When my obstetrician first asked about my birth plan, I said “go with the flow, as long as she arrives healthy.” But honestly? I really wanted a vaginal birth. I felt like I needed to tick it off – like that’s how you properly enter motherhood.
In hindsight, birth is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether they come out the sunroof or the front door, it says nothing about the kind of mother you’ll be.
I was carrying a big baby, so from around 38 weeks, my team started laying the groundwork: possible induction, earlier delivery, would I consider a caesarean section, let’s not go past 40 weeks. I held onto the idea of a vaginal birth. “It’s what my body is made for,” I kept telling myself.
By 40 weeks, nothing had progressed. We decided to induce.
After nearly 12 hours of labour, with baby showing signs of distress, I was rushed in for an emergency c-section.
It wasn’t what I planned. But it was what got her here safely.
And there were a few things I really didn’t see coming.
1. How fast everything happens
One minute you’re being asked, “do you want a c-section?” The next you’re in theatre meeting your baby.
After 12 hours of labour and four hours between checks with zero change, I said yes. Thirty-six minutes later, I had her in my arms.
Gown. Consent forms. Theatre. Spinal. Drapes. Baby.
Just like that.
2. That my milk would take longer to come in
Your body prepares everything during pregnancy. But when labour doesn’t unfold naturally, it can throw off that timing. My milk took a few days, which made for a rocky start to breastfeeding.
That was the beginning of a whole other ride.
3. The pain – and what you push through anyway
I’ve always had a high tolerance to pain meds. Even maxed out on everything in hospital, I was still hurting.
But here’s the wild part: all I wanted to do was look after my baby.
When I had my wisdom teeth out, I wouldn’t get out of bed for days. This was completely different. You just … do it.
4. Clexane injections (and those bruises)
No one warned me about this one. Every morning: a nurse, a needle to the stomach, a sting that really lingers. It’s to prevent blood clots, so absolutely necessary – but wow.
The bruises? Bigger than anything from the actual surgery.
5. How different C-section recovery looks for everyone
I’d built up this picture that recovery would be brutal, because for some people it really is. Friends couldn’t get out of bed alone, couldn’t bend down, couldn’t walk far.
So I expected the worst. And while I had my struggles, that mindset – “it could be worse” – actually helped carry me through.
6. How emotional the little moments would feel
My first shower after birth caught me completely off guard. I didn’t want to do it. I was sore, exhausted, overwhelmed. But the nurse who helped me was something else. She washed my hair, stood with me while I cried, made me feel safe in a moment where I felt anything but.
It wasn’t just a shower. It was hormones, adrenaline, shock, and overwhelming gratitude, all at once.
7. Taking off the bandage is not for the weak
No one prepared me for this.
You’re at the GP, it feels like a routine appointment, and then they start peeling off that clear bandage.
Best description I have? A Brazilian wax. On your stomach. While you’re quietly convinced your insides might come with it.
Fast, sharp, not enjoyable. Also another one of those “okay, we’re doing this now” moments you just get through.
8. Your scar has a mind of its own
I assumed once it healed, that was that.
Eighteen months on? Still surprises me. Some parts are completely numb. Some are sensitive. Some feel a bit lumpy. Healing isn’t just what you can see – it’s everything happening underneath.
9. That I’d actually choose it again
This one surprised me most of all.
After everything – the long labour, the emergency, the recovery – I didn’t expect to feel this way.
But knowing what I know now, understanding my body the way I do, I’d probably opt for a c-section from the start.
Because it’s not about how they arrive. It’s about both of you coming through safely.
What I’d tell any mum-to-be
Find a healthcare team that actually listens to you – not just one that ticks boxes. Choose a support person you trust completely, for when you can’t think straight. Let go of the plan, because you can’t control everything. And be present – take the photos, soak it in, make it yours no matter how it unfolds.
What did you not expect after your c-section? Drop it in the comments.
