No audio is available right now due to tiredness, but it will eventually be available in a couple of days inshallah.
So, we moved to The Netherlands and I was recording my dailies for my Youtube. My water broke suddenly one day and I never thought that I would give birth in The Netherlands. Here is the full story.
We were checking out the house for renting and looking for some furnitures. We spent our days driving back and forth to IKEA and other furniture stores. Our goal was to furnish the house as soon as possible, so we could enjoy our vacation before getting back to work. And before I give birth in Sweden. My flying ticket to Sweden was booked and I was supposed to travel on the 27th of July. I had some appointments with my midwife and I was supposed to give birth on the 29th of September. That’s my due date.
Day 1 – 11 July 2022
One day, I noticed that my feet and hands where getting very swollen and I got a bit worried. I was also very tired and had no energy to do anything. I suspected that I might have developed gestational diabetes. I looked up a birth centre in our new neighborhood and called the midwife to book an appointment for a regular pregnancy check up. I got an appointment at 12.00 o’clock. I was getting ready and visited the toilet like usual before heading out. After minding my business I stood up and noticed that I was still peeing so I sat down again. I was very confused about the fact that I couldn’t hold my pee back but it didn’t feel like pee at all. I was sitting in the toilet for almost 15 minutes just leaking. I was 100% sure that the water membrane has broken. I called the hospital in Sweden were I was registered to give birth at and explained the situation. She told me to wear a pad and call again in an hour but that I most likely would have to visit the hospital for a check up. I told her about my appointment in The Netherlands and she told me that it was a great idea to visit the birth centre.
My husband drove us to the birth centre and we met the midwife. She examined me and told me that, Yes the water membrane was broken and it was NOT good. I was only 28 weeks and 4 days pregnant. She called a hospital specialized in pre mature labours and arranged an ambulance for me. Until this day I’m so grateful and astonished about the fact that I booked an appointment for a regular check up, but the outcome was nothing like I expected it to be! Subhanallah.
We arrive at the hospital and I am brought into the delivery room. They take some urine and blood tests and do a regular health check up. They tell me that I have to sleep at the hospital for the night. They also tell me that they’ve noticed that I have a high amount of protein in my urine and that my kidney is not working very well. But the baby is doing well Alhamdolillah.
Day 2 – 12 July 2022
My blood pressure is not stable. It gets high and low during the day. My heart is beating very fast, I have a headache and my cheeks are rosy. I am being told that I have preeclampsia. I get a syringe to prepare the baby’s lungs if I have to give birth in a sudden. They also notice a risk of infection in the uterus and I get some antibiotics through a tube. I need to have the tube for 5 days and I am being sent to another department in the hospital to sleep in another room.
Day 3 – 13 July 2022
The risk for my infection has decreased and they let the pregnancy to go on. We make an ultrasound and everything looks good so far. The baby is growing normally and they don’t need to take any action. My blood pressure is a bit low but they say that it’s ok.
Day 4 – 14 July 2022
The risk for the infection is completely gone Alhamdolillah! I’m doing great and so is the baby. His heart is beating as it’s supposed to and he is doing great. My blood pressure is back to normal again and so are my heart beats and my body temperature. No action needs to be taken and we just have to wait and see what will happen next. The pregnancy can still go on normally and the goal is of course to keep the baby inside as long as possible. I feel the baby’s movements during the day and I’m still getting antibiotics.
Day 5 – 15 July 2022
I’m doing good and so does the baby. I’m being sent to another room where I don’t have to share it with anyone. My husband can accompany me and sleep in the room as well. Otherwise he had to leave the hospital at 22.00 and I slept in the hospital by myself. I can finally get a shower and my condition is stable so far.
Day 6 – 16 July 2022
I woke up with som tensions in my stomach at 05.30. I felt sick before lunch and vomited. Then I started to have contractions. I got examined and I was told that I was open 3 cm. I was brought to the delivery room. 2 hours later, my contractions faded away and I was brought back to my room. I was open only 2 cm. No labour today, false alarm.
Day 7 – 17 July 2022
The situation is stable. I’m doing great and so does the baby. I have no cramps. The water is still leaking.
Day 8 – 18 July 2022
The situation is stable. My blood pressure is low. The water is still leaking.
Day 9 – 19 July 2022
The situation is stable. The baby is moving A LOT! My blood pressure is still low. At this point I’m dying out of boredom in the hospital and I can’t wait until I can leave. I’m getting depressed but I’m doing my best to gather my emotions. As long as the baby is doing well then I’m satisfied.
Day 10 – 20 July 2022
My kidney is functioning well again Alhamdolillah! What a relief. I don’t take any medication for my blood pressure anymore and it’s back to normal again. The water is still leaking and I have ni contractions so far. We had an ultrasound to see the baby’s growth and he was doing very well Alhamdolillah. I’m doing great and so is the baby. I’m getting emotional and tired of being at the hospital. It feels like my life has stopped and I just want to run out from the hospital and never come back again. I’m crying a lot.
Day 11 – 21 July 2022
The situation is stable. I have no contractions. I’m feeling nauseous and I’m vomiting. The water is still leaking. My blood pressure is ok but a bit low. The baby is moving a lot. Yellow liquid is leaking from my breasts.
