On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, I woke up extra tired from not sleeping well the night before. I had contractions five minutes apart for most of the night upon going to bed until 3:15am, when I finally fell asleep. Once I woke up, I realized with disappointment that they were Braxton Hicks contractions after all, like I usually have the last weeks of pregnancy, this time from 31 weeks onward. I got up to get the kids and myself ready, for we planned to go to the beach with friends as a last outing before the baby arrives, which I hoped and prayed would be soon, for I was 38 weeks pregnant that day and feeling quite miserable, grumpy, achy, exhausted, and wincing from pelvic pain. I had intermittent contractions on the way to, during, and from the beach trip, but not consistent enough to convince me they were true labor contractions. We left the beach in the afternoon and drove to my 38 week ob-gyn appointment. The midwife checked me and confirmed I was 3 cm dilated. She predicted the baby could perhaps be here soon and suggested I help things along by taking a long walk in the evening. I followed her advice, though I had been walking for an hour nearly every day during the third trimester as daily exercise. I had contractions every 5-7 minutes during my walk, but that still didn't convince me they were true labor contractions since they weren't painful, and they ebbed once I got home.
That night, I fell asleep quickly and soundly since I hadn't slept well the night before. At around 2:00am on Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 38 weeks and 1 day pregnant, Alex woke me up. "You kicked me," he said. "Are you having contractions?" he asked. "I did?" I muttered sleepily in complete surprise. "I had no idea. I was totally knocked out. And I think I'm fine." "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because your breathing is different - labored. And remember, you tend to go fast." As he said this, I felt a pretty strong contraction. I had been having contractions in my sleep and hadn't noticed because I was so tired. I got up to pee and beheld fresh bleeding when I wiped. My heart raced. "I think we need to go now. I'm bleeding," I called urgently. I started timing my contractions, which were occurring 3-4 minutes apart. I threw toiletries and a change of clothes into a bag as Alex called Aarika to come over so we could head to the hospital. Thankfully, she was awake and was less than 10 minutes away. She arrived as we pulled out of the driveway.
Alex drove as fast as he could but missed an entrance on the freeway, so the drive was a few minutes longer than the anticipated 20 minutes. I was breathing through the contractions now and praying I'd make it in time for an epidural. We arrived at the hospital entrance at 2:35am. Security guards told us that because of current Covid restrictions, Alex had to park and stay down in the lobby until I got admitted into Labor & Delivery. They directed me to the elevators and gave me instructions to find Labor & Delivery on my own. I prayed I wouldn't get lost as there was no one around to ask for help. I found the L & D entrance and upon checking in around 2:40am, I told the nurse this was my fifth baby and that I tend to give birth quickly. She pointed me to triage, where the nurse there helps me undress into a hospital gown. I had a strong contraction and could hardly change without her help. "I want an epidural ASAP," I told her emphatically. She assured me she'd work as fast as she could. She checked me and announced that I was 6 cm dilated. "Already?" I gasped. "You should have gotten here sooner, because we still need to do your COVID testing, labwork, IV, and other prep before we can stick a needle in your back," she said. She commenced with the prep work, and my contractions, now happening every 3 minutes, get more intense. I gripped the side of the bed and breathed in through my nose, and out through my mouth. I thought I would mind laboring with a mask, but the contractions heightened so that the mask was the most minor of inconveniences. They tried calling Alex but got the wrong number for 15 minutes before I clarified with the correct number. "Let's hope he makes it for the delivery," the nurse remarked. After she finished the prep work which seemed to take forever, they finally admitted me and transferred me into a room to give birth. I'm writhing and gripping onto the side of the bed now, still breathing deeply in through my nose and out through my mouth as the contractions, now occurring 1-2 minutes apart, hit. "Please," I implored, knowing then the epidural wouldn't happen (again for the third time). The nurse checked me, told me I was fully engaged at 10 cm, and said she would try to get me the epidural early even though 1/3 of my IV bag was left. "You're doing so well. Try to keep the baby in," she joked.
Alex finally showed up. "It's the husband," he announced as he stepped into the room. I couldn't acknowledge him as I'm moaning through the contractions now. Then I felt the all familiar pressure to push. I began yelling. "I need to push!" I gritted my teeth as my body involuntarily pushed. A medical team suddenly appeared. I heard choruses of "You're doing great!" surrounding me. "Don't tell me that!" I snapped. My water broke in a huge, warm gush. The fiery lava sensation began. I pushed, yelling low and long. I was still gripping the side of the bed and tense from the pain. The nurses said the baby's heart rate was dropping. They urgently directed me to adjust the position of my legs but I just couldn't. They forced me into position as I continued yelling and pushing. "Push!" the nurses commanded. After a few more pushes, Candor Sage Hong came into the world at 3:38am on Thursday, April 1, 2021, weighing 7 lbs 8 oz and measuring 20" long. I heard him crying in the background as a wave of unbearable fatigue washed over me. Alex cut the umbilical cord and the nurses placed him on me for skin-to-skin bonding, but I could hardly move my head to look at him. They brought him to have him measured, weighed, and cleaned while my body ejected the placenta and resonated with relief. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," I told the nurses apologetically. They laughed. Later, I asked Alex if he said anything during labor & delivery, because I couldn't recall anything he said. "No," he replied. "I stood back while you yelled at the nurses." Haha! I couldn't believe Candor arrived within an hour of getting to the hospital. Thankfully I didn't tear, but I was surprised by how long (it seemed) I had to push. Candor felt so big, probably because he was 7 lbs and I felt everything without any drugs. After giving birth, my legs felt like dead weight and I still nursed pelvic pain, which made it difficult to get up, walk, and get around in general.
But I look at his delicate, little features and my heart melts. We're so happy he's here. Our rainbow baby. Our baby boy. I cherished those first quiet hours with him in the hospital, where we did lots of skin-to-skin bonding, nursing, and napping together. Alex spent a few sweet hours with us the two days we were there, but went home to take care of the four big kids the other parts of the day. When the kids met him on his second day of life on his first day home, they squealed in delight. They each lavished love on their new baby brother, already nicknaming him "Baby CanCan" and dedicating the cancan song to him, playing it for him on the piano daily. Serene, Valor, and Reverie kept crowding around him to exclaim how little and cute he is, and Verity is convinced we brought home the baby just for her. "My baby," she says, pointing at Candor and grinning in sheer delight. We are all in love with him and can't believe that we are now a family of seven. God is immeasurably kind to gift us with Candor.
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