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Congrats Lucy!
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Congrats, what did you name her?
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congrats
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Mubarak Lucy!!!
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Before I share the birth story I just want to give some background. I got married in April 2013 and Alhamdulilah we got pregnant after 3 months when we first tried as I had never used any birth control. By the will of Allah I miscarried at 12 weeks in November without any apparent reason. This was a huge let down for me as I always thought it would be easy for me having a child due to the fertility history of my family on both sides (Both my grand mothers had 9 kids, my mom had 7 while one of my aunt also has 11 kids etc.).
Any ways because I had lost a lot of blood and even had a hospital stay the doctor advised us to not try for 6 months, more then that my husband got so scared due to my health that he was reluctant to even try at all. So we kindda put it behind and tried to enjoy our life. In February I started this new diet that was more of a healthy lifestyle and not only lost weight but also my health was improved. Alhamdulilah in April we got pregnant again when we tried and this time I carried it to full term. I am not sure whether it's due to the diet plan or anything else but I am so thankful to Allah for our little miracle.
For the birth story my pregnancy was a text book pregnancy where I had every single symptom from nausea to carpel tunnel(which is still here). I even had GD at the third trimester which I was able to control via diet and exercise. Everything was ok till 38 weeks, at our 38th week appt the doctor discussed induction on my due date 17th Jan as they didn't wanted to risk going beyond the due date because of GD and me not being dilated at all. So we decided on an induction on 17th.
However on my 39th week appt the doctor told us that baby has turned breach and now his head was resting under my right rib and due to the size of the baby and gestational age any intervention to change his position will be dangerous. So now we had to go for a C-section. I was not prepared for a C-section and some people even advised me against doing it but in the end I thought about what's good for the baby and agreed on the surgery.
So we threw away the birth plan and instead of 17th Jan induction we had a planned C-section on 16th Jan at 12:30 and Azaan was born exactly at 12:45. My experience of the surgery was ok as I had a D&C earlier, the only troublesome part for me was no water for 12 hours as I drink a lot of water and also the spinal but the nurses were amazing at the hospital. One of the nurse asked me to hug her and the she suddenly started talking about how perfect my eye brows were and from where I get them done. I got so distracted that I didn't even felt the spinal going in. After that they brought my husband in who sat beside my head and I asked him to wipe away my tears(I am still not sure why I was weeping at that time). The doctor had some problems fetching the baby as he was all they high up there but when he was out I heard the doctor saying that he's one big baby. I got worried and started asking that why isn't he crying but the nurse told me that it will take some time then they shown him to us and took him to the other room. I urged my husband to leave me and go with him.
Then they stitched me up which I didn't felt at all and took me to the recovery room where my husband and baby were already present. I know every mother says that but he was such a gorgeous baby and I fell instantly in love with him. I was like "how come he's so fair and look at his cheeks, they are so pink and wow his body is all covered up with hair(courtesy of my husband)".
So the experience was far much easier and less painful then a vaginal birth but the recovery is another story. I stayed 4 days in the hospital. The first day of the surgery was ok because I was under so many drugs but the second day was a total mess. They told me the baby's glucose level is low as my milk is not coming in so they had to give him formula and observe 3 feeds, then the pain of the incision site was horrible, I was unable to even sit properly and was just propped up the whole day and then the nurses come in every hr to check my bld pressure, temperature and uterus. The worst of it when they ask you about passing the gas or take out the catheter and want to pee in front of them. I was not allowed solid food until I passed gas which for me was 24 hours.
