Cesarean Section at The Medical City

I had a cesarean section at the "The Medical City" last August 15, 2014. It was a scheduled CS and I was admitted August 14. First step is that you have to go to the Admitting Section where you have to choose your room. One technique is to get a semi-private room, to have lesser charge. Usually semi-private rooms are reserved for minor OB-GYNE surgery for overnight stay like hysteroscopy. I was hesitant to get a semi-private room because rooming in of newborn is practiced at this hospital.
It was an advantage though because we stayed at the hospital for 4 days and we had the room for ourselves for 2 days.

Going back to the steps, after Admission you will have several doctors and interns interviewing you about your medical history, I had an OB, Endocrinologist, Pediatrician and they asked the same questions. Allergies, diabetes, heart conditions, smoking, alcohol etc.

That night an ECG,fetal heart monitoring and IV was performed. I was also instructed to use an antiseptic to use for my hair and body prior to the operation. It was their SOP. The following day, I was at the Delivery Room at 8am and was at the Recovery Room by 10am.

From what I remembered, I had the lumbar anesthesia and after the insertion of the anesthesia, everybody in the operating room was moving so fast. I can see what they were doing from the reflection in the light bulb but then I stopped looking and prayed.

When I heard the cry of my baby, I was relieved and cried because all is well. The 37 weeks was over, she is ok, I am ok.

I stayed at the Recovery Room for 7 hours, I was at my room at 5pm but I was ok around 3pm. I have to move my legs before they can wheeled me into my room. It was August 15 and it was the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, there were 10 scheduled CS that day. The hospital was lacking in personnel to bring their patient to their room which is understandable I guess.

My family was waiting for me, I was so groggy, I can hear them but I was too weak from the anesthesia. One personnel from NICU or from breastfeeding was trying to get some milk from me because the baby has not been feed yet. She tried to squeeze my breast so hard I felt blood going out of my vagina. Breastfeeding contracts the uterus and when the uterus contracts it bleeds.

I had breastmilk at day 3 and my breast was engorged. It was so painful. Having a cesarean section is painful and having an engorged breast makes it worse. I was sore all over. My nerves were also sore, my hand and joints are painful as a result of the heparin that I injected while pregnant.

I told myself I will never do this again. You know the sacrifice of the mother just to give birth, it is so death defying. No words can express the hardship and pain a mother goes through birth. Only a mother can empathize I guess.

 The monetary cost of the CS Section at this hospital is around 150-200 thousand pesos. We paid close to 200 thousand that is less Philhealth and community discount. Whew, that is a lot of money.
The total cost of me getting pregnant and giving birth is close to 350 thousand. From the medicines to ultrasound, Immunologist fee, thyroid blood test and the heparin.

That is money well spent I am sure.

Bringing in another human into this world is both pricey and priceless.