'He didn't start breathing': Katherine Heigl opens up about...

Katherine Heigl has bravely opened up about her difficult delivery experience in a touching Instagram post. The mum-of-three shared the never before seen pregnancy photo in honour of her son’s first birthday.

The former Grey’s Anatomy star explained that one year ago she asked her husband to take the photo as a reminder of how incredibly pregnant she was.

The stunning photo was taken just before the pair headed off to the hospital where Katherine was scheduled to have a caesarean section.

At 9am one year ago today I had @joshbkelley take this photo of me so I could remember how incredibly pregnant I was right before we left for the hospital and my 12pm scheduled cesarean. Joshua Jr had been in the breech position for over a month and had still not moved an inch a week before his due date so I made the decision to have a cesarean and was incredibly nervous and a little scared this time last year. I had never been hospitalized or had ever had any kind of surgery and had no idea what to expect. The second photo is right before I went in for surgery. Trying to look cool, calm and collected! They numbed me up, gave me some morphine and opened me up. My doctor struggled to get him out because he was really wedged in there and not quite ready to leave the womb. When she finally pulled him out at exactly 12:33pm he didn’t start breathing and they worked quickly to get oxygen in him and start his tiny lungs. @joshbkelley was standing with them when he finally took his first breath. That day, as I slowly came out of the morphine haze and clutched my tiny man to me I thanked the heavens for his breath, his life and for making me a mother three times over. As evening settled in Josh and I got cozy in my hospital room, found one of my all time favorites #SweetHomeAlabama on the tv and just relished in our perfect newborn son. He was so tiny and new, so fragile and tender. As I lay him down to sleep that first night in his very appropriate “welcome to the world” sleep sack I thought the moment would last forever. Yet here we are, a whole year later and it’s only the photos that remind me my brute of a boy was ever so new and small! Now he’s 26 ponds of rolling, tumbling, grasping, giggling, shouting, curious, jolly energy! He is everything and more than I could have hoped for and he has brought our family even more joy, love, laughter, abundance, bliss and yes, exhaustion and exasperation too! It’s been a hell of a year and I could not be more grateful for it or him! Happy Birthday to my little man! Maybe I can make this next year go a little slower!

A post shared by Katherine Heigl (@katherineheigl) on Dec 20, 2017 at 9:44am PST

She shared, “I made the decision to have a caesarean and was incredibly nervous and a little scared this time last year. I had no idea what to expect.”

Alongside a series of photos from the hospital, the mum explained how her doctor struggled to get her son out as he wasn’t ready to leave the womb, “When she finally pulled him out at exactly 12:33 pm he didn’t start breathing and they worked quickly to get oxygen in him and start his tiny lungs.”

Thanks to the hard-working team at the hospital, her son took his first breath. Katherine expressed her gratitude in the honest post, “I clutched my tiny man to me I thanked the heavens for his breath, his life and for making me a mother three times over.”

Some mornings are meant to be spent staying cozy in bed, especially since I found the most comfortable bedding I’ve ever slept in from @cariloha (my kids are pretty fond of it too!) Their bedding is made from bamboo, so it’s more breathable and soft and I can’t get enough. You’ve gotta try it for yourself. Here’s an exclusive code: ‘KATHERINE20’ for 20% off their website! #BambooNation #Ad

A post shared by Katherine Heigl (@katherineheigl) on Oct 23, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

Fast forward to today, and Katherine’s little bundle of joy is “26 pounds of rolling, tumbling, grasping, giggling, shouting, curious, jolly energy!”

The mum praised her adorable one-year-old, “He has brought our family, even more, joy, love, laughter, abundance, bliss and yes, exhaustion and exasperation too! It’s been a hell of a year and I could not be more grateful for it or him.”

We have so much respect for Katherine for opening up about such a difficult memory. We’re thrilled to hear that Joshua is happy and healthy.