Today I'm super excited to not only show off this precious newborn session for Shelby Anne but also her momma, Sarah, is our guest blogger! Yay! Sarah is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the ER at Scottish Rite and she is sharing her beautiful cesarean birth. Go grab a cup of coffee, read up and take in all the cuteness! "When Holly asked me to share my birth experience for her blog, I was excited for the opportunity. I had such an amazing experience with something most women fear. I am well aware I am one of the lucky ones! However, I still wanted to share to let other women know, it is not always scary and bad like many would lead you to believe.

The words cesarean section strike fear into the hearts of many women. Whether it be the fear of the unknown, a story you have heard, or just simply because it is a change in how you imagined your perfect birth. Having a major abdominal surgery can be nerve wracking to say the least.

After much discussion with my OBs, we decided a C-section would be the best option for me. Thankfully, I did have a huge advantage as a previous labor and delivery nurse (about 6 years ago) and remembered quite a lot. Being the patient is a whole other story, though. I heard stories from both women who had great experiences, and those who had what they described as “horror stories”. So I tried to go into this experience with an open mind.

My spinal (which numbs you) went great. The actual process progressed quickly and I feel like I blinked and my sweet precious angel was FINALLY here after 4 long years of anticipation and heart ache. My husband was still allowed to cut the cord. We still recovered together and I was still allowed to do skin to skin. The doctors and nurses were quick to address any concern and there was pain medication available when I needed it.

Overall, I really did not experience much more than discomfort. There have been times I have worked out and had far more “pain” than what I experienced during the whole process. The secret trick - stay ahead of your pain! If you take the medication offered when it is available, it actually allows you to take less medication in the long run and be more comfortable. This in turn allows for faster healing.

Moral of the story…having a Cesarean section makes you no less of a mom at the end of the day. Whatever your doctor and you deem as the best option for a safe delivery should not scare you because of someone else’s experience. I can honestly say I have never felt happier and more confident of something being the “right” decision. This was my story. I am happy, healthy and have a beautiful and healthy baby to show."

Sarah, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful birth story. I will say that I was one of those that had only heard the scary stories of C-Sections. Most of the ladies I know have had to have emergency births. Which, yes, can be scary but like Sarah said, having a healthy baby is what it's all about! Now, scroll down for more of her adorable baby girl that has more hair than I have ever seen! So cute!