Share your story with ICAN to be featured on our Instagram and Facebook! All cesarean and birth-after-cesarean stories are welcome: the difficult, the triumphant, the still-processing, and the stories which haven’t yet been shared. Sharing your birth story can be freeing, healing and profoundly powerful. It can bring others hope, comfort, and reassurance that they are not alone on their birth journey.
Submit your story HERE: https://airtable.com/shrJOtXla9O9MVBaj
This is the birth story of my third son. He was my rainbow after we lost our second son at 23 weeks. My first son’s birth was traumatic and against everything I wanted. I wanted an epidural and never received one until I was pressured into a cesarean. I was told the baby just couldn’t fit through my pelvis.
I met my current OB at the birth of my son that passed away during birth. Once we came back for our rainbow, he 100% had my back for a TOLAC. I was able to trust him completely and it led to the most amazing birth experience.
I was induced on my due date. I was 3 cm and not feeling any contractions. He placed the balloon and started me on the lowest dose of Pitocin. I contracted throughout the night, but nothing terrible. As soon as contractions started to get uncomfortable, I got the epidural and was pain free! I had some itching, which was the most uncomfortable part of my labor. The balloon came out right around 12 hours and within 3.5 hours I had progressed to a 10.
I pushed for 15 mins and my beautiful rainbow after the storm was placed into my arms. No one rushed him off to bathe or weigh. He was able to latch on immediately and my husband and I basked in the love and appreciation of our sunshine after the terrible experiences of the last few years.
I have had 3 extremely different birth experiences and will always advocate for women to find a caregiver that is in your corner and wants to empower you with your birth experience. It makes all the difference and makes you want to tell your story to everyone!