After that the recovery was gradual, I was able to walk on 3rd day and we had also resolved Azaan's glucose issues. My husband stayed the whole 4 days with me in the room even if he was just sleeping and not helping at night(he gets cranky if he doesn't get his sleep), I was satisfied and comfortable that he was there. We left for home on forth day and since then I am trying to rest and recover as much as I can as we don't have any family/ friends around. My husband had a week off from work so that helped in fact for the whole week I never changed any of the diapers as my husband was doing it. My baby Alhamdulilah is a very calm child, you feed him and change his diaper and he'll doze off for 3 hours mA.
yeah another thing I forgot to mention was the first bowel movement after C-section, oh man that's like a trip to hell and back, despite the fact that I was taking Colace a week ahead of the surgery and I was drinking a lot of water. I guess the drugs mess everything up. TMI the first time was simply horrible as with every push it feels like your stitches are going to burst open. The only thing that made me through it was the thought of my smiling son.
My wounds are still raw and I have another 4 weeks of recovery left but the gift I got at the end of all this is precious enough that I can go through it again for him.
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Mubarak Seema!!!
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Congrats, MA, cute name.
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Congratulations Seema! Try to rest as much as you can and don't lift anything heavier than your baby. My first C was a long awful recovery too so I can sympathise. Just take it very slowly and don't rush into anything. Remember that it takes a full 6 weeks usually before you can start doing things as they were before and the internal healing goes on for 18 months. Until your 6 weeks are up, order take out, forget the laundry and housework and just focus on yourself and baby and healing. The more you rest, the quicker you will heal. hugs
As for me, my lovely Aaliyah was born September 10th via C. Since my son was an emergency C and such a big baby, and she was on track to be big too, this time around I had a planned C as per my OB, and also knowing from experience that physically, I can't deliver a big baby. I can honestly say I loved the experience. My parents came and took my son over to theirs the morning of the C. Hubby and I took our time getting out of bed, finished packing up the hospital bag and showered, and changed her name at the last minute from what we had decided on the entire pregnancy! We got to the hospital, waited around to get paperwork done, then were taken to a preliminary exam room for bloodwork and an IV. Shortly after, they took me up to the OR and got the spinal started. There was a delay in the surgery as someone was having twins, I think, and my OB was called away. He arrived about half an hour after the scheduled time and hubby arrived outfitted in his scrubs soon after that. Everything was calm, everyone was chill. Hubby and I chatted about the baby, the doctors discussed their golf game(!) as they operated, and soon after, the surgeon asked hubby to pull out his camera and start shooting as they pulled her out of me. I still haven't seen those photos but hubby says she looks really cute just sitting up, half in and half out of me. Miss Thing popped out screaming her head off lol. She was SO annoyed at being born she cried the entire time they cleaned her, and weighed and measured her. They asked hubby if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord which he did and then they brought her over to me. After that, they wheeled me up to my room. Recovery went so smoothly mashAllah that I was discharged on the 3rd morning and we went to my parents. She is 4.5 months old now and just fabulous!
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Love her name SGC!!!
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My cute baby boy born on 3 may but thru emergency c section.
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MA such cute stories and you ladies have all chosen adorable names! :)
A question though...I have heard that the recovery process after C section is horrible and that the scarring is really bad. Is this true? We are ttc but delivering a baby has ALWAYS scared the heck out of me and when I tell my mom il get a C section she looks at me like I'm insane and says that's even worse but the worse part comes AFTERWARDS. And does the scarring every go away? Just curious...(and ladies keep our quest for ttc in your Duas pls!)
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Prayers for you!,
You can't decide if you won't have a c section as if it's medically essential you will have to have one and there's nothing wrong with that. Regarding elective c sections. One of my friends did have elective c sections for both of her kids. For the same reason as you did and she is happy for her decision. She has 2 kids both elective c sections because she is scared of child birth. I was scared too and had epidural a each time.
Regarding recovery. Everyone is different. I have seen some friends up and about within a few days others suffered for more than a month. It's major surgery. There is a scar yes, but seeing all the celebrities who had them. I think it's not that bad.
I never had a c section but I have had major abdominal surgery and have scarring. Feel proud of it. My battle scars!
