You can safely ask questions about who is going to have a cesarean section and who is afraid. It so happened that at 37 weeks I was told to give birth by cesarean section. At first, of course, I wanted to give birth naturally. Throughout my pregnancy I prepared: breathing exercises, Kegel exercises, jumping on a fitball, etc. But since the doctors (neurologist and anesthesiologist) gave me such a verdict, I didn’t argue. The operation was performed at the Center for Pregnancy and Rehabilitation at 39.3 months under a contract with an excellent doctor from God, S.A. Litvinenko. By 9 a.m. I arrived at the emergency department, waited in line for about 40 minutes. I weighed myself, changed into a local nightie, were interviewed, had an enema and went to the operating room, where the anesthesiologist was already waiting for me to talk. She lay down on the table and pulled it on me compression stockings, connected the sensors and inserted a catheter into the vein (this was the most painful thing in the entire operation... we looked for the vein 3 times and could not get there). I liked the epidural anesthesia. The injection into the intervertebral space is not painful at all. A urinary catheter was inserted. My legs and stomach are gradually going numb and the doctors say they have started. Of course you don’t feel pain, but there is a feeling that something is being done to you. You feel the sweetish-nasty smell of flesh at the moment when the vessels are cauterized so that bleeding does not start. The most memorable moment was when the doctors literally started jumping on my stomach, pushing the baby out. 🙈 Fortunately, the anesthesiologist was always nearby and distracted me with conversations. About 15 minutes passed from the start of the operation and my girl was born. I nervously waited for her to scream and then came the first cry. I cried. They weighed her 3420 grams, measured 52 cm, wrapped her and put her to her chest, allowing her to meet her daughter and kiss her. Apgar score 8/9. The anesthesiologist took great pictures on my phone. Many thanks to her for the wonderful, captured first moments of my baby. 🏼📸 After stitches and injections, I was taken to the PIT where I stayed for 6 hours. I drank a lot of water and tried to move my legs to recover from the anesthesia faster. She asked me to put on a bandage. After about 3 hours I was ready to go into the ward, but they didn’t let me in. The doctor came and kneaded the uterus twice. It was painful, but it was bearable. The hardest part was getting up, but I managed and was transferred to the postpartum ward. That same day I walked around the ward and they brought me a baby. At night I left her in children's department, where I made a huge mistake. The milk eventually came only on the 10th day. I took a shower the next day. They took out the urinary catheter (it was a little painful). On the day of the operation I did not eat anything; on the second day I was given porridge and broth with chicken. The conditions and staff are excellent. They provided advice on breastfeeding and answered all questions. I was satisfied with the operation. But of course, there is no feeling that you have gone through the agony of contractions and after pushing you can blissfully enjoy the baby on your chest! Caesarean section is a lot of stress for both the child and the mother. I could calmly still carry her for a week and come with contractions. The child was immature, although he was born on time. I had postpartum depression for 2 weeks because everything happened so quickly that I didn’t realize anything. Well, the hormones probably jumped. 👻The seam, by the way, turned out to be very neat. If you have indications for surgery, then of course you shouldn’t risk giving birth yourself. If there is no evidence, then I am for EP, as nature intended. Listen to doctors and your heart. Thank God for everything! 🙏
I myself underwent a planned cesarean section, and, in addition, I have a medical education. That is why I decided to write this article, and I hope that it will be useful to someone.
First of all, I want to clarify that a planned procedure and an emergency procedure differ significantly in some respects. Namely, the psychological comfort of the mother and the condition of the child, as a rule, are different in these cases.
I'll describe my situation. I learned about the upcoming birth by cesarean long before the 40th week of pregnancy. The reason for this was my not very healthy eyes. So, despite the complete health of the fetus, I had to forget about the so-called “natural birth”. It is not by chance that I write the word childbirth and put quotation marks here. The fact is that I have heard many times from various people far from medicine that cesarean is the collapse of a woman as a mother, it makes her inferior, it contributes to the lack of milk, alienation from the child, and prevents normal child development, etc. Of course, all this is nonsense and has no evidence base. Cesarean section is nothing more than CHILDREN. Only the method is different. And it doesn’t matter how the baby was born, he is born into this world and needs a calm, loving, well-fed and satisfied mother, and not a mother who hates herself for not giving birth “on her own” and experiences constant, unreasonable, imaginary stress. If you remember this, then the milk will come as it should, and there will be no psychosis or big problems.
