C-Section Birth Stories: Nicole Fish

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

I was a couple of days past my due date with a little boy that was measuring a few weeks ahead. On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, I was set to meet with a doctor to discuss scheduling a possible c-section for Thursday, June 4. My body was not showing any signs of labor and I did not want to be induced when my baby was still very high with no cervical changes. They were worried he was too big to drop and be born without complications. Well, on June 3 I went into labor at 6 am. My contractions started 5 minutes apart and quickly became painful enough to have to breathe through them and sway. I arrived at the hospital and was only 1/2 centimeter (cm) dilated after 6 hours of close contractions. Eventually, I dilated enough to get admitted. I received my epidural and was feeling good. I was put on Pitocin to help bring my contractions consistently closer to 2 to 3 minutes apart. I started dilating a little quicker and they broke my water. My little guy had meconium in the water and I needed to have some tool inserted in the womb to flush out the meconium. We thought once my water broke, it would be quick! Well, after staying in transition for over 8 hours and being stuck at 8/9 cm for 7 hours with my baby boy STILL not dropping enough, an unplanned c-section took place (my epidural also didn’t fully take and I was in excruciating pain for all of transition). Hearing the news about a c-section was a relief to me at that point. I was exhausted, sleep-deprived, starving, and I just could not wait to meet my boy. I labored hard for 24 hours and on the 25th hour, I met my precious son.

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

I never even thought about having a c-section until some talk towards the end of my pregnancy started taking place due to his predicted size. I never in a million years thought I would need one. What surprised me most was how it wasn’t as bad as I made it up to be. I’ve never been in a hospital and never had much medical intervention of any kind, so I was quite nervous and it went smoother than I thought. It was quick!

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

My mom and sister stayed with us for about a week. Due to COVID-19, we couldn’t have any family visit in the hospital. My husband is AMAZING and has been my biggest support. He is a huge help. He was a huge help during my long labor and stayed up with me through it all. He is a huge help during my recovery. I had awesome nurses as well that gave me great tips and helped me out of bed and to the bathroom when needed.

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

Ask for help and take it easy! I have a HARD time slowing down and constantly want to be doing things and I had to listen to my body and force myself to stay put and ask for help. I felt like a burden at first, but when people offer to help and they are there for you they want you to utilize them. They don’t see you as a burden. You will get through this and you are so strong!

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

I overcame a lot of my fears for surgery. I am definitely stronger. The misconception is that a c-section is the easy way out and it is not. The recovery is long and hard. It is so hard when you want to hold your baby and can’t get out of bed to get him and need someone else to help you. It made me strong because it showed me how powerful my body is and it is my story; my birth story and I feel empowered by it.

Name: Nicole Fish

Your Profession: Speech-Language Pathology Masters Student

How to Connect With You on Social Media: @nicole_m_fish on Instagram