Having a C-Section wasn’t in my birth plan but sometimes things workout differently than we expect.
Pregnancy is an amazing thing, being able to grow a new baby is incredible. But along with all the excitement and wonder, there are things I missed about my “normal” body.
I don’t know about you but by the end of my pregnancy, it was really disappointing not being able to eat a normal amount of food at one time.
I think all of the discomforts at the end of pregnancy are a must so that your willing to go through so much to get the little one here.
When my due date came and went and there was still no sign of a baby I briefly had the thought that I might be pregnant forever. But that wasn’t the case eventually our baby boy did make his appearance.
My Unplanned C-Section {birth story}
Looking back my pregnancy was easy. The labor was hard. I was in induced labor for 30 hours before ending up with a c-section.
39 Weeks
At 39 weeks the baby was low and I was showing the signs of being ready to go into labor. The midwives thought I would be in labor in the next couple of days.
She told me that the baby would most likely come early but we scheduled an appointment for 40 weeks and 41 weeks just in case. But didn’t think I would actually need the appointments.
Related: What I wish I knew before my first C-section
40 Weeks
4o weeks pregnant, my mom arrived and there was still no baby. At my appointment the midwives suggested a few natural options to help encourage labor.
41 Weeks
By 41 weeks I tried everything pretty much everything, we walked for miles, ate pineapple and spicy food, taken black and blue cohosh. And even tried taking castor oil. None of it worked. I wasn’t even having noticeable Braxton Hicks.
At my 41 week appointment, the midwives had me do a nonstress test. They hooked my belly up to a monitor to track the babies heart rate and see if I was having contractions.
The monitor showed everything was good and I was having contractions even though I couldn’t feel them.
At this appointment the midwife had me schedule an appointment with a Maternal and Fetal Medicine Specialist for an ultrasound and nonstress test 2 days later just in case I didn’t go into labor.
41 Weeks 2 Days
2 days after my appointment with the midwife we went to an appointment at the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Specialists office for an ultrasound.
First, they did the nonstress test to tracked the baby’s heart rate and then it was time for the ultrasound.
During the ultrasound, we could see a lot of detail since he was so big. After a few minutes of measuring, the ultrasound tech said she would be right back.
About 5 minutes later a doctor came in didn’t say anything but started taking measurements and looking at the ultrasound monitors.
After a couple minutes, he said “ok your baby is measuring at 10 lbs. These ultrasounds can be up to a pound off in either direction.”
He continued saying that with my build there was no way I could deliver a 10 pound baby and that I should seriously consider having a c-section. But either way, I should plan on having a baby that day.
After meeting with the specialist. I went back to the midwife to figure out the next step.
After discussing the information and options. We decided to have an induction was the best option.
Later that day
About 3 pm that day we went to the hospital, after filling everything out and getting set up in a room. They started the ivs, they also inserted a Foley Ballon to help dilate faster. This was really painful, definitely worse than the contractions!
The contractions started but weren’t to bad through the night. Getting up and moving around was nice but extremely painful.
After about 19 hours of labor, I was exahusted and ended up getting an epidural. The epidural didn’t really help since I was having a ton of back labor.
30 hours after being induced I started pushing. After a few minutes, he still wasn’t moving so another midwife came to check.
A few more pushes and the baby still wasn’t moving. His heart rate started to slow down when I would push and he was stuck. So they brought up having a c-section. After a little bit of discussion, we decided to do a c-section.
Within 10 minutes of making the decision for a c-section, we were headed to the operating room. The C-Section was an answer to prayers in some ways. I had reached my limit and I knew it.
It wasn’t my dream to have a C-Section, but the end result I wanted was to have a healthy baby and healthy mommy. It took a C-Section for me to become a mom and I’m so grateful that because of modern medicine I was able to have a healthy baby.
Comming to Terms with a C-Section
I know it can be hard dealing with the fact that you had a C-Section instead of a natural birth. I wanted a water birth and that didn’t happen.
During my pregnancy, I decided that yes I had a birth plan I wanted to happen. But if something else needed to happen it would be ok. As long as both the baby and I were healthy it didn’t matter how the baby arrived.
At the Hospital
For me, the C-Section was easy to come to terms with while I was in the hospital. Why? Because I know I did everything possible to get my little man here without a C-Section.
I had also prepared mentally that the birth might not go exactly as I planned. (A C-Section wasn’t what I was expecting to change in the plan.)
After Going Home
Yes, I had already come to terms with the fact that my baby came through a C-Section. But after going home and talking to some of my mom friends, that’s when I started to feel some of the guilt for having a c-section.
Hearing about other moms having a natural unmedicated birth made me feel like I didn’t do enough. I felt like I wasn’t as good of a mom because I couldn’t give birth.
After a few days of feeling down, I talked to my husband about it. After talking I realized that it doesn’t matter how I got my baby boy.
I’m just so grateful that he is here and healthy. If I had been in labor in an earlier time period neither I or my cute baby boy would be living.
Now there are still times I wish that my labor would have been different. But those thoughts are fleeting and I’m grateful for modern medicine and surgical procedures.
