“I Had My Baby By C-Section” – Just One Mum’s Experience

I am a mother of three children and have had two of them via natural birth and my middle daughter was an elective C-section. I would just like to share my experience of how I found the whole process of having a C-section compared to natural birth.

With my first son, I labored for 16 hours and as he was posterior; the contractions I felt were extremely intense from an early stage. His birth was followed by a fairly long recovery and I was very sore and nothing felt quite the same for the few months following. This put me off having more children and each time I considered falling pregnant, the thought of labor and the recovery period made me afraid to. It was my mum who spoke to me about having an elective C-section which I had never really considered. I became keen on the idea and began speaking to friends who had their baby via C-section. Towards the end of my pregnancy I was convinced that this was what I wanted. I felt at peace with my decision and decided to go ahead and elect for one. Many people asked why I would consider having a C-section especially after a normal natural first delivery which so many Mums would prefer and have opted for. Ultimately the decision you choose is up to you.

What happened on the day?

We got to the hospital early on the morning of surgery and as I went through the public system, they could only give me an estimated time of what time my baby would be born – sometime that afternoon. My husband and I waited happily together and chatted; quite relaxed (it was a bit of a date you could say, as we were away from our 17 month old son!)  When it was my turn, I was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect. The doctors and midwives were very calming and everyone was smiling and excited for my bub to be born. My husband was allowed in after I had the anaesthetic and he was able to stand next to me in his cute hospital cap and gown and hold my hand. I have to say at this point, I was most nervous that I would be able to ‘feel’ what was happening down below. Five minutes later, I asked when they would begin and they replied “we are already about to pull baby out!” I was so relieved! It was such a short process and all I could feel was sensations around my tummy.

Was I happy with my decision?

I was extremely happy with the whole procedure and that baby was delivered in such a calm, controlled environment. I was aware of what was happening at each stage and this made me feel very safe the whole time. The major different difference I found was being able to enjoy skin on skin contact with my baby immediately after they delivered her (as I was not tired from labouring or pushing). After I had my first son naturally, I was beyond exhausted that I did not even want to hold him and personally felt that I missed out on enjoying those first precious moments.

Recovery during the first few days

There was some numbness and soreness at the incision site. The doctor came by daily to see how I was doing and check that the wound was healing properly. I also found that anything that puts pressure on the abdominal area was painful at first, but eventually I began to feel a bit better day-by-day. One helpful tip is to use your hands or a pillow to support your incision when you cough, sneeze, or laugh as this helps to avoid added soreness to the incision.

Recovery time

I did not know what to expect with that initial soreness that everyone speaks about following a C-section. I found however that it was very bearable and probably less sore than natural birth only because you are on strong painkillers! The second day was a little bit of a challenge as you are encouraged to walk about to prevent blood clots in your legs.

After 2 weeks however, there was no longer any more pain and I felt I was walking and carrying out most things normally again. Lifting objects that were slightly heavy did however put a lot of pressure of the incision and this made it a bit difficult to carry out the usually household chores, especially with a demanding toddler at the time!

Helpful Tips:

•  Take the pain medication even if you feel good, I found it helped me to recover faster
•  Walk as soon as you can even if it’s just a little bit around the hospital
•  When getting out of bed sit up first then swing legs over the side of the bed, use your arms to help you (try not to put any additional strain on the scar).
• Drink plenty of water and eat fibrous food to prevent constipation

What will you need after the birth?

• Several pairs of big, high-waisted cotton underwear- normal underwear may rub your wound
• Comfortable loose pajamas
• A few packets of maternity pads
• Baby wipes or sanitary wipes
• Nappy sacks, to make it easy to dispose of your used sanitary pads and wipes
• Short-sleeved nightgown or shirt with buttons down the front (makes breast feeding easier)
• Dressing gown
• Nursing bras – 2 to 3
• Breast pads
• Backless, slip-on slippers that you don’t need to bend down to put on
• Lip balm
• Fibre-rich snacks – dried prunes or apricots (helps with constipation)
• Wash bag (towels, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste and shower gel and shampoo)
• Comfy, loose clothing for when you’re up and about, such as T-shirts and jogging bottoms.
• Extra pillows (handy for breastfeeding)
• Eye mask and earplugs
• Magazines/ reading material

What will my baby need?

• Between 10 sleep suits
• Nappies – up to 12 a day for newborn
• Wet wipes
• Plenty of muslin squares (they throw up quite a bit on them)
• Several pairs of socks or booties
• A couple of beanies/ hats
• Baby blanket
• A baby car seat
• Milk bottles/sterilizer (if not breastfeeding)
• Dummies (if you wish)

My final story

My third son was born naturally – he arrived after 2 hours of labour on the morning of my scheduled C-section! Just shows that little bubs too have a mind of their own! I know that some mums feel as though they have ‘failed’ especially after labouring for hours then having an emergency C- section. There is always a chance you can have a natural birth following a C-section just as I did. No matter which way you go or have to go, just remember you are bringing another human into this world, which is a true blessing and such a miracle!

 If you have had a C-section too, feel free to share your story with us or any helpful tips for the recovery.

Originally posted 2013-12-16 05:59:26.