April is c-section awareness month and during the month of April, Thrive Postpartum and Couples Therapy will be featuring Mamas who have experienced a c-section birth(s). One amazing thing that has been learned through the interviewing process is how different each circumstance is that led to a c-section birth. No matter how your baby was brought into this world, your experience is valid and important. We would like to feature Mamas who have experienced a c-section as many times these experiences are looked over. Discussing c-section experiences can still feel taboo and uncomfortable. But we are hoping to break down barriers and allow for a safe space for these important stories to be told
This is Melissa’s story.
1. Please share the circumstances that led to your c-section birth(s).
My whole pregnancy I felt “off”. I had a lot of sickness and pain and was quite miserable. In the 3rd trimester, my symptoms changed to rapid weight gain and severe swelling. At 35 weeks, at the urging of some coworkers, I called my OB went in. I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. For the next 3 days I was in and out of the hospital until I was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia and they decided to induce me. I wasn’t induced long before they became concerned about my increased upper right quadrant (URQ) pain and decided it was time for an emergency C-section.
2. What surprised you the most about having a c-section?
Having an emergency C-section left me surprised, bewildered, scared, and feeling helpless. I was most surprised with how quickly things progressed from being induced to being cut open. I didn’t have much of a chance to be in labor. I felt so much URQ pain that I didn’t feel the pain of my contractions. As odd as it may sound, I felt the experience of labor was robbed of me. There was no comfort in the room. It was sterile and everyone was prepared to save my life and the life of my baby, not make sure I was comforted. I remember calling out that I needed to throw up multiple times and finally the anesthesiologist answered and told me “just turn your head.” My husband was in the room, luckily, but I was so out of it, I don’t remember much. My birth story is traumatic, fuzzy, and full of medical interventions. After birth, I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension and HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes, Low Platelets), which is a rare and life threatening complication of pregnancy.
3. What kind of support do you feel you received (from friends, family, healthcare team) after your c-section(s)?
Unfortunately I don’t feel like I received the support I needed from my healthcare team throughout my pregnancy and birth. I had some supportive nurses, which was helpful. Everything was so rushed, as I’m sure it needed to be to save my life. Even after birth I had to advocate for myself to get scans that I felt I needed. My husband was incredibly supportive. But I sent him to the NICU in a hospital an hour away to stay with our daughter as I was separated from her. My mom stayed with me the 4 days in the hospital. After 4 days I was released with no explanation, no resources, no support, just some follow up doctors visits, BP meds, and to return if my BP was over 140/90.
After my experience, I joined Facebook support groups for survivors of pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome. I’ve learned so much. I also decided to become certified in perinatal mental health. As a therapist myself I always loved working with general Women’s Mental Health Concerns. But after this experience, I knew I wanted to work in the perinatal/maternal mental health world as well.
4. What’s your #1 piece of advice/encouragement for a new c-section mom?
This is a very shortened version of my traumatic birth story. A majority of mamas that have C-sections have been through traumatic childbirth. If I could offer any support for a new C-section mom, it would be to let you know that You Are Not Alone. I have been through a lot of therapy to work through my birth trauma experience. My advice is to seek out a perinatal mental health certified therapist that is trauma-informed to work through your experience. Even if you feel you weren’t traumatized by your experience, it can be incredibly helpful to work through the grief that ensues with a birth that does not go according to plan. I am grateful for the ability to get to the point where I know my body didn’t fail me, it saved me and my baby. An emergency C-section is a part of that story.