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The Busy Life Plus Three

A Latina lifestyle blog for the modern mom

Motherhood

What No One Tells You About C-Sections

April 25, 2018

Cesarean Awareness Month

It is almost the end of April and it also happens to be Cesarean Awareness month. A month where I want to celebrate and show appreciation to all the mamas who are brave women. Those who have a scar to show for it.  What many need to know is this surgery is by no means the easy way out of childbirth. We are just as much of a mother as the next woman. All too often I hear birth shaming comments about c sections like the “easy option” or not the “proper way” to give birth and the most shameful “not woman enough.”

Deep down it hurts and kills me to be seen as this woman who failed to give birth the “normal” way.  Because I also grew and carried healthy babies like any other mother out there. I felt those contractions. I had the first skin to skin. I had the chance to breastfeed my baby an hour after. That deep intense love for them will still be there.

No one tells you how painful the process can be. These are the truths about what cesarean moms go through.

c section birth

C- Section Moms are Strong

I fought hard with my first child to have a natural birth. I went hours without epidural because I thought that was what I was suppose to do, the natural “strong” way to birth a child.  The ideal birth plan I had in my head was out the window. When I finally gave birth twenty four hours later via emergency c section it was a big blur at first. One thing for sure, it was not what I had planned and not what I expected as a first time mom.

People failed to forget that this is a major abdominal surgery, it takes around 12 weeks to recover and some of the effects can last a lifetime. Perhaps we don’t take in consideration how terrifying this surgery can be and what comes to follow. C-Section moms are strong because they come to a realization in understanding that birth is not going to come easily or naturally, in spite of their best efforts. Because it is simply just out of our control.

Recovery is not easy

Imagine yourself trying to learn how to walk all over again. As silly as that sounds, that’s exactly what happens. Your legs have been numb for so long. Getting up for the first time will require some assistance. I remember crying the first time as my nurse helped me get up from the bed. I was shaking and moving very slowly. My lower stomach muscles felt every inch of pain. I tried my best to lean on the sides of the hospital bed for support because I just could not do it. It is a slow and intimidating process.

You don’t know how much you use your stomach muscles until you have a cesarean. It hurts just to laugh, sit up, and can make breastfeeding hard when trying to hold your baby if you lean him/or her too close to your stomach for support. It is painful adding pressure to your muscles after they have been cut open. Holding on to your abdomen to protect your incision scar is always helpful for some small comfort whenever I felt the need to cough or sneeze.  Just remember your body needs time to fully heal. It takes a longer time for us cesarean moms.

c section delivery

Birth is Beautiful

Looking back I am proud of how I gave birth. One via emergency c section under general anesthesia and one via a scheduled c section and my last one was unexpected as my water broke days before my plan cesarean.  Although I was in active natural labor on my own and a few centimeters dilated I also ended having to deliver via c section again to avoid complications. It took me a while to come to terms with it. But I did what I had to do to bring my babies into the world safely. Women should not be judged for doing that. If anything a woman bringing life to this world is amazing. That itself should be celebrated.

Each birth story is beautiful, unique, and special.

Embrace your scar

See it as a the reminder of what you went through to create and bring life to this world. Not as a failure but a symbol of the ultimate accomplishment woman can do.

You can read more on Luke’s birth story here

by The Busy Life Plus Three 
14 Comments

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Comments

  1. Jennifer Maune says: April 20, 2019 at 1:44 AM

    A C-section is major surgery and the recovery is no joke. Everyone’s birth story is precious and should be celebrated!

    -Jennifer
    https://maunelegacy.com

    Reply
    • The Busy Life Plus Three says: April 20, 2019 at 2:53 AM

      thanks for those encouraging words Jennifer

      Reply
  2. Marisa says: April 20, 2019 at 3:39 AM

    Oh yes I agree! I had a C-section and it was the hardest time ever!

    Reply
  3. Cindy says: April 20, 2019 at 5:24 PM

    I’ve not had C sections but my daughter did. End result is a beautiful baby and motherhood, no matter how that baby is delivered. I appreciate your insights and perspective.

