C-Section Awareness Month: Stories behind the scar

Childbirth is often seen as a natural and instinctive process: a moment when the body takes over and life begins in its purest form. However, for thousands of mothers, the journey does not end in a delivery room, but in an operating theatre.

April is Caesarean Section Awareness Month and more women are opening up about the reality of giving birth through surgery and the emotional impact it can have.

For 32-year-old mother of two, Nerea Atieno, her second pregnancy felt like a promise fulfilled. Having delivered her first child vaginally, she walked into the labour ward confident that history would repeat itself. “I had done this before. I knew my body would manage this round again,” she recalls. But as labour progressed, things took an unexpected turn.

“The contractions were intense, but I kept telling myself I could handle it. Then suddenly, there was panic among the nurses. My baby’s heartbeat was dropping,” she says. Within minutes, Nerea was wheeled into the operating theatre for an emergency Caesarean section.

“I remember lying there, scared and confused. It all happened so fast. One moment I was pushing, the next I was being prepped for surgery,” she adds. When her baby finally cried, relief washed over her, but so did a wave of emotions she had not anticipated. “Everyone congratulated me, but deep down I felt like I had failed. Like my body had let me down.”

Nerea’s experience echoes that of many mothers who undergo C-sections. Despite the procedure being a critical medical intervention, societal narratives often frame it as the ‘easy way out’ or a lesser form of childbirth. This perception can leave women grappling with guilt, shame, and even postnatal depression.

Dr Fredrick Kairithia, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Calgary Healthcare in Nairobi, says that no two births are the same, and the ultimate goal is always a healthy mother and baby. “We need to shift the conversation from how the baby was delivered to the fact that both lives were safely preserved.”

He adds that these misconceptions about C-sections are not only harmful but also dangerous. “A Caesarean section is not a shortcut; it is a major surgery, often performed to save the life of the mother, the baby, or both,” he explains.

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According to Dr Kairithia, also a public health and M&E practitioner and secretary of the Association of Progressive Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Kenya (APOG-K), C-sections are carried out for either maternal or foetal reasons.

Maternal indications include a small pelvic diameter, abnormal placental attachment, maternal bleeding, or health conditions that prevent vaginal delivery. Foetal reasons include malposition such as breech, foetal distress, a large baby relative to the pelvis, multiple pregnancies, placental or umbilical cord abnormalities, and extreme prematurity.

He also notes that several myths persist around C-sections, including claims that babies born this way are more prone to conditions such as asthma or learning difficulties. Women who undergo the procedure are often seen as fragile, which can be uncomfortable, while vaginal birth is sometimes wrongly idolised as the ultimate measure of strength.

Janet laughs softly when she remembers her cravings after delivery; she could never resist the smell of freshly cooked layered chapati. But after her Caesarean section, everything changed. The healing process was slower and more demanding than she had imagined, and even her diet had to be carefully controlled.

“I couldn’t just eat anything I craved anymore. Even my beloved chapati had to wait for the first six weeks. My digestion was much slower; I had to eat soft food and lots of fluids,” she explains.

The discomfort, incision pain, and strict medical guidance on what to eat made her more aware of her body than ever before. What frustrated Janet even more was that she could not follow the common practice of tying her stomach to help it go down.

“I saw other women wrapping their tummies, but for me it was not possible because of the wound. I just had to let my body heal first,” she says. The weight gain weighed heavily on her confidence, and the slow pace of recovery tested her patience. Still, she found strength in the journey. “Healing after a C-section is not just physical; it teaches you patience.”

Recovery from a Caesarean section also comes with its own set of challenges. Unlike vaginal births, mothers must heal from abdominal surgery while simultaneously caring for a newborn. Pain, limited mobility and emotional strain can make the postpartum period especially demanding.