If you had a c-section and are struggling to come to terms with it talk to someone! If you don’t have someone you feel like you can talk to send me a message. I’m happy to listen.
After giving birth I was so excited to be able to sleep on my stomach again.
After having a C-Section I didn’t attempt to sleep on my stomach for at least a month. When my incision wasn’t bothering me anymore I tried sleeping on my stomach.
I was so excited, I missed sleeping on my stomach for months because of my huge belly and then the incision.
I was disappointed.
Since I was nursing sleeping on my stomach was not comfortable at all. I know you’re probably laughing – really she was disappointed because she couldn’t sleep on her stomach?
I know it sounds crazy, but in my mind, it was going to feel so good to be able to sleep on my stomach again.
As crazy as it sounds one of my biggest disappointments after giving birth was not being able to sleep on my stomach. (When our little guy was about a year-old I was finally able to sleep comfortably on my stomach again!)
More Posts You Might Enjoy
What I Wish I Knew Before My First C-Section
C-Section or V-Back
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I’m a stomach sleeper too, so I definitely felt that pain. In my third trimester with my second I was barely able to walk because of my hips. I thought after I gave birth it would go away but WOW, the pain was even worse! I was definitely disappointed about that.
It’s crazy how much changes during pregnancy and after giving birth you definitely don’t go back to the way things were before. After being pregnant for 9 months and giving birth it’s the little things you miss.
If it makes you feel better during both of my pregnancies I have been dreaming of taking a hot bath, with the drink of my choice, maybe some Jimmy johns, sushi, who knows and sleeping on my stomach and haven’the been able to make that last part happen, my baby is not and has never been a good sleeper. She is a great cuddler, but not a great sleeper.
I had a similar issue with my little girl. My blood pressure wouldn’t stay down and I’d already been in three weeks of bed rest. I too wanted a water birth and natural but my size deemed it being too dangerous to have a water birth and after three days of trying to induce and me not feeling any contractions we choose to proceed with a C-section. Good thing we had my uterus had a lot of scaring and it was twisted. My little girl hadn’t been able to grow much past her 32wk measurements.
As far as excitement after pregnancy I was looking forward to having energy and not being as sore. Well baby is nearly six months and I am still constantly sore and need to nap often
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lol I am totally with you! I LOVE sleeping on my stomach! Nursing didn’t really work out with my first, so I was also disappointed to find that when I did nurse my second, I still couldn’t really sleep on my stomach…At least not without waking up to a wet t-shirt contest. :/
I tried getting a massage after the baby was born. My boobs hurt SOOOO bad when I tried laying on them that I couldn’t enjoy the back massage at all. $50 down the drain. 🙁
I totally understand that one – I had no idea your boobs could hurt so much if your nursing!
I’ve had two c-sections and recovery is no joke. Enjoy sleeping on your stomach when you can!
Thanks I have to get my time in before we decide to have another one 🙂
I’ve had 2 c-sections and I can totally relate! I’m a side & stomach sleeper, so I understand what a huge deal this is. I was excited about reading this post just because of the title.
Thanks for taking the time to read it. I know it’s funny but oh man did I miss sleeping on my stomach 🙂
Eating! I felt like maybe I would be lucky and keep my metabolism like my mom did but I didn’t. I had to change my diet and exercising habits.
I can totally relate my body after having my little guy is not even close to the same as it was before.
My little one had knocked my hips out of joint, and I couldn’t sleep on my side for the last 3 months of my pregnancy. I was pretty disappointed when after the baby was born (C-Section also – after 57 hours of labor), when my hips were still out of joint! It took my another 3 months so sleep on my side again, lol!
I’m so sorry long labors ending in C-Sections are the worst! You get to experience and recover from both, not fun! Baby’s sure have a way of messing with how we want to sleep 🙂
Thanks for sharing your post. That really makes me thinking what I was disappointed of…
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I completely get this! Nursing boobs are not always super comfy, especially in those first few months.
Exactly! Before having my first I had no idea.
Girl, you are not alone! I was SO ready to serve both my kids their eviction notices so I could get back to sleeping on my stomach! I was super disappointed it took longer than expected to sleep comfortably after giving birth.
I was also disappointed that my maternity leave wasn’t more like a vacation. That’s not exactly a realistic expectation but a girl can dream, right!?!?!
Haha I know what you mean. Those first few weeks that your supposed to “relax” aren’t very relaxing 🙂
I had a vaginal birth with my first and c-sections for my last two and I’d take a section over a vaginal birth any day (then again, mine was traumatic, so not your typical case). I’m a labor and delivery nurse. What matters in the end is that mom and baby are healthy. With my last pregnancy I was disappointed I went into labor before my scheduled section. I wanted those last two days to enjoy the last moments I would ever have of being pregnant as she was my last. But she had other plans!
Glad to know your C-Sections went okay. Since I don’t go into labor I will get to chose with any future children if I do VBAC or a C-section, so I’m always interested in what others have experienced.
Such a beautiful baby! I’m glad you had a safe delivery and now you can sleep o your stomach! 🙂 It’s the little things isn’t it?
Oh the little things 🙂