My C-Section - What No Book Prepared Me For.

  When I got pregnant, I was happy to tell everyone. I was thinking now I can finally go through what every one of my friends told me about - I was only told good things!. I was especially thinking of my cousin who said the birth of her daughter happened in 45 minutes. I immediately thought to myself, we’re related! so the same may happen to me. To my surprise I was not a candidate for the ‘pushing’ option. I had previously undergone a myomectomy so my OB/GYN informed me my only option was a C-Section. I began reading the next day, no matter how much reading you do nothing can prepare you for the experience.

Here are a few of my surprises:

1. I’ve been seeing my OB/GYN all 9 months and on the day of my scheduled surgery, she called out. Apparently she had something more urgent to do than delivery my baby. So instead I got the doctor that was on ‘call’ that day. She tried to re-assure me of how great she was and how everyone would do their best to take care of me. It was not the same, 'who was this woman and why was she talking to me'.

2. I had my daughter at a teaching hospital, it felt more like a classroom. Peering eyes everywhere, tons of introductions only thing missing was the blackboard.

3. The after pain when the drugs wore off, hurt like hell. All I did was press that call button all day long. At the onset of any pain, it was on.

4. I was shaking uncontrollably during surgery. The anesthesiologist said it was totally normal, at one point I felt tears down my face. In fact, it got so bad they had to request a few warm blankets to cover me up.

5. When I got home I missed the hospital bed – for the 4 days I was in the hospital the bed was positioned perfectly for my maximum comfort. If I wanted my legs high or low; press a button, for my mid-section, that same button, my upper body, you get what I’m saying. Transferring home to my own bed, it was a disaster plus very painful. I tried using pillows to get the same effect, never mind trying to get out of bed.

6. I was given a blood transfusion. Apparently after most cesarean surgery your blood count reduces. On day 2 I was informed by my doc my insurance only cover a maximum of 4 days for C-Section. So I need to have the transfusion today - day 2 so that they can monitor my levels on day 3 and fingers crossed release me on day 4. Thought about it long and hard, even though I re-assured the doctor that I’ll eat lots of iron fortified foods when I got home, that didn’t fly. You have to leave the hospital with an acceptable level and mine was nowhere near that.

Overall it was a good learning experience for me. What was your birth experience like? Let us know, reply below.