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| in Mike's words: me, a monster (Oreo) and a hippy ^__^ |
Since March, the girls and I had tentatively planned on going out for breakfast to Rustic Mornings with some friends. This morning looked like the first available time we would finally get to do just that. A nice quaint little place some what hidden in Marikina with a little mom and pop-sy kind of feel to it with incredible day and evening ambiance outside and inside. I had two weeks left to go in this pregnancy and it was getting more and more difficult to walk and bear the weight. But this morning I woke up with that mother intuition that said today would be different. I mentioned to Mike, before he left for work, that I needed him to be reachable today. I also texted my friend and her daughter to let them know that maybe....just maybe I should stay home and and be on the alert for a potential labor. But I don't like to assume anything of myself when it comes to labor. Never did like the idea of being one of "those moms" that assumes she's in labor only to be sent home. So, exactly five minutes later I texted, "Wait. Scratch that. I don't want to jump to assumptions. Should do me good to get up and out. Be ready in 40 minutes." And in 40 minutes they picked the girls and I up and we headed to breakfast.
There was no parking close by the quaint restaurant. Of course. Something we didn't think of. It's the Philippine Labor Day holiday and most people are home from work and thinking the same thing....Let's go out for breakfast! So, we walked from two streets over. It was the most laborious walk I had experienced. It was different. It was literally breath taking every step of the way. The girls noticed right away. They were slightly concerned. There were no seats. But there was a nice waiting line. The summer heat was rising by the minute. Didn't seem like today was the day to try and endure it....much less eat outside once we finally did get a table. This chick needed to sit and sit in air conditioning ASAP. After deciding to go try some place else, the walk back to the car seemed even more laborious and trying on the pelvic and lungs. Oy!
It's about 9am and we arrive at Velada Estate, where the kids had their junior/senior banquet a year ago. They had opened up EGGS FOR BREAKFAST in November and word was getting out in the Faith Academy community that it was a good place to try. Walking from the car into those doors were even more laborious. But man, was it ever nice to be inside this tiny air conditioned little piece of heaven. We sat there, we four, as familiar faces came and went. We enjoyed an amazing meal while I breathed through more consistent, but shorter than usual, labor contractions....and trying not to let any of it show. The shortness of the contractions have me perplexed. If today is the day why has the cervix not "popped" as it has before and why such short contractions? Climbing up the steps and slightly inclined hill to leave, this time I'm grabbing the girls' arms and having them be my steady support as I struggle to get to the car. I don't remember ever having such a struggle on "labor day"...unless I was minutes away from labor. I'm puzzled as each breath seems to be taken away with each step.
11am and the girls are assisting me up three flights of stairs to Mike's office because I agree that the day's summer heat would be far too much to bear at home. Going horizontal on the couch feels perfect and I catch a wink. Mike leaves for a meeting at noon.
230p and contractions wake me up. Thinking that not having had enough water before, during or after breakfast may just have triggered the contractions. After all, they did stop long enough for me to get a nap in. Mommy Luz walks in with her daughter and niece and the contractions seem stronger and more consistent despite two 20oz helpings of ice cold water. The tears are coming. It's time to text Mike, "I hope you're not too far away. It would be nice to have you here now." My trips to the restroom are consistently accompanied with tears and stalling to and from. No reply, but he walks in just in time. At least now I can cry on his shoulder.
3pm I'm texting the midwife. At this point, contractions are 5 minutes apart and with her advise, we decide to just head straight to Shiphrah Birthing Center instead of stopping at home to run a load or two of laundry and take care of a few other things. I really actually thought I had more time..... judging from previous labors. But once we got up Sumulong and into the back gate of Valley Golf, it was full blown crying. We picked up Nhan at Jollibee's and took the last home stretch to the birthing clinic. One last pause before getting out of the car and we gingerly walk into Shiphrah. We get in there about 345pm.
There is no heartbeat to be found. We go through three dopplers. The contractions are intensifying, but still strangely short. The amniotic sack breaks and I'm still begging God to prepare me for the worst. For a still birth. Through every contraction I cry and quietly repeat the prayer.
413pm Leia Alexi flies out (literally) into the hands of the midwife. I'm faced away, towards the bed (in squatting position I've been in for several minutes) and towards the wall. I wait through the momentary silence that seems like an eternity. But after those few moments Deborah brings the baby girl up from under my arms and puts her up against my chest, while the Filipina midwife assists in getting the rest of my clothing attire off so the baby can have full skin-to-skin contact. In that process I ask, "is she breathing??" Much to my most grateful surprise and satisfaction she says, "yes." I toss my head back, catch my husband's tearing up face and cry. Only God Almighty knows the depth of gratitude in which Mike and I cry. I couldn't describe it here in words if I tried.
A few moments later the umbilical cord (which Deborah had unwrapped twice from around Leia's neck) was emptied....finished and clamped. Mike was more than happy to cut it, considering the silent panic minutes earlier. The last contraction delivered the placenta. At last..... at last it was all over. Leia Alexi was safe in our arms and it was time to let this 42 year old body rest.... AT LAST.
SHIPHRAH AND PUAH (Heb. פּוּעָה, שִׁפְרָה), two Hebrew women who served as midwives for the Israelites in Egypt (Ex. 1:15ff.). Ordered by Pharaoh to kill all male children at birth, Shiphrah and Puah, being God-fearing, disobeyed him, under the pretext that the vigorous Hebrew women were able to dispense with the services of a midwife. In reward for their heroic and virtuous behavior, God "established households" for Shiphrah and Puah (ibid., 5:21), which probably means that they became the matriarchs of enduring families in Israel.
The name Shiphrah, which also appears in an Egyptian list of slaves in the form Š-p-ra, probably means "fair one." Puah may be related to the Ugaritic pḡt, meaning "girl."
Shiphrah is identified with Jochebed, the mother of Moses (Sot. 11b). The name refers to the fact that as a midwife, she beautified (meshapperet, מְשַׁפֶּרֶת) the children which she delivered; and Israel multiplied exceedingly (she-paru, שֶׁפָּרוּ) as a result of her actions; and that she performed deeds which were pleasing (shafru, שָׁפְרוּ) to God (Ex. R. 1:13).
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