My C-section Story – Arinola BA

Hello everyone,

Arinola is a child of God who is a wife, mother and a real estate developer. She is passionate about marriage and family life. In her spare time, she watches football and she is an ardent Chelsea fan.

Like most other women, I was looking forward to a vaginal delivery, but I still remember the disappointment I felt when I was told that I would need to have a C-Section.

Growing up, my mum, aunties, and even grandmum, in their many discussions, portrayed a C-Section as something that was not good. That sort of birthed an inner conflict.

Also, I had read of cases of women dying during C-sections so I had those fears. Thankfully, my husband quickly stepped in to allay my fears.

I was asked to come into the hospital a day to the surgery. I got there and all the ‘preliminary essentials’ were carried out.

After that, my blood sample was taken. I was screened for HIV, Hepatitis, and some other diseases. They all returned negative. Meanwhile, before then, I had been told that blood was going to be arranged for me just in case I would need a transfusion.

I hated the idea. I did not want anybody’s blood in my body because I did not know if they had any diseases. My doctor assured me that donated blood was screened so I had nothing to fear.

I told him that I preferred my husband to donate blood if I needed it. He was the only one I trusted and I knew I would have nothing to fear if I got infused with his blood (we’re the same blood group and all his screening tests came out perfect).

Anyway, on the D-day, I was not allowed to eat anything. Infact, I had stopped eating about 12 hours before the procedure. About an hour before I was wheeled into the theatre, a catheter was inserted into my urethra. I think the purpose of that was to get me to pass urine during the procedure. I found the process very painful.

There was a team of about 15 people in the theatre who were waiting to receive me – nurses, surgeon, doctors, anaesthetists, the baby’s doctor, etc.

When I got in, I was given anaesthesia. It was injected into my spine. I did not even know the process had started until I was moved a bit. I felt nothing!

My husband was behind me holding my hands and playing with my hair. A few minutes later, my baby was out. I heard his cries and I burst out crying myself.

He was brought to me and first thing I noticed about him was his very prominent dimples (I have dimples too). I fell in love immediately. I could not wait to have him in my arms.

The baby’s doctor and some nurses took him away to clean him up but I remained for about another 30 minutes. I was wheeled out but I could not walk. 

I was given my baby to breastfeed but there was no milk on the first day, so the midwives fed him with baby milk. By the second day, I had started walking around, and I was perfectly fine.

I am glad I went the C-section route. I had taken the advice of my doctor and I have no regrets. Please, go for it if it is needed. Many women have died because they insisted on having a vaginal delivery when it was not wise for them to do so.

What matters is to leave the hospital with a healthy child. There is no award in heaven for having a vaginal delivery.