I found the clinic and the doctor in advance. I went to prenatal care 2 weeks before my expected due date. I had a follow-up ultrasound, which revealed that the baby was ready to be born. In my case, this was necessary because I was not allowed to experience contractions. Usually, with a planned cesarean, they wait until contractions begin. I just discussed with the doctor the desired birthday for my daughter.
On the eve of the upcoming day of the operation, the doctor and I met again and discussed all the issues of interest, including the suture that would be on the skin after the operation (I needed it to be intradermal and removed before discharge from the hospital.). And most importantly, a discussion of anesthesia. This is quite important, so I’ll go into more detail.
For elective caesarean sections, the choice of anesthesia together with the doctor is fair. There are 2 options -
general anesthesia (usually a combination of intravenous and inhalation, carried out with tracheal intubation. That is, during the operation you are unconscious, the machine is breathing for you, there is a tube in your windpipe) and spinal anesthesia (roughly speaking - blocking sensitivity and motor opportunities in the body below the diaphragm, including in the legs and abdomen, while your consciousness remains intact, you are present at your birth and are able to interact with doctors).
For me, spinal anesthesia is most preferable, and I chose it because it had advantages that were my priority, and the disadvantages did not scare me.
When choosing anesthesia for yourself, do not compare which one is more dangerous or scarier! Anesthesiologists working with pregnant women are always professional. And you need to choose, first of all, based on your psychological state at the time of childbirth, and your readiness to be present at your own operation (believe me, for an unprepared person this is quite difficult and stressful). If the thought that “they will cut you and you won’t sleep” does not put you in a state of fear, feel free to choose spinal anesthesia; if in doubt, choose general anesthesia (I repeat, the child needs a calm mother).
So, the hour of X came. They dressed me in a size 80 robe on my naked body, forced me to go to the toilet a little at a time, put on a cap and took me to the operating room. They were allowed to wear new cotton socks (they were given sterile gloves in the operating room).
Then there were standard manipulations in the form of placing a urinary catheter, a venous catheter, connecting a solution, and measuring pressure. And then they put me on my side, bent me into the fetal position (it’s a little hard with my stomach) and started anesthesia directly. I only felt 1 injection into the skin (when the doctor injects a local anesthetic under the skin and further into the tissue so that the manipulation itself is painless). Since I decided to write everything honestly, I will tell you that after the anesthesia, the doctor had 3 unsuccessful attempts to administer anesthesia and I was tired of lying crouched. However, I insisted on the 4th attempt, and everything worked out from there. This happens, it's not scary. The reason for this is some of my structural features of the spine, ordinary bad luck, or whatever else, it doesn’t matter. This can happen from time to time with every doctor and there is no need to blame him for unprofessionalism; during the procedure I highly recommend remaining silent, following all the doctor’s instructions and staying positive, imagining how soon you will meet the baby (it’s better to think about this all the time before childbirth and during).
5-10 minutes passed, I was a little dizzy. This is also normal - with spinal anesthesia, the pressure is normally reduced, especially in young people, since our blood vessels react more strongly than in the elderly. You just need to wait out this moment. Doctors will do everything necessary.
The doctor checked the sensitivity and height of the block (my “numbness” began almost under the chest), and began with an assistant. I didn’t feel pain, but I felt a little like they were touching me and tugging a little (these are my subjective sensations).
Then there was a problem - I began to barely feel pain under the diaphragm on the left, I reported this, and the nurse turned the table to the right, which was a mistake. The pain became worse. Since during this period the hormones are scalding, and my head is not clear, I did not immediately notice this mistake and when I told the anesthesiologist, it was already noticeably painful. The pressure began to increase, and as a result, the wound began to bleed more. A little fuss began, the surgeons were unhappy, the anesthesiologist began to suggest that I “sleep”. But there were 5 minutes left until the end of the operation and I insisted that I would endure and wait for the child. As a result, my blood loss was greater than it could have been, my hemoglobin decreased and I left the maternity hospital only on the 5th day. This situation is extremely rare! There is no need to be afraid of this. The pain was bearable. Yes, it was an unpleasant moment, but not a crime. To be honest, inserting a urinary catheter seemed much more painful to me.