MA such cute stories and you ladies have all chosen adorable names! :)
A question though...I have heard that the recovery process after C section is horrible and that the scarring is really bad. Is this true? We are ttc but delivering a baby has ALWAYS scared the heck out of me and when I tell my mom il get a C section she looks at me like I'm insane and says that's even worse but the worse part comes AFTERWARDS. And does the scarring every go away? Just curious...(and ladies keep our quest for ttc in your Duas pls!)
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Congratulations to all the mommies! Loved to read your birth stories.
So here is mine.
In week 38 I had my last check up and my mifwife said, see you next week. I jokingly replied, yeah, maybe we will see eachother at the hospital.
Hubby and me moved to my parents house for the delivery, because we used to live in an appartment building with no lift on the 3rd floor. Plus I needed my mother around for that womanly support that is needed in the pregnancy, you know what I am talking about.
I had been feeling nothing, it was all going normal and well. So I thought to myself: why not get a pedicure done before the baby arrives. Believe me, they were in very dire need of one. So I made an appointment for Friday. Thursday night my labor started. I was feeling very light contractions, so at first I thought they were not serious. I went to sleep like usual. The next day I woke up feeling heavier contractions. I told my mother and she advised me to cancel my appointment, so I did. The salon lady couldn’t stop laughing. She goes, well I think it’s a good idea you don’t come then.. go have your baby first!
The contractions were getting heavier and heavier. After dinner we went to our room and I tried to get some relief by laying down. I demolished hubby’s hand that night by holding it tightly while trying to get through the (now) painful contractions. After my water broke I freaked out. I told hubby to get my mother and he literally ran out of the room (also freaked out) haha! My midwife told me to call her when my water broke, so I gave her a call. At this point I was still able to talk. After this, not anymore.
Midwife came around at 2ish, then at 4 and at 6AM to check up how far I was dilated. At 6 she said she’d be back at 9 and that we’d go to the hospital for the delivery. But at 7.30 I begged my husband to call the midwife because I just couldnt handle it anymore. At 8ish we went to the hospital and I stood underneath the shower for the longest time. Alhamdulillah it felt so much better!
My mother was with me in the delivery room and kept me hydrated by giving me sips of zamzam every few minutes. She had been forcing me to eat dates every morning as well for the last weeks, may Allah reward her with the very best! I truly believe that the dates and the zamzam had played a huge role in how easy the delivery was. At 11.15 I started to feel the need to push. And at 11.50 my beautiful son was finally here, Alhamdulillah.
Hubby and my father were waiting in the waiting area, so I called my husband to tell him our son had been born. They were still stitching me up, so I told him to wait for a little while longer to come in. When I was ready both my husband and father came to see our son. My father read the azaan in his ears and my hubby put on his first outfit. :love:
Can’t believe it’s already been a year, Alhamdulillah!
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^ Lovely MashaAllah… I teared up at the dates and zamzam part… it’s such a spiritual connection at that moment.
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Mubarak ChillyMilly!!! Mashallah!!!
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A C section is TYPICALLY not a planned one. Meaning its not something that is usually within your control. If your body is not going into labor or the baby is in danger, your OB will suggest a C.
You have scars no matter what way you have a baby…if not on your stomach then ummm…a little lower. Some people never need stitches down there and some do. MY friend had such bad tearing with her deliveries…I wince when I think about it. I had a C section because of some complications…I also tried very hard to deliver naturally but it wasn’t in the cards.
You really cannot go in with any preconceived notions or ideas as to how things will go…they will as they’re meant to and are beyond your control. Its all in Allah’s hands.
What is more painful? A C or a vaginal? I have yet to see someone say…oh my vaginal delivery went like a dream…no pain, no scars, no marks, nothing…I had the baby and went shopping an hour later. The delivery and recovery are hard no matter what option and neither one is better…because you get a beautiful and healthy baby either way. How they choose to make their entrance is not important.
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Thanks Reha!!