Day 12 – 22 July 2022 (Labour day)
I’m having contractions at 3 am in the morning. They last for 15 minutes and then they are gone. I go back to sleep.
I’m having contractions again at 7 am. They last for 15 minutes as well and then they are gone.
At 8 am, I’m having breakfast with my husband and we are watching some series together. It’s Friday today and I decide to take a shower and to read surah Al Kahf. After my shower I feel the urge to use the toilet for number 2. I’m minding my business and I’m out of the toilet but I still feel the urge to do number 2. I can’t sit nor lie down because of my stomach and butt pain. My husband is on his way to Friday prayer when I’m starting to get contractions. They put on the CTG and they notice that the baby’s heart is reacting to my contractions. My husband stays. I get examined and I’m open 3 cm.
Oh no, not again! Is it a false alarm? I’m being brought to the delivery room. The contractions are getting more painful and more frequent, At 15.30 I’m examined again and I’m being told that I’m open 8 cm. WHAT!? How is that possible?! Am I giving birth today?! I’m so scared and so confused. After a short while I’m being told that I’m open 10 cm and that it’s time to start pushing. HOW DO I PUSH? I have no idea what I’m supposed to do!!! The contractions are so painful that I want to die and disappear. I’m not that good with the pushing and I’m so confused. The doctor is very calm though and she tries to explain what I’m supposed to do. After a couple of times I get the grip of it and I start pushing better. So basically, the feeling of pushing out a baby is the exact same feeling as pooping honestly. Don’t tell me otherwise!
At 17.12 our baby boy is finally born and I’m EXHAUSTED!!! He is so cute and small but I can’t enjoy anything because I’m feeling something between my legs. It’s the umbilical cord and it feels so uncomfortable I just want to pull it out! My lovely husband cuts the umbilical cord and the baby is brought to another room. He must be in an incubator due to the premature labour.
And now the hell starts! Giving birth was painful but the process of removing the placenta was a nightmare! My placenta is stuck. It won’t get out. I’m not having any contractions so I’m not able to push it out. The doctor tries to pull it out gently but it’s stuck. I get medication so I can get contractions again and push it out but it’s not working. I get a stronger medication but it’s not working either. So what do we do now? I have to go to the operation room! WHAT!? I’m getting nervous and I’m in so much pain. I just want to go to my husband and my baby boy.
I’m getting prepared to get into the operation room when I suddenly starts to get contractions. I start pushing out the placenta and oh GOD what a relief! However, it turns out that I just pushed out half the placenta and the other half is still stuck inside. I have to go to the operation room.
I enter the operation room and they put me to sleep. I wake up one hour and 30 minutes later. I’m so high and out of reach. My eyes are so heavy and I’m struggling to wake up. They give me some ice cream and it feels so good and it tastes delicious. Alhamdolillah they removed the placenta and everything went well but I lost almost 2 liters of blood.
After waking up completely I’m being taken to my husband and our baby boy. He is sleeping inside the incubator and I’m so tired and exhausted. I’m being taken back to my room for sleep. But first I have to start the pumping process to stimulate my breasts for some milk. I do that and then i try to sleep. I get a high fever during the night due to the medication I’m having after the operation but then I’m doing great again in the morning. I also have a catheter since I can’t go to the toilet because of my operation.
Day 13 – 23 July 2022
They finally remove the catheter and I am able to take a shower, with some help of course. I’m a bit pale and dizzy hence the blood loss. I have to pump milk every 3 hours so I can feed my baby boy. He is still too small for breastfeeding and he is getting all the food through a tube. I finally get to meet him and we have to hold him for one hour each, skin to skin. I hold him during the day and my husband holds him during the night. It’s so cozy to hold him and he is so tiny and cute. We also get a link where we can watch him 24/7 through our phones. I also find out today that I’ve been stitched which makes me sad and angry. the stitches hurts so bad and it’s uncomfortable to sit and walk. But I’m managing and I’m taking paracetamol.
After A LOT of discussion, fighting and talking about the baby boy’s name we finally decide to call him “Rayan”. I’m still not 100 percent sure about the name but we had to make a decision due to all the paper work. I hope I don’t regret the name later.
Day 14 – 24 July 2022
Today I’m very tired. My blood pressure is high and my heart beats very fast. I’m feeling dizzy and low on energy, but Alhamdolillah for everything. Tomorrow will be the last day in this hospital room and then I have to leave. There is a hotel in this hospital and the plan is to stay here so we can be close to our baby boy. My lovely husband is trying his best to run all the errands for the house, signing the contract, buy some furnitures and register ourselves in The Netherlands. Hopefully everything will be ok.
Rayan is doing great alhamdolillah and I’m checking on him through the link all the time. I can’t wait to hold him again today and just enjoy the moment. I love him so much. May Allah protect him, Amin.
SO! That was my labour story subhanallah! I was planning to give birth in Sweden and be close to my family. But Allah had other plans. Never did I imagine that I would give birth at month 7. I’m still taking everything in, it has been such an experience. But Alhamdolillah for everything. The hospital has been AMAZING! The staff are so nice and helpful and they’ve been taking care of me and my baby very well. I’m so happy about this experience and I’m looking forward to spend more lovely days with my little family Inshallah!
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