After 5 minutes, the child was born and the memorable and indescribably joyful moment of the first cry began. All the pain went away instantly (this is not an exaggeration, the reason for this is a hormonal storm that “blocks” all the dominants in the brain and leaves only one - the child).
They gave me a kiss on the baby’s heel, showed me from all sides and took me away for further necessary procedures, while I was stitched up and taken to intensive care for 3 hours.
They let my mother into the intensive care unit and brought the baby to my breast, immediately after they treated her.
I paid for the room. Separate, with the possibility of a relative staying, and I chose in advance the maternity hospital where they practice living together with the baby.
My daughter was alone that night, and I was recovering from anesthesia and resting; they brought her in the morning. But before that, an hour before, a doctor came to me, put me in a bandage and forced me to stand up and walk. This is necessary for several reasons: early adaptation of the mother and increased speed of recovery, prevention of adhesions and other complications, and the ability to immediately care for the child.
My mother lived with me in the ward, she helped me as much as she could (most importantly, she supported me psychologically). Remember that from the first days after a cesarean section, a woman CAN lift the weight of the child and care for him independently, after putting on a bandage.
The milk came on the second day, as expected, in sufficient quantities. My daughter is no different from her peers; our emotional connection with her has not suffered.
In conclusion, I will say that I was completely satisfied with my birth, BUT - if there are no contraindications to conventional childbirth, it is better to give birth in the usual way. The reason is that recovery after a normal birth is negligible compared to recovery after a cesarean section, and when the girls who usually gave birth were already running around the department for ultrasounds and other procedures, I hobbled bent over.
I hope my article will be useful to someone! Take care of yourself and do not be afraid of Caesar.
The need for a cesarean section is alarming and frightening for many women. Some are afraid that they will be “cut,” unsightly stitches on the abdomen and a painful recovery. Others are primarily afraid that the operation and anesthesia will have a bad effect on the child. When a caesarean section is planned, the woman has time to find out the necessary information and mentally prepare for the operation.
Indications and course of pregnancy
I clearly understood the fact that I would have a caesarean section from the very beginning of pregnancy, although the doctors did not give a definite answer for a long time. The reason for cesarean section is estragenal pathology, and specifically the persistent consequences of cerebral palsy. It is not a chronosomal abnormality or a genetic disease. Both my parents and Native sister completely physically and mentally healthy. My illness is a consequence of my mother’s premature and difficult birth. Cerebral palsy is not inherited, although according to geneticists, the empirical risk that a child will also have cerebral palsy is 3%. Naturally, I didn’t want to repeat my mother’s sad experience, and morally I was inclined towards cesarean as a more reliable way of bringing my child into the world.
In addition to the therapist, ophthalmologist and dentist, which every pregnant woman needs to see when registering, I also had to visit a geneticist, neurologist and traumatologist. I saw doctors twice: at 12-16 weeks, and at 36-38 weeks.
The neurologist simply rewrote the main diagnosis, and left the issue of delivery to specialized specialists. After an examination by a traumatologist, it turned out that I have a skewed pelvis, and this is a relative indication for surgery, but the final decision must be made by a gynecologist.
Gynecologists were in no hurry to make a final decision. At 36 weeks of pregnancy, I was already hoping to receive a referral for a planned cesarean section, but this did not happen. On the one hand, the doctors frightened me in every possible way that at the most crucial moment the muscles of the lower body might not work and I would not be able to give birth on my own, on the other hand, the question of the operation remained open. None of the doctors took responsibility for my well-being. natural childbirth, but they didn’t give me a referral for a caesarean section. And finally, at 38 weeks of pregnancy, doctors antenatal clinic They sent me to the department of pathology of pregnant women, with the wording “for prenatal preparation.”
I can only say that my pregnancy itself was perfect: I was never in confinement, did not take hormonal medications, and throughout the entire period I led a moderately active lifestyle.
