested for epidural.
Anaesthetist came in 30 mins later.
TBH it was painless , just the anxiety waiting for it to poke in was more painful.
My epi effects kicked in late took about 5-10mins.
After that , it was just a waiting game.
8am : doctor round / change of shift . I was dilating ‘beautifully’, didn’t ask how far along because I was busy sleeping. Kept pressing the dosage when in pain .
12pm : I was 10cm dilated but we were waiting on the baby to drop further down. Epi dosage was stopped to allow contractions to start.
I had multiple cervix checks throughout the time but didn’t feel anything due to epi. I was lowkey numb and my legs feel antsy AF. Husband had to massage my legs so I could somewhat feel them.
1pm: was asked to start pushing , I was not able to push properly as the effects for the epi hasn’t worn off yet. For a full hour , I tried pushing (pretty sure I pooped a lil) . From midwife changed to junior nurse, and after an hour , backups were called to do vacuum assisted delivery.
By 245, Senior nurse came in with 4 other nurses, and only at this point did the epi finally wore off and i started feeling the contractions and started pushing correctly.
I couldn’t pull my legs back as it was heavy due to aftereffects of epi. So I had nurses on each leg (to help pull it back), one on my stomach (to pump baby out) and one at my coochie (vacuuming and navigating).
They tell you not to close your eyes , chin down. But bruv , I just needed to get baby out. All sorts of timing given but really all that mattered was husband at my side counting and telling me how much more.
I kept my eyes closed cause really it helped ME to focus and not be distracted by all that chaos. At one point i shouted ,’i cant do this anymore’ and a nurse said ‘JUST PUSH’.
I gave one last good one and fuhhhh i felt warm water gushed out. And they plop this thing on my chest. I was crying and looked to my husband , who is also crying. Looked to my chest, and said ‘so this is the boy who had been in my tummy all along’.
They asked husband to cut the cord , and they whisked him away to do the measurements and a little cleanup. While me and husband tried to breathe, we were both cracking jokes cause thats just how our coping mechanism is.
Nurse continued to pump my stomach and told me to push cause i have to deliver the placenta , and i went ‘ cannot just pull ah sis?’ .
And after that , nurse proceeded to stitch me up. I had second degree tear. I tore a little and they snipped a little as baby shoulder couldnt pass.
And as gruesome as it all sounds, I was just too numb and too high to feel anything after baby was out. I was just staring to the side , looking at baby and trying to catch my breath.
I remember thinking ‘damn so THIS is labor’.
Sharing my own labor experience helped me understand how unpredictable and challenging childbirth can really be. Like the author, I found epidural anesthesia to be a double-edged sword—it numbs the pain effectively but can also make pushing difficult because of the lingering numbness and leg heaviness. It’s important to communicate openly with your medical team about how you’re feeling so they can adjust medication and support. I also experienced multiple cervical checks during labor. Although uncomfortable, these checks provide vital information about your progress. Having someone you trust, like a partner or doula, present during these moments can make a huge emotional difference. Their encouragement helps keep your focus. The vacuum-assisted delivery part was intense and a bit scary, but knowing the staff was experienced gave me reassurance. It’s good to remember that medical interventions like these are often necessary to keep both mum and baby safe. Post-delivery, managing muscle numbness and stitches was challenging too. The numbness can make you feel disconnected from your body, but it fades gradually. When dealing with tears or episiotomy stitches, following hospital care instructions closely helped my healing process. Throughout labor, having a coping mechanism—whether it’s humor, deep breathing, or focusing inward—can be a lifeline. My husband’s presence and counting also made difficult moments more bearable. Every birth story is unique, but hearing detailed personal experiences like this reinforces the importance of support, patience, and trust in the medical team during delivery.
