Christy's Story- 8.8 lbs.- UNNECESAREAN
Saturday, August 2, 2008 at 10:17PM 8.8 lbs.
20 1/2 inches
14.5 inches head circumference
Hospital ("Cesarean....scared into for baby size")
Mother's Height: 5' 7"
How was your pregnancy? Confusing, 5 different due dates via ultrasound.
How did you feel about your upcoming birth? They managed to scare the crap out of me with "big baby" talk.
Description of your first birth experience (your unnecesarean):
Actually, my first birth was a vaginal birth. Intervention-filled, and they blamed the difficulty on the fact that my daughter was 9.1lbs. NOT the pitocin, AROM, Demerol, episiotomy that extended into a 3rd degree laceration, or vacuum extraction of my daughter. They said it was a rough labor and delivery because she was so "HUGE". My cesarean was totally unnecessary. The OB scared me into it for size, speaking of shoulder dystocia, cerebral palsy, broken collar bones, and nerve damage. He used the size of my first baby as ammo.
How did you feel after the birth (first month)?
Well, my son ended up in the NICU for 9 days with severe respiratory distress FROM the c-section. So the first 2 weeks were filled with massive worry, recovery, and working out breastfeeding. I was happy that he was alive, and unaware that my own ignorance caused the whole thing.
How did you feel six months after the birth? One year? Now?
Six months later was pretty much the same as the above. At one year, I was pregnant with my third, and searching for VBAC research. I was still pretty ignorant, but didn't want another c-section. Went through eight different OBs, four different hospitals. I decided on a home birth at 33 weeks. Now...I feel so much guilt, remorse, anger, sadness....BUT, it changed me. It made me educate myself, instead of remaining ignorant about birth. Without my unnecesarean, I wouldn't be who or what ( a midwife ) I am now. ; )
What did you learn from this birth? That cesareans can cause life-threatening complications for both mom and baby, and that it shouldn't be an option for ignorant things such as size of baby, being "overdue", breech position, or for twins.
Any words of wisdom to impart? A Cesarean is major abdominal surgery, not just another way to have a baby. Respiratory distress is VERY common with c-section babies, and can carry long term problems. My son has decreased lung function because of what he went through at delivery. He is almost 5 now.