Genesis 3:16 and the Planned C-section

To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.” Genesis 3:16

Having a baby is supposed to be painful, spontaneous and messy. Miraculous. Unexplainable. The unique timing of the baby’s body meeting the unique timing of the the mom’s body so they are perfectly in-sync, and so they will end with the birth of the beautiful baby.

God’s perfect plan.

The two times I labored, it was painful, yes. But, oh, so real. So miraculous.

There is no other word except miraculous. The baby (babies) needed to come. My body needed to birth them.

Perfect.

But this time there were no labor pains.

I had a planned c-section. For the past two weeks since the surgery, in the early morning hours I’ve been rocking Nate or nursing Nate, I can’t stop thinking about how surreal the whole event was.

Nothing was spontaneous–my ob actually scheduled the c-section for her birthday. And although it was convenient that we could have our parents here, it was also a bit sad. A little unnatural to plan an event as monumentos as a birth.

Yes, it was surreal.

The day of the surgery, we checked into the hospital, I changed into a hospital gown, and the nurse started an IV. Then, about twenty minutes before the surgery was scheduled to start, I walked down to the Operating Room. Talk about bearing my own cross. I actually knocked on the OR door, holding my IV pole, and asking for a spinal anesthesia.

To be fair, the most painful and scary part of the twins’ birth was getting prepped for surgery (the anesthesiologist prepping inserting the needle in my back, moving from the stretcher to the skinny surgery gurney) all while I was hugely pregnant and contracting and in pain. And very scared about all the blood.

For the twins’ emergency C-section, there was about a dozen medical staff in the room–a neonatologist for each baby, plus a nurse for each baby, plus the anesthesiologist and his nurse, plus my ob, and finally M., and me. Everyone was tense and focused. Stressed. What shape would the babies be in? What shape would I be in?

But for the planned c-section there was just a handful of people in the OR. And the atmosphere was downright jovial. When I asked how much longer until the baby was born, the staff joked I would know because there would be a drumroll.

And sure enough–as the doctor pulled out the baby (one of the strangest sensations of my life…if you’ve never had a c-section, you can’t really imagine the dramatic change of feeling heavily pregnant to, in an instant!, experiencing the lightening of eight pounds leaving your body) she called out a da…da…da…da! drumroll.

And then I had a baby! As the doctor finished the surgery and stitched me up (the anesthesiologist reported to me as she did each layer… “oh, she’s on the skin now!”) I kept thinking how the whole event was one of the most surreal of my life.

You know how you feel after a really good night’s sleep? Refreshed–like a new person? Like the problems and worries of the day before are now ages away?

And after a bad’s night sleep, you feel like no time has passed? Like you’re no different at all?
That’s the feeling after a planned c-section. I was now holding my beautiful baby, but I missed the process. The pain and the spontaneity, and the excitement and tension.

And even so, we had our baby. As M. took him into the waiting room to meet our families and dear friends, I said a quick prayer.

Thank You, God, for accomplishing Your will.

Even through a planned c-section.

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1 Response
  1. i want to say something in response to this… but never going down both paths, i feel as i whatever i say will sound patronizing and ignorant. amazing how you so eloquently express one birth versus another. congrats to your new addition!

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