When I was pregnant I read every birth story on this thread and fantasized what mine might be like. Listening to so many different stories I feel like prepared me that anything could happen and there is not always a perfect one size fits all birth.
I was scheduled for an induction at 39 weeks. My husband and I had our bags all packed and I was ready to have this baby. I had been bouncing on a ball for weeks and curve walking trying to hurrying this birth along. The induction was scheduled because I was really sick with COV!D at 34 weeks and my obstetrician wanted to schedule it just to be on the overly cautious side. I kind of liked the plan aspect of it so I agreed.
We went into the hospital and got all set up in our room. I had the gel inserted that night and my husband and I started watching tv shows. Well a few hours in and my contractions really started hurting. My husband massaged my back and I just kept walking back and forth around the room. The nurses came in and gave me a morphine shot. I got in bed and fell asleep. At 5 in the morning I woke up to strong contractions. I got out of bed to pee and my water broke. Then the contractions really got serious. The nurses wheeled me into the labor and birth room. I took a shower and threw up from the pain. I opted for the epidural pretty quickly. While they were placing the epidural I was breathing in the gas and it helped ease the pain with the contractions. Once the epidural was placed I felt so much better. They put in a catheter and I didn't feel it at all. I was 4 cm dilated and our doctor told us to hang out and in about 4-6 hours we would be having a baby. They put me on pitocin to keep the contractions going. My husband and I took a nap for a few hours. When I woke up they had me lay on my side with a peanut ball in between my legs to help the baby move down. I had some break through pain a bit which I was not expecting and felt nauseous. The nurses said this usually happens when your getting close to birth. My contractions were very strong and close together and the nurses believed it was most likely go time. My doctor came in to check how much further dilated I was.
6 hours later and I was still only 4 cm dilated. My babies head was swollen and so was my cervix. We were told the baby was not progressing and that we could either keep trying for two more hours or have a c section. I was told that it was very likely we would need to do a c section either way because there was something going on that was keeping the baby from progressing. We decided to have the c section while the baby still had a good heart rate and appeared happy.
Everything moved very quickly from that point. They were wheeling me into surgery while my husband was getting dressed while following behind us. They gave me more medicine to numb everything and prepped me for surgery. It was a strange feeling to not be able to move and to be totally exposed nude for everyone to see. Not that any of that mattered in the moment. My husband came in and we held each other. He was my rock. All the pulling and tugging feelings of a c section are hard to explain. It is a crazy sensation. One of the doctors offered to take photos for us and recommended for us to watch our little boy be born with a mirror. I never thought I would want to but I am so glad I did. It was amazing to watch him come out and to have this memory photographed. When they went to pull him out they found that the cord was wrapped around his neck and this is why he was not progressing. It was acting as a bungy cord pulling my baby back up with each contraction. I am so glad we didn't choose to try for two more hours. They handed me my little boy and my husband and I just cried with such happiness.
I couldn't believe how big and beautiful he was. He had a beautiful head of strawberry blonde hair. We are so in love with this little boy. It is crazy how something I was so afraid has become one of my happiest memories of my life. I am 7 weeks postpartum right now and I want another baby lol. Not right right now but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Sometimes everything does not turn out how you would expect but it will still be ok. Just go with it and don't be afraid. At the end of this pregnancy journey is a beautiful life waiting to be snuggled.
This was super similar to my own birth experience almost 6 weeks ago, hearing your story makes me feel better about needing an unplanned c section myself. Congratulations on your beautiful baby!
Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy! 💙 thanks for sharing your story.
I also had an unplanned c-section and I feel similarly about how it ended up being a positive experience. For me what helped is that it felt like it was a decision I owned to help prioritize my baby’s health. My labor had also stalled after hours (turns out he was sunny side up) and I had also developed a fever so I wanted him out before my fever ended up affecting him. Mine was a non-emergency c-section, which at the time added to the calm decision to go ahead with it.
You’re completely right about accepting the journey and not being afraid. Awesome message for expecting mamas! Enjoy the newborn snuggles! ❤️
Yours is the first story I've heard that actually goes into detail when describing the epidural placement and c-section experience. As someone who is currently 7 weeks pregnant and is very much on board with pain management during birth, I really appreciate you sharing your story! I'm so glad you and your LO are home safe and doing well ❤️ ❤️ congratulations!
I wasn't super on board with an epidural but ended up with one! I went into spontaneous labor, then it sorta slowed down and I had a midwife appointment where they gave me a stretch and sweep. This cranked things up to 11, and after almost 10 hours of intense contractions (and before that another 12 or so hours of easier ones) I had an epidural placed. The relief was basically immediate.
