C-Section Birth Stories: Abbie Blythe

1. Please share the circumstances that led to your c-section birth(s):

This was my first baby and I was induced at 37 weeks for high blood pressure. When I was admitted, my water broke, my cervix had changed, and I was contracting before they even started my induction. I was so excited that my body was starting things on its own! About two and a half hours later, my baby’s heart rate took a huge dip and the midwife checked me to find a prolapsed umbilical cord. Seven minutes later, my sweet baby girl was born via c-section. I had to be put under general anesthesia because I didn’t have an epidural yet. I woke up in horrible pain and had to wait to be given pain medication because of the medication I received for excessive bleeding in the operating room.

2. What surprised you the most about having a c-section?:

The recovery is not easy. I’m very independent so not being able to get up on my own for that first week was so humbling. I couldn’t laugh, cough, or sneeze without pain. The spots of numbness near my incision and on my tailbone and right hip was something I wasn’t expecting either.

Emotionally as well! Initially, I was in such survival mode that I hadn’t processed anything. I was “okay” with what had happened. A few months later though, a friend of ours was in labor and we got the “she’s ready to push” text. I read it and broke down in tears. I realized I wouldn’t get that experience I had been dreaming of. But with time and discovering the C-Section Strong™ community, I was able to understand and face my emotions, to the point of now loving my birth story!

3. What kind of support do you feel you received (from friends, family, healthcare team) after your c-section(s)?:

I was able to have my mom and husband by my side during the whole recovery which was incredible. My mom held my hand and my husband held my baby. The health care team there that night was AMAZING! They were obviously prepared for emergencies like mine. One nurse that stands out in my mind was the nursery nurse who advocated for me to hold my daughter. The morphine drip wasn’t touching my pain yet but as soon as I held her the pain melted away. I just kept repeating “she’s better than morphine!”

4. What’s your #1 piece of advice/encouragement for a new c-section mom?:

It’s okay to grieve! Don’t water your story down by slapping the “but at least my baby and I are healthy” at the end of your story! Maybe you didn’t experience birth the way you wanted and that’s okay! That doesn’t make you any less of a mother. Talk about it, cry about it, share your true story with anyone who will listen. A huge way to break the stigma around c-sections is in how we tell our stories. I can’t control what already happened but I can control how I respond to it.

5. How do you believe having a c-section birth(s) made you stronger?:

As an OB (obstetric) nurse, I was so bummed to not have the experience to speak from when coaching my mamas through labor. But now I have a beautiful, new perspective for my c-section mamas. Many of my coworkers have those “normal” experiences to share with patients. Few of my coworkers had c-sections and even fewer emergently. I have a unique story and therefore a special place in my heart for those going through it. I have taken my heartbreak and disappointment and turned it into love and strength.

Name: Abbie Blythe

Your Profession: Labor and Delivery Nurse

How to Connect With You on Social Media: @abbie.blythe on Instagram