My first delievery...

It was hours of pain and agony for the mother.

I recall Mum (the patient) walking into the delivery suite with a handsome Dad (the patient's husband). I recall their smile and friendly faces, her beautifully tied up hair and elegantly white night gown. I recall the sweet young lady whose hand I shook as I introduced myself.

But as the labour progressed, the transformation came. From beautifully tied up, I soon see a ugly sweat stained hair forming a messy spread. The friendly face now stained with sweat and tears, filled with painful helplessness, full of agony and distress. The once confident Dad, stripped of confidence, replaced by helplessness, watching Mum struggle as the contractions got worse.

Each time I reviewed them, Dad kept asking how long more. I explained to the best of my abilities and I know Dad held onto my every word hopefully. It was then I remembered the purpose of mugging, not for the academia, not for pride, but for my patients.

Time passed quickly for me (it was a night call, plus had many things to do), but for the couple, I know it must have been like an eternity of torture. Mum was going into wired distortions, gritting onto her teeth, clenching tightly to Dad's hands. It was a painful sight! Even I grew helpless seeing Mum in such agony yet refusing all forms of analgesia. Gen 3:16 "To the women [God] said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children"..."

But soon, stage 2 begin. The room, once filled with only Mum's groans was now joined by the midwife and my screams. "Push...1...2...3...change breath and go...1...2...3...you're doing very well...I can see the baby's head...some more..." Amidst the frantic excitement, there was a heartwarming scene. Dad holding onto Mum's hand tightly and wiping the sweat off her forehead. Tired out and a little overwhelmed, Dad could only count weakly along with us.It was from the corner of my eye that I saw Dad bending over, giving Mum a gentle kiss and whispered: "You can do it. I'm here with you". Ah, my heart melts.

With a final push, the baby's head soon emerged. Pushing against the perineum with my right hand, my left was left to apply a constant flexion force on the baby's head. I was so afraid to press on the baby's head, fearful of any damage I might cause. But the midwife held my hand and applied quite some force so I guess it must be alright. Nonetheless, I found myself praying for the Lord's protection on the baby (n that we ain't doing any serious damage). As the baby rotated clockwise and the shoulders were visualised. I slipped my left hand under the anterior (baby's right) axila and my right grabbing the posterior (baby's left) shoulder, pulled the baby upwards with continued clockwise rotation.

And the baby was out! Boy you should have been there. The whole atmosphere in the room rocketed and joy filled the once cold stillness. Dad was smiling broadly and gave Mum a victorious hug. Mum, on the hand smiled weakly, but her eyes shone full of hope. Me? I was almost touched to tears. Staring at the baby, I was flooded by great emtions. I turned to a teary Dad and relieved Mum, saying "Congratulations. I am really pround of you."

I stopped short at that. But how I wished I could encourage the parents more, to remind them to teach their child well, to love him and care for him, and even to prepare them for the tough road ahead. Proverb 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. " I prayed over the child, that he will grow up healthily to become a fine gentleman, to honour his parents and be a blessing to others. But my greatest prayer was that he will know the Lord who gave him life and walk closely in His way.

I don't know the name of the child, neither would I remember the names of Dad and Mum...I would probaly never meet either of them again. But I know the Lord will!! Father Lord, I pray that you would hear my prayers and bless this child, that he would walk in the ways of You and even come to know You and accept You as his personal saviour.

*Skip the details of how I fumbled post stage 2 eg clamping the cord, cleaning the baby, trying to carry the baby (boy are they slippery), drawing blood from the uterine vein, delievering the placenta etc*