C-Section Is The Easy Way, Is It?

 THIS POST IS GRAPHIC- but it’s for those of you who say that a c-section is the “EASY” way out. Let me explain to you what happens. I’ve had both an emergency c-section and a planned one…

First, (during your probable panic attack) they’re going to sit you up on the operating table. They’ll open the back of your hospital gown and a nurse will cradle your head and shoulders to make sure that your spine is arched. You HAVE to stay still because the anesthesiologist is about to stick a large needle in your spine and IF you move, let’s just say, it’s not good. You DON’T move. But you feel that needle go into your spine and the pain and pressure is something you will NEVER forget.

Next, the nurses lay you on your back as your legs begin to go numb. At this point, I’m shaking and crying because there’s something very terrifying about knowing that your stomach is about to get cut open- and you’re awake for it. The bright surgery light shines down on you as they begin to clean your stomach. Your blood pressure and pulse are being monitored as they touch your stomach up to your ribs to make sure you’re numb. EMOTIONALLY, you CANNOT be numbed. It’s like emotional overdrive.

After the anesthesia sets in, the panic begins (at least for me). Will he be healthy? Is he going to be okay? Am I going to die? Will it hurt? And then they begin to cut..

I felt every ounce of pressure and movement. Don’t think that you don’t, you do. The clamps, the pulling, the tearing. You don’t feel the pain, but you know/feel exactly what’s happening. Mentally, there’s really no way to describe this. After a couple of minutes your baby is taken out of your stomach and in the first picture, they held him up to the curtain so I could see him. I couldn’t hold him, I could only watch as they worked on him. By this point, I’m hysterical. My hands were shaking so bad that the anesthesiologist kept having to put my hand back on the arm holders.

After he’s out, that’s when they begin sewing you up or gluing you. This is when my blood pressure and pulse drop and I feel like I may actually die. Emotions are in overdrive. I just want him to be okay. Desperately I pray that he’s okay. Tears were pouring out of me.

The operation is over, but the pain isn’t. You’re wheeled into the recovery room to be monitored for an hour. I had severe amounts of pain in my back and chest and we’re still not certain as to why. But this is when it all starts “setting in”. See, after a c-section, when you cough or even giggle, it feels like your stomach is tearing open and your organs are about to fall out. Moving at all shoots an indescribable pain into your abdomen and you feel sick. You need help moving in your bed, rolling over and adjusting the blankets. (You just had a baby cut out of you so..)

Lastly, it really takes time to heal. But during your healing process you also need to care for that newborn. Be prepared to barely sleep while trying to recover from major surgery. He’ll be nursing and laying his beautiful little body RIGHT on top of your incision. And just wait until you have to walk in 12 hours- THAT is pain. Showering, walking and moving are NO easy task. Your incision will burn, your stomach will feel like you’ve been stabbed repeatedly and going to the bathroom will seem nearly impossible.

LUCKILY there is something amazing about all of this- you gave birth to a beautiful child. Incredible. And NO it’s not the “easy” way. The truth is, there is NO “easy” way to give birth.

So for all of us c-section moms, don’t minimize our births. Don’t tell us that we did it the “easy” way. Don’t tell us that we “copped out”. It’s simply NOT true…. just ask any woman who’s had one. It takes a STRONG woman to endure a c-section and recover from one. I’ve had 3 now so I KNOW how strong you have to be.

We’re women, we endure more pain than most. We shouldn’t cut each other down over how we give birth. For me, I didn’t have an option but to have c-sections as my uterus nearly ruptured with my daughter. We don’t choose c-sections, our DOCTORS deem them medically necessary. We should build each other up. If you gave birth vaginally, YOU are a warrior. I don’t pretend to know your pain. I just know it IS pain. If you’ve not had a c-section, just know it IS pain as well.

I gave birth to my beautiful boy 3 days ago and I’m still very much recovering from my c-section and just to let you know- it still hurts! IF this is the “EASY way” please enlighten me as to which is the “hard way”……

Credit goes to the amazing Chanda lynn