Where life begins

It’s the first month of a brand new year as I write this column and what better way to start the year in a productive manner but to write my very first piece as contributor to The Philippine Star. I thank my kumpareng Ricky Lo, godfather to my firstborn, Antonia for giving me this opportunity to communicate via the written word. Thank you to The Star for giving me a voice through this column.

I’ve had a 15-year experience as TV host/broadcaster beginning my career when I was still single. Now that I am married and a parent to five-year-old Anya, (who will soon have a baby brother when I give birth by Jan. 31 or earlier), I have explored a world outside television and so far written five children’s books published by Katha Publishing and created my own webshow, www.parentin.tv.

 On top of writing books, being the old soul that I am, I keep and maintain several journals: One — to chronicle my pregnancy. Two — to chronicle the life of my daughter each year. Three — my dreams and wishes journal. Fourth — a thank you and happy journal.

Heaven forbid, how can I possibly save all these journals just in case a fire or earthquake strikes??? knock on wood!

I created an on-line parenting show www.parentin.tv which is the first in the country. There is a mommy blog section. I figured writing for a broadsheet is another arena I can explore.

So, what should my first column topic be? Where life begins: Pregnancy.

Between my seventh and eighth month, I was diagnosed with two medical conditions affecting pregnant women… gestational diabetes and placenta totalis.

Placenta totalis is a condition wherein the placenta totally covers the cervix. To avoid complications such as profuse bleeding which could prove fatal, I will have to deliver via Cesarian if the condition does not correct itself by the 37th week of pregnancy.

 I had a normal delivery on my first pregnancy. Ironically, I had originally wished for a C section. Being a first-time mom and no prior birthing experience, I had a shallow reason why I wanted to have a C section — because I thought it was cool to deliver a baby the way Angelina Jolie, J.Lo, Julia Roberts and other Hollywood stars have delivered their twin offsprings. But my OB-Gyne Dr. Cathy Lim of St. Luke’s convinced me that the natural, normal way is still the best — because C section is a major surgery so post-op recovery takes longer and could be more painful depending on a woman’s pain threshold.

And so… enough of my Hollywood style posturings! I delivered eight-lb. Anya normally na muntik na ring Ceasarian if by 3 a.m. on that fateful date Feb. 26, 2005 ay hindi ko pa rin siya mailuwal causing fetal distress.

 Back to Placenta Totalis — as a consequence, I’ve experienced bleeding during the second trisem of this pregnancy. Thankfully, it stopped last October. I’ve been careful to listen to my body, and made sure I would not tire myself too much to avoid further bleeding.

Bleeding can occur during delivery of the baby.

That is what should be avoided — hence, the need to deliver via Cesarian.

On my 37th week prenatal ultrasound check up (Jan. 18, 2010 ) we discovered that the Placenta did not totally migrate. But a bit of good news: I am no longer Placenta Totalis but Placenta Previa — wherein my placenta is still partially blocking the cervix. Still, I’d have to deliver via Cesarian.

A quick google search yielded:

Placenta Previa, the implantation of the placenta at least partially covering the cervix, occurs in about one in 200 pregnancies. There are actually three types of Previa.

Complete Previa where the cervical or the mouth of the uterus, is completely covered. Partial Previa where just a portion of the cervix is covered by the placenta. And the Marginal Previa that extends just to the edge of the cervix.

I have a few friends who have experienced either Placenta Marginalis, Previa or Totalis, like Dzmm anchor Kaye Dacer and former Beauty queen and my neighbor Jenette Dizon.

They both assured me that everything will be okay.

But then I also feel a bit of anxiousness…

Of my impending Cesarian delivery. I already know what to expect if this were going to be a normal delivery.

I’ve experienced it with Antonia. Active participation during labor… the push, push, push and the breathe, breathe, breathe, Julius massaging my lower back…

Julius in the birthing room taking pics and video, documenting everything.

Julius talking to me… giving me his loving assurance that he is just here beside me and “Kaya mo yan... Tin,” he would repeatedly say as I pushed and breathed…

This time, the Cesarian operation is a total opposite of my normal birthing experience.

 While my friends have shared with me their personal Cesarian tales and told me not to worry, I pray to the Lord Almighty that mine will not have any complications, what with my Placenta Previa condition.

I pray to God to increase my level of pain threshold — for the post op pains.

And to save and protect me from what could be the unpredictable behavior of the placenta at the moment of birth.

Already, several units of blood are on standby from the Phil. National RedCross (packed RBC units Blood Type B).

I personally requested this from Ma’am Rosa Rosal and Dr. Christie Nalupta of the Phil. Nat’l. RedCross when I saw them during the Jan. 16 inauguration of the new St. Luke’s Hospital at The Fort, Taguig where I will give birth.

Hospital bags for me and Baby Antonio? — checked. Complete and ready to go.

Philhealth documents? — checked.

Cordlife documents? — checked.

I will have my cord blood stored with Cordlife Phils. This is one of the best decisions I will make during this second pregnancy of mine. To store my cord blood and preserve the stem cells which could save the life of my baby, his siblings, even us parents — if and when the need arises in the future.

So what else should I be doing now?

Write on my pregnancy journal.

Eat healthy.

Reflect.

Finish my to-do lists which will not cause me stress or anxiety.

Wait.

Pray.

Wait till that glorious, blessed day arrives when Antonio Francesco will say hello world!

And I trust my life to God and to Dr. Cathy Lim when I give birth.

It’s all a part of being a mother.

Happy ParenTIN.

(E-mail me at t.bersola–[email protected].)