My C-Section Story: What I wish i knew

I'll be completely honest and admit that i was once ignorant, and thought that c-sections were the easier way of giving birth. I was seriously seriously wrong! If you are one of those that thinks this, stop it! Stop it right now! Now that i am officially part of the c-section mama tribe, I have come to the conclusion that I would actually quite rather have nautral births, no epiural, three times in a row than have another c-section! There is so much that nobody told me about.

I didn't know what having a c section would be like... and I certainly didnt know what to expect afterwards.

From when I had my 20 week scan, I knew that a c-section could be on the cards as i had placenta previa. This is a condition that meant my placenta was lying too low and covering my cervix, which obviously meant that giving birth naturally would be a big no no. But as they had discovered this early, there was still time for my placenta to move upwards and i'd then be able to go into labour naturally again. I had more scans than usual, I think about 6, to check if this troubleome placenta had moved. It hadnt.

So, here i am, sitting in the consultants office trying not to cry as im being told im going to be cut open. I have anxiety anyway so I was really really nervous. I remember freaking out as they told me that because of the placenta previa condition, I was at risk of losing too much blood , and in the events of this happening, they would have to remove my womb. My brain went into overdrive thinking, 'I dont really think i want another baby, but what if i change my mind in a few years?' to 'You can't just take my womb, its mine!'

So, as the weeks went by and my due date was nearing I was waiting for the call, the call that would change my life and let me know when I was going to have my baby boy. I got the call and was booked in to have my baby a week before my due date, on my birthday!

So, Friday July 19th 2019, my 26th birthday, 8am and im in my hospital bed waiting to be called to theatre, there are 3 other mums to bes waiting, and im going to be going first! I was excited but scared. Once in the operating room the main thing i can rememeber is how bright it was, and there were so many people in there, which made it quite daunting. My baby’s dad was more nervous than me. I absolutely hated getting the spinal block ( very similar to an epidural) as i am terrible at sitting still and awful with needles. It was so unco, not really painful but i could feel them sticking it in and it felt like it too absolutely ages! Its the weirdest feeling , slowly losing the feeling from your chest down, literally paralysed. Once the operation started i could feel them tugging and pulling, Ive never felt anything like it, it doesnt hurt at all its just weird, but it did make me sick. What a glamorous sight, being unable to love anything but my head and arms and throwing up, with the nurse and her little sucky vacuum thing, catching it. Yep, lovely, After about 20 minutes they said “Your baby is born!” I was like “OMG really?!” But i didnt get to see him, and he wasnt crying. I was so worried and i couldnt see over the blue screen they had up, all i could hear was this horrible gurgling sound. It was awful. Then they said that he needed to go down to neonatal as he had fluid on his lungs and needed a little help, i got a little glimpse of him in the incubator as they wheeled him past , i was just aching to hold him, it didnt feel natural to have just had a baby but not held him yet. I didnt see him til more than 5 hours later . But i was glad that they they put me into my own little antenatal room. I’d have cried all day seeing the other new mums snuggling with there babies while i hadn’t met mine yet.

When the spinal block started to wear off, my god i have never felt pain like it, to cough, to laugh, to even move an inch was torture i couldnt stand i couldnt lean forward , i was also terrified that where they had literally ‘sewn’ my back up if i moved to fast id split open like a ragdoll! 😫. Anyway , skip to the good bit, I finally met my son Accacio and i instantly fell in love, he was soo chubby and gorgeous and he just took my breath away. I had my own little birthday buddy and my life would never be the same again. I hated having a c section but if i had to do it again to get Accacio then i would without a doubt!

Here are some of the things that i didnt know about c sections and wish i did!!...

• You still bleed, like after a natural birth! More in fact! • You have to inject yourself for 10 days afterwards to prevent blood clots

• It makes you constipated as hell

•Coughing will be the worst pain ever

• Dont even think about sneezing!

•Or laughing

• It feels and looks as if your body is completely disfigured , but it will slowly start to look more normal

• It is MAJOR surgery

• You’ll feel like a soldier once you’re healed and feel a bond like no other with your new baby!

xxx