Birth Story: What it’s like to have a scheduled…

October 8, 2020December 11, 2024
by Jessica Whitney

A lot of people are excited about the prospect of sharing their child’s birth story. Yet, considering the idea of birth and the sheer definition of it, always leaves me feeling a bit unsure about the story to share.

You see, I didn’t have to birth my child. I was never officially in labor.

My first born came via a pre-scheduled C-section. It wasn’t an elect a day out of convenience sort of situation. It was a mandated eviction by my OBGYN. You see, I had a high risk pregnancy.

Birth Story: What it’s like to have a scheduled C-Section because of Hypertension

This post is part of several birth stories submitted by REAL women looking to share their experiences with other women. If you’re interested in submitting a birth story, please visit my contact page.

Reminder that these are personal experiences and do not substitute the medical advice of your physician. Always talk to your doctor about your unique situation!

I was a 29 year old with hypertension. I’d been on medication for hypertension since before I was married, so it wasn’t a situation brought about by pregnancy. But having hypertension can definitely throw a wrench in the development of a baby.

Having high blood pressure is definitely a challenge for pregnant mommies who face preeclampsia. I was put in the high risk category early on in my pregnancy and charged to go to weekly appointments early on. I had to visit the hospital each week in addition to my OBGYN for weight checks, heart rate monitoring of my baby girl, extra sonograms to check grown, and stress tests.

So although some people share memories of where their water breaks and being in labor at home for hours/days, I don’t have those memories to recall. I have memories of sitting in the hospital recounting anything I’d eaten pre-appointment, sharing how much fluids I’d had that day while working on a tight school schedule, and feeling guilty for any stress I was under from balancing a teaching career with taking time to go to appointments multiple times a week.

My first born was supposed to be an early June b-day. Doctors had different plans based on my body and out of concern for my health. Baby girl was breech with no hope of shifting into position. She was literally stuck with her hips between mine.

So a plan was set up to deliver her via c-section for everyone’s safety at 37 weeks and 3 days.

The idea of surgery was scary.
– Kimberley

I’ve only had surgery for wisdom teeth removal. I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of blood or needles, but I also don’t jump at the chance to go to a hospital for minor injuries. Willingly signing up to be drugged and cut open is not something I preferred.

I remember not sleeping well the night before her birth. I woke up at one point to go to the bathroom and thought my water had broken. We called the OBGYN and headed to the hospital to get checked. It was a false alarm.

Rather than let me stay until my scheduled surgery, they sent us home to “rest”. When it was finally time to get ready for the hospital, I showered and changed. My mother in law, father in law, and my mom met my husband and I at the hospital to be there for our daughter’s birth.

Learn About When Is the Right Time to Go to the Hospital from a Labor and Delivery Nurse

With a pre-scheduled c-section, we had a hospital suite to wait in before surgery. I was hooked up to machines to track contractions (wasn’t having them), fetal movements, and fetal heart rate. I also had blood pressure monitoring.

Doctors checked in on us. The anesthesiologist explained the procedures to us before entering the operating room. The nurses explained who would be with us in the operating room and what the timeframes would likely be. Everyone was extremely kind and respectful.

To prepare for the surgery, an epidural was administered to numb everything below my waist.

To get this epidural, I had to sit in the operating room on the edge of the bed/table leaning forward to the point of almost falling off the surface with the support of a nurse I’d just met.

Tom had to wait until everything was ready for surgery before joining me in the operating room. The feeling of the epidural needle was described as pinching a bit like a bee sting, with the requirement to not flinch or move while it’s in your spinal column. It felt like being stung by a wasp with a burning sensation around the entry point. Then, the feelings all faded away.

I was assisted into the bed by the nurses. Then they prepped everything – from placing my arms in certain positions near me with warm blankets to sterilizing and testing my stomach for numbness. Once prepped and before any incisions occurred, they fetched my husband to join me.

I had a blue hospital shield in from of me, so I couldn’t see anything. I could hear everything happening around me, but the actual delivery was just happening to me. Suctioning of fluids, tugging at my abdomen, the OB propped up trying to get her out.

When she was tugged/lifted out, Tom focused on what they were doing with her. I couldn’t see her at all. She didn’t breathe right away. She wasn’t reactive right away. They took her into a separate little area to suction her and check her Apgar levels.

When she finally cried, relief passed over us.

Ryleigh was born at 5lbs 12oz.

Hospital Stay Post C-Section

We were in the hospital for the next couple of nights. Family visited us, bringing snacks, coming to snuggle her, and checking in on us.

Staying at the hospital was exhausting. My milk didn’t come. She lost weight. There was a chance she would have to stay in the NICU because of her weight loss. I didn’t sleep because I was in such awe of the tiny human I now held…

She latched, but it wasn’t enough.

We made the decision to supplement with formula to try to help her. A lactation specialist worked with us to attempt to get her to latch while simultaneously getting formula. We had to use this insane tubing system to drip formula into her mouth while she was latched to my breast. It sucked!

Tom and my dad helped me feed her. They had to hold the formula dispenser up in the air while I attended to her latch and ensured the tube stayed in her mouth.

When we finally got approval to go home, we left with tubing to continue the insane feeding regimen at home. We also had to do extra weight checks with the pediatrician to ensure she gained back the lost birth weight.

She was at 5lbs 2oz when we headed home.

Ryleigh is now a healthy kindergartener.

We are incredibly thankful to those who helped deliver her safely and helped us in our first adventure into parenthood.

I can’t tell a labor story of natural birth methods, but I can share that her birth was incredible.

This is a guest post submission by Kimberley W. Kimberley is a mom of 2 beautiful girls.

These are her opinions, experiences, and thoughts and do not reflect professional medical advice. Always consult your physician about your own medical situation!