A Short Cervix, a Cerclage, and a Birth I Didn't Expect

My pregnancy was anything but straightforward. Very early on, I was diagnosed with a short cervix and had to undergo a cervical cerclage (a stitch to help support the pregnancy). It was my first surgery, and after that I was put on complete bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy.

Just a few weeks later, I was diagnosed with kidney stones. Treating them during pregnancy was complicated because of the risks to the baby and the limited pain relief options available. I underwent another procedure to remove the stones, had a stent placed, and then had it removed a few weeks later. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much my body went through during those months.

Despite all of this, every scan brought us reassurance. Our doctor was happy with the baby's growth, and even though pregnancies with a cervical stitch often require extra precautions, she was confident that everything was progressing well. At my last appointment, she told us everything looked good and asked us to come back in a couple of weeks to discuss removing the stitch. We walked out feeling relieved.

Just three or four days later, everything changed.

On a Sunday evening, at 35 weeks, my water broke. I wasn't prepared at all. I was still working and had planned to start my maternity leave only at 36 weeks. I had been so focused on getting through each stage of the pregnancy, managing my health, and even finishing my work transition that I kept telling myself I still had time to learn about childbirth, attend birthing workshops, and prepare mentally for delivery. I didn't even realize it was my water breaking at first—I genuinely thought it was just urine leaking.

"Every pregnancy is different, and things don't always go according to plan."

That night, we rushed to the hospital.

There was a lot happening all at once. The doctors administered steroid injections to help mature the baby's lungs and carefully discussed the safest course of action. Because my water had already broken, there wasn't enough time to remove the cervical stitch and wait for labor to begin naturally. After completing the steroid course, a C-section was scheduled for Tuesday. It all happened so quickly that there wasn't really time to process anything.

Since my baby arrived five weeks early, he spent some time in the NICU. Seeing him there was difficult, and recovering from the C-section while being separated from him was emotionally challenging. Breastfeeding was another struggle. The first week was especially hard, and I remember wondering if it was because of the emergency delivery or because he was in the NICU. Thankfully, once I was finally able to feed him successfully for the first time, things gradually became much easier.

One detail that still stays with me is that even on the day my water broke, we were deciding which hospital to go to because our doctor had recently moved to a new hospital. In the middle of an already overwhelming situation, even that decision felt incredibly stressful.

When I look back, what I remember most is not just the surgeries, the bed rest, or the unexpected preterm delivery, but how unprepared I felt for childbirth itself. I had always assumed I would have time to learn, attend classes, and mentally prepare after starting my maternity leave. Life had other plans.

Even with all the unexpected twists, the moment I saw my little boy, every challenge felt worth it. Today, he is healthy, and that is something I will always be grateful for. If there's one thing I wish I had done differently, it would be to prepare for the journey earlier—not because it would have changed what happened, but because understanding what to expect would have helped me face those moments with a little more confidence and a little less fear.