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No personal experience here but based on what I’ve seen among friends/cousins, the degree of vaginal tearing seems to make the biggest difference when comparing vaginal delivery to a c-section. 1st and 2nd degree tear recovery seems to be comparable to c-sections…but anything above that changes the game (at least that how it seems to be based on what I’ve heard).
Two close friends of mine had their first babies about 1.5 years ago. One had a planned c-section due to issues with baby in utero and the other tried for vaginal. Unfortunately the friend with the vaginal delivery ended up with a 3rd degree tear. While the friend with the csection was doing good weeks later…the one with the 3rd degree tear was in much more discomfort even 2 months later! She also had to deal with incontinence issues for quite a while which the csection friend didn’t have to deal with. I only know about this specific situation because I’ve heard both of them describe their recoveries in the weeks/months following the birth.
One of my cousins got it worse. She had a 4th degree tear during her vaginal delivery and needed to have a 2nd surgery (where she was put under general anesthesia) to repair the damage. It was several MONTHS before she could sit down/move around without pain/discomfort. It was VERY difficult for her to deal with it all physically and emotionally because the physical pain/pain meds made it very difficult for her to take care of/bond with the newborn. She’s also had incontinence issues since then and despite seeing several specialists/trying out everything she can, it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. 
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After I wrote my whole birth story in one and half hour, something goes wrong with the window and its all gone 
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My VBAC
So my first was born Early and from the day I turned that date I kept checking for signs of labour especially show as that was my first sign previously. I had booked in for a VBAC with a provisional date for a section if I didn’t go into labour by 42 weeks. I had been having on off back pains throughout this pregnancy. And I was really unsure about the VBAC I was changing my mind daily. I also hired a douka because I had such a bad experience last time with the hospital and kept researching. Baby centre articles about labour and birth positions are really good and I highly recommend them.
Well on Sat night I had really severe constant backache which would not shift at all. In the morning it had disappeared and we decided to go on a day trip.. 30 min on motorway and my backache returned along with a sudden urge to go to the toilet. I asked my husband to turn around. He was like are you sure and I was like yes please let’s just go home.
Once we reached home I went to the toilet and the pain went. That night around 10 I was having a contraction every 10 min lasting 30 sec but they were so sudden and intense. When I called the hospital they said it is very early labour and not to come in.
With in 20 min I was having a contraction every few seconds and it was unbearable. I told my husband we had to go to hospital NOW. Our toddler had just gone to sleep and my husband wanted to take a Shower. Anyways after his shower I was dying in the meanwhile btw we went to the hospital. Thank God it was night as there was no traffic.
I started feeling like I had to push while in the car. We raced to hospital and I felt like baby would come out in car. Anyway reached the maternity triage.
They were talking to each other saying why did she come she is just in early labour we told her not to come. While I was cowering on the floor, shouting that I needed to push, them then came to check and yes surprise surprise the woman actually giving birth knows what she is doing, baby is just about to come out, it was the most horrific pain imaginable. No one offered me any pain relief not even G&A.
We reached hospital at 11:15. They took me to delivery suite. Tried to bully me on my back but I just wanted to stay on my knees so we are having an argument while I am screaming like a banshee. Finally they decided that yes baby could come out while I pushed on my knees supported by the headrest of best. Did I mention it was the most horrific pain ever like someone was ripping my insides out. Baby came at 12:15 covered in muck. They asked if I wanted to hold her. I was bawling my eyes out and said no. After 2 min I felt sorry for her and said yes. I cut the cord myself. a was in the room with dad sleeping through all my banshee screams.
Then there was the horrible after birth and horrific back pains and after pains.
Felt like a zombie.
All I have to say maternity and post natal care in UK is ****.
Today is day 4 and I am recovering well AH. But I think the c-sec horrible as it was was much less horrific than the VBAC. VBAC was way too painful. Didn’t get any stitches but have 3 minor tears so it is stinging too much to pee.
Anyway that is my VBAC story and I can’t believe I did it. I deserve a medal so will be treating me myself soon 