Prenatal preparation
Formally, I was registered in the department of pathology of pregnant women for a week before the operation, but in fact I spent only one day there. The department was overcrowded with pregnant women who really required medical supervision. Since I felt great, I only came for an examination and tests.
When registering in the pathology department, it was necessary to take a blood test, urine test, do an ECG of the heart and undergo an examination by a doctor in a chair. The doctor also listened to the heartbeat and measured the width of the pelvis. Having collected the opinions of specialized specialists, the results of ultrasound and other studies, the gynecologists again began to decide whether it was permissible for me to give birth myself. As a result, the verdict was made - we will perform a planned caesarean section with the onset of labor. However, this decision was later changed, perhaps because they were afraid that the birth would be rapid and they would not have time to carry out a planned caesarean section. In the end, I was asked to choose a date to undergo surgery on a certain day.
Prenatal preparation immediately before the operation included:
- Hospitalization under medical supervision the day before surgery
- Not a heavy dinner in the evening, so as not to overload the gastrointestinal tract and not provoke vomiting during anesthesia.
- Taking blood and urine tests directly on the day of birth
- Fasting and cleansing enema before surgery
- Shaving unwanted hair from the bikini area
After all the tests were passed and the manipulations were carried out, I was transferred to the maternity ward.
Choice of anesthesia
The anesthesiologist who accompanied my cesarean section operation offered a choice of two types of anesthesia - the now common epidural or general anesthesia. Epidural anesthesia, as is known, allows the woman in labor to remain conscious throughout the operation and see the baby in the first minutes after birth. A woman under general anesthesia is deprived of this privilege. Naturally, I was inclined to the first option. However, given my health condition, namely a curved spine, the anesthesiologist warned that he did not guarantee 100% success in this type of anesthesia and complications may arise in the postoperative period in the form of lower back pain. After weighing all the pros and cons, consulting with my husband and the attending physician, I ultimately chose general anesthesia.
When I was already recovering from surgery in the intensive care unit, a woman in labor was admitted to my room and had an emergency caesarean section under general anesthesia. Naturally, we started talking. When I asked why she chose general anesthesia, the girl, who turned out to be a nurse, replied that she had seen enough of the consequences of an epidural at work and was categorically against it.
The operation itself
So, I was transferred to the maternity ward. My husband and I were given a separate room, and we waited until they took me for the operation. I wasn't having any contractions, so we chatted casually. different topics. I was given allergy tests for an antibiotic and twenty minutes later I was taken to the operating room. The husband stayed in the maternity ward to wait for the baby to be brought to him.
In the operating room they changed my clothes and told me to climb onto the table, after which they tied me down. The most terrible moment of the operation for me was the insertion of a catheter into the urinary system. I bought the catheter in advance; it was about a meter long and as thick as a pencil. His terrifying appearance and the thought of how he would be inserted into the urethra scared me. In fact, everything turned out to be not so scary, but a little unpleasant.
The medical staff bustled around, making final preparations for the operation. The anesthesiologist sat next to my head, and we talked about abstract topics. Then they put an oxygen mask on me, I took a couple of breaths and fell asleep. I woke up in the intensive care ward.
Before falling asleep, I managed to look at the clock. It was 11:30 am. According to the tag from the maternity hospital, the daughter was born at 11:47. This means that the operation itself to remove the child took exactly 17 minutes.
The first day after surgery
I remember that in the first hours after the operation I periodically woke up and asked to remove the ice, so they assigned a nurse to me. I came to my senses three hours after the anesthesia was administered. I remember that the incision site was very painful and was covered with ice so that the uterus would contract more intensely. An hour after waking up, the ice was removed.
Soon my husband came. The nurses brought my daughter and tried to put her to my chest. Our first attempt to establish breastfeeding failed. My daughter was sleepy after the anesthesia and showed no interest in the breast. I had not yet recovered from anesthesia and had little understanding of what they wanted from me, and the nurses’ attempts to place the child under the arm in which the IV was located only caused painful sensations.
