An unexpected turn

I had a planned C-section, not by choice, but because my baby was in a complete breech position. A C-section was at the very bottom of my birth plan, so I felt extremely anxious, scared, and honestly devastated. To cope, I used Calmbirth techniques, especially breathing exercises, which really helped manage my anxiety and grief. I also prepared as much as I could by preparing for both a natural birth and a C-section, as I’m naturally a planner. Asking lots of questions also helped me feel more in control, especially since I had never had surgery before.

Before accepting the C-section, I tried everything to turn my baby, including moxibustion, acupuncture, and an ECV. The ECV was uncomfortable but manageable, and the midwives and doctors were incredibly supportive holding my hand, breathing with me, and explaining everything. After it failed, I was booked for a C-section and felt heartbroken.

At my pre-op appointment, I asked lots of questions and felt reassured by the team. Unexpectedly, my water broke in the hospital car park, and I was admitted and laboured for eight hours while waiting for surgery. I’m honestly so grateful she decided to come on her own because one of my biggest fears was that she wasn’t ready yet and we’d be taking her out too early During that time, my mum, dad, and partner stayed with me and supported me. They distracted me by playing games like Heads Up and talking, while I focused on my breathing techniques to stay calm, even though I was still very scared.

When it was time for surgery, the team made me feel safe and supported. My partner was by my side, my midwife advocated for him to be there during the spinal, and I was able to play my own music. The spinal, which I feared most, ended up being much easier than I expected. My baby girl was born at 9:05 pm, and I had immediate skin-to-skin contact. I was also able to breastfeed her in recovery, which was really important to me.

Despite it being the birth, I feared most, it turned into a positive experience because of the support I had. This experience taught me that birth doesn’t always go to plan, and it’s okay to grieve that. But coping tools like breathing, preparation, asking questions, and having strong support can make a huge difference. Definitely take the advice I got from Karen to make a loose birth plan for all situations but also be open minded and ask questions if something changes you are allowed to push back and advocate for yourself and what you feel is right. Karen also told me to try make the most of whatever my birth was at the time. It did take me a little while to adjust, but by the second week it felt a lot better—especially once I could get up and take care of her on my own.