When I decided to quit my full-time teaching job, I didn’t know I was going to conceive soon. Having one income less may be worrisome to some couples, and even more when they suddenly learn that they’re going to expect a child.
It wasn’t the case with my hubby and me when we trusted God to provide stage by stage. And God prepared our hearts to welcome our baby with joy and peace, even before we knew it.
On my last working day, Ray and I went to the pharmacy to buy the pregnancy test kit. I asked the pharmacist who was a mother of two where she had gone for checkups and deliveries. She mentioned the name of a popular private hospital. Then she added, “I spent a lot of money on my first pregnancy out of “kiasu” (fear to lose). I was wiser when I was pregnant the second time.” Her statement was very timely for us who discovered my pregnancy the next day.
We believed everything was God’s timing and our baby would be safe in His hands. We discussed about our budget and the choices we had. Having worked as a civil servant in the past, I was always satisfied with our Malaysian government health care. As I no longer needed to go to campus to work, I had ample free time for my ante-natal appointments. A government maternity clinic was ideal enough for me. We found out the clinic according to the zone we lived and I was assigned to a nurse midwife who was mainly in charge of my following 8 months’ periodic checkups there.
Every time, the nurse gave me a big smile, asked me basic questions about how I felt and patiently answered the questions I asked. She jotted down my weight, urine test result, haemoglobin level and checked my blood pressure. From a certain month onwards, she began to ask about my baby’s movements, and check the baby’s heartbeat, position and development. She also checked for any swelling in my legs, etc. She sent me to the in-house doctor for consultation and ultrasound scan whenever necessary. And from there, I was referred to the hospital for detailed checkups.
In addition to the routine checkups, I was given free supplements, anti-tetanus injections and oral glucose tolerance tests according to schedule. Every time, I left the clinic feeling great to be a Malaysian citizen.
Besides the nurse midwife, I also found opportunities to engage other nurses, trainees, expectant women or mothers with babies of all ethnic groups. It was a wonderful “1 Malaysia” experience.
We thank God our Provider and the Ultimate Gynae who first blessed us with this precious child and watched over us. It’s definitely worthy to fear God, not “kiasu“.
A Woman's Journey To Wisdom 