This first unsuccessful encounter sowed doubts in my soul whether I could even establish breastfeeding. Since I really wanted to breastfeed, I didn’t sleep almost all night due to restless thoughts. Looking ahead, I will say that a planned cesarean section under general anesthesia and late breastfeeding did not become an obstacle to breastfeeding. I successfully fed my daughter until she was thirteen months old, and then completed the process without any particular whims.
When, after 3 hours, they brought my daughter back to me, I was already able to sit down and fed the baby in a sitting position. After another couple of hours, I was allowed to get out of bed and take a few steps around the intensive care unit, accompanied by a nurse.
The next morning I was transferred to the postpartum ward, and my daughter and I finally ended up in the same room. Overall, my first day after surgery passed without complications. There was no need for antibiotics or blood transfusions, so we can confidently say that the operation was a success.
Postoperative period
On the fifth day, the external suture material was removed, and my daughter and I were ready to be discharged home. Naturally, the stitch still hurt after the operation. The doctor's recommendations were as follows:
- Treat the outer seam with brilliant green for two weeks.
- Avoid eating heavy foods and foods that cause gas formation in the intestines.
- Make sure you have regular bowel movements so that the overcrowded bowel does not put pressure on the suture.
- In case of pain, you can use local painkillers (gels, ointments)
A month later, the pain almost disappeared. In general, the recovery process after a cesarean section was no different from regeneration after a natural birth, with the only caveat that it was definitely forbidden to lift heavy objects.
Now, from time to time, I may be bothered by pain in the suture area if I overindulge in heavy foods. The seam is located in the lower abdomen and is almost invisible. My child is growing up healthy, smart and cheerful and is no different from other peers. Of course, I can’t compare the operation to a natural birth, but my delivery process was completed with minimal stress for me and the baby. Naturally, the need for a planned caesarean section is assessed separately in each specific case. And yet, if doctors recommend a planned cesarean section, based on significant indications, it is worth listening to their words.
Planned caesarean section under general anesthesia - video
In recent years, the choice of the type of obstetric care in maternity hospitals has increasingly leaned towards natural childbirth, if there are no pathologies, but there are exceptions. One such exception is multiple pregnancy. In my case, triplets.
Although the pregnancy proceeded without complications or pathologies, and my girls grew and gained weight with all their might, when we discussed with the obstetrician the method by which the children would be born, there were no disputes - a caesarean section.
Any childbirth is a risk, but in case multiple pregnancy, these risks can be multiplied and raised to powers.
Firstly, the birth of a child is a job not only for the mother, but also for the baby. This requires a lot of effort. In the case of triplets, carrying children to forty weeks and three kilograms is almost impossible. The smaller the baby, the less strength he has, the greater the risk of birth injuries.
Secondly, the condition of the uterus is very important for a successful natural birth. In case of multiple pregnancy, the uterus is overstretched. In the last trimester, children gain weight most actively, and the womb's ability to stretch is endless. The kids begin to suffer, putting pressure on each other and on all their mothers. internal organs. In this state, we are hardly talking about good contractions or pushing.
Thirdly, there is a high risk of the so-called “coupling” of children during childbirth. In fact, children can become entangled not only in the umbilical cord, but also in each other's body parts. Such complications never go away without leaving a trace and are often fatal. It is especially risky if several children have one amniotic sac and one placenta. In this case, the risk of “clutch” is much higher, and plus there is a danger of oxygen starvation for the second baby in the amniotic sac.
In my case, the situation was unique because I had three babies growing in my belly, two of whom were identical twins (in the same sac, on the same placenta).
Considering all this, the choice fell on a caesarean section at 32 weeks. Since planned surgery is always safer and easier than emergency intervention.
The children agreed with our plan and were born at exactly 32 weeks, weighing from 1700 g to 2250 g. They “asked” to come outside themselves. The birth began at night. We were in the hospital for another examination, and the doctors were nearby.
Another important point: anesthesia. General anesthesia, entering the bloodstream, passes through the placenta and reaches the baby in a matter of seconds, which increases the risk of breathing problems. Considering the prematurity and underdevelopment of the lungs, they decided to reduce this risk and settled on spinal anesthesia.
