The last bit of my labour was very much like an accelerated motion, even the midwife said that I was too quick for them. The made a comment that I was “very determined and focused”, as if I was really doing a great job.

It’s quite funny as I don’t think you can try to NOT concentrate when you are under such a great deal of stress.

Anyway, I admit that I was getting very impatient at the end, and not sure if this is the cause of some tear, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t feel proud of myself, as I did it all naturally.

They said “the secret is not that the labour is not painful, it’s women being strong”. It’s truly right. A very unique opportunity to explore the strength in yourself, no matter you like it or not:-)

Anyway, soon after Vivian was born, I was given the injection on the side of my left thigh to help to push the placenta out. Comparing to the pain I had, it almost felt nothing. With the next contraction coming, I was immersed in the joy holding my little girl, and just did it without any effort.

However when the midwife showed me the purple and red placenta in a bucket and asked me if I want to keep it, I was completely freaked out. I don’t know what to do with this flesh-liked tissue, looking so surgically horrible. I shook my head madly and that placenta which had been holding Vivian for 40 weeks is gone.

The doctor came in soon after the birth. He congratulated on me, then quickly checked on Vivian and started to prepare for the stitching job.

It probably took at least 30 minutes to get the job done due to I had too much bleeding. I had been holding the baby for the whole time until she was finally transferred to the scale and got weighed after my operation.

She was 3.44kg and about 51cm, but soon I found out that she was probably under-measured with her length on that day as she was 57.5cm when she was 3 weeks old. The average growth of length in the first 3 months is about 3.5cm per month. There is no way she grew 6.5cm in only 3 weeks.

Anyway, the midwives began to clean up the birth suite now, I need to move to another room. Because I lost quite some blood, the first try on standing up was not successful. I was very dizzy.

I had another few minutes rest and finally managed to go to the bathroom and had a quick shower to clean up. I was wheeled to the other room.

Now in the new room, there were three persons left— myself, my husband and our baby girl. She was in sleep in a little hospital crib with clear plastic walls. From that moment on, our family had expended to three, and our new life has begun.