New Mom Guide: My tryst with Motherhood

My journey to motherhood began like most of you. I looked down at a pregnancy test and saw a positive sign. And did not believe what I saw. I sat back down on the toilet and just stared. My body felt weak. And tingly. My first thought was, “Wow So that’s how it happens! This little tiny test just told me that a baby has begun growing inside me? Is that really it? Is it really real?" I didn’t believe it.

‘’To be a great surgeon must have a fierce determination to be the leader in his/her field. He/She must have a driving ego, a hunger beyond money. He/She must have a passion for perfection. He/She is like the actor who wants his/her name in lights.’’

Myself a qualified Breast Oncoplastic surgeon, before being a mother. I was the only woman in my post graduating class of eight from a highly competitive general surgery training program just a few years ago. But that was my decision. I had chosen to be smack in the middle of an aggressive, male-dominated field for those years. I took the full-time job of motherhood almost 2 years back and although most of the times it is grueling but at the same time gratifying. This is my story.

I am going to share a scary incident which occurred in my early antenatal period. I attended a reception party of my colleague, after the party my ordeal began, I came back home and started having pain in my buttock.

Initially I thought its just a mild pain nothing to worry about, took some pain medicine and thought all is well. I went on with my routine work as usual without knowing what I am going to face next, in the evening the intensity of pain increased again took some pain killers and added antibiotics recommended during pregnancy.

But over next couple of days the pain got worst, I was not able to sit and lie down comfortably anywhere.Finally decided to show it to my colleague and it turned out that I had developed an abscess which is basically a pus filled cavity in my left buttock and only treatment for abscess is surgical drainage.

Usually it’s a small procedure which requires anesthesia, but pregnancy makes even the small procedures high risk as chance of miscarriage is high. Me being a surgeon and my husband a trained Anesthesiologist both knew the risks, but my pain was unbearable and I had to undergo the procedure under spinal anesthesia.We both had trepidation but with God’s grace everything went well, but my ordeal was not going to end here.

Basic treatment of abscess is to drain and let the cavity be open ,so my wound was kept open and regular dressing had to be done and area had to be kept clean it was again a task for me and my husband to keep the area clean and do the dressings.

Gradually the wound gap reduced and healed. I thought everything is fine now went on with my routine work while taking all precautions during ANC period. Just 2 months prior of my delivery, I went for my routine checkup with my obstetrician, and also asked her to check my wound also, and to my dismay the wound has not properly healed and again the infection has set in and another procedure was in the cards. This new development in the late months of ANC period was even scarier as the risk of going into labor during procedure is quite high and risky for both mother and baby. But as this had to be done again with high risk, I underwent the procedure and this was followed by weeks of dressing and cleaning the area. Meanwhile I developed hypertension too due to lots of physical and mental stress.

After all this pain and undergoing recurrent procedures under anesthesia I did not lose hope, kept my calm and dealt with my fear and safely delivered my baby in the subsequent month. It was an emotional moment for me as months of pain staking dressings and cleaning, I finally reached my destination. His birth, his life, was the start to my journey of motherhood. From the moment I first took the test, there was no looking back. I was my baby’s mommy. And that baby was mine. And there is nothing I love more.

Motherhood has grown me in ways I never imagined. Been pushed further than I ever thought possible. And celebrated things I never knew would make me happy.

My son is my inspiration for all I do. Before becoming one, the title—MOMMY—did not seem super glamorous. But once I had him, once I had them, I cannot think of a title I love more. And I cannot thank God enough for the privilege. Or for the craziness that ensues on this journey through motherhood. Because if there were no crazy, there would be no them.

During pregnancy the immune system of mothers goes down and chance of infection increases ten folds. Hence, it is must to be very careful during this period and any infection has to be diagnosed early and treated early, and most important thing is to not to lose hope and most important keep your nerves calm, be happy and be prepared for anything that life has to offer with faith and hope .

Today, you are mama-to-be. At the start of your journey. Your body will be stretched. Your heart will ache for the one you have yet to hold. And just when you think you can’t bear it anymore; your body will bring forth life. Beautiful, sacred, life.

Journey taken to reach the destination is as important as destination.

A beautiful journey makes memories.