Extracted this from http://idobaby.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2407.
Wanted to copy this into Singaporemotherhood for mummies to read but somehow "idobaby" was not allowed in the forum so have to upload here loh.. :)

Okie, let me pen down my First labour experience for my Boy.

First Labour was in Yr 2002 Jan 2nd.My EDD for my first Baby Boy was supposed to be 31 Dec 2001. Thinking that my baby may have the chance to be the last baby for 2001 or first baby for 2002, I was pretty excited.I was a single mom at that time. The full story was that I was not married at that time and my hubby was no longer my bf. Initially after realizing that I was pregnant, now hubby then bf wanted to get married. But I know it was against his will, he was still not in the right state of mind to get married so I called off the wedding plans. Went through the pregnancy on my own, went checkups alone, ultrasound scans alone and etc. He was around but we were just no longer in a relationship and we discussed on how we were going to raise our baby, we agreed that I will still put his name on the BC of my boi and he will always be the baby's father and we’ll bring him up together but both of us agreed that we should continue knowing new ppl and if any of us find our life partner, we should get on with life. We also agreed that he should be with me during the labour process.

So on that fateful day, 2nd Jan 2002 3 am, I could feel slight cramps. I timed the contractions to make sure it was labour before going to the hospital. at 6 am, decided that I should leave for the hospital as the slight cramps were right on time at intervals of 30sec- 1 min. Went to stick a note at my parents door to say that I have left for KKH, I took a cab and called my partner. As his house is very near KKH, I expected that he should reach the same time as me. When I arrived at the Delivery Suite at 6:30am, I did not see him around so called him again... And that Ass was still sleeping, ought to be shot . So I told him to go work instead and will call him if its really labour. Went in to delivery suite and was put on the CTG and after doc monitor me for 3 hours, he told me to go home as it does not seem labour even though I was 2 Days LATE. Doc did not even offer to admit me, just told me to go home. So went for a Macdonald's breakfast before heading home at 10:30am.

The day went on normally, rested on the bed watching TV when suddenly at 3:30pm, I swear that I heard a “Pop” sound even though my bro did not. Realised something was not right, went to the bathroom immediately and a gush of water flowed out and I went “Oh Sh*t”. Immediately, I went to put on 2 sanitary pads (at least that was what I could think of) and called for a cab immediately. Upon reaching hospital, the pads could no longer hold the water and water was flowing down my legs, I quickly walked up to the delivery suite and apologise for “dirtying” the place. The nurses were very kind and consoled me saying that its okie. Was sent to delivery suite, changed and lie in bed. After 10 mins, the Nurse pushed in a drip and I asked her if they were going to put me on drip. She said “Yes”, I then replied “No one told me give birth must put drip one… “, I never put drip before so was worried. She poked the needle into my left hand and I went laughing… That was my way of handling pain, whenever I test blood, once needle poked, I will start laughing… Weird right… Was then told not to move around too much. As I waited, I kept calling my partner with the phone in the suite but coincidently, he was away at the Runway (he was in the Air Force) so did not bring his phone. So I got my bro to keep calling his office. Was left alone in the suite…

Finally partner arrived at 4:30pm smelling VERY good. Can you imagine, he went home to BATHE and CHANGED before coming, giving me the excuse of smelling good to give baby good first impression… LAME… Labour pains started and I was taking as much Gas as I could.. hahah.. felt as if I was floating in air and I kept on laughing.. Nurse said I took too much gas already .. heheh. Nurse asked me if I want epidural but I declined. Partner advised me to take cause he worried that I cannot take the pain. So I budged in the end and had epidural. They asked me to lie on my side and curled up, felt a needle poked into my back then this cool liquid flowing in…. Labour pain got more intense till gas no longer working, could feel very bad contractions and I was biting my own thumb. My Partner told me not to bite my own thumb and bite his, was a little touched. Told Nurse that Epidural was not working as I should not feel so much pain and I could still move my legs but she did not believe. Got the anaesthetist to check and put a second dose of epidural for me. It was still not working, pain was still very severe. My Partner got worried and went to ask the nurse. Nurse said “ It is definitely working, else she would not be so calm…” No one believed me… sobz. I’m suspecting that it may be my condition of Scoliosis, (crooked spine) which results in ineffective of the Epidural.Doc came in and check on me and said, “You should be ready for delivery”. Felt that pain was very very intense so I did the breathing exercises that I saw on TV and started to hold the pain. I remember hearing the nurse/midwife said “Only push when you feel contractions, dun push when there are no contractions!” Could not really control and did not know how to as it was my first labour, didn’t really know when to push. After 5 mins, the Midwife asked me to start pushing when I felt contractions. Was quite a messy situation as I pushed at the wrong time and etc. Nurse and midwife had a lot of actions at my lower body but I could NOT feel a thing when they cut the Perineal area (only knew about the cut after delivery when partner told me).

After some pushing, at 22:12Hrs, my son was born! He was so adorable but had a cone shape head due to my pushes at the wrong timing. (Felt so guilty when I saw his head) After cutting the umbilical cord, the doc put him in the baby bed while nurses started to clean him up and did initial checks on him. The surgeon stitched me up while talking to the nurse. Gave me a feeling of unprofessional and her pager kept beeping for her. Can you imagine when she was stitching me up, she asked the nurse to reach for her pocket to take her pager to return the calls. Don’t even know if she’s doing a good job or not. As I was over bleeding , they had monitor me in the delivery suite and if I’m still over bleeding by 11+, I need to be sent to ICU. Midwife did not offer to let me carry him. At 11pm, asked my partner to go back home first as he still need to report for work the next day. Prayed really hard to hope that I would not have to be sent to ICU. Nurse informed me that my baby will be sent to the nursery first and I had to stay back to be monitored.

At 11:45pm, the nurse told me that I should be able to be sent back to ward but told me to alarm the nurses if I had terrible pains. I missed my baby so much, hope that he would be fine. When back at ward, my perineal was so painful that I could not even sit. Suspected again that surgeon did not do a good job in stitching again. No one really came to teach me on breastfeeding after deliver and did not even asked if I want to fully breast feed my baby and did not see my baby after that. It was only until the next day, a nurse brought my baby to me and teach me how to breastfeed my baby but my Joshua was too sleepy to drink. Whenever I try to latch him on, he slept. The nurses in the nursery also told me he doesn’t drink much cause whenever they try to bottle feed him, he falls asleep.

On the 3rd day, I was allowed to go home with my baby after seeing the councilors (as I was a single mom). Felt very helpless at that time cause I need the councilors approval to bring my baby home. Once home, my son started to crying for milk, lucky we had a tin of milk powder ready. Tried breastfeeding but was unsuccessful and gave up after that. Now I really regretted for not trying harder cause breast milk will really boost his immunity. Sigh.That’s my labour story and I think I only have one word to describe…. Traumatised… Now he is a cheeky 3 Yr old boy.

Look out for my story on my 2nd experience in Labour.