    Reply
  4. Marette Flora says: April 20, 2019 at 6:28 PM

    I almost needed a c-section and I was so afraid because it is major surgery. I know it can be a tough recovery from what I have heard. All that matters is having a healthy baby and mama afterward.

    Reply
  5. Alix Maza says: April 22, 2019 at 5:05 PM

    My mom had a C-section! Thank you for sharing your and Luke’s story.

    Reply
  6. Sam @ The Haunted Housewife says: April 22, 2019 at 8:14 PM

    In my opinion, you go through more having a cesarean which makes you an actual warrior princess. I know c-section moms are looked down upon but it makes you a remarkably strong woman having gone through that.

    Reply
  7. Brittany Nicole says: April 22, 2019 at 9:57 PM

    I give you props mama, I thought recovery from natural childbirth was hard, but an abdominal surgery is no joke!

    Reply
  8. Meagen says: April 23, 2019 at 12:10 AM

    Thank you for sharing! My c-section was unplanned middle of the night style when my water broke with my twins at 33 weeks. And you are so right – the recovery is SO TOUGH! OMG! I had to put a stool next to my bed because it sits a little higher and getting in and out of bed was very hard and felt like I was going to rip open my scar every single time. Oh and that said scar is still numb – 8 months later.

    Reply
  9. Sarah says: April 23, 2019 at 1:28 AM

    I had an emergency C-section with my first. It was so different than what I had “planned”, but it was so special and perfect. Wouldn’t change a thing!

    Sarah http://www.morethemarier.com

    Reply
  10. Amy (Savory Moments) says: April 23, 2019 at 1:45 AM

    I had a c-section with my twins. I was prepared and it was planned. The first few days were really, really difficult and moving was so painful, but then the recovery wasn’t really bad. I’m please with the whole experience!

    Reply
  11. Brittany Hill says: April 23, 2019 at 2:22 AM

    Thanks for the advice. We recently just discussed children and I’ve learned that preparing for and delivering a child is no joke! Thank you for creating a space where I can learn more about the journey.

    Reply
  12. Sophie says: April 23, 2019 at 6:43 PM

    Beautiful post. I have two children and a normal delivery feels like an obscure thing. I could imagine how hard a c-section can be. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  13. Amanda @ Healthy House on the Block says: April 25, 2019 at 12:31 PM

    I love this post! You are amazing, and a C-Section is a beautiful part of you and your baby’s story. I had a c-section with my first and knew nothing about them — I was convinced I would never need to go that route. It was safer for my daughter and nothing else mattered at that point. I had my second daughter naturally, and I agree the c-section recovery was much more difficult. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

    Reply

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Welcome!

about

Hi! I'm Erika, wife to my high school sweetheart, mama of three- Ryan, Elyse and Luke. Texas living, just juggling being a WAHM now. Here I share my motherhood journey, family travel, love for food, affordable kid fashion and all my favorite things. Welcome to my blog, so happy you are here.

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Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving 🦃🍽🍁. I’m grateful for the abundance of health, food, love, another year with my parents by my side and the family God has given me. I’m thankful for these four people right here, always ♥️ #thanksgivingday
What a special day. Many milestones to get here. 1 What a special day. Many milestones to get here. 10 years of marriage today. Within these ten years we have build a home, added two more kids (3 total and done) we’ve had career changes, you decided to go back to school and you’re halfway done, all while surviving a global pandemic and yet we are still here even after being stuck at home a whole year with each other. Safe to say we have made it! We have leaned on each other and pushed each other forward. 

Happy Decade Anniversary. 10 years of marriage down, forever to go. ♥️
The boys are living their best lives. These faces The boys are living their best lives. These faces say it all. Never really thought a boys trip is what they needed for some bonding time. They are exactly five years apart and share a birthday together but the age difference really became a thing now that Ryan is hitting his pre teen years. Luke randomly keeps reminding him “hey do you remember when I was in mommy’s belly and you wanted me here on your birthday... well here I am” 😂 // AD Thank you @visitfriscotx for giving the boys an unforgettable time #visitfriscotx #friscotx #texastravel
[AD] If you have been following along with my stor [AD] If you have been following along with my stories this weekend you already know we are currently doing another Texas getaway with just the boys this time at the new @hyattregencyfrisco 

We partner with @visitfriscotx to show you around the city. I’ve always loved the DFW area and Frisco has instantly become one of my favorite cities in Texas so far. There is so much to see and do. And the best thing for me is everything is either walking distance from the @hyattregencyfrisco like the @stonebriarcentre or easy driving distance like @kidzaniausa @thestarinfrisco @nvmusa and so many fine dining restaurants.

