‘You will give birth like the Hebrew woman. You will push your baby yourself. You will have a normal delivery’, the middle-aged woman prayed as shouts of ‘Amen’ filled the atmosphere.
It was the usual weekly ante-natal clinic. Many women showed up with different stomach sizes. Some carried their bumps with grace, some struggled through each week with their huge bumps, while some wore the strains of pregnancy like an ornament.
Faces were puffed up, noses became broader for some as the weeks rolled by, hips widened and many could hardly remember what they looked like. The life growing in us had changed us physically and emotionally.
I whispered my ‘Amen’ too as the middle-aged nurse rounded up her prayer for us. I was looking forward to a quick and safe delivery. Infact I envisaged a shorter time in labour because I had prayed so much and my faith was over the roof.
But then the morning after my last ante-natal clinic, a toilet bowl filled with blood led to my very first C-section experience.
I was heartbroken hearing the doctor explain why this was the best option for me now. I felt God had let me down and I did not even know what to expect.
I knew women who had C-sections. I had seen their scars but hearing some women openly reject C-sections overtime as a choice of birth made me wonder at times. But here I was about to be cut open to give life to another.
I grabbed my Bible and began to read Psalm 91 aloud. I read it over and over until I was wheeled into the theatre. I woke up minutes later, the anaesthetic slowly fading away, I was groggy and my belly felt empty, and then I asked, “Where is my baby? Where is my baby? ”
And then I beheld the most beautiful thing snuggled up in my husband’s arms. I was a mother again five years after having my first child. I touched beneath my belly, the cut was covered up with plasters and had just began its healing process.
It was a priceless moment. I realised then that pushes or cuts do not matter. What matters is a mother’s strength and courage in giving life to another. Here are 3 lessons from my C-section experience.
1. REMAIN OPEN TO THE BEST OPTION TO BIRTH YOUR CHILD.
Yes, I had a lot of faith but at that point, it was about saving my life and that of my child. I am sure you have heard stories of women who rejected their doctor’s counsel and switched hospitals to avoid a C-section. Some of them died alongside their babies.
Prayer changes things, but God also gave wisdom to men. What if I stubbornly refused and insisted to go through labour? I never know what could have gone wrong in the process.
Please listen to your doctor, ask questions and follow the best option to birth your child. Do not take unnecessary risks in the name of faith. A mother is still a mother irrespective of how she brought her child into the world. Go in with faith and trust God that you and your child will come out alive and healthy.
2. GET A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM
Pregnancy can take a toll on you sometimes. And it can be overwhelming in that season of carrying a life inside you .
So it is always such a relief when you have a strong support system around you.
Whether it be a spouse’s words of support and encouragement, a mother or relative’s presence shortly after delivery or your other child’s questions and excitement as he anticipates the arrival of his sibling. These all go a long way to carry you through your season of pregnancy, delivery and recovery.
And for the C-sections mothers. Please always abide by the rules given by your doctor. Also try to get someone who can help you for some weeks after delivery.
You may not know it, but you need some time to recover fully. I was lucky to have my mother with me for 4 weeks after delivery and I was not allowed to lift any heavy thing for many weeks.
3. ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW BEAUTIFUL YOUR SCAR IS.
Some call it a scar of pride, some say it is their victory scar while others call their scars beautiful. Yes, beautiful because it is a reminder of the gift of life, second chances, healing, miracles and triumph.
I call my scar beautiful because each time I look at it, I am reminded of how much God loves me and how he always shows up for me in the most pleasant ways.
Some women have had to go through C-sections for health related issues. They have scars to show for it too. Those scars will always remind them that they survived. Yes, they walked out of that challenge victorious with a story of hope and faith. Yes, their scars are beautiful too.
So what makes your own scar beautiful?
Many Hugs,
Ufuoma
