One woman’s experience with 3 surgeries

Photo taken from img.huffingtonpost.com -
Photo taken from img.huffingtonpost.com -

April is C-section awareness month, one that has special meaning to women like Lucy (not her real name).

Lucy is the mother of two girls and a boy, all born via Caesarean delivery or C-section, a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus.

“My first pregnancy was normal,” Lucy told WMN, “up till it was time to deliver my daughter, and then the unexpected happened.” She said she experienced what is called “stalled labour” which occurs when the cervix isn’t opening enough even after you’ve been having strong contractions over several hours. She said the labour pain drained her strength and at one point she thought both she and the baby were going to die.

“I was getting weak and she (the baby) was in distress. Her heartbeat was slowing down and I felt like I didn’t even have the strength to breathe on my own. The pain was overwhelming and she just couldn’t come out because there was just not enough space for her head to pass. I began to panic.” That’s when the attending doctor decided it was time to do a C-section.

Years later, although she would have much preferred to have vaginal deliveries, her two other children were delivered via C-sections, on the recommendation of her doctor. For although there are many risks involved with the procedure, Lucy believed it was the safest way to bring them into the world.

“My doctor explained that after a C-section there are risks of wound infections; heavy bleeding during and after delivery; a bad reaction to the anaesthesia; blood clots. Even the baby can be at risk. He said that babies delivered via C-sections are prone to developing a problem that causes them to breathe abnormally fast for the first few days after they’re born.”

But she believes a vaginal delivery would have been riskier given what she had experienced with her first pregnancy. “He (her doctor) explained that after a C-section, the risk of potentially serious complications with vaginal deliveries during subsequent pregnancies are very high.

“One of those risks is your uterus tearing open along the line of the scar from your previous C-section,” she explained.

C-sections are recommended in a number of other instances in which vaginal deliveries pose a risk to the mother and baby. According to mayclinic.com, the procedure may be recommended:

• In cases of breech or transverse babies. When a baby’s feet or buttocks enter the birth canal first (breech) or it is positioned to the side or shoulder first (transverse).

• Multiple babies. If a woman is carrying twins or triplets and the leading baby is in an abnormal position.

• Placenta problems. A C-section delivery will be recommended if the placenta is covering the opening of the cervix.

• Prolapsed umbilical cord. If a loop of umbilical cord slips through the cervix ahead of the baby.

• Health concerns. If a woman has severe health

problems, such as a heart or brain condition, or an active genital herpes infection at the time of labour.

• Mechanical obstruction. If there is a large fibroid obstructing the birth canal, a severely displaced pelvic

fracture or the baby has a condition that can cause the head to be unusually large (severe hydrocephalus).

When Lucy got pregnant the second time, she said although she knew she would be going the C-section route and knew what to expect, she still did her research and asked her doctor a lot of questions. “The first time around the doctor who was attending to me at the hospital did not have the time to explain everything in detail because we met under emergency circumstances. When I was having my second daughter, I made sure I was well informed.”

She said she was admitted to the hospital before the day of the procedure and was closely monitored by the medical staff. “My vitals were taken frequently. On the morning of the delivery I showered using an antiseptic soap and then I was prepped for surgery.”

She was placed under anaesthetic and as soon as she came out of it, she was allowed to touch her beautiful baby girl before she was cleaned up and ordered to take a rest.

“Once the effects of the anaesthesia wore off, the nurses made me drink a lot of water and helped me to walk around the ward. It was so painful! But they said it would help prevent me from getting constipated and blood clots.”

Lucy was required to stay 48 hours at the hospital for observation. “I started breast feeding the same day of delivery, even though I was taking medication for the pain. The doctor assured me that what I was taking would not affect the baby.”

When she was allowed to go home, she was told not to worry about feelings of exhaustion and discomfort, as they were part of the recovery process.

“I was advised that in order to heal completely in the shortest possible time I should get plenty of rest; avoid lifting anything heavy for the first few weeks; abstain from sex for six weeks in order to prevent infections; don’t drive unless I had to for at least a week because applying brakes may cause some discomfort; and to use pain killers that are safe for women who are breast-feeding.”

Additionally, she had to closely monitor the incision to make sure it didn’t get infected.

“I had to check for the incision for redness, swelling, bleeding or discharges. I had to monitor my temperature to make sure I didn’t have a fever, which is one of the first symptoms of an infection. I had to monitor the level of my pain, which eased gradually.”

Two weeks later she had a follow-up visit at the hospital’s postpartum clinic for an evaluation and a physical exam. “They checked the incision, my abdomen, vagina, cervix and uterus to make sure I was healing well.”

By the time baby number three came along, the process was familiar, but the healing didn’t come any easier. “I often hear women say they wish they had opted to do C-sections in order to avoid experiencing labour pain. I’ve experienced both because I was in labour for several hours before the doctor decided to do surgery during my first pregnancy. I think if given the choice, I’d choose vaginal delivery any day.

“I would imagine that the labour pain goes away almost immediately after a delivery. But with a C-section the pain of having to walk around so soon after major surgery is out of this world, and it lingers for some time after. I don’t understand why anyone would want to put themselves through that if they have other safe options.”

One thing she is certain of, though. “Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a C-section, the bond that you share with your child is equal. I dare anyone to challenge that.”

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"One woman’s experience with 3 surgeries"

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