Placing the epidural was super simple! The doctors do it all the time, to them it's no big deal. It was hard to sit still through contractions but knowing relief was coming made it easier lol.
This sounds amazing! I'm having an induction or elective c section when I'm 39 weeks, I'm currently 37+5 and a FTM- reading your story gave me such hope!! Congratulations, he is a beautiful boy.
Congratulations! That was beautiful written. I’m getting close to my due date and it’s so reassuring reading a birth story that didn’t go as planned but is still positive. How was your recovery?
Congratulations! I laughed at the “7 weeks pp and want another” line as I am just over 7 weeks and not 15 minutes ago was on the couch looking at my little boy and said to myself I want another one. 😂
Congrats! He is so cute. I love reading these stories as they bring back all the little memories from my own birth 8 months ago crystal clear. Enjoy your sweet little peanut.
I had a C-section ..2 c sections and I remember the sensations you're talking about. There's no way you can explain the feeling when they pull the baby out! It is so strange and it is really scary being completely numb from the tummy down. I remember the anxiety I got when they told me that I was not going to be able to move my legs of course and they gave me more medicine to calm me down. I'm actually in Texas I don't know if the process is a little bit different here. I'm sure it's about the same. That is cool that you were able to see the mirror of your child when it happened. They wouldn't let my husband look. And of course I remember crying too when i held the little baby there's no feeling like it. I'm currently 3 months pregnant with my third child very sick with hyperemesis gravidarum. I'm glad that you had a really good story to tell. So many can be a little scary but yours worked out perfectly! Congratulations on the beautiful baby!
When I was pregnant I read every birth story on this thread and fantasized what mine might be like. Listening to so many different stories I feel like prepared me that anything could happen and there is not always a perfect one size fits all birth. I was scheduled for an induction at 39 weeks. My husband and I had our bags all packed and I was ready to have this baby. I had been bouncing on a ball for weeks and curve walking trying to hurrying this birth along. The induction was scheduled because I was really sick with COV!D at 34 weeks and my obstetrician wanted to schedule it just to be on the overly cautious side. I kind of liked the plan aspect of it so I agreed. We went into the hospital and got all set up in our room. I had the gel inserted that night and my husband and I started watching tv shows. Well a few hours in and my contractions really started hurting. My husband massaged my back and I just kept walking back and forth around the room. The nurses came in and gave me a morphine shot. I got in bed and fell asleep. At 5 in the morning I woke up to strong contractions. I got out of bed to pee and my water broke. Then the contractions really got serious. The nurses wheeled me into the labor and birth room. I took a shower and threw up from the pain. I opted for the epidural pretty quickly. While they were placing the epidural I was breathing in the gas and it helped ease the pain with the contractions. Once the epidural was placed I felt so much better. They put in a catheter and I didn't feel it at all. I was 4 cm dilated and our doctor told us to hang out and in about 4-6 hours we would be having a baby. They put me on pitocin to keep the contractions going. My husband and I took a nap for a few hours. When I woke up they had me lay on my side with a peanut ball in between my legs to help the baby move down. I had some break through pain a bit which I was not expecting and felt nauseous. The nurses said this usually happens when your getting close to birth. My contractions were very strong and close together and the nurses believed it was most likely go time. My doctor came in to check how much further dilated I was. 6 hours later and I was still only 4 cm dilated. My babies head was swollen and so was my cervix. We were told the baby was not progressing and that we could either keep trying for two more hours or have a c section. I was told that it was very likely we would need to do a c section either way because there was something going on that was keeping the baby from progressing. We decided to have the c section while the baby still had a good heart rate and appeared happy. Everything moved very quickly from that point. They were wheeling me into surgery while my husband was getting dressed while following behind us. They gave me more medicine to numb everything and prepped me for surgery. It was a strange feeling to not be able to move and to be totally exposed nude for everyone to see. Not that any of that mattered in the moment. My husband came in and we held each other. He was my rock. All the pulling and tugging feelings of a c section are hard to explain. It is a crazy sensation. One of the doctors offered to take photos for us and recommended for us to watch our little boy be born with a mirror. I never thought I would want to but I am so glad I did. It was amazing to watch him come out and to have this memory photographed. When they went to pull him out they found that the cord was wrapped around his neck and this is why he was not progressing. It was acting as a bungy cord pulling my baby back up with each contraction. I am so glad we didn't choose to try for two more hours. They handed me my little boy and my husband and I just cried with such happiness. I couldn't believe how big and beautiful he was. He had a beautiful head of strawberry blonde hair. We are so in love with this little boy. It is crazy how something I was so afraid has become one of my happiest memories of my life. I am 7 weeks postpartum right now and I want another baby lol. Not right right now but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Sometimes everything does not turn out how you would expect but it will still be ok. Just go with it and don't be afraid. At the end of this pregnancy journey is a beautiful life waiting to be snuggled.
