Midnight has just passed one night four years ago. I was writing in my diary about the marvelous walk in the park we had earlier that day.

The dead cold wind of winter must have triggered the abdominal pain but I was trying to recall all the birthing class instruction and timed the contractions. It was exactly 7 minutes apart, in regular, methodical pain. My bag was packed as early as 5 months before. Mind you, we are talking here of someone who would actually have nothing to wear prior to a big vacation if the sun does not shine to dry clothes. My husband picked up the bag and off we walked to the car.

The hospital hall was no longer than 10 meters long. It reeked of the typical hospital smell of ammonia and alcohol I despise. Nurses were hustling and bustling as they briskly walk from one room to another. I could hear a woman letting out one loud scream at the nearby room and almost immediately, it was followed by a rousing sound of a baby’s cry.

It’s really happening tonight, I thought to myself. All nine months of waiting and anticipation for this big moment has finally come. An extraordinarily cheerful nurse came to me and asked me questions while leading the way to the examination room. It’s almost 1 am, I am amazed how they can stay up very alert and enthusiastic about work.

After a few moments, she told me that I am only 3 cms dilated. Natural labor requires women to be 10 cms dilated before the actual pushing and huffing and puffing. We were guided to a spacious room with sofa and a bed. I was asked to walk around to speed up labor. 

In Japan where birth is considered as a normal event that rarely require medical intervention, I was prepared to face and be surprised with the worst: having to bear every form of pain without anything to alleviate it.

Overall, I walked for at least 10 hours during the duration of my stay there. 

The walks I had in the hospital hall, interrupted by the intensifying pain that rocked every area of my abdominal cavity taught me so many things; patience to a very slow labor, tolerance to pain(before I was such a wimp) and gratefulness for the coming gift. 

For the next 24 hours all I did was walk, eat, sleep, scream at my husband and cringe in pain. Finally after more than 35 hours of active labor, I was finally wheeled to the delivery room and asked to do the necessary; push one human being out! It felt like a scene from an Alien movie. Just before sunrise, we welcomed a healthy baby girl.

After 7 days, I walked through the hospital exit, reborn, cuddling a sleeping baby in my arms. As the sliding doors opened letting the cold winter air blow on my face, I was swept by an overwhelming feeling, I have become a mom.   

This writing exercise is fueled by the writing prompt “walk” at Sunday Scribblings.