Positive Planned Caesarean Birth

THE BIRTH OF FELICITY

Felicity Lavinia arrived on Friday 3rd January by elective caesarean. Throughout my pregnancy I had visioned a natural, minimal pain-relief birth at the birth centre using hypnobirthing techniques. However, at 36 weeks we found out that Felicity was breech. Cue panic and sadness at my lost birth preferences. After the initial disappointment I decided to message Hannah for some support. She messaged me back the same day with some really useful tips; the main one for me being to listen to my fear release mp3. I went on to listen to the fear release for the next week or so each night and really put more time into practising relaxation. I really found that this helped me to calm down and really think and research our options.

The midwife at the hospital had gone through our options and we settled on an ECV, a procedure where they try to turn baby to a head down position, using external manipulation. We had this done at 38 weeks but the procedure was quite uncomfortable and it just didn’t feel ‘right’ to be trying to turn baby if baby was quite happy where they were! So, after 2 attempts we abandoned the procedure and discussed our next options. This is where the BRAIN technique really came into use. After discussing the options of a vaginal breech birth or an elective c-section, using BRAIN we decided that an elective c-section was the right choice for us and our baby. I had done quite a bit of research into the two options prior to the ECV as I knew that I may have to make some decisions, with the ECV success rate only being 50% at our trust. I was actually relieved at this point as I knew what the plan was and what to expect, and I could really start preparing for the caesarean! So our date was booked in: we would be meeting our baby on 3rd January 2020 at 39 +3 weeks pregnant.

In the week leading up to the c-section we filled our days with lots of lovely things. Because it was the Christmas and New Year period, we were lucky enough that Darren was off work. We went for lots of dog walks, watched lots of Christmas specials such as Gavin and Stacey, The Royle Family and Christmassy films. We saw family, had family get togethers, lots of takeaways and some meals out and also lots of tea and cake stops along the way. I felt calm, loved and content. I was listening to my birth playlist all of the time; whilst doing my make-up, in the car, whilst cleaning and all the things in between. I was also listening religiously to my affirmations MP3 every single morning and had done this since we had finished our hypnobirthing classes. I was falling asleep to the fear release MP3 each night too. Alongside this I was reading a positive c-section story every day and I found that visualising my caesarean and all of the things I wanted to happen throughout it became my new go-to visual.

The night before the caesarean I had to ring the labour ward to find out what time to go in the next day and what time I needed to start fasting. I was told that I was last on the list so would be going to theatre at around 4/5pm. I had to fast from 7am the next morning. I must admit that I had a wobble when I found out that I was last on the list, purely because I was worried that being last on the list meant if there were any emergencies, I would then be put back to the Monday: I had mentally prepared for it happening on the Friday. However, after a talk with Darren, I concentrated on the positives of being last on the list and letting go of it because I couldn’t control it. This really helped and I soon became glad that it meant I could eat breakfast the morning of, and also get ready properly (hair and make up!). We ordered a takeaway and watched something lighthearted on the tv before an early night.

The next morning we woke at 6am to have some breakfast and I was feeling nervous and sick. I had some cereal and toast and then took myself upstairs to get ready. I had a long shower, took some final bump photos in the mirror, put my hair in rollers and did my make up. Whilst doing all of this I had my birth playlist on repeat. We arrived at the hospital at 11.20, and when we got up to the labour ward we were told our bed wasn’t quite ready yet and to go for a walk. So we went for a walk and went back an hour later. We were asked to wait in the triage waiting room, and we waited here for around an hour before we met with the scrub nurse and anaesthesiologist. Both were so lovely and went through everything with us: how the procedure would go, what would happen when and my birth preferences. We were then asked to sit back in the triage waiting room whilst our bed was prepared. At this point I did my calm breathing to settle my nerves as I knew it was getting closer.

At 14.30 we were shown to our bed and the operating consultant did a scan to check that baby was still breech. At 14.45 our midwife told us to get changed into our gown and scrubs as the consultant was ready for us! At this point my husband Darren lost it a bit due to nerves, and he started to undress there and then! A stern ‘what are you doing!?’ from me and off he went to the toilet to change.

At 14.55 we were taken through to theatre and here the anaesthesiologist popped a cannula into my hand. She then put an antibiotic through the drip which made my mouth taste like garlic! I have to admit this whole bit was the part I was most nervous about, but it was absolutely fine - a little uncomfortable but not painful. She then put some local anaesthetic into my back which didn’t hurt at all. The spinal was then put in, which again didn’t hurt as my back was numb; it just felt like someone was pushing my back. I used my calm breathing and visualisations with the midwife holding my hand and breathing with me.

I was then laid down and once they were sure that I was numb by spraying cold spray on my body, the catheter was put in and away we were! Once in theatre, the sticky monitors were put onto my shoulders so as not to get in the way of skin-to-skin and our playlist was put on: we were ready to get started.

Darren then used the stroking technique on my arm that we had learned on the course and I continued to use my calm breathing, I felt really relaxed. I didn’t realise that they had started surgery until the consultant told me that baby would be here in around 1 minute!

At 15.20 Felicity was born to Ed Sheeran's ‘Thinking Out Loud’ and we had delayed cord clamping whilst she was placed on my legs. She was then placed immediately onto my chest once the cord had been cut and she stayed there whilst I was being stitched up. I did however start to feel a little unwell and everything became fuzzy at which point I asked Darren to take Felicity from me. The consultant asked for a drug to be put through my drip and within seconds I felt better. I later learned that this was because I had lost more blood than usual. Felicity was put back skin-to -skin until it was time for me to be moved onto a different bed and a pain relief pessary put into my back passage - this was Daddy’s turn to have some cuddles. The whole procedure took around 45 minutes.

We then continued to enjoy skin-to-skin the rest of the night, with Mummy and with Daddy! Felicity also had her first breastfeed around 1 hour after she was born and continued to feed on and off all through the night. The midwives got me out of bed at around 2am to get me walking to the toilet so that they could remove my catheter and I was quite nervous to do this, however remembering my affirmations, I grew more confident with each step. I also had to have a blood test through the night to see if I needed a blood transfusion. This did cause me some anxiety, but I came to the conclusion in my mind that 'I cannot control it, so let it go'. Luckily, I didn’t need a transfusion and so we were discharged the next morning at 08.00 and we were back home and in bed as a new family of three at 08.30.

3 days prior to my caesarean I started taking Arnica and continued to take this for 2 weeks after, as it is said to help with bruising. I also started taking peppermint oil capsules with each meal once I was back from theatre as trapped wind can be an issue after surgery. I also took lactulose the day after the caesarean to help with the first bowel movement. In my own experience these 3 things really helped my recovery, along with being active little and often and drinking plenty of water. I had a straightforward recovery and went on my first dog walk a week later (not holding the dog lead mind you!).

If we hadn’t have done hypnobirthing, I honestly don’t think I would have been able to deal with the changes to my birth preferences as calmly and as well as I did. I really, really enjoyed my birth experience: it was empowering, calm and left me feeling on such a high. It was nothing that I originally thought I wanted but ended up being everything that I needed. It was the most amazing and positive experience I could have wished for and I wholeheartedly wish I could relive that day all over again.

Abbie and Darren