We love exploring new places any chance we get. Swipe to see more photos. Will be sharing more this week. You can check it all in my Frisco TX highlight. #visitfriscotx #frisco #dallas #texasblogger
Happy Friday! Let’s get LIT ✨🌲As you can se Happy Friday! Let’s get LIT ✨🌲As you can see I redid my @kingofchristmas tree. Starting our Thanksgiving break with another Texas family road trip... we haven’t arrived yet so stay tuned. #falalalala #tistheseason #kingofchristmas
We are hosting our first Friendsgiving next week w We are hosting our first Friendsgiving next week with our close friends so we decided to shop early for some holiday gifts at @burkesoutlet. [AD] The kids got to pick out some gifts for their friends and they are so excited to start wrapping up those presents to give them already since we won’t see them on Christmas Day. So many toy options at such great deals. I ended also buying a few things for my kids and husband too (which I been doing my best at hiding it all for as long as I can) Anyone else loves giving during the holidays instead of receiving?  #bfinding #giftideas #holidaygiftguide
Let’s do this! [AD] In partnership with @kalahar Let’s do this! [AD] In partnership with @kalahariresorts I want to share an unforgettable experience with one lucky winner! One family will win a one night stay at ANY @kalahariresorts for 2021. You will get the chance to experience the below —

TO ENTER JUST FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 
- Like this post
- Follow @kalahariresorts 
- Follow me @erika_cullen 
- Tag 3 friends in separate comments 
- Share your most favorite family vacation in the comments 
- EXTRA ENTRY: Share this post on your story and tag me for 5 extra entries.

YOU WILL EXPERIENCE: 

● 223,000 square feet of indoor waterpark
● 20 pools and whirlpools
● 30 waterslides
● Three acres of outdoor pools
● Attractions include: FlowRider surf simulator, adult grotto swim-up bar, cabanas and waterfalls
● ZeroVision Wave Pool Experience — a giant 37-foot LED display screen with surround sound mounted
● 80,000 square feet of fun in Tom Foolerys Adventure Park​ — thrill rides, ropes course, climbing walls, indoor zipline, bowling, laser tag, escape rooms, mini golf, 250+ arcade games and attractions
● ​20 on-site dining options​ — including five signature restaurants. 
● 10,000 square feet of retail space​ — includes Amatuli marketplace, featuring authentic African items, offering workshop tours, activities 
● Cutting-edge arcade​ ​—​ video games, mini bowling, blacklight mini golf, virtual reality and XD Dark Ride 5-D Theater
AND SO MUCH MORE! 
I WILL ANNOUNCE A WINNER ON 11/20. GOOD LUCK! #loveKalahari #KalahariTX
We have spend our weekend at AMERICA’S LARGEST I We have spend our weekend at AMERICA’S LARGEST INDOOR WATERPARK @kalahariresorts [AD]

It’s grand opening was this weekend in Round Rock, Texas. The resort offers 1.5 million square feet of space to play, get away from the city and enjoy having fun together as a family. It has been the best waterpark we have ever been to EVER. And we cannot wait to share this experience with one lucky winner. Stay tuned! I’ll be posting a giveaway this afternoon and can’t wait to share more of this fun unforgettable stay with you all. Keep watching my stories to get a close insight look of this beautiful resort. #loveKalahari #KalahariTX
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Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving 🦃🍽🍁. I’m grateful for the abundance of health, food, love, another year with my parents by my side and the family God has given me. I’m thankful for these four people right here, always ♥️ #thanksgivingday
What a special day. Many milestones to get here. 1 What a special day. Many milestones to get here. 10 years of marriage today. Within these ten years we have build a home, added two more kids (3 total and done) we’ve had career changes, you decided to go back to school and you’re halfway done, all while surviving a global pandemic and yet we are still here even after being stuck at home a whole year with each other. Safe to say we have made it! We have leaned on each other and pushed each other forward. 

