My C-Section Birth Story
April is cesarean awareness month, so I felt obliged to talk about this topic since I did have c-sections with both of my sons. My first c-section was actually an emergency c-section and the second was scheduled, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
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I was rushed into the operating room for the doctors to perform an emergency c-section because baby’s heart rate was going down whenever I tried to push and they couldn't understand why. My husband and I barely got an opportunity to process what was happening because it all happened so fast. "Baby is not tolerating mommy pushing and we fear his heart rate will continue to decline", the doctor said. I was terrified. No, I didnt plan to have a c-section but ultimately all I wanted was for my baby to be safe. I remember being rolled to the operating room as my husband walked beside me. All I could think about was my baby boy.
We entered the operating room. My husband had to sit in the waiting room while the doctors prepped for surgery. I felt so sick and was shaking so much. My husband finally came back into the room and I was instantly relieved. He prayed with me as I sat in surgery waiting for Cairo’s arrival.
I began to feel strong tugs on my stomach and knew then he was about to make his entrance. The tugs got stronger and I remember telling my husband, "He's coming". They yanked baby out of my belly and I immediately heard the tiny cry I longed to hear, and tears fell from my eyes. All I could say over and over was "Hallelujah". My baby was here. Healthy. It was what felt like the longest, but most meaningful 45min of my life. Cairo was so tangled around the umbilical cord that it was actually wrapped around his neck, causing him to lose oxygen in my belly. Thank God for a safe arrival.
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Labor and birth is unpredictable. As mothers we want to plan every step of the way. We want to know exactly what to expect. And we want to have a sense of control. But ultimately it is our bodies and our babies that guide the way. Cairo was unfortunately so tangled in the umbilical cord it was causing his heart rate to decline with my contractions so it was safest to have an emergency c-section. Not what I expected with my first child, but I had to let go and let God. And thankfully he came safely.
What I hate is the sometimes negative connotation that comes with having a c-section. Women often dread the conversation or even the thought. Some consider it to be worst case scenario. Others think it’s the easy way out. But the truth is - however you decide to have your baby whether the c-section was voluntary or involuntary - labor is labor.
Giving birth is hard. It’s risky. It’s scary. No, I didn’t expect to have c-section, let alone two, but I am honestly glad I did. It opened my eyes to just how much mothers go through no matter how their baby enters the world. Whether it is a major surgery that you decide to undergo for whatever reason, whether your baby comes vaginally, whether you elect to have an epidural or go completely natural - your birth story is YOURS. And you should be proud no matter what! No way is right or wrong. Better or worse. Easier or harder.
For my second child I was a lot more open minded. Not so set on one particular route but knew that ultimately my baby was going to determine how he came into this world. And I was okay with that. The unknown was frustrating at times, but my trust in God was my leading force.
🤍J. Leigh
