My Caesar birth experience

I have been meaning to blog about my c-section for ages now, so I will take the chance today to do so.

That morning we had to be at the hospital early - 6 am - as I was the first patient of the day - so we woke at about 5 am to get ready to go. What a surreal feeling to know that "this is the day I am going to be a mother". I guess when you go into natural labour you have a different kind of excitement, but this feeling of knowing for sure that in a few hours you'll be holding your baby in your arms - it was like nothing I've felt before. Excitement mixed with nerves mixed with anticipation and a touch of fear of the unknown.

My gynae was there bright and early and all cheery - I was a bundle of nerves by then. He asked me and my hubby if we could all join hands and say a prayer - which I thought was really a wonderful, lovely touch. He said a very sweet prayer asking that all goes well and that God blesses us with a healthy baby. I felt like crying!

The anaethetist then came in to meet me and so began the quickest event of my life. I truly felt like the whole caesar went by in a flash. One minute I'm being prepped, given the spinal and the next minute it felt like the baby was out! So fast, just like that! (I'm clicking my fingers here.) They were already cutting me open when my husband joined us in the theatre - talk about wasting no time! But the whole time I felt very anxious - would I feel something? What was happening? I could also smell them cortirising my flesh - what a terrible smell! Then in the next second the gynae was lifting the baby over the screen to show him to me - now that was the shortest moment ever! It's burned into my memory forever - the first glimpse of my newborn son - but I felt like it only lasted a nanosecond before they were whipping him away to examine him, weigh him and whatever else they do. And I remember my first thought was "Oh thank God he doesn't look like a funny little monkey" (as a lot of babies do). He was actually really beautiful, even if I say so myself - like a poster baby. And I was SO relieved and couldn't believe that this gorgeous baby was mine. I had produced him. This was the thing that had been squirming around inside me for the past few months!

My hubby (as instructed by me) immediately went with the baby whilst I lay there being stitched up -craning my neck to see my baby - but I saw nothing and could only hear him crying. But that crying was like music to my ears. He is alive and well and breathing! Then they brought baby to me for a quick photo or two, and then I was whisked away to recovery - where I got the most uncontrollable shakes. And all the while my mind and heart is with my baby - I was DYING to see him again and hold him and examine him properly!

Finally I was back in my ward, and luckily they brought my baby to me shortly after that for his first feed. All I can say is, the nursing sister who helped me get him to latch was a godsend! An angel from heaven. I really believe she is the reason I am successfully breastfeeding today. Because with a (by now very painful) caesar cut, I couldn't sit up, could hardly move to the side - how awkward for this poor baby to basically feed with me lying down. But she encouraged me to sort of lie on my side and she pulled out my nipple and positioned him as best as to allow him to latch - and latch he did! Hoorah! And we were on our way. But if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have had the faintest clue how to get that tiny mouth onto my breast.

And then the PAIN really started to set in as the spinal wore off. They came and injected me with something which was meant to take the pain away, but all it did was make me very drowsy but I still felt intense pain! So I just lay there, all drugged and trying to sleep, but not able to, my mind was racing with the events of the day, and the shooting pain kept me awake too!

I tell you, I have never felt pain like that in all my life. I could hardly even move in the bed! And the very next morning at the Godforsaken hour of about 5 am they made me get up and go for a shower! I did it, but I was in agony!

All in all, my caesar went well, but I felt so very helpless afterwards what with not being able to move, not being able to get in and out of bed by myself etc. I felt like I wasn't able to fully take care of my baby and that was very frustrating! But looking back now, I can say that I was lucky to have had a "good" caesar - all went well, I have healed well, and I was up and walking - albeit painfully - the next day!