“Can you believe that 24 hours from now we’ll be home with our little girl?”
I remember saying that to my husband while I sat on my birth ball, already in labor and completely certain that I knew exactly how things were going to go. In my head, I would labor for a while, we’d go to the hospital, I’d get an epidural, have my baby naturally, and then we’d bring her home. Easy peasy. That was the plan, at least in my head.
My mom had three natural births. My sister had three natural births. And somewhere along the way, I think I just assumed that giving birth would come easily and naturally to me too. I was extremely confident. I never imagined having a C-section. Honestly, it wasn’t even something I had really considered. That’s why it’s almost funny now to remember just how sure I was about being home within a day.
Needless to say, I did not have a baby at home with me 24 hours later.
So imagine my surprise when, after 48 hours of labor, I was being wheeled into the operating room for an emergency C-section.
I was crying. I was scared. And I remember feeling completely unprepared for what was happening.And I wasn’t ready. Not mentally or emotionally. And that shock, that guilt, wondering if my body failed, it hit hard.
It wasn’t just that a C-section hadn’t been part of my birth plan. I had barely allowed myself to consider that it could be part of my story at all.
Like so many women, I went into birth with preferences, hopes, and a picture in my mind of how it would go. And while there is nothing wrong with having a vision for your delivery, I learned that one of the kindest things you can do for yourself before birth is to leave a little room for the unexpected.
Because sometimes birth takes a turn you didn’t plan for. And when it does, flexibility is what protects your peace.
If I could go back and tell my pregnant self one thing, it would be this: make the birth plan, but mentally prepare for it to change.
Make the Birth Plan. Just Don’t Make It the Only Plan.
I still believe in birth plans.
I think there is something wonderful about learning your options, understanding your preferences, talking through pain management, deciding what matters to you, and walking into birth feeling informed.
But if I could sit down with my pregnant self now, I would tell her something different.
Have preferences. Have hopes. Have a plan. But mentally leave room for the story to change.
And I wish someone had told me that preparing for birth isn’t only about how the baby arrives. It’s also about emotionally equipping yourself for the pivots, for the recovery you didn’t imagine, and for giving yourself grace if the story looks different than you thought it would.
A different birth does not mean a lesser birth.
It is simply a different path to meeting your baby.
The Part of C-Section Recovery I Really Didn’t Expect
I also had no idea what recovering from a C-section would actually feel like.
You are healing from major abdominal surgery while simultaneously learning how to care for a brand-new person.
Your core feels different. Getting in and out of bed can suddenly feel like an athletic event. You are sore. You are tired. Your body is swollen.
In my case, even my feet looked like they belonged to someone else.
And at the same time, you are feeding a baby, changing diapers, sleeping in tiny increments and trying to absorb the fact that this little person you waited so long to meet is finally here.
It is beautiful.
It is also a lot.
The Post-C-Section Favorites I Actually Used
I definitely did not need a house full of postpartum products, but there were a few things that made recovery more comfortable.
These are the ones I actually used.
Affiliate Disclosure
This article contains paid links. If you purchase through one of these links, Bride to Baby may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Scar Cream
Mederma PM Intensive Overnight Scar Cream
Once my incision had healed enough and I was able to begin thinking about scar care, I used Mederma PM Intensive Overnight Scar Cream.
Scar care became one of those tiny acts of taking care of myself after spending so much of the day taking care of a baby..
(paid link)
High Waist Underwear
This is not glamorous advice, but it’s important advice:
Buy the high-waisted underwear.
The last thing I wanted after abdominal surgery was underwear sitting directly across my incision.
Molasus Women’s Cotton High-Waisted Full Coverage Underwear
I loved having soft, full-coverage underwear that came up comfortably above my C-section area instead.
(paid link)
C-Section Wrap/Waist Binder
One of the strangest sensations after a C-section was how unsupported my core felt.
Having a C-section wrap gave me a little extra support when I was moving around during recovery.
3 in 1 Postpartum Belly Wrap Recovery Band Belt Abdominal Binder
It did not magically make surgery disappear, but it helped me feel a little more secure during those early days.
(paid link)
Stool Softener
Between childbirth, surgery, pain medication and everything else happening to your body, that first postpartum bathroom experience is not something you want to make any more difficult than necessary.
Colace
This was one of those very unglamorous little things I was extremely grateful to have.
(paid link)
What I Would Tell a First-Time Mom Now
If I could go back to that version of myself bouncing confidently on the birth ball, completely certain that I knew what the next 24 hours would look like, I wouldn’t tell her not to be excited.
I wouldn’t tell her not to make a birth plan.
And I definitely wouldn’t take away the hope she felt in that moment.
I would just whisper one little thing:
You may not get home tomorrow. And that is okay.
Your baby may arrive differently than you imagined.
Your recovery may take longer than you expected.
Your body may surprise you.
Motherhood may begin with a chapter you never thought you would write.
But when they finally place that baby in your arms, the route you took to get there becomes only one part of a much bigger story.
So make the plan.
Pack the bag.
Bounce on the birth ball.
Picture the moment you meet your baby.
Just leave a little room for the unexpected.
Because sometimes the best thing you can bring into the delivery room isn’t the perfect birth plan.
It’s the willingness to let the story unfold differently than you imagined.
Bride to Baby
For the years between “I do” and “Mom.”
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, Bride to Baby may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.