July is birthday month for my three children. Marco, as I have earlier posted, marked her 25th birthday last July 14. However, Aypee, my second child, already celebrated his 23rd earlier last July 7, but I was not able to post an entry on that day. Anyhow, I’m sure he doesn’t mind at all because we went up to Baguio on that day just to make his day special.
I could say that of all the three childbirths I had, Aypee’s was the most memorable.
It was late afternoon when I was brought to the hospital. My contractions were becoming more frequent. I was examined by my doctor (a female obstetrician) and she predicted I would be ready by midnight.
At around 10:00 in the evening, I told my husband and Nana Glory (the ever loyal helper in the family who assisted in all the births of my parents’ grandchildren, except for two who were born in Kuwait and the States), to inform the nurses at the Nurses’ station that the pain was already unbearable and that I was ready to give birth anytime. Hence, I was taken to the delivery room.
At the delivery room, the assistants did the usual routine - cleaning, sterilizing, shaving and blood pressure check while waiting for the doctor to get in. When the door of the DR opened, I was expecting to see my charming and bubbly obstetrician to greet me. I was dismayed however, when it was a male doctor who came in instead.
I asked: “Where is Doktora?” The nurses replied that she went home, but that it was raining very hard and there was a huge flash flood on the street where she lived and thus she was trapped and could not wade her way to the hospital, hence, the resident doctor would do the job instead.
I panicked. No way would I let a male doctor see my genitals! No way would I let anyone else touch me and assist my delivery other than my OB!
So when the doctor positioned himself at the foot of the delivery table where my legs were securedly spread, I said rather tactlessly: “I don’t like you! I want my doktora. Gusto ko si Doktora ang magpaanak sa akin! Tawagin ninyo si Doktora!” I was almost hysterical.
But the doctor said nothing and did not mind me at all. He went about with his duty and calmly gave instructions to the nurses. I couldn’t do anything anymore anyway, so I had no choice but let things be. Besides, Aypee was already twisting and turning inside and making me push involuntarily as is the usual case when a baby is ready to come out from the mother’s womb.
It was the most painful delivery! The doctor did not administer any anesthesia. With Marco, I only felt half of the pain because I was put on a twilight delivery and I was already groggy when he came out. But with this second one, I felt every ounce of pain in my nerves. I felt every inch of my veins and vessels stretch out as I pushed my hardest best to get over the labor pains. And when finally he came out and I heard his cry, I was completely exhausted, though very wide awake.
“It’s another boy, missis,” I heard the doctor say.
When all post-birth procedures were over and done with, I felt some pricking sensation down there. Apparently, the doctor was doing the stitches to mend my lacerations. Gosh, he still did not give me anesthesia! I complained. I said, “Stop it, it’s painful.” And he simply remarked: “Naku, misis, kung hindi ko ito aayusin, magagalit ang mister mo sa akin!” Hmmp! How dare he say that to me!
When finally I was wheeled to my room, I told my husband about what happened in the DR. He was not with me during the delivery because during that time, the hospital did not encourage ’shared labor’ between husband and wife. When hubby heard my story, he remarked: “Ikaw kasi, bakit mo sinabing ayaw mo sa kanya, ayan tuloy, baka gumanti sa iyo kaya ka pinahirapan at hindi binigyan ng anesthesia.” I did not talk any more. I was so dead tired I dozed off for the next ten hours.
Well, if you think that is the end of the story, you are wrong. LOL!
The following day, Saturday, I wanted to go home already. It so happened that I was in a ward and I shared the room with five other female patients because the hospital was fully packed at that time and there were no private rooms available. I told my husband that I wanted to go home and rest with our new baby.
Well, as mentioned, it was a Saturday, a non-bank day. We had no cash, in other words. And there were no ATMs yet in 1984. And we had no check book either. So how could I get discharged without paying the hospital bill?
Hubby thought fast - “Let’s leave the baby first and come back for him on Monday after I withdraw the money from the bank.” So for two nights and two days, Aypee stayed in the nursery while mommy rested at home. Yes, that’s it! My son was left in the hospital as collateral for unpaid hospital bill! Oh, poor baby… 
Sometimes to this day when we recall how I gave birth to my three kids or when everyone is in a playful mood, we kid Aypee: “Hindi kaya naipalit ka ng mga nurses noon sa nursery?” Hehehe.
So that’s the story of the most memorable birth of a child in our family.
Up next week: July 31st is Gem’s birthday! Sorry, dear friends - I just have to do these entries. Least I want in my family is stiff sibling rivalry, even over mommy’s birthday blog entries. 
Ciao for now!
Ang galing nyo naman ni mister having timed all the births in one month.
I had a male obstetrician, the same one for all three babies. Wala naman nang malice sa kanila to see genitals dahil they see them everyday. But you know that naman diba? It’s just so funny how you related your story. 
