A Tale of Gratitude Contest |I am Grateful to be Alive and for My Beautiful Daughter

Exactly 18 months ago, I went into labour for my daughter. It started quite early (3am) and since it was still so early and the contractions not strong enough, I decided to bear it till dawn.

Fast forward to 7am and I finally got to the hospital l. There I was placed on admission and the wait began. Time passed and the contractions got stronger to the point the pain became unbearable. By 6pm I had been in labour for 15 hours and was just 5-6 cm dilated. I begged for an epidural, but was ignored.

By 9pm, I became fully dilated and was already in the labour ward. A doctor, a matron, and a nurse came to attend to me and this was when my ordeal started. I was asked to push with each contraction and I tried, God knows I tried, but the baby refused coming out.

By 11pm, my daughter had descended and the matron could feel her head through my vagina, but she was stuck. I remained this way for another two hours and by this time the hospital staff gave up on me and went to sleep.

Yes, I was left on my own. I came down from the gurney when my screaming didn't produce anyone and squatted, trying to push the baby out on my own. It didn't work.

After a while, my mom was allowed into the ward and she proceeded to feed me with glucose because I was already to weak to push. She guided me back to the gurney and kept urging me to continue pushing.

A lot cant be said, but my 2:30am the nurse popped in to check on me and I begged her to help me. I asked to be given an emergency CS and she listened. It took a while but by 3am I was wheeled to the operating room and my baby was brought out.

I am grateful to God I survived that ordeal. I am also grateful for my beautiful daughter because she's worth every moment of the pain I went through to birth her.

Picture Credit: All Mine

Word Count: 340 words