Ebrahiem Ahmed Shaikh Arrives!
Thank you everyone.
My sweet angel after birth :)
Name: Ebrahiem Ahmed Shaikh
Nickname: Bram (Dutch Name for Ebrahiem)
Born: 03.09 am - 30 March 2013
Weight: 3,070 grams (6.768 lbs)
Height: 53 cm (20.87 inches)
Hospital: Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven
Gynecologist: Dr. Nienke Van Trommel
Midwife: Van der Avoort
Nurse: Wiesje & Anja
Some pictures of Bram:
by Sohail Ahmed
Mijn zwangere vrouw was 40 weeks and 5 days zwanger on 29th March 2013 when her labour started between 21:00 and 22:00 uur and ended with a sweet angel in hands at 03.09 on 30th March 2013 (labour hours: 30). Her overall pregnancy was very nice. As she informed me about her labour, I asked her if you really think it is labour, you should inform midwife immediately. Unlike me being a bit ignorant, my wife was quite aware of what to do. She suggested that she will inform midwife after some time.
At 01:00 am in midnight, she phoned midwife (it was Dieke) and told her about her symptoms. Midwife said that she needs to wait till the contractions become more regular with a gap of 4-5 mins. However, till morning these contractions did not turn regular. Dieke visited her at home, did some checkups, and suggested that the regular contractions have not started yet. She left with another visit again at 3pm but asked us, in case if the contractions become more regular or we need her, we must call her and she will immediately visit again.
Dieke visited again after 15:00 hours and stayed till her duty was over. During this time, she went through mijn vrouw's checkups. After 18:00 hours, Anke and Suzzanne replaced Dieke as the midwife. The contractions were getting stronger but they were still irregular. During these 21 hours of irregular labour, the dilation was not happening. The midwives took the decision to break the water as it was getting too late for her regular contractions to start and my wife was getting exhausted too. Water was a bit darker and we had to move immediately to Catharina Ziekenhuis (hospital).
I informed vrienden of mijn vrouw, Aurin, who was in Tilburg with her husband, to come and join us. She came immediately (thanks) and we, then, went to hospital together with midwives and our friends. Everything with mother and baby was good. As time passed, my wife was getting much more exhausted. Her level of pain was at the peak and mijn vrouw was cool, calm, and very strong still. Gynecologist suggested to give her medication to induce her labour. With medication, frequency of contractions was getting higher and the contractions became stronger as well. But when you do not have energies and going through such a long labour, a time comes when you say, 'NO! It's Enough! Now, I Can't Bear It Any More!!!' That is exactly what happened with my wife. She decided to take epidural.
I was happy that she made this decision herself. If she had asked me about my my suggestion, it would have been very difficult for me. I don't know how I would have reacted, I would have been between doubts and care. I would have probably given more weight to risks (as informed by the staff) than I should have, but still I might also have opted for epidural for my wife as I could not see her in such a pain. But at the back of my mind, I would have prayed .. 'Have I made a wrong decision???' .. this dreadful thought would have hovered around my head because of the fact that I always fear of risks associated with such things (where danger is human life). I am very sensitive to this, I was realizing. Though the probability of such a worst scenario happening is very very low - almost zero (as suggested by staff that one in two hundred thousand patients having epidural end up having effect on brain vessels), but still I would have been thinking about it all the time. At time of my wife getting epidural, I kept praying to Almighty that may this difficult phase passes with His mercy and ease. Midwives, nurse, and gynecologist in the hospital were very kind, nice and treating very professionally and were really taking very good care of my wife.
I was happy that she made this decision herself. If she had asked me about my my suggestion, it would have been very difficult for me. I don't know how I would have reacted, I would have been between doubts and care. I would have probably given more weight to risks (as informed by the staff) than I should have, but still I might also have opted for epidural for my wife as I could not see her in such a pain. But at the back of my mind, I would have prayed .. 'Have I made a wrong decision???' .. this dreadful thought would have hovered around my head because of the fact that I always fear of risks associated with such things (where danger is human life). I am very sensitive to this, I was realizing. Though the probability of such a worst scenario happening is very very low - almost zero (as suggested by staff that one in two hundred thousand patients having epidural end up having effect on brain vessels), but still I would have been thinking about it all the time. At time of my wife getting epidural, I kept praying to Almighty that may this difficult phase passes with His mercy and ease. Midwives, nurse, and gynecologist in the hospital were very kind, nice and treating very professionally and were really taking very good care of my wife.
I was very calm in this whole situation but definitely it was a very emotional and new experience for me. Thoughts of emotions, stress, hopes and fear generated a few butterflies in my stomach but I was strong enough to see her getting epidural. With every second, I was getting emotional energy but was also getting physically tired. At the end of tunnel, I could see the light, that gave me hope and energy.
Esma , een andere vriend van mijn vrouw uit Tilburg, joined us at hospital. When we came back from epidural room, she was there in the 'bevalling' (delivery) room. After some time, Esma and Aurin brought my parents to hospital to see my wife and then dropped them back home as well. They kept praying for everything being easy.
By 02.00 am in the midnight, my wife had full dilation. Gynecologist and midwife suggested it was time to push. Pushing for almost 40 mins did not help much. Mijn jongen wanted to stay a few more minutes inside the warm womb of his mother. Probably, he loved it very much. With some more effort and vacuum, finally an angel of his mother and father, kliene Bram, Ebrahiem Ahmed Shaikh, arrived in this world and rested well on her mother's chest. Bram was crying, and everyone was happy to see this sweet little baby. May Allah bestow him with His blessings always. Amen. It was the moment of the utmost happiness for all of us. I became a Proud Father - Papa :). I was looking forward to having him in hands. He is so adorable. As a dutch tradition (as suggested by the hospital staff, though I think it happens almost everywhere in the world), I cut the umbilical cord of my son. I felt very emotional and happy to do that.
When the nurse rested the baby on the chest of my wife, she was very excited, happy, but at the same time due to her long labour, she was also very tired. Nurse Anja questioned that you are sleeping after having a baby, where is the burst of energy :). I know that my wife had all the emotional energy for my son at that time. She was very happy.
My special thanks to Aurin and Esma who were kind to be there and gave all the support during the whole delivery process. My special regards and thanks to Verloskundigepraktrijt midwives, Catharina Ziekenhuis nurses, midwives, and doctors, for demonstrating the complete professionalism and being very helpful in all regards and treating everything very professionally and kindly.
My sweet angel after birth :)
Name: Ebrahiem Ahmed Shaikh
Nickname: Bram (Dutch Name for Ebrahiem)
Born: 03.09 am - 30 March 2013
Weight: 3,070 grams (6.768 lbs)
Height: 53 cm (20.87 inches)
Hospital: Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven
Gynecologist: Dr. Nienke Van Trommel
Midwife: Van der Avoort
Nurse: Wiesje & Anja
Some pictures of Bram:
