My First Time Pregnancy & Birthing Experience - Via C-Section
I was only 17 years old when my partner and I found out that we were going to be parents! It was a bit of a shock to both of us as I was on contraception (monthly hormone injections) and the pregnancy was unplanned. Never the less, we were both excited about becoming parents for the first time and we prepared ourselves in the time we had.
I didn’t discover I was pregnant until around 11 and a half weeks as until then my tests just weren’t showing up positive- but I knew something was different. By the 12th week I was hit hard by morning sickness, which unfortunately has a deceitful name as it can happen morning, day and night! But it had worn off but 4-5 months.
At 18 weeks pregnant I started to suffer from Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) or Pelvic Girdle Pain. This is a condition that can be anywhere from mild pain to disabling. Mine was not as severe as some cases but was indeed crippling at times. It is caused by a normal hormone in pregnancy that helps to loosen the cartilage between the two pelvis bones usually to a gap of 2-3 mm. However the gap can widen to even 10-11 mm, causing SPD.
At 35 weeks an ultrasound confirmed that my baby was in a breech position (feet first). This meant that it did not turn soon I would have to have a cesarean birth. Just a few weeks before my due date it was certain that the baby was not going to turn so I was booked in to have a cesarean for 5 days before my due date.
I did not labour at all before my scheduled cesarean, only mild Braxton Hicks contractions. The night before I was booked to have the operation I was to go up hospital and be prepped the night before. At about 11:30pm that night they said it was time for my partner to leave and that he could come up first thing in the morning. I was so anxious and nervous about the op that they checked everything was okay, and they let me go home with him.
Morning came, and about 5am I had a shower and gathered my bag and everything I would need for my hospital stay. I felt a lot more calm and relaxed then I had the night before and we left around 6am to the hospital so I could be prepared for my op.
There we quite a few other women also booked to have one the same morning, and lucky me got to go in first! I stayed awake for the procedure and had a mixture of an Epidural and Spinal Block. I went in at 8:00am and my beautiful daughter arrived at 8:35am. She was absolutely perfect! From my experience I wouldn’t stay awake again if I ever would be required to have another cesarean as I was very traumatized but it, but each and every woman is different to what they prefer.
You are completely numbed from pain though you can feel strong sensations of pushing and pulling going on in your tummy. The epidural numbed me from the top of my chest, right down to my toes. My ribs were also numbed so they were heavy and put a lot of pressure on my lungs which felt rather scary as I was trying to breathe, but the doctors kept me reassured that I was in fact still breathing! The whole procedure was over by 8:45am but it was one of the longest 45 minutes of my life!
Afterwards I was taken into the recovery room and they handed my daughter to me. I was in shock and disbelief that I had just given birth as I didn’t feel like I had really done anything. But we laid there together, baby having her first feed on my breast and we both closed our eyes with exhaustion (for me it was emotional exhaustion) until I was okay to go back to the maternity ward.
I could wiggle my toes by 8:30pm that night and by the next morning the midwife had me up to walk to the toilet, with her help of course. The next 48 hours was a bit blurred as I was dosed up on pain relief and I felt a bit vague with my visitors, like I was off with the fairies. I just gazed at my beautiful girl for the next 5 days until I was able to go home!
I would recommend to any woman afraid of having a natural birth, that they should try to put their fears aside and do everything in their power to do it the natural way. The bonding with baby, the recovery time, the accomplishment, it’s all a lot more difficult with a cesarean.
My daughter is 2 years old now and our second baby is due in 4 weeks time. I suffer from SPD this pregnancy also, even worse than the first time, but I plan to have a natural birth and I have done a lot more research this time around! I am feeling more confident and comfortable knowing that I am not having another operation. Even though I am positive it is going to be very painful naturally as well I just think to myself that once baby is out, they will be straight in my arms and it’s all over! : )
Wish me luck!
And good luck to all the mums-to-be who read my birth story! Just remember that your thoughts create your world around you, so let them be nothing but positive and I’m sure everything will be fine! : )
