My Birth Plan

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew automatically that I wanted to have a natural birth. But my plan and what actually happened were two completely different things. You see I have fibroids and have had them since I was 18. I am now 36. When I was about 25 I allowed my GYN at the time to convince me to have a myomectomy. I had seven fibroids removed. The biggest one was the size of a grapefruit. It took me about 6 weeks to recover and go back to work. I have a scar on my bikini line but nothing else to indicate that I had this procedure done. In a little over a year my fibroids came back. Not only did they come back but they came back with a vengeance; small little fibroids all over my uterus. At that point I really and truly gave up any hope of having children. I knew I may want one but I thought it highly unlikely so I married a man who already had children just on the off chance that I couldn’t have any.

Well apparently God had other plans because seven years after me and my husband first met I got pregnant with KoKo. I was ecstatic and fearful. But I knew I wanted a natural birth and thought that I could have one because I knew women who had a Cesarean with their first birth only to have vaginal or v-bac birth with their subsequent children. I held on to this hope until my OB told me that my fibroids were numerous and because of my prior surgery my best and safest course of action would be to have a C-Section. She explained that if I carried my daughter to full term (40 weeks) that I was putting myself at risk for a uterine rupture which could possibly kill the baby and me. What she didn’t also say is that this is a risk for every pregnant woman. However, I conceded to my doctor’s advice because I thought she knew better than me. Once I accepted that I couldn’t have a natural or water birth I was immediately disappointed and became depressed that I wouldn’t experience the beauty and wonder of labor. Even my husband expressed some disappointment. But the support of my friends and family helped me overcome my disappointment and accept my fate with grace. Everyone said it doesn’t matter how she gets here as long as she gets here and she is healthy. Weeks after I had my C-Section and I was telling a friend about my disappointment she asked me why didn’t I just go to another doctor? And I wonder why didn’t I?

If you are told that you have to get a C-Section but that isn’t what you really want then get a second opinion. It’s your body and your baby and ultimately you make the decision that is best for both.