My first pregnancy and delivery

I was married to MrM on 31st October 1992 at the age of 26. I wanted to have a baby as soon as possible but that was not to be. As soon as we were married, we decided to live on our own and rented a flat in Pandan Indah that was on top of a shoplot. Pandan Indah then was not the mess of shoplots, shopping centers, impossible parking as it is now. MrM was even able to go for evening jogs. Imagine doing that now, people would think he is crazy what with the number of traffic that passes through that area!

After much trying, I was finally pregnant in late 1993, slightly more than a year after getting married. I found out from a urine test at the panel clinic in Da*ab*m* where I was working. I remember telling MrM "the pillow did it!" and it took him awhile to understand what I meant. Call it psychological, call it anything you want, but the moment I found out I was pregnant, my morning sickness started in pretty much the same way I felt this time around. I am always hungry, being hungry and not having food on time made the nausea worse.

I can't recall much my first pregnancy except that MrM entertained all my food cravings. Not that he cooked himself, but he drove me everywhere to go to a particular restaurant to eat. I do remember Victoria's Station craving for steak (or maybe that was the 2nd pregnancy), to this restaurant in Shah Alam called Serai, to the mamak stalls in Damansara Utama and mind you, we were living in Cheras at that time.

The gynaecologist we were seeing at that time was Dr Jeremy Chuah, who had recently passed on. He was recommended by my sister and apparently was also the doctor for the lead actress in PGL. All I can remember is him telling me that I don't have much of stomach muscles which explains why when I lay flat, my stomach spreads to the sides and looked like there wasn't a baby in there!

Physically I was active from 16 weeks onwards and I remember that we had just migrated to a new system and was busy writing a procedure manual for the TMGM to guide the support staff when I am gone for 2 months maternity leave. What a difference when pregnant at 27 compared to now. Energy level, ability to move and even breathing abilities since even now I am already mengah from talking or climbing up the stairs.

I remember buying a maternity dress from Mothercare to attend MrM's company annual dinner and then the next day, in the lift on the way to office at 29th Floor, I fainted. I was 8 months pregnant then and had not yet had breakfast. I was holding a polysterene cup containing my usual teh tarik when somewhere between 27th and 29th Floor I fainted. I didn't even know that I was going to faint since I have never experienced fainting before. I must have dropped to the floor with the drink spilling all over the floor. By the time I arrived at 29th Floor, I regained consciousness and there was these two guys whom I must given the shock of their lives helping me out of the lift.

So no annual dinner, I was admitted into the hospital for observation. Baby's heartbeat was all right and still moving actively. I was frightened at all the possibilities especially this happening at 8 months! MrM, young as I was at that time, came to pick me up at the office and waited with me at the hospital.

My mother arrived a few days before my due date, gave me all sort of herbal drinks so that I can give birth easily. I remember there was this air kembang semangkok, if drank, would help you dilate easily. But alas, again that was not to be. My due date was 20th August 1994, after 3 days Dr Chuah decided on inducing me. So I did experience a 24 hours worth of contractions after which I was only 1cm dilated. My water had burst earlier and Dr Chuah was worried that the baby would be in distress.

A c-section was necessary and I was wheeled into the OT, moved from one bed to another while contractions were still being felt and very strong. I was given general anaesthetic and when I got up, they only told me I had a baby girl but oh the pain! the pain! I didn't anticipate this pain! I felt nauseous and wanted to cough when I suddenly realized this tightness at around my bikini line area. I couldn't cough and some phlegm or what was stuck in my throat causing me to gasp for air and unable to breath. I was struggling with my breathing and with that skimpy hospital gown, the entire whoever who was there must have seen everything they needed to know about me.

I was wheeled into the ward and my mother and sister was there. In that state of pain and being drowsy I just wanted to sleep it off. I only saw baby Munirah the next day and what a feeling! Munirah was born with a lot of hair and was a very alert baby, her eyes darting from left to right and her little arms stretching all the time.

I was forced to get up the next day (without any pain management prescribed the day before okay!) and if you thought the pain post the C-section was bad, getting up was even worse. A trainee nurse asked me to get up without any consideration whatsoever of my pain (I think, in retrospect, that was probably the reason why my stitches broke and required re-suturing a year after). Pantai did not ask if I wanted to breastfeed so my breasts were engorged, as huge as Dolly Parton's and keras macam batu!

What an experience. I hated every part of the hospital stay except going to the nursery to see baby Munirah. If you see the photos by the side of Munirah Aiman, she had grown to be a beautiful girl, rebellious at times, a lot of tricks up her sleeves, always get nagged at on her study and living above the line (semenjak dua menjak pergi Supercamp ni), loves to draw, firm with her views and oh just so many of the characteristics that I wasn't at her age. Of late she has been asking me about possible career choices and combinations. She wants to either be an architect or interior/fashion designer but I advised her that you must take finance related courses so that orang tak tipu dia when she gets into business and work later. I am thinking of sending her to RMIT Australia (just like her cousins Zahra and Rizal) but at this rate where SPM leavers yang dapat 10As pun tak dapat scholarship (Shabnam's son had 10As no scholarship, Kak Ina's son 9As dapat masuk UiTM probably with some grant or scholarship but left because he wanted to pursue engineering, so she sent him to Purdue on her own money, my niece Noreen has 10A1s also did not get a scholarship to pursue Medicine in the UK, even though you could probably get one to do Medicine in Russia or Indonesia), I have to start saving money for that eventuality of providing Munirah the educational opportunities that I was accorded when I was her age. No more LVs laa....