Pregnancy related issues.

I've been reading Cecily's blog for a long time now and she is an inspiration to me. She writes about anything and everything under the sun. Most especially about her darling daughter, Tori and about the lost of her twins, Zachary and Nicholas.

Apparently, this month she is concentrating on women's health and one of the most important topic that I find interesting to read is about pregnancy related issues. Please go read her article here and here she wrote about issues mothers face after giving birth. Both articles have been eye-opening for me, even now, with my 3rd pregnancy. 

The first issue struck a nerve in me, firstly because next year, in April, I will be facing the same life and death situation faced by all pregnant mothers in this world. Secondly, the stats she presented are terrifying, to think that even with today's medical advances, women still have to face their mortality when they should be celebrating a new life. I've heard stories of friends who experienced horrible birthing situations and I'm sure you have too. I still remember precisely what happened during Shahrin's birth and had even said that I don't ever want to go through it again. Luckily, I had an easy labor with Nazrin though I cheated since I opted for the C-section instead of waiting for normal labor. Apparently he had pooped in the womb (medically known as Meconium Aspiration) while I was only 3cm dilated. The Doc advised us not to wait since it could affect his health, so we agreed to her suggestion. 

As for the second issue, my mom had repeatedly warned me about post partum depression or in Malay "meroyan". She told me not to worry too much about stuff and to ask for help whenever I feel overwhelmed with anything at all. I guess that's why we have 40 days confinement period, where the mother and the newborn are looked after by relatives, especially grandmothers, just so the mother can rest and recover. I do believe this period is necessary, to make sure that someone would always be around just in case the mother IS having PPD or just having a hard time coping with a new baby. That way, she can get the treatment she needs to get better.

Thank you Cecily for the articles. They are truly informative and hopefully will give me more knowledge on how to manage my pregnancy, labor and post-labor situations.