Welcome to the World Wesley Michael!

My sweet baby boy Wesley came into this world on April 5th, 2017 at 2:07 PM weighing 8 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 18.25 inches long. His birth was certainly not the one I had been planning or expecting.

Wesley was born via cesarean section. Being my first baby I of course had so many expectations and ideas about what I thought his birth would be like. I had a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy. With the typical morning sickness throughout the first trimester and the discomfort of a growing belly, but also the exciting feelings of growing a little human and the special bond every mother shares with the little bean in her belly. So of course, at my 36 week appointment when I found out my baby was breech, I was shocked. I was also terrified. Everything I had ever heard about c-sections was so negative and scary. Some even made me feel like I couldn’t be a real mother if I didn’t have my baby naturally. I was determined to get this baby to flip. I tried everything. I did all of the spinning babies exercises, I went to the chiropractor 3 times a week, and I prayed that my baby would turn head down so that I could have a natural birth.

This of course didn’t happen. My stubborn little guy had other plans for us. On a Tuesday morning my husband and I headed to the hospital in our final attempt to get our boy to turn. I had a procedure done called an “external cephalic version (ECV)”. After being given a muscle relaxer in an IV, two doctors pushed on my abdomen to try and physically turn him from the outside. It was so painful and left me sore and bruised and was unsuccessful. As disappointing as this was, Brian and I both realized that this was God’s plan for us and we tried to stay positive, thinking only about meeting our new son. We scheduled the c-section for that Friday. Well, once again our little man had other plans.

The next morning around 9 AM my water broke! It was so completely unexpected, but I was filled with so much joy! One of the things I had been disappointed about with having to have a c-section was missing the experience of spontaneously going into labor. I immediately called my husband and my mom and eagerly waited for Brian to get home so we could head to the hospital!

I started having contractions that became more and more painful. They were rapidly becoming very close together and it was all located in my back which is common with babies that are not positioned properly. Once we got to the hospital we were able to monitor the contractions for a few hours before I had the c-section. Within a couple of hours, my doctor was there and we were ready to head into the operating room. Brian and I took a few minutes to talk and pray together. I was so scared I was shaking. I had never had a surgery before or any sort of serious medical procedure except the ECV the day before.

They took me back to the operating room where I got my spinal block put in and was put on morphine. The drugs made me extremely nauseated and had me throwing up. I was so scared and nervous to meet my baby. Once Brian was allowed to come back to the operating room, they began the procedure. Within 30 minutes they were ready to get Wesley out. The doctor said “Okay, you’re going to feel a lot of pressure now.” I felt like an elephant was sitting on my stomach and after about 30 seconds, I heard the best noise I have ever heard! I heard Wesley’s cries. They immediately took him to clear the fluid out of his nose and mouth, weighed and measured him, wrapped him up, and handed him to Brian. I can’t even describe the feeling of seeing my baby for the first time and feeling his cheek against mine as Brian held him up to me. All I wanted to do was stare at him and pet his face while they worked on stitching me back up.

As soon as it was over they took me and Wesley back to our room where I was able to cuddle and feed him. I had no regrets at all. I love the birth experience that I got to share with my son and husband. I wouldn’t have it any other way if I could go back and change it. Unlike all of the negative comments I had heard and read, I had an amazing c-section experience. I healed quickly, I was able to easily hold my baby, and I was back on my feet in no time. And now I have a physical reminder of my baby’s birth. Nothing good comes easy and this experience brought us all closer to each other. It taught us that we are not in control and to totally rely on God.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11