Haidilao, contractions and more: TikTok couple reveal what lead-up to childbirth was like

A hotpot meal, episodes of Ted Lasso on the telly and even a late-night McDonalds supper.

Sounds like a day well spent with a partner but for Fabian Gilbert and Deborah Kwek, this was their reality barely a day before the birth of their first child, Maeve Keziah Gilbert.

On Tuesday (Sept 12), the TikTok celebrity couple posted a roughly three-minute-long clip of what they went through in the lead-up to welcoming Maeve.

Deborah headed to the hospital on Aug 28, as it was already her 39th week of pregnancy, expecting to be warded. 

@debxrahkwek Our birth story 🤍 #birth #newborn #pregnancy #babygirl #relationship #love #couplecomedy #daddysgirl ♬ Bundle of Joy - Jartisto

Despite her daughter arriving the following day, it wasn't a smooth sailing ride for Deborah at all.

After the cervix check, the gynaecologist found that she was 0cm dilated. In case you didn't know, a woman needs to be 10cm dilated to give birth.

But she was in so much discomfort that they decided to get induced for labour at midnight.

Before being warded, the couple headed to Haidilao for their last meal together as a family of two. 

They also made time to watch a religious service before finishing up the comedy-drama series Ted Lasso.

Even on the drive to the hospital, Fabian and Deborah managed to make a quick pitstop at a McDonald's drive-thru.

After having their hearts, and bellies full, the time has come to meet their child for the first time.

"This is going to be a smooth process. I have high pain tolerance," Deborah thought to herself.

But it was a case of speaking too soon cause it sounded like she had a horrendous time thereafter.

Then, it started

At three in the morning, Deborah began to start breathing heavily in an attempt to deal with the growing labour contractions.

The pain worsened as she trembled and started tearing "non-stop". Seeing his wife in this state also hit Fabian hard and he too began tearing up.

Bring on the epidural. 

This injected anaesthetic helped with the pain, albeit slightly, but Deborah was just thankful she "could still function".

The hours went by and it didn't look like she could give birth anytime soon. But suddenly, it happened.

"We just went from 2cm to 9cm [dilation] in two hours," Deborah said weakly to her husband.

And at 5.45pm on Aug 29, Maeve Keziah Gilbert was born.

The comments section were full of netizens celebrating this momentous occasion alongside the couple.

ALSO READ: 'Men are less detail-oriented': TikTok couple breaks down if Singaporean men are lazy in relationships

amierul@asiaone.com

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