Krystle is hosting solo this week with Jen Wagner, board-certified obstetric anesthesiologist, and Bethany Scott, birth doula, and co-hosts of The C-Section Experience Podcast! Jen and Bethany provide education and support for c-section mamas with the goal of improving c-section experiences for all women. With Jen having had 1 c-section and 1 VBAC and Bethany having had 3 c-sections like Krystle, this episode is full of tips and stories to help you feel empowered and in charge of your c-section experience!

Going into birth knowing you will have a planned c-section can still come with feelings of anxiety. Jen and Bethany describe methods like the “3-3-3” and others that you and your partner can do while waiting for your procedure to help reduce those pre-surgery jitters. And if your vaginal birth ends in a c-section for reasons Jen describes, utilize the same coping skills you used successfully during your labor. Not knowing how labor may go, Jen and Bethany explain why they like expecting mamas to create a “contingency plan”... like your birth plan for your vaginal delivery, what types of things would you like for a c-section? Immediate skin-to-skin? Breastfeeding in the operating room? YOU have the power of choice with these types of things! 

We completely acknowledge that having a c-section, whether planned or unplanned, may cause a lot of grief - which is a normal feeling! If you plan on having more children, consider the types of things you would like to do differently with your next delivery and include it in your contingency plan. Talking through your birth with your safe people can really help process the events of your birth too. Recovering physically from a c-section can also be HARD! Jen, Bethany, and Krystle put their experiences and professional preparedness to work to bring you tips for staying on top of your pain, do’s and don’ts of abdominal binders, how to utilize a helper once you discharge home from the hospital, plus so many great breastfeeding tips!!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @thecsxpodcast and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

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Links & Resources

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This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.