The event is not pleasant. The injection into the spine is noticeable, but quite tolerable. And if the health and life of children are on the scale, then all doubts go away. It's emotionally strange to be conscious during surgery, but it's great to see children in the first seconds of their lives.
The first days after a cesarean section are undoubtedly difficult. There is an absolute feeling that the internal organs are “dangling” and “waddling” inside. And it was precisely these sensations that were more painful than the discomfort from the stitch. I still allowed myself one painkiller injection, since I had to get up to the children every three hours (day and night) to feed and monitor their condition. One night, after jumping up to the babies, I tore the external suture and required additional use of a local antibiotic. If there are no complications, the suture is removed after 8-10 days.
2 Feb 0 906
It just so happens that gynecologists from district clinics are often not distinguished by tact and delicacy.
All these events or features of my pregnancy led to the fact that I went to the maternity hospital at 36 weeks of pregnancy with nagging abdominal pain. The period, according to the doctors, was still too short for childbirth; the contractions were artificially stopped, kept for a week and sent home. Another week passed and I rushed to the maternity hospital again after my water broke in the morning. However, labor did not begin, despite stimulation.
By evening, the council of doctors decided to perform a caesarean section.
I cried, I so wanted to give birth myself, but for the sake of my baby, I agreed to the operation.
My daughter was born very tiny, weighing 2760 g, and the first thing I heard from the nurse caring for me was a malicious: “Can’t you give birth to such a sprat YOURSELF?” This attitude, as you understand, did not increase my vigor. In addition, in the ward I was lying with women who, in addition to cesarean sections, had serious problems with the health of children - their babies were on the verge of life and death. My neighbors looked at my daughter and me with envy and did not miss an opportunity to reproach me for not knowing how to handle a child.
Further more. After the operation, problems with the intestines appeared, and I was sent to the infectious diseases hospital and later I was diagnosed with Salmonella, with which I suffered in the hospital for about two weeks, endured incessant injections, and our baby was sent to a children's clinic with a diagnosis of newborn jaundice. We met her only a month later. And despite all the obstacles, the baby was on natural breastfeeding up to two and a half years.
The period of recovery and mastery of Mom's work has begun.
Having given birth to my daughter by caesarean section, I felt inferior, realized that I had not overcome an important stage in my life - the stage of giving birth to a child naturally, and did not feel my integrity as a woman. And then I firmly decided that I would give birth to my second child myself and this experience would be successful; this time I would cope with all the difficulties and everything would be successful.
4 years passed, I was actively engaged in self-realization in the field of real estate transactions, I started working for myself, and we were resolving the housing issue. And then we suddenly find out again that we are expecting a baby! This time everything was also not easy. I worked actively throughout my pregnancy, and as a result I often felt stressed. Relations with relatives remained tense. Now I understand that I failed to learn the lessons that life taught me during my first pregnancy, and these lessons came back in an even harsher form. Despite all the difficulties, I did not change my decision to give birth on my own. I have read many articles, reviews, recommendations on this topic. I was especially inspired by the famous doctor Michel Auden, who argued that natural childbirth after a caesarean section is not only possible, but also beneficial. To verify my ability to give birth myself, I underwent an ultrasound, which was supposed to show the consistency of the scar on the uterus, but in our city no one gave me such information, they only reproached me and said that I should listen to the doctors, and that their advice is the truth in the last resort.
Many said that my desire to give birth on my own was the delirium of a madwoman.
Only my husband supported me in this endeavor, understanding that I chose this path for a reason and that my choice was correct.
This time I met with gynecologists extremely rarely; I registered late and took only the most necessary tests. There was some negativity on their part. Once, already in the last weeks of pregnancy, I asked my doctor if I could give birth on my own, because the pregnancy was progressing normally and the fetus was small. She answered sarcastically: “Go to Moniaag, to Moscow, and here in Tagil, and don’t dream of giving birth yourself!” (“Moniaag” is an institute of gynecology and obstetrics, where natural childbirth after cesarean is practiced). In addition, one day I mentioned that I was having training contractions, to which she stated that this was extremely dangerous for a uterus with a scar. It was clear that in hometown It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to give birth on my own, so I started looking for alternative ways.
