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Being informed makes everything easier

by Heidi
(GA)

I was not planning on having a c-section. There were no complications in my pregnancy, and just 3 days before I went into labor my Dr. had confirmed that my son was correctly positioned. I had read a lot of information in books and online about all the things that can happen during labor (my first!) but did not read much about c-sections... because I did not think I would need one.

Reading up about it afterward has really helped me understand everything I experienced in the hospital, and I definitely recommend that any expectant mothers do their research--explore all of the possibilities!

I was told that labor for your first child will usually take around 20 hours, and that is what I was expecting...

I was in Labor for less than 3 hours, my water broke on the way to the hospital, and it was immediately apparent that my son was in the breech position. The nurses were frantically telling me to "Not Push," and were worried they would not have time to even prep me for surgery. Everything happened so fast my head was spinning, and I was in recovery before I had time to fully realize what I had been through.

I had just about every side effect one can get from anesthesia. My temperature had dropped during surgery, so I was isolated from my husband and baby, and was not allowed to nurse until 4 hours later.

I was trembling, sweating, dizzy, and itching all over. Pins-and-needles sensations in my legs lasted about 5 hours, even after I could move my legs. I could not hold my son without help--which caused tons of breastfeeding issues. Moving was painful, nursing was painful, and every time I managed to fall asleep, the nurses would come in to check my vitals. I was totally unprepared for all of this!

In hindsight, my labor, delivery, and recovery were great compared to what other women have been through. Knowing that, I sometimes felt guilty for indulging myself during my recovery period. No matter what, its good to remember: Pain is always pain, no matter how often you have experienced it or what your tolerance is. Whether your labor and delivery were "easy" or "hard"... it is still major abdominal surgery.

My advice to new mothers~
Don't try to hold onto tons of expectations of what "should happen", or what you "should" be able to do. Every woman and child is different. Do what your body tells you that you can do, and don't give up when things get difficult! It really IS all worth it in the end.