It was Thursday, December 20th, 2014, and it was prenatal check-up day. The appointments were already weekly and, on this day, I was turning 39 weeks pregnant. I was anxious, with no symptoms that could make me believe the time for labor had come… I went into the doctor’s office with my husband and mother. We sat down, and the doctor asked how I was feeling. I said I felt very well, but tired and very anxious!
He asked me to lie down so he could do a cervical check. Feeling apprehensive, I lay down, and he said, “He’s still high!” So I thought, “Here I go home again!”. I stood up… and sat waiting for what the doctor would say. (My husband looking blank and annoyed with the doctor for doing the cervical check on me lol)
The doctor sat down and said, “Well, Carol, the wait is over! Tomorrow I want you here at 6 a.m. for the C-section!” I swear I had gone in there prepared to hear that, but when I did, my only reaction was to realize that actually I never had been prepared at all lol. We left the office, went to do the paperwork, it was a holiday that day and my husband wouldn’t be able to take the required course to attend the delivery (that made me really upset, but I was confident he’d be able to join me when the time came).
We went home, I finished taking care of the last details. I could eat and drink water until midnight, and by 10 p.m. everything was ready. Strangely enough, I slept peacefully. On November 21st, Friday, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and took a shower, checked the bags, woke my husband, and at 5 a.m. called my parents and uncles (who came as company) to say we were ready. On the way to the hospital, we chatted about my new life, my fears, etc. As soon as I got to Unimed in Volta Redonda RJ, I started the paperwork. At 8:30 a.m. a wrist identification band was put on me and on my husband (yeeessssss!!!! He could go in even without the course!)
We went up by elevator and the nurse took us to a room where there were two other patients. She handed me the OR gown and told me to put it on and remove necklace, earrings, etc. So I did! I came out of the bathroom and set aside the outfit I had chosen for my baby to wear as soon as he was born. My husband was getting the camera and phone ready and trying to take out his expander ear piercing, which just wouldn’t come out for anything! The nurse arrived pushing a wheelchair. She asked me to sit, leave my things in that room, and for my husband to come with us. I managed to take a selfie for my mom lol, to which she sent me a message: “God bless you!” So off we went, with faith!
We arrived at the surgical center hallway. I felt cold, the air was freezing, not to mention my fear! My husband was taken to a room to get ready to accompany the C-section. The expander just wouldn’t budge and with it in his ear he couldn’t watch the surgery. I freaked out! They took me, and he stayed! How come?????? I yelled down the hall, “Rip that ear off!!!”
Lol like a crazy person
Already nervous, I sat down on the operating table and soon the procedures began. My doctor was already there and greeted me with a lovely smile and a question that brought tears to my eyes. “Ready to change your life for the better?” I just nodded yes. Soon the nurses started hooking me up to fluids and the anesthetist arrived. She explained that I needed to stay still, that it wouldn’t hurt and would be really quick! Sitting up, I curved my back and didn’t feel anything. As soon as she finished injecting the anesthesia, she laid me down and said it would be completely normal to feel numbness. In a few minutes I felt everything tingling, then the doctor touched me (so he said… I didn’t feel a thing lol) and I told him I didn’t know where he’d touched. He smiled.
Soon they put a drape in front of me and I felt a sensation like they were cleaning me, moving me—it was at least strange because I couldn’t actually feel anything. I think I was imagining it lol (completely crazy!). I looked at the clock—9 o’clock—and then the thought hit: “Where’s my husband?” So I asked a nurse next to me and she answered, “He’s coming in now!” and in he came with a completely shocked, paralyzed face, in total shock while I was super calm. I asked, “What’s wrong?!” He said, “You’re completely open!”
Open??????? What?????? How?????? The doctors are making jokes and talking about going out to dinner Saturday night; no way the surgery has already started!!! I swallowed hard and my mind was turning to God the whole time, praying and asking Him to protect me and my son. My husband, being a sweetheart, was right by my side, looking worried, caressing me and telling me everything had already gone well! The nurse next to me smiled, my doctor said, “Dad… come see! Your son is about to be born!” That’s it! My husband burst into tears like I’ve never seen!!!! Tears streamed from my eyes…
And within seconds my son was born, with the cry that is forever etched in my heart! I said, “Thank you my God!” I still hadn’t seen him, my husband kept repeating, “Honey… he’s beautiful!!!” Then soon they brought him to me, wrapped up, still a little dirty, and put him close to my face. I looked at that little bundle of person and was just overwhelmed with love. “Welcome son! I love you!” and I gave him a kiss on his little mouth.
Pedro Henrique was born weighing 3.285 kg and 49 cm, with an Apgar score of 9 and, after 5 minutes, 10. We took photos, and the nurse soon excused herself, as she had to take him to a warmer room to get dressed. My husband asked if I wanted him to stay with me, and I told him to go after our child and not leave him alone for anything in the world! And so he did. I stayed there, now afraid… afraid to die and not be able to care for my son. Then the machine that measures the heart rate started beeping faster. I started getting nervous and then, I really needed to vomit. My head was very low and it felt like I would suffocate if I threw up. The nurse put something in the IV and the doctors exchanged glances. Once again I prayed hard in my mind, and thank God the bad feeling passed. Then I heard:
All done! We’re finished! Oh what a relief!
Soon a stretcher came and the nurses placed me on it. What a strange feeling! It felt like I was going to fall! I actually asked them to hold me because I was sure I’d fall (I swear I would lol). They threw a bunch of blankets over me and took me to recovery. Soon my son was brought in, and stayed by my side the entire time. I couldn’t see his little face very well and didn’t have the strength to lift my head, but I saw that he was okay and moving a little. The nurse came in and said my husband had already gone to the room and that my baby had given formula, because he was screaming with hunger. Some time passed, and my mother called the surgical center to ask about me (I think it was 12:40 p.m.), and then they came to get us to go to the room. My husband was already there grinning from ear to ear. They transferred me to the bed and there I was finally able to hold my baby and breastfeed. My mom came up soon after. She was beaming when she saw her grandson!
I started feeling very itchy on my face and my eyes seemed swollen. My doctor said it was probably a reaction to the morphine. I was medicated and soon it passed! It was 9 p.m. when I could really feel my legs. At 1 a.m. the nurse came to help me take a bath. She removed my catheter (what an annoying little pain!), held my arms, and I managed to get up. I was in pain due to the gases, which I had a lot of!!!
I took my bath like a statue, afraid the incision would open. I walked a little crooked, which gave me a huge backache. I lay down again and spent the night holding the baby and breastfeeding while my husband slept like a log on the pull-out couch. Saturday went well! I was feeling good and adapting to the new life! (Impossible not to mention the hospital food—it was like a hotel lol, really good!)
On Sunday, we were discharged!!
All in all, it was a wonderful birth! I didn’t feel any pain from the surgery, I was able to take care of my son and I’m very grateful to God that everything turned out well! The C-section was scheduled, because my doctor made it clear that he might not be in town if I went into labor, so I’d have to deliver with the on-call doctor instead. Since I had previously had a miscarriage, I was very afraid and had a lot of trust in him as a professional. My dream was to see my live, healthy son in my arms—not the type of delivery.
Today my boy is 1 year and 2 months old and he’s my reason for living!
See Also: Birth Story Without Interventions – Luciana Paulino
Photos: Personal Archive TF
