PPBC #1: BECOMING A PARENT

My current state of affairs as mentioned here and hinted here, has made me reminisce about my birthing exprience.

I have always been asked how I knew I was ready to become a parent, to which I always replied...YOU NEVER ARE.

I don't think anyone is 100% ready. Parenthood can be emotionally, phsyically, even financially draining BUT nonetheless, REWARDING. Labor pains, sleepless nights, endless bills are far outweighed by your child's warm cuddle, loving gaze, and toothless smile. A baby's sigh, coo, even cry are music to a parent's ears. This is what parenthood is all about. It is not about counting pains and costs. It all about overcoming roadblocks and marking milestones. It's about loving and caring, warmly, completely, and unconditionally.

My entry into parenthood may be considered a comedy of errors. I was on my 34th week, totally unprepared, when premature labor hit me. I had no definite birthing plan, no overnight bag to speak of, no clean baby clothes to prepare, no hospital supplies to pack. Worse, my husband was out jogging! Despite all these, I even managed to take a leisurely bath, apply make-up, and put on my best maternity get-up. I was dead set on looking my best on my very first attempt at parenthood.

Since I was weeks shy of my due date, my OB deemed it best to administer steroids that would accelarate the maturity of Haligilet's lungs. By the way, my OB, whom I love dearly, was, by some strange design, stripped to her underwear beneath her labgown. Funny!

I was attached to an IV and fetal monitor for 72 hours. All this time, I was able to interact with a lot of people--doctors, nurses, even patients. Mothers, would-be-mothers, former-mothers came and went while I was left counting seconds, minutes, hours, days, even freakin' IV drips at the labor room. I became fast friends with some doctors who kept me sane during my entire stay. The friendship also gained me (forbidden) access to my cellular phone which I used to give YM updates to all my friends (read as: CHISMOSA!). I never forgot my hygiene rituals and make-up sessions during the 3 days that I was at the labor room, on bed rest at that!.

And so THE day came. The pain was too much to bear. And I had to ask for 3 epidural shots--YES, THREE--to make the pain go away. Little did I know that with pain, memory went away as well (which I am paying for that up to this day). I screamed and howled and cursed while trying to huff and puff and push. My nurse-friends kidded me that my screams can be heard all across Ayala Avenue. Midway, I even begged my OB for a C-section. Hahaha, pathetic! And the clincher? My OB's most memorable words--"Mommy, you have twins--a boy...and poopoo!" EWWW!!! I passed out soon after kissing the most beautiful 4.15-lb "alien". More than fatigue, I probably passed out because of sheer embarrassment. Mwahaha!

So folks, as I've said and as evidenced by my birthing story, YOU ARE NEVER PREPARED. But while it may be a totally overwhelming experience altogether, the Guy Upstairs built parents to be tough and resilient soldiers, armed with an artillery of kisses, hugs and love.

EKS-OH-EKS-OH