It turned out that maternity hospital No. 40 in Yekaterinburg also practices natural childbirth after cesarean section and I really wanted to go there. Since I did not have local registration, I had to enter into an agreement with an insurance company to pay for a separate room, which cost quite a lot of money. That's how I ended up in the maternity hospital.
At the examination on Monday, I asked the doctor if I could give birth on my own. He replied that under favorable circumstances this would be possible. Since I was already 39 weeks pregnant, I was scheduled for a planned operation at the end of the week. But the doctor canceled it and said that if I didn’t give birth by next Monday, I would still have to have a caesarean section.
By hook or by crook, I tried to persuade my baby to hurry up and come into the world on her own. All week I searched on the Internet for methods to stimulate labor and immediately tried to practice them. And so, on Friday night, the first harbingers appeared in the form of active training bouts. On Saturday, the baby became quiet, as if gathering strength for the decisive leap to freedom. And on Sunday morning contractions began. Three hours after the onset of labor, the pain intensified and I reported this to the medical staff. They immediately began to prepare me for the operation. Not understanding what was happening, I turned to the doctor on duty, saying that my attending doctor had given me permission to try to give birth myself. The reproachful expression on the face of the doctor on duty told me about her attitude towards this decision. Seeing the icon of Anastasia, the pattern-maker, on my pillow, the doctor looked at me with sympathy, probably deciding that I was a religious fanatic, but I didn’t refuse the operation, I just wanted to give the baby the opportunity to be born on its own if something went wrong I was ready to go under the knife for a safe delivery. They didn’t dissuade me, they let me sign the appropriate papers, according to which I took responsibility for our lives with the child - it was not easy to sign, but my intuition and inner knowledge about a favorable outcome were stronger.
The contractions continued.
It was painful, exhausting, and sometimes unbearable.
I was not given any stimulation. Firstly, it cannot be done during such a special birth, and secondly, I didn’t need it myself. After 10 hours of tedious pain, I was ready to give up and agree to the operation because I thought that the birth process was already taking longer than expected, and I did not want to harm either myself or the baby. But the nurse convinced me that everything was going well, the dilation was good, that I was smart and there was no need to retreat! In the intervals between contractions, I called my mother and husband, asked them to run to church, light a candle for a safe delivery, prayed... The contractions lasted about 16 hours...
One of the doctors asked if I still wanted to have a third child. And I answered, sweating and writhing in pain - Yes, I want to!
Then they unanimously agreed that in this case it would be better for me to give birth myself.
And finally, this patient baby with a strong spirit was born!!! I cried with happiness when they placed her on my chest. Immediately the anesthesiologist appeared in front of me and administered anesthesia to me, since it was necessary to check the condition of the uterus.
After I woke up from anesthesia, the first thing I asked was: “Did I give birth MYSELF?!” “Yes, myself,” confirmed the midwife. And she told me that a girl was born. “Very inquisitive and lively, like a mother! That's it, now you can give birth to your next child yourself. There were no ruptures or complications, as is usually the case, and everything is fine with the uterus!”
What a joy it was to realize that I did it!
I gave birth myself, despite everything, I wanted to shout to the whole world about this miracle!
This was the first step towards realizing my feminine essence, my purpose. I realized that I need to listen to my heart, awaken the ancient instincts of a true woman, follow the call of my natural intuition. It is difficult, sometimes painful, but this is the only way to comprehend the whole essence of existence.
Compared to the first daughter, the youngest was surprisingly calm; in infancy there were no colics or other delights of the first months of a child’s life. We were discharged on the fourth day. I felt so good that I immediately resumed my active activities in society, combining this with caring for our calm, healthy baby, fortunately my husband helped a lot. One of my colleagues joked: “It’s like you went to the store for a loaf of bread, because usually after childbirth there is a very long recovery!”
P.S.: Our baby is now more than two years old and she is a very wise and calm child and is still breastfed. The doctors at the children's clinic would be happy to see us, but we have no need to go to hospitals. Now I know for sure that human capabilities are limitless. You just need to believe in yourself, trust the Universe, God and your heart.
See also online workshops about childbirth by rehabilitation specialist Oleg Leonkin from the series Lecture by Marina Golubtsova