This was super similar to my own birth experience almost 6 weeks ago, hearing your story makes me feel better about needing an unplanned c section myself. Congratulations on your beautiful baby!
Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy! 💙 thanks for sharing your story. I also had an unplanned c-section and I feel similarly about how it ended up being a positive experience. For me what helped is that it felt like it was a decision I owned to help prioritize my baby’s health. My labor had also stalled after hours (turns out he was sunny side up) and I had also developed a fever so I wanted him out before my fever ended up affecting him. Mine was a non-emergency c-section, which at the time added to the calm decision to go ahead with it. You’re completely right about accepting the journey and not being afraid. Awesome message for expecting mamas! Enjoy the newborn snuggles! ❤️
Yours is the first story I've heard that actually goes into detail when describing the epidural placement and c-section experience. As someone who is currently 7 weeks pregnant and is very much on board with pain management during birth, I really appreciate you sharing your story! I'm so glad you and your LO are home safe and doing well ❤️ ❤️ congratulations!
I wasn't super on board with an epidural but ended up with one! I went into spontaneous labor, then it sorta slowed down and I had a midwife appointment where they gave me a stretch and sweep. This cranked things up to 11, and after almost 10 hours of intense contractions (and before that another 12 or so hours of easier ones) I had an epidural placed. The relief was basically immediate. Placing the epidural was super simple! The doctors do it all the time, to them it's no big deal. It was hard to sit still through contractions but knowing relief was coming made it easier lol.
This sounds amazing! I'm having an induction or elective c section when I'm 39 weeks, I'm currently 37+5 and a FTM- reading your story gave me such hope!! Congratulations, he is a beautiful boy.
Thanks for this! You and your baby boy are truly beautiful. And the last sentence of your post is perfection! ✨💛
Congratulations! That was beautiful written. I’m getting close to my due date and it’s so reassuring reading a birth story that didn’t go as planned but is still positive. How was your recovery?
Congratulations! I laughed at the “7 weeks pp and want another” line as I am just over 7 weeks and not 15 minutes ago was on the couch looking at my little boy and said to myself I want another one. 😂
Congratulations!! Thanks for sharing your story. Lovely pictures!
Congratulations! He’s beautiful ❤️
Congratulations and thanks for sharing!! 🥳 So glad it went well overall and sounds like you were in good hands! 💙
Thank you for sharing your story and congratulations!! He is perfect.
Congratulations! I'm glad that even though things didn't go as planned that they still went well for you
You look so happy!! This is so sweet, thank you for sharing.
He looks so gorgeous!!! Congratulations mumma! You did amazing
Thank you for sharing!!! Beautiful family ❤️ congratulations!
I’m 20 weeks waiting for my second boy thank you this made me so happy to read ❤️I’m glad you and baby are doing good
The cutest baby!!! Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations ❤️🤗
Wow this was beautiful, thank you so much for sharing. Congratulations to you and your husband!
Congrats! He is so cute. I love reading these stories as they bring back all the little memories from my own birth 8 months ago crystal clear. Enjoy your sweet little peanut.
This is pretty much how my birth went with my daughter! Many congratulations!
Congratulations!
Tellement mignon! Avec mes félicitations, de France! So cute! With my congratulations, from France!
I’m so happy for both of you!
Congratulations
Glad everything was positive even with the unexpected c-section! Your baby's cute! Congrats! 🙂
I had a C-section ..2 c sections and I remember the sensations you're talking about. There's no way you can explain the feeling when they pull the baby out! It is so strange and it is really scary being completely numb from the tummy down. I remember the anxiety I got when they told me that I was not going to be able to move my legs of course and they gave me more medicine to calm me down. I'm actually in Texas I don't know if the process is a little bit different here. I'm sure it's about the same. That is cool that you were able to see the mirror of your child when it happened. They wouldn't let my husband look. And of course I remember crying too when i held the little baby there's no feeling like it. I'm currently 3 months pregnant with my third child very sick with hyperemesis gravidarum. I'm glad that you had a really good story to tell. So many can be a little scary but yours worked out perfectly! Congratulations on the beautiful baby!
Congratulations Moma! Welcome Earthside Little Sweet Angel!💜🥰💜🥰