He enters the world

It was a bright saturday morning of September the 20th. As I was riding home from the Hyderabad station, I reminisced the events of past nine months. I still vividly remember the day when both of us jumped with joy on seeing the pregnancy strip turn pink! From then to now, every day has been eventful and full of anticipation of the arrival of new one. Starting from her emotional upheaval and mood swings during the first trimester, her cravings for chocolates and pastries sometimes at unearthly hours, his movements and kicks inside her to watching movies even through the ninth month; everything flashed in front of my eyes like a movie. Her last two scans had predicted the expected date in the first week of October while as per her LMP it was to be sometime around Sept 30th. We were now eagerly awaiting the arrival and were counting the days.

Saturdays are also the days of her regular check-ups. Dr. Haq, the commandant of the Military Hospital had kindly agreed on Swathi's dad's request to be her gynecologist. Her parents accompany us for the check-ups whenever possible. That being a working day for them, we were on our own. We had planned to go shopping for the baby after her check-up. Later that day we were to call on one of our family friends for dinner. It's not often that she gets to get out of the house and so she was quite looking forward to the outings planned for the day. As we were waiting for Dr. Haq, we discussed my plans for the coming week. Upasana - my sister - was to leave for Bremen for her post grad later that week. Although I had booked my tickets for Mumbai to see her off, I was in two minds. I wasn't sure if I should leave Swathi and risk not being there with her if she goes into labor. On the other hand, Upasana was going away thousands of miles away. I had no clue when I would get to meet her next. Moreover she was just recovering from an accident. Only the other day her doctor had approved her travel with strict instructions on diet and some other restrictions. She had gone through a lot of pain over the last week and the whole uncertainty around her travel had upset her. I was dying to meet her. Swathi tried to help by saying that the doc will probably say that the delivery is a good ten days away; so I could easily go and see Uppu off. Going by the dates that the earlier scans had predicted and the fact that the baby's head was not yet fixed, that was what Haq would have said. So we thought.

Dr. Haq came in some time and beckoned us in. He had known my father-in-law from when Swathi was only a few months old. He was their well wisher, a gentleman and a skilled doctor- the best in MH. After exchanging the customary hellos, he took her for the weekly scan. By now I had got used to the black and white images of the fetal movements. I could see the head; quite big it was. Probably the reason why it had not fixed itself yet I thought. As he moved the probe, I could see the spine. He also pointed out the liver, abdomen and the kidneys. All I could see was hazy black and white specks. I could make out the heart though as it moved in rhythm every time it beat. He measured the heart beat. It was 110. He measured it again. 110. And yet again. This time it was 114. He repeated the measurements for a few more times before he looked up and said that the fetal heart rate was a little less than the expected 135-140. What? Was that a concern? That can't be. Everything had been going on fine all this while. A 20 beats less that usual shouldn't be a big deal. But the doc thought otherwise. This was more serious than I had thought. He said something about the machine not being the latest one and that there was scope for error as he measured the heart rate with his stethoscope and watch. I don't know how much it was but he didn't seem happy for he sent us to the x-ray and medical imaging department and followed us there. Another scan; this time with a better equipment. The usual radiologist was not there. The new doc in his place appeared confused as he fumbled with the device trying to calibrate it for measuring the hear rate. After a few failed tries and a phone call later, he managed to get the readings. Dr. Haq made him take several readings between different crests of the wave. This time it was varying between 160 and 170. Haq looked at the readings in disbelief. Clearly, the variance was shocking for a medical dullard like me as well! The radiologist tried to justify saying that the fetal heart rate fluctuations are not uncommon and that we could repeat this tomorrow. Apparently there was a better contraption being installed and was going to be operational the next day. Dr Haq wasn't impressed. The fetal movements had gone down considerably too. As opposed to the usual constant movements especially during the scans, our baby had moved only twice in the last 10 mins. The amniotic fluid had reduced too. Haq knew that we couldn't wait for a day. A decision had to be made and had to be made soon. He took us back to the Obs and Gyn department and asked the aya to get her ready for an internal check-up. I knew Swathi had her apprehensions on an internal examination by a male doctor. She had told me how she wished I was a gynecologist! But now everything was happening so fast that neither was there an option, nor was there time to prepare. She later told me that he and in fact the whole staff was so professional that but for being a little embarrassing, at no point did she feel uncomfortable; during the internal or when she was lying on the OT table surrounded by three gynacs - one of them her dad -, one anesthesiologist, and one pediatrician - all males.

