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The past six days went by like a blur.
In between my second C-section, which was incomparably more painful than the first, and days of heavy narcotics, Baby C came into this world at 2.9 kilograms, healthy and well. Now we're just hours away from being sent home from the hospital.
I checked in as part of a family of four, and I'm leaving as a family of five.
My second delivery experience: oh, where to begin?
First of all, now I know why women prefer vaginal delivery over a C-section.
I've heard people say that C-sections get more painful the more you do it while vaginal delivery gets easier. So true.
With vaginal delivery, I can't speak from experience, but it's recovery time is much faster; I know that from seeing women walking around the hospital the day after delivery like nothing ever happened. They look like they could go run a marathon.
For me, it took a good three days after surgery to walk 10 measly steps out in the hallway.
Unlike my first C-section 18 months ago, this one is really kicking my butt.
Although I knew what to expect this time around, experience didn't help at all.
In fact, I was more scared and frustrated because everything felt so different from last time.
I felt a lot more tugging and jerking during this delivery. Maybe that's why I was in so much more pain, which began immediately after I was wheeled into the recovery room.
When I had my twins, I remember chatting with my husband, taking pictures with my newborns and just generally having a good time during my first moments after delivery right in the recovery room.
Pain didn't kick in until three to four hours later and, even then, the intensity wasn't all that bad.
This time, I don't really remember the first couple hours post delivery. I was too heavily drugged to manage the uncontrollable pain. Clearly, anesthesia wore off right away and I wasn't properly medicated on time.
The first day was pretty much a nightmare and the following day didn't really get any better. After being urged to get up for my ''first walk'' ― one of the biggest milestones after a C-section ― on the morning of the second day was downright horrifying.
At that very moment as I attempted my first step, I almost collapsed from excruciating abdominal pain, dizziness and shortness of breath. But as the nurse promised, the second and third time felt ― magically ― a whole lot better.
By day four, I was ready to welcome the twins to meet their new sister.
It was a grand moment I've been envisioning in my head over the past nine months.
I wondered how the girls would react on their ''first meeting,'' which is often considered a crucial occasion that could determine the impending sibling relationship.
Experienced parents repeatedly told me that I shouldn't be holding the baby when the twins first enter the room. To the girls, that scene would instantly trigger jealously.
So as advised, I sent Baby C to the nursery before the toddlers arrived so that my husband and I can enjoy an uninterrupted reunion with them. After having plenty of alone time with them, my sister brought in the newborn.
I didn't know what to expect, but thankfully, the girls seemed to have fallen in love at first sight.
They both let out all kinds of sounds of joy. Giggling and laughing, both Baby A and B couldn't stop gazing at their new sister. And I let out a sigh of relief.
The three of them are on good terms ― for now. It's my job to make sure that none of the three feel neglected in any way. This sounds easy, but I'm beginning to realize how hard it is to play fair when you have more than one child.
That's not the only thing I'm tasked to do.
Once I head home ― my parent's home to be accurate ― another whole new level of motherhood is about to begin.
My husband has to return to the U.S. so I know it's not going to be easy trying to keep everything under control without dad for the next two to three months, until we reunite again.
At this moment, I'm excited, eager and anxious all at once.
Wish me luck.
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