Happy Decade Anniversary. 10 years of marriage down, forever to go. ♥️
The boys are living their best lives. These faces The boys are living their best lives. These faces say it all. Never really thought a boys trip is what they needed for some bonding time. They are exactly five years apart and share a birthday together but the age difference really became a thing now that Ryan is hitting his pre teen years. Luke randomly keeps reminding him “hey do you remember when I was in mommy’s belly and you wanted me here on your birthday... well here I am” 😂 // AD Thank you @visitfriscotx for giving the boys an unforgettable time #visitfriscotx #friscotx #texastravel
[AD] If you have been following along with my stor [AD] If you have been following along with my stories this weekend you already know we are currently doing another Texas getaway with just the boys this time at the new @hyattregencyfrisco 

We partner with @visitfriscotx to show you around the city. I’ve always loved the DFW area and Frisco has instantly become one of my favorite cities in Texas so far. There is so much to see and do. And the best thing for me is everything is either walking distance from the @hyattregencyfrisco like the @stonebriarcentre or easy driving distance like @kidzaniausa @thestarinfrisco @nvmusa and so many fine dining restaurants.

We love exploring new places any chance we get. Swipe to see more photos. Will be sharing more this week. You can check it all in my Frisco TX highlight. #visitfriscotx #frisco #dallas #texasblogger
Happy Friday! Let’s get LIT ✨🌲As you can se Happy Friday! Let’s get LIT ✨🌲As you can see I redid my @kingofchristmas tree. Starting our Thanksgiving break with another Texas family road trip... we haven’t arrived yet so stay tuned. #falalalala #tistheseason #kingofchristmas
We are hosting our first Friendsgiving next week w We are hosting our first Friendsgiving next week with our close friends so we decided to shop early for some holiday gifts at @burkesoutlet. [AD] The kids got to pick out some gifts for their friends and they are so excited to start wrapping up those presents to give them already since we won’t see them on Christmas Day. So many toy options at such great deals. I ended also buying a few things for my kids and husband too (which I been doing my best at hiding it all for as long as I can) Anyone else loves giving during the holidays instead of receiving?  #bfinding #giftideas #holidaygiftguide
Let’s do this! [AD] In partnership with @kalahar Let’s do this! [AD] In partnership with @kalahariresorts I want to share an unforgettable experience with one lucky winner! One family will win a one night stay at ANY @kalahariresorts for 2021. You will get the chance to experience the below —

TO ENTER JUST FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 
- Like this post
- Follow @kalahariresorts 
- Follow me @erika_cullen 
- Tag 3 friends in separate comments 
- Share your most favorite family vacation in the comments 
- EXTRA ENTRY: Share this post on your story and tag me for 5 extra entries.

YOU WILL EXPERIENCE: 

● 223,000 square feet of indoor waterpark
● 20 pools and whirlpools
● 30 waterslides
● Three acres of outdoor pools
● Attractions include: FlowRider surf simulator, adult grotto swim-up bar, cabanas and waterfalls
● ZeroVision Wave Pool Experience — a giant 37-foot LED display screen with surround sound mounted
● 80,000 square feet of fun in Tom Foolerys Adventure Park​ — thrill rides, ropes course, climbing walls, indoor zipline, bowling, laser tag, escape rooms, mini golf, 250+ arcade games and attractions
● ​20 on-site dining options​ — including five signature restaurants. 
● 10,000 square feet of retail space​ — includes Amatuli marketplace, featuring authentic African items, offering workshop tours, activities 
● Cutting-edge arcade​ ​—​ video games, mini bowling, blacklight mini golf, virtual reality and XD Dark Ride 5-D Theater
AND SO MUCH MORE! 
I WILL ANNOUNCE A WINNER ON 11/20. GOOD LUCK! #loveKalahari #KalahariTX
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