As he came out after the internal, Haq sprung into action. He made a few calls, asked the OT staff, pediatrician and the anesthesiologist to get ready for an emergency c-section. Swathi had always dreaded a caesarian. Both of us were wishing for a normal delivery and were hoping for one more so after Dr Haq's assurance during one of her previous scans. Although I had tried to convince her to be prepared for the worst, when I heard the 'c' word and that too prefixed with "emergency", it sent a shiver down my spine. What was happening? Was everything ok? Heck of course it was not. But what was it? Dr Haq wrote a quick report:

cervix 3 cm dilated
FHR fluctuating between 110-114
Fetal distress
Cord compression (?)

The umbilical cord had possibly surrounded the baby may be it's neck and that's what was obstructing it's movements. Daddy (Swathi's dad) later told us that it was sheer luck, God's grace and Dr Haq's prowess. Swathi was all set for labor and would have probably delivered normally in another 12 hrs or so but at the risk of compromising the baby. I shuddered at the very thought of it. Over these nine months, we had developed a bond, all three of us. Swathi and I often used to spend hours together talking to the baby and looking at her belly as it waved to the tune of the baby's kicks and movements. At times it used to suddenly go active as I would enter the room. Swathi used to say that it can sense my presence and that it was greeting me! Swathi used to tease me saying that she no longer needed me for company. She could just sit and keep feeling the movements without getting bored. We used to talk endlessly about the trips that three of us would make, the movies that we would watch together, and of course about parenting. We used to argue that we would let him decide his course and not expose him to any parental pressure very typical of our parents' generation. We were already a family of three. And to suddenly think that he might not have been with us freaked me out!

As they prepared her for the operation, I called up mummy and daddy. Daddy told me that cord compression was not very unusual. He assured me that all would be fine and that he was on his way and would be there with her in the OT. I didn't get much time with her before the operation. But just when they were taking her to the ward, she told me that she was scared for our baby. I told her not to worry and to be strong. It was tough. Everything was happening at such a fast pace that I got no time to ponder over anything leave aside feel scared. Or feel anything for that matter. I was following the doctor's instructions like a robot. I went and withdrew money, admitted her to the family ward and called up home. There was no time for the details. I just told them the bare essentials. Aai told me not to worry. Why was everybody telling me not to worry? And why wasn't I feeling anything!? I was I guess over any kind of emotion.

It was 2:45 in the afternoon. I saw the doctors running towards the OT. I saw the commandant's car parked outside. We drove Swathi to the OT. Dressed in a white gown, she walked past the restricted entrance. From here she was on her own. Well not really. Daddy was with her and he was a great support she told me later. I wanted to be with her inside yet I knew that I couldn't have seen her being operated. I just quickly prayed to God and let him take care of things. By now a lot of people had gathered outside. Mummy, three of her colleagues, Shravanth (Swathi's brother) and I. The day's events had by now sunk in and it was then that I started getting anxious. I was then eagerly waiting for somebody to come out and announce the good news. Yes deep within I had faith. I knew Dr Haq had acted on time. Soon enough Daddy came out and declared that it was a boy! Mummy started jumping with joy. I was extremely happy. We had to wait for another 20 mins before they got him outside. The nurse had nicely wrapped him in a blanket and brought him out like a bundle. No wonder they call it a "bundle of joy". He was so tiny; I had never seen a new born baby. His little eyes were open and blinking, trying to take stock of the new pairs of eyes that were surrounding him. He was finally out of his safe enclosure and had entered the outside world.