C-section Awareness Month
I'll let you in on a little secret... 🗣️👂
There's nothing posh about not pushing. When I hear people talk about celebrities opting for the ''easy option'' it makes my blood boil. Throughout my pregnancy back in 2019, I went to the Daisy Foundation Falmouth birthing classes, I learned the breathing techniques and what to expect for a vaginal birth, little did I know that what I had learned was never going to be put into practice.
Throughout my entire pregnancy bar the last few weeks my baby was always in the head-down position and then we had a little earthquake in Helston, my house shook and that night my baby turned, sounds crazy I know but it actually happened I'll never forget the feeling of both events happening. The following week we went to check out the Truro Birth Centre for my preferred birth plan of having a water birth, on that visit we looked around the suites and was checked out by my midwife who said that the baby wasn't head down anymore. We were then booked in for another scan to find out that my baby was now breach (head basically felt like it was under my ribs).
The options then were to have my baby manually turned from the outside or to have a planned cesarian. I reluctantly opted for a planned C-section in the end because my belly was so sensitive I didn't want the pain of the doctors trying and maybe failing to turn my baby. We had a date booked in for the 3rd of September (due date 6th Sept). That day came around very quickly. I was extremely nervous, I'm not one for needles at the best of times so I was extremely terrified for the epidural in case the anesthetist didn't get it right the first time, luckily I was in good hands she got it into my spine with no problems. I should have been more worried about being sliced open but it was the spinal jab I was more concerned about. I remember my legs went very numb and I was laid-down, from then everything went very quickly, blue screen up and I won't forget the sensation, every time someone or something touched me it felt very static, it's an odd feeling but static is the only way I can describe it like when you rub a balloon on your hair, then you get the tugging at this point I felt very sick and was given gas and air by that time my bubba was pulled out of me and lifted up like Simba over pride rock, all I could see was this blue squished face and massive lips and then it was quiet.
In my plan, I told my husband that wherever bubs is taken, he must not let him/her out of his sight. I shout over can someone please tell me what I had as I couldn't see much above the blue sheet. My husband says it's a girl and I just burst into tears as a girl is all I dreamed of having and I got one. After the doctors had stitched me up she was brought over to me and popped on my chest. All I remember was that she was tiny and absolutely beautiful and delivered safely into this world but now thinking back it is sad that we don't have any memories/ photos of us 3 together when she was born. It all happened extremely fast.
Nothing prepares you for the aftermath of a C-section though. You realise that you have a catheter inserted, you still can't feel your legs, and a baby that needs you but you can't move without help so she just lay on my chest most of the time. I've never felt pain quite like it, you no longer have abdominal muscles anymore, and trying to master how to move yourself to sit up is a huge painful challenge in itself let alone having to shuffle to the shower block because the nurses insist that you must shower the day of this huge operation and they bathe you which to me felt really awkward getting naked in front of a stranger let alone them washing you. The midwives and nurses were fantastic though, checking in often with medication, etc but with all that was going on I forgot my liquid intake and fainted the day after just as we were about to be discharged and went into adrenaline shakes, I thought I was going to die I had no idea what was going on and puked which was very painful and was rushed to the delivery suite area to be hooked up to fluids, at this point the catheter had been taken out and I had wished it was still attached as I needed a wee constantly which meant a bedpan going underneath me several times which meant I had to painfully try and maneuver my lower body upwards to go, I think I did this 5 times in a short space of time it was excruciating and will never forget it. We stayed overnight for 2 nights and were let go on the third day, we had had enough of the hot rooms, horrid food, and the noise from the other families that were also in the same ward as we were, all going through their different complications. Not a great environment for any new parent.
I only found out last year that friends of mine that also had c-sections had to inject themselves afterward at home once a day for 10 days to reduce the risk of blood clots, I'm very thankful that I didn't have to go through that. I did have very heavy bleeding for 6 weeks afterwards and a shooting arse pain when trying to do a number 2 was incredibly painful.
Once you get to take the dressing off the wound the pain when walking and trying to get out of bed is lessened.
Whilst dealing with all of this you also have a baby that relies solely on you. I chose to breastfeed which in itself was a new experience and was not a walk in the park. People throughout my pregnancy said that breast is best, but no one tells you what it takes to actually soldier on through. It was literally blood, sweat, tears, repeat for the first few months (now I am 20 months in and I am so glad that I persevered).
My husband did all the nappy changes for the first 6 weeks as I struggled, couldn't bend or lift, I felt absolutely useless and felt like I missed out on a lot for the first 2 months. I wouldn't wish a C-section choice onto anyone but if it means a safe arrival for you and your baby that is the most important thing that matters.
No matter what needs to happen every Momma is a warrior
