ผลิบานพร้อมลมหนาว
น้ากชถ่ายภาพยามหลับไหล
Momo was born exactly on the due day: Friday 17th Oct 2008, Oor woke me up around 5 am and told me that we needed to go to the hospital as she believed that her womb is moving and the liquid is running (sorry for my non-technical term). So we got to the hospital. I called my dad to let him and my mom know that we were heading to the delivery room. Actually a day before there was a contracting signal and Oor went to get a test at the hospital and we got a brief coaching from the labor room staff how to attend birth. Normally a couple who is willing to have a natural birth session is required to take 4 training courses before birth, but in my case, I didn’t have much time to be in Chiangrai, and so I got to use my privilege as a son of a former head nurse and learn real quick about what to do to give Oor support she need during labor.
Actually on the same day, our house is having a house blessing ceremony in which monks and relatives were invited in the late morning to come and have lunch. So here we are, a house party without a house owners and 30 guests were having fun. Of course my uncle, Na Yat, took care of the ritual fine. At the same time the inscents was burnt, candle was lit, the baby was born and the monk started to chant and bless the house. The real owner was born.
We use the natural birth room designed for people to give birth through natural process. There were a few nurses who got proper training to support this process. However, most nurses there seems to know what to do and how to give a woman emotional as well as clinical support. I hoped it was not just because I was a son of their former big sister there. Anyway, I think it’s their genuine spirit from which the support flew.
Dr. Pitsanu who was in charged of the birth and had been my mother’s long time work colleague, was very very helpful as well as being funny. He help talking through the whole process. We loved him even though he doesn’t hear us much. When the baby faced upward, he helped the baby to turn around. Oor pushes on the bed with me behind her for 5 rounds of strong push. It was very exciting. My mom was there with other nurses to support. One of our Thai friends who gave birth there with Oor’s support in the same room , was there also. When she came out, they put her to lay face down on Oor’s chest and get breast fed. She seems scared and then felt save with her mom’s warm and loving embrace. She cried very little and got peaceful resting on the chest while the nurses help cleaning. This is one of the most beautiful and sweetest moment in my life to see an amazing process of life, a mother and child in harmonic cooperation. I can’t hold myself back from really crying out of the great joy and overwhelmed. I was very happy for her to come out safe and alive. She was my little daughter, I realized with tears.
Oor almost gave up before the cervix was fully opened many times. But she made it. At 9.49 am the baby was born, 3250 grams 51 cm. length, red like plum. So we got her name later after coming home as ‘Momo’ , in Japanese means plum. And it’s the name of a book Oor really love and she gave me one when we first started dating.
Now we are back at home, you got to love our new home. It’s very comfortable with two stories and two bedroom, one office and one small tv room, with big living room and nice kitchen. It’s a new house we decided to buy for the baby with Oor’s mother’s support.
Oor has short nipples (I didn’t notice them when we first dated) and found hard to breast feed Momo and got stressed out for the first 3 days, then we decided to go see the doctor and received proper training on breast feeding. Now we are back and the last 2 days has been full with milk!
I’m taking time off work for at least a month and then go periodically to workshop in BKK. But now I’m very happy even though I barely get a chance to rest or take a nap and had to wake up to help Oor breastfeeding almost every two hours. Without being a father, no book can help me realize such a fulfillment as a human being. Nothing perfect, but I feel life is already so wonderful, so wonderful.