Birthday greetings to all your three children.
The way you relate the whole story was funny; especially when you objected the male obstetrician to see your genitals. But it was good that baby Aypee came out safely!
Advance Happy Birthday to Gem!
Yes, I know - wala na yun sa kanila, but I just felt uncomfortable knowing he’s not an obstetrician, general practitioner lang siya. And also, it was my OB who knew everything about my medical record.
Good thing it was a very normal delivery and I was in top form, so there were no complications whatsoever, except the stitches the doctor did on me. Would you believe the stitches did not fall off? After two weeks, I had to go back to my OB to have them removed! So painful!
Thank you, Irene!
Hehehe… I was in shock, Kyels!
Thank you!
Hi Rhodora!! It’s my first visit!!
Me too, I chose a female ob-gyne. I couldn’t imagine it otherwise. My husband once suggested that we go see his cousin who is also an ob-gyne but is a guy. Naku, katakot-takot na objection. I told him, in case we broke up, eh di pwede nila akong pag-usapan…even in the most sensitive way. No way!!
Great post!! And birthday greetings to all your kids
Buti na lang dito puro babae ang nagpapaanak. Pero nahiya pa din ako laging tumataas ang boses ng OB ko tuwing IE ako, spread your legsssss hahahaha!
Uy ha ang galing niyo naman, lahat sila July. Sadya ba yun?
hi — was amused with your story abt having a male OB — same reaction here, i really dont want to ‘open up’ to my male OB that first time. but it was my hubby’s reaction after that first visit that made me laugh to now: when we reached home, he immediately told me to go shower and he was mulling over why the OB had to do ‘that’ to me, sya lang daw may karapatan, hahaha!
Hi, Kongkong! Thanks for visiting my site.
Hehehe. You make me smile with this comment - “in case we broke up, eh di pwede nila akong pag-usapan…even in the most sensitive way. No way!!”
Come to think of it - oo nga, ano?
Thanks you, Kongkong!
Mitch, e bakit ka pa kasi hiya-hiya - e kabaro naman si Doktora! hehehe.
Hindi namin sinadyang July lahat sila ipanganak. Coincidence lang. Boring nga, e. Wala nang excitement ang ibang months.
LOL about your husband, Raggold!
As if reversible na kapag nag-shower ka. 
Pero, awkward talaga pag male OB. Siyempre, malay mo kung ano din ang nasa isip niya, di ba? hahaha!
OMG… I can almost feel the pain!
I just remembered when I had a miscarriage (as in I’m bleeding to death) a huge( but handsome) coloured doctor examined me but I felt no qualms about it, as I only want to get better. Lucky my husband was there, as I felt a bit ashamed exposed in all my glory…
anyway, you’re Aypee is worth all the pain, I’m sure
Ahh, the travails of being a mother… buti na lang hindi lalaki ang nanganganak, hehe.
Your post reminds me of the time when I gave birth to my own daughter - hindi uso ang anesthesia rito, so I was very lucid and in great pain when I delivered her. We used Lamaze technique in managing the pain, but of course it didn’t take away the pain entirely. Oh well.
Happy birthday to all three of your children. How proud you must be on how they all turned out to be!
This is so funny Rhodora. But naku! I don’t want to have a baby anymore!
Baka maging parang “Natutulog Ba ang Diyos” yung kwento ni Aypee.
Horror story yan. Can’t you file a complaint against the doctor? You needed anaesthesia at the very least for the stitches. Kawawa ka naman. I never experienced labour pains so I’m still very weary of childbirth.
I felt bad about Aypee being left in the hospital. But I can imagine your reluctance to stay in a room with 5 other patients!
don’t know what to say with that doctor, why he didn’t administer anaesthesia. anyway, with or without anaesthesia, masaki pa rin talaga ang manganak. now i realize that the saying that one gives birth “nakabaon ang isang paa sa hukay).
if niceheart was fascinated with the birthdays of your 3 kids all in the same month, let her hear the side of my story, all my 7 kids are born in different months, my husband and i in different months, our anniversary in another month. so all in all, we celebrate a birthday 9 months in a year, our anniversary in january, leaving only July and October as the months that are free.
anyway, BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AYPEE!
Your world revolves around your three children, doesn’t it? What a mom!
I don’t blame you for asking for a female obstetrician. But at same time I don’t suppose that male doctor was meanly getting back at you.
Looking forward to other stories of birthing.
Hi Rhodora, as I was reading this post, your hubby was right, that doctor didn’t use any anaesthesia bec. you told him you don’t like him. LOL. You’re very brave though for undergoing such delivery. Hay baka pag ako yun, nahimatay nako sa sakit. I also left my baby in the hospital (after I gave birth) bec. he still needs then his daily injections of antibiotics (injected to a small tube attached to his foot).