A few days ago, my life changed forever.

My baby son, Alrich Ong, was born on 8th March — which also happens to be International Women’s Day.

Looking back, I honestly can’t think of a more meaningful day for him to arrive.

But the journey to get there was something I will never forget.

At 11.30pm in the middle of the night, my wife's water bag burst.

We had to immediately rush her to the hospital.

When my wife’s water bag burst, the nurse calmly told me something that sounded reassuring at the time.

She said, “Normally labor takes up to about 12 hours.”

Okay, 12 hours. That sounded manageable.

But then we passed 12 hours.

Then 13 hours.

Then 14 hours.

Then 15 hours.

Then 16 hours.

At that point I started to panic a little.

Then it became 17 hours… 18 hours… 19 hours… 20 hours…

And I was thinking… is this normal?

Then 21 hours… 22 hours… 23 hours…

Eventually we decided to go for an epidural to help manage the pain.

By then my wife was completely exhausted. She had been fighting through wave after wave of contractions for almost an entire day.

The doctors also started to get concerned that the baby could get an infection if the labor dragged on too long after the water bag had burst.

So we had to make the decision.

We decided to go for a C-section.

At that point my wife was semi-conscious, exhausted after everything she had gone through.

Watching the doctors move quickly in the operating theatre… hearing the machines… waiting for the moment our baby would arrive…

It was honestly one of the most intense and surreal experiences of my life.

And then suddenly…

We heard the cry.

Our son had arrived.

Alrich Ong.

The entire hospital bill eventually came up to about $30,000.

But when I held him in my arms for the first time, I realised something immediately.

The joy that this little boy brings is completely priceless.

No amount of money compares to that moment.

And the biggest thing this experience taught me was a completely new level of respect for mothers.

The strength.

The sacrifice.

The endurance.

Seeing what my wife went through just to bring our son into this world… it’s honestly incredible.

To all the mothers out there — especially my wife — thank you.

And to my son…

Alrich Ong

Welcome to the world.

Love,

Daddy Alaric