First Experience

It went without a hitch, contrary to all the horrendous stories I had heard about first pregnancies. 'Oh! you are going to throw up like a fountain...don't worry it's just a phase that will pass after the first trimester'. Well into my second semester and I hadn't thrown up even once. 'Well you are one of the lucky few!' was their comment when I shared the news with my office colleagues.

'Be careful'..was what I kept hearing all day in the office, from my well meaning, protective lady colleagues. What to be careful about I kept thinking. Everything seemed so normal except for the expanding girth, the swollen breasts and the baby bump I carried. And those faint quivers and jerks every time she kicked to remind me I was going to enter a new phase in life. Meanwhile I was reading Dr.Spock's book Baby and Child Care, albeit with little interest, assuming it would all come naturally.

Did I have any special cravings? This too was a subject of discussion during our office lunch break. And my Goan colleague would treat me to goan dishes, prawn balchow, sorpotel..so..so yummy. Honestly, I enjoyed eating any and everything. The only departure from norm was breakfast. Eggs and toast got replaced with hot gobindo bhog ghee rice with tomato curry, a recipe handed down from mom, which I relished, and that could hardly be bracketed as a 'craving'. In retrospect feels strange, doesn't it?

Back then, prolonged power cuts was normal in Kolkata. Facing a dark lift was nothing unusual. But climbing those two flights of stairs to reach office was a feat in itself. And I call it a feat, because, each flight of that old building on 7 Hare Street, relic of the British Empire, equals today's three flights of modern apartment complexes. And we pregnant ladies chose to climb, over using the jerky lift, to reach our office on the second floor. By default I was following Dr Spocks's advice and it did good in the long run, I guess!

Maternity leave mandatorily commenced six week before delivery date, and ended six weeks post delivery, all in all three months. "Take care and best wishes for safe delivery" were the words I carried home waiting for the due date, filled with mixed feelings. Fear, happiness, anxiety, and the all too common question...'will I be able to face the pain?' ... too many stories of labour pains lasting for days and weeks and being put in a warm bath tub, to induce labour pains, kept running like a movie, in my waking hours. Mom's presence helped a great deal and she shooed away my misgivings. "Believe me, it's nothing like what you have heard...I've gone through it six times, including you twins'. Very comforting indeed. But admittedly I am a wuss and continue to be a wuss with pain management. The bun in the oven was cooking slowly!

That day stays permanently engraved in my memory. One week before due date, 28th February, I hit the panic button. Saw some spotting and let out a scream that had hubby and mom rushing into the bathroom. 'Call the doctor' I barked at hubby looking as crestfallen as me. My Paediatrician, calmly instructed hubby to have me admitted immediately into Woodlands Nursing Home, Kolkata, assuring that it was normal. Did I notice Mom looking a tad worried, as she saw us off? On reaching the hospital entrance, a nurse was ready with a wheelchair.

What the hell...why would I need to be wheeled in...I thought...wheelchairs are for patients. And I certainly did not feel like one.

After the checking in procedure was completed, matronly matron told hubby to go home. 'Nothing is going to happen in the next 24 hours, so go home and get some sleep. She is going to be fine'. After the prep up, I was put on a drip.

The minutes ticked away. It was 8 PM. Could overhear the nurse's telephonic feedback to Dr Talukdar, every twenty minutes after checking on status...all sounded mumbo jumbo about dilation so on and so forth. I never knew what I was in for till the pains started... mild...moderate..intense...very intense...unbearable...with me being rolled into the OT and transferred onto the birthing bed, steely cold. The humming of the ac getting drowned with my screams. Masked and gloved, Doctor and his assistant stood at the foot of the bed, admonishing me for cracking up the glass windows of the OT. I do recall telling him

...'why not trade places with me, and then I'll see how you can bear this pain'...and let off steam even in the midst of the screams. I could see the amusement in their eyes, and felt like boxing their ears right there and then. Alas! That was not to happen. By 11.58 pm, after enduring intense pain, out popped my first born, all gooey, pink, with lung power that exceeded mine. Her first cry. And my first experience of motherhood. Just incredible. I was hit by waves of emotion, at seeing the magic of creation. Forty years have passed since that day.

And I promised myself I would go though this again and again and again, no matter how much of pain that involved. The second experience was a cake walk after the first. Forewarned is forearmed as they say...by then I knew the ropes very well. Two beautiful girls who have made us proud and gifted us grandchildren.

What more can one ask of life?

This is strictly not an inspirational life story. But motherhood with all its associated drama, compelled me to share this life changing event. To all out there, avoiding motherhood, because of the responsibilities it entails, my two pence advice, go for it, and you'll never regret the decision