Experiencing my son’s childbirth was terrifying.

Nothing can prepare you for what happens during delivery.

What was meant to be easy, turned out to be complicated

We had a detailed birth plan and I promise you, nothing went according to the plan when the time came.

The plan was to have a water birth or have her push with the aid of an epidural. We had decided that there would be no c-section or other methods of delivery

We got to the hospital and we got sent back cos she wasn’t dilated enough. Thelma became increasingly discomforted.

We had to go back the second time. And this time, a water birth was no longer possible because both mother and baby were now fighting for their lives.

At this point, the offer came to have a c-section. We didn’t accept.

Ryan’s pulse became very irregular and unstable on the monitor.

Thelma was put on the epidural and a laughing gas to ease the discomfort.

The time came to push and it all started. Ryan couldn’t come out because his head was stuck.

At this point, c-section was no longer on the table. Ryan was very much agitated as the monitor showed. Same with his mother but she couldn’t feel much cos of the epidural

The doctors called for consultation from other surgeons. I thought I was watching a TV series when they said they could only get Ryan out via forceps.

This was the one method of delivery that Thelma was very strongly against.

The decision was either to go with the forceps delivery or to lose either child or mother.

I was there with Thelma’s mum (a nurse) and godmother.

We decided it would be the forceps.

Forceps delivery became difficult. I can’t describe what happened from there on but I had never seen so much blood spill out from a human being.

When Ryan finally came out, I went into shock. Like I was standing but fainted.

My mother-in-law and godmother had to pull me back to reality to see my son.

I came to and there was a full operation happening right in front of me.

Thelma still couldn’t feel much. We were all crying and she was “laughing” cos of the gas.

Till today, I don’t think she fully understood all that happened cos she couldn’t even see much then.

I am thankful they’re both alive and well but I don’t think I’d like to see her go through such again.

I know all pregnancies/deliveries are not the same but I think it’s definitely a cruelty to women in general