Birth

I had my first double-scrub last Saturday..(double-scrub:putting your hands on a doctor's or midwife's hand when delivering the baby...according to the midwives, before we can perform the delivery ourselves, we need to do at least 3 double-scrubs)...I was on my overnight shift..and it was a quiet night..I thought I'm being unlucky again-no one's giving birth when I'm around...until..it was 430am in the morning...I was pretending to read the obstetrics book but the truth is I was dozing off...the midwife called me n asked me if I would like to see this patient...I instantly answered "yup" with gleaming eyes..

I was lucky to shadow a very nice midwife who talked me through while she's doing her job..She involved me in the management of the patient...maybe not much but I'm happy to just do the obs rather than doing nothing...I was embarassed whenever she asked me questions and my answer is always I don't know...she also taught me to palpate the patient's tummy..n I was lucky that she's very..."neat"..as the midwife put it.."she's every student's dream"..she not the usual >30 BMI pregnant lady...therefore,it's not that difficult to identify where's the baby's head, buttocks, back n limbs...


My shift would have ended at 7am but I decided to stay as the midwife in charge told me that she thinks that I would be ready to get my first double-scrub!!yayy!!At 7am, the mother was still trying to push but we haven't even catch a glimpse of her baby's head...I felt really bad for her and myself as I haven't mastered the skills in empowering a mother in labour...I'm speechless..not knowing what should I say...I admired the midwives very much..even the student midwife..she was just great..I think we as med students should have a tute that teach us words of encouragement that we can use in the delivery room..I'm afraid that I might say the wrong thing n the mother might just snap at me,"what do u know??u're just a student"..It's unlikely, but who knows, she's in deep emotional stress..she's capable of saying anything..It's the hormone talking...in the end I just rubbed her legs when she started having cramps..n changed the wet towels on her forehead every now n then..

It wasn't until 8am that the baby started crowning...if it wasn't because of the midwives continous support, the mother would have just resorted to using instruments to take her baby out..it never occurred to her that she would be able to do that by herself...

The most magical thing of birth itself is how the environment transformed once the baby is out...the tension just gone...the mother who used to complain of how much she was in pain seemed so contented..the father was ecstatic as he cut the baby's cord...they both just couldn't get enough of their son...and me, I'm too happy that I've had my first double-scrub n I would also be the one delivering the placenta...

However, the happiness doesn't last that long when there were no signs that the placenta was separating...the resident n the midwives tried everything to their best knowledge to help placental delivery but nothing happened...the mother was no longer in pain but she started to worry when told that she would have to go into theatre if the placenta doesn't come out..she said that if she knew this would happen, she might resort to C-section in the first place..saving all the trouble having to work her ass off pushing the baby out...I thought I knew what she's worried most..the scar!!but I know I shouldn't jump to conclusion by telling her that the surgery would be done through her vagina n therefore I just kept my mouth shut..n then when the resident came n talked to her about the surgery n told her that it will be done vaginally, she just said,"that's fine then!"...I couldn't deny that I felt a tad happy that my instinct was true..(I know what my patient's concern is)
I wished I could go into theatre with my patient but I know how tired I am..staying awake for the past 13hours..the midwives kept on asking me if I had eaten anything yet...even the baby's father was also concerned that I haven't had a rest ever since they arrived..
I ate my last piece of sandwich and I wished all the best to the family..I told them I'm sorry that I haven't been of much help but I did learn a lot from them...I honestly feel bad for not being able to come up with encouraging words when the mother was giving up pushing...n part of me worried that the patient actually hate my presence..but when they both said that I did help...I felt so relieved!!!It just made my day!


I felt sorry for the mother as she had to go through a difficult labour....it was late in the afternoon when I rememberred my mom told me that she had a difficult labour with me..she put it in malay as,"lekat uri"...which I compute as retained placenta..the same problem that happened to my patient!!maybe my mom's wasn't as bad as hers that she didn't had to go into theatre but she did told me that my grandma thought she was gone when she was just tired..n couldn't bother opening her eyes...even the doctor was worried...but thankfully she was alright..
My experience today had reminded me again how much I should not take my mom for granted...she had been there for me all my life..she was the one I could always turn to...
I wish I could take a good care of her till the end of my life...
I felt like crying...
I'd better put this to a stop or I might end up crying...


ermm...maybe I shouldn't get married...(haha..yay!!not crying)