For the Love of Fashion and Beauty: My C-section Experience

Hello all my beautiful ladies

So it's been a while since my last post because i have been so busy with my baby.
This post is for all the ladies out there who are either pregnant or wanting to get pregnant. Just some info on the process of a C-section. But also remember our bodies are all different and this is just my personal experience.

Many of you know i always wanted to do natural birth since i found out i was pregnant but due to a few circumstances i had to end up getting a cesarean. Firstly i was at my 40 week due date and the baby had no intention of coming out. Secondly my cervix was not opening. Thirdly my baby grew a lot in the last 2 weeks, she was weighing 3.5Kg and her head was too big so my gyne told me even if she tried to induce me i would just end up in a lot of pain and probably end up having an emergency c-section. So in the end i decided to go for a c-section.

So i booked for my C-section for the 15th of August at 19:30 at Bedford gardens hospital. I had to go in at 17:00 and from 12:00 i did not eat or drink any fluid as you are not allowed to eat or drink 6 hours prior to the operation. So i packed my bags and showered and let me tell you take a nice long shower because you are probably not going to shower for the next 3 days.

I was really nervous as i am sure for any first time mothers are all very nervous as we have no idea what to expect when we go into labor. As i got in i asked for a private room it does cost you as medical aid only covers for general room but it's only like R1000 more per night and your husband will get a bed to sleep in as well. I had to fill in some forms and then the nurses will come and put some machines on to check your blood pressure, heart rate and also monitor the baby's heart rate and your contractions. Then they will put an IV drip in. From there all i could do was wait for 19:30 o'clock to come.

while we were still waiting to go into theater

The time was going so slow while waiting but as time was getting closer the more nervous i got. Eventually 19:00 o'clock my anesthetist came and she explained to me what she was going to do and asked me about my health and checked my blood pressure and vitals.

At 19:30 i was pushed to the theater where i saw my gyne was already there waiting for me and my husband was asked to go put on theater clothes. Once i was in the theater, it is freezing in there by the way. you will start shaking uncontrollably. First i had to sit on the bed and curl my back out for the anesthetist to give me the epidural, she first gives an injection to numb the area and then waits for a few minute for it to kick in before giving me the epidural which is a long ass needle that goes into the spine which numbs your lower half of your body.

The whole process was not painful for me as how so many articles and vblogs i watched on youtube describes it all i felt was like a sourness in the spine. after that i was asked to lay down and the anesthetist will ask you to lift your leg a few times to make sure you are completely numb as the first time i could still move my leg and lift it. Make sure you tell the doctor and anesthetist exactly how you feel, imagine the moment they cut you open and you can still feel pain. You will still be able to feel people touch and tugging but not pain. Then they will put a catheter in which you will not feel a thing as you are already numb.

Ready to be cut open

The whole process of them cutting me open to pulling the baby out only took like 20 minutes, i didn't feel a thing only felt pushing and tugging i guess that is when they were trying to get the baby out. The minute they pulled the baby out your stomach will feel so much lighter and so comfortable as my last month i could barely breath because the baby was taking up all the space inside. I totally cried when they pulled the baby out because you have been waiting for so long to meet this little human the moment you see the baby your emotions are just all over the place.

After i got to hold the baby, i couldn't think or do anything i was like in another world, the doctor was sowing me up that took probably around 30 minutes. The nurses and the midwife will take the baby to clean, measure and back to the nursery first so don't freak out they are not stealing your baby. The funniest is when everything's done and they need to move me back to my hospital bed as i was still completely numb i felt like a whale that was washed ashore and people had to help me get back into the water. They had this thing which they put under you and as they pull the fabric on it you get into your bed it's like a pull belt system you use in the factory.

After that you go to the recovery room where they monitor you for probably 40 minutes to an hour to make sure you are ok. Then you go back to your own room where you will get to see the baby and feed the baby. The first time you feed the baby your milk is like a yellowish or see through colour. Only after 3 days it will become a milky colour.

The next morning around 6 the nurse came and removed my catheter and made me get out of bed to walk. trust me this is going to be painful as you have a cut on your tummy and you never think how much you use your abs to even get out of bed but it took me like 20 minutes to even get up. And if you wondering the cut is really low it's even lower than normal undies line. The cut is probably around 12cm wide.

This is my cut after 2 weeks and it is not that noticeable.

I was in hospital for 4 days and trust me no matter how much you want to hold your baby and spend time with baby as exciting as it is. Do rest as much as you can and use the nurses help as much as you can because when you go home you are not going to be able to rest or sleep much.

And don't think that your tummy is going to go flat immediately after birth trust me you are still going to look pregnant. But if you breastfeed it will help you lose weight very fast i was 78kg before i gave birth and after baby was out i weighed 73kg after 2 weeks i was weighing 69 kg so with breast feeding you will lose weight even if you eat normally. Do use a waist belt i started wearing mine the 3rd day after birth as it keeps pressure on the wound so it does not hurt as much when you move around and it does help to flatten your tummy.

This is my tummy 2 weeks after birth.

Do bring a dummy and formula for the baby as it does not say on the what to bring list from the hospital as most likely your milk will not be enough for the first few days in the hospital and your baby will most likely want a dummy to suck on at night.

Hope this long post did give some insights on C-section for the ladies that do want to go for a C-section. No matter what kind of birth you do decide on do remember to listen to the doctors advice as they know if you will be able to do natural or not as it could be dangerous for the baby.