Our First Hello: The Day We Met Our Sweet Little Shivaika

Of all the things that I’ve done, bringing my daughter into this world is the most monumental thing I’ve ever done. This is the story of how it unfolded.

For some context, I was in Amman for most of my pregnancy, as that was where we were based at the time. However, when it came time to welcome our baby, we decided to have our little one in our hometown of Ipoh. Being back home, surrounded by family and familiar comfort, just felt like the right decision for us during such a special season of our lives.

Off the bat, I knew that I was going to have an elective C-section because I am absolutely terrified of giving birth. I am a huge chicken when it comes to this. I know the places my mind can go and vaginal birth was a no-go for me. I simply didn’t have it in me to go down that route.

A lot of people tried to talk me out of it, but I knew in my heart that I was making a decision that was best for me and my mental health.

Now, rewinding to the moment we came home and went for our first OBGYN visit to discuss our birth plan. I was due on the 10th of May 2025, and our OB told us that we can choose to have the baby any time from the last week of April to the first week of May.

Tevan and I chose to welcome our baby on the 2nd of May 2025. There is no profound reason behind said date; it’s just that I simply liked the way 02 05 2025 looked. The OB was free, the OT was free, and the date was set. Little known to us is that our little lady inside and the man upstairs have made a different plan. One that we were certainly not privy to until the last minute.

Tevan left for Amman, and I spent the days leading up to my delivery at home, preparing for the arrival of the baby or should I say nesting. Tevan was set to fly home on the 28th of April 2025 so that we can get some last-minute things done and tie up some loose ends before I was admitted on the morning of 2nd May.

On the 26th of April, a day after a check-up with my OB, I decided to pack my hospital bag to have it ready. That in itself should have been a sign. I am not a type A person at all, especially when it comes to packing. Lol. By the time evening rolled in I was feeling a little heavier than usual but I dismissed it for the usual 3rd trimester heaviness. That night I spoke to my husband over video call and we were both convincing our little girl to hang in there a little longer, at least till he comes back.

I had to attend a relative’s prayer in the morning so I woke up at around 9ish and went to the washroom and saw that there was some discharge tinged with pink blood (sorry it’s tmi) but it’s a birth for godsakes of course there has to be some blood.

Anyway I told my mom (I was freaking out) and she asked me to call my OB and I was advised to go in for a CTG. thank god I had my hospital bag packed so that was one thing out of the list to be worried off.

Honestly I don’t know how to explain the feeling of when my water broke. It’s like I am peeing and at the same time leaking from a tap that I cannot turn off.

Oh again for context I really didn’t want to go into labour without my husband by my side. But when push came to shove, quite literally I had some kind of new found courage to go through it alone. My priority was to bring my baby into the world safely. Mind you this coming from a person who wouldn’t even go to the dentist alone.

I arrived at the hospital at about 11ish and was wheeled into the OT around 12-something because, guess what, the baby was coming today.

At this point, there was nothing much left to do but to trust the process. I quickly sent a text to my husband and, I quote, “She’s coming today.”

The entire team,from my OB, anaesthetist, to the nurses were a jovial bunch. They kept the whole thing light and easy, which was quite the irony considering what was about to happen. I will forever be grateful for their gentleness, kindness, and most importantly, their humour. They made me feel so comfortable, and we were having a full conversation about random things while my insides were, well… exposed. GAH.

Shortly after, I heard a shrilling cry and there she was. My sweet little girl made her grand entrance into the world at 1:12 pm on the 27th of April 2025. Even at birth, she decided her timing, and somehow that set the tone for her beautiful life ahead.

I am getting goosebumps as I type this. It was so beautiful. I completely understand now what people mean when they say this single moment empowers you in a way that feels almost indescribable. Words really aren’t enough to articulate it.

I never want to forget how I felt when they placed her tiny, perfect little body on me. It felt like I was being reborn all over again. There she was, my two pink lines, my answered prayer, my very own baby girl.

I couldn’t stop staring at my little miracle, but I managed to ask the paediatrician on duty if she was okay, and she said yes. My baby was then taken away to be cleaned up while I was kept in the OT for an extra hour because I was shivering nonstop. They had piled on blankets and turned on the warmer, but I still wouldn’t stop shaking. I was told it was common after a c section.

Honestly, it wasn’t too bad I think I was still loopy from the anaesthetic and, of course, the adrenaline. So that kinda helped

Fast forward 24 hours later, Tevan arrived. In that moment, he was no longer just my husband, but the father of our child. We have known each other and grown together through many phases of life, but this was by far the most emotional and beautiful chapter. Seeing him meet our daughter was a core memory I want to etch into my brain forever. In many ways, this is also why I am writing all of this down, to make sure I never forget a single detail of this experience.

Of course, I would have loved for him to be present at the birth, but it is what it is. Sometimes we can plan all we want, but destiny decides what truly happens and in this case, when.

Our daughter arrived at the perfect time, and that is all there is to it. And this, my friends, is the story of how Shivaika Vienna Nair was born, making Tevan and I the happiest people on earth. The rest of our story begins here, with her.

As I look back on the entire experience, I am still in awe of what the female body is capable of. It can stretch, expand, and grow another human being for months, and still somehow come out the other side stronger than before.

Before experiencing pregnancy, I don’t think I fully appreciated just how incredible that is. Growing a baby from scratch, giving birth, recovering, and then stepping into motherhood; it changes you in ways that are difficult to articulate. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too.

If there is one takeaway from this journey, it is a newfound respect for the resilience of a woman’s body. We are capable of extraordinary things, and I got to experience that miracle firsthand.

So mamas no matter how you brought your baby into this world, you are incredible and you deserve to be celebrated.

On that note, there is a bag I've been eyeing for sometime now. hint hint . hehe (I know my husband will read this)

Update: She’s one now. Can you believe she’s a little over one now? Time truly is a thief. Nobody prepared me for how emotional it is to watch my baby girl grow up so quickly. 🤍