Ep. 26 - "I Couldn't Scream Out": A Non-Consented Cesarean | Jennifer Smith

In this emotional episode, Jennifer Smith describes having a Cesarean without consent after medical staff ignored her decision to have a vaginal birth rather than repeat surgery, and her trauma afterwards. "I'm numb from the waist down and I have no idea what they're doing to my lower body. I'm just this object lying on a table for them to cut up. And they don't care. And I can't scream out. Because I don't think anybody's going to listen to me. And I'm scared... I'm trying to stay awake. And I remember it was awful because the whole time in my head--and I can't scream out and I was so frustrated because I can't scream out--I'm sitting there going, 'I don't want to do this I don't want to do this I don't want to do this, it's gonna be okay it's gonna be okay it's gonna be okay...' And I remember as this doctor's cutting me up, Dr. R, he's having a personal conversation with Dr. P about the Olympic male gymnast who broke his tibia. And I'm sitting there thinking, I'm not even here. Like I'm not even here. It doesn't even matter. I remember just trying to stay awake enough to hear my baby cry because I wanted to make sure he was okay." WANT TO LEARN MORE? Go to www.birthmonopoly.com WANT TO CONNECT? Email: [e-mail] Facebook: www.facebook.com/birthmonopoly Twitter: www.twitter.com/birthmonopoly Instagram: www.instagram.com/birthmonopoly WANT TO SUPPORT US? Review us on iTunes, SoundCloud, or wherever you listen to the podcast. Businesses and organizations: Underwrite the show! For more information, contact us at [e-mail]