My C-section birth experiences

My first pregnancy

10 days before my due date and with a birth pool (I got a Lay Z Spa so we could use it as a hot tub after) at home, ready for my home birth, I headed to my 38 week midwife appointment. The midwife validated my concerns that the baby had turned breech so off we went to the hospital, where it was confirmed by a scan. 

The next day we were sent back to the hospital to have an External Cephalic Version (ECV), a process by which a breech baby can sometimes be turned from buttocks or foot first to head first. It is a manual procedure that is recommended by national guidelines for breech presentation of a pregnancy with a single baby, in order to enable vaginal delivery. 

Waiting for my ECV

When plans change…

For some this is super quick and easy but this late in pregnancy and with not an awful lot of room to move him it just was not happening. I was told I could try for a vaginal birth but that I would likely end up having a C-section anyway so they booked me in for just two days later!

If I’d had longer to decide, I might’ve tried for a vaginal birth but under the circumstances, it felt like the decision was out of my hands. It was also communicated that this was the safest option so I was happy to go with it. 

I think the fact we knew my son, Caspar, was to be born with a cleft lip and we didn't know the extent of this was already such a worry for me that I didn’t want to add yet another cause of stress into the mix. I was shocked but not upset that I had lost my plan for a homebirth.

The night before

I was so nervous and didn’t sleep well the night before the operation. I had to stop eating from 10pm (only water allowed from this point) as I was first on the list the next day. In the morning, my mum drove my husband, Simon, and I to the hospital for 8am. My mouth was dry so I nervously sipped my water. We were taken to the delivery ward and sat in the waiting room alone. The anaesthetist then came to check my details and let us know what was going to happen. By 9am we were both gowned up and walked down to theatre. 

Waiting to be called down to theatre with Caspar

Waiting to be called down to theatre with Otis

The Operation

In the operation theatre the radio was on, the room was really bright with the sun pouring in, and the anaesthetist was so reassuring and kind. She helped me to lean forward over my knees whilst hugging a pillow to make some space in my spine so she could insert the spinal block. She gave me a local anaesthetic first so it wasn't painful, just uncomfortable - it felt like a weird pressure being applied to my back. Then she helped me lie back onto the operating table whilst the room filled with people; doctors, nurses, midwives. It seemed like a lot of people for one operation but they all introduced themselves and I felt safe. 

Ready for the spinal block

My legs started to go numb and after a few minutes I couldn't feel anything from my breasts down. A screen was raised over my bump, blocking my view and I wasn't overly aware of what was happening. I now know they were inserting the catheter and doing all their pre-op preparation, ready for the caesarean to begin. It's a weird sensation having your legs moved for you when you can’t move them yourself. I had been particularly scared of this bit beforehand but asked Simon to stroke my head and focused on my breathing, which really helped. 

Note - during my first C-section, I was so numb I felt absolutely nothing and couldn’t move my legs for about eight hours afterwards. Second time round, I felt a lot more tugging and movement in my tummy when they were pulling Otis out; nothing hurt at all though and I could move my legs much quicker after his birth, which was nicer.

As they started operating with Caspar I felt quite panicky but during Otis’s birth I didn’t experience this anywhere near as badly as I knew what to expect. 

C-section begins

Baby’s here!

It felt like minutes before they suddenly said ‘quick dad get your phone and take a video, he’s coming out’ and by the time Caspar was in my arms I was no longer anxious because of the other rush of emotions flooding in. I was able to hold him whilst they finished sewing me up and it felt like it went very quickly. 

Caspar is here!

With my second C-section, as I already had scar tissue, it took them longer to get him out but the doctor explained they had to cut away the scar tissue to get to him which always takes more time. When Otis was born I was even able to breastfeed him on the operating table whilst Simon stood and watched them sewing me up! 

Otis is here!

After Caspar was born I was anxious to know if he had a cleft palate as well as he cleft lip as it would mean I wouldn’t have been able to breastfeed but the doctor confirmed he didn't so I was thrilled and relieved. We were given a private room as the hospital wasn’t busy and because of Caspar’s cleft lip I needed a lot of support getting him to latch. It was such a struggle but the midwives were amazing, helping me at every feed and I am so grateful for this, they made my journey so much easier and less stressful. 

Afterwards

Daddy in the delivery room straight after birth with Otis

Once we were in the delivery room I was starving and luckily Simon had brought us some delicious sandwiches from a lovely shop in Kemptown. However, as the drugs started wearing off I started to feel really sick and threw up. I won’t sugar-coat it, this was horrendous as it pulled on my incision and was so painful. Luckily, the midwives quickly  got me some anti-sickness drugs so it didn't happen again but I remembered this for my second C-section and got those drugs in before it happened. 

My catheter was left in for sometime, which was nice actually as my tummy felt so sore and it meant I didn't have to get up to go to the toilet. I knew I would be in hospital for a few days so by the time I did go to the toilet I felt steady on my feet. 

Second time round, I already had a child at home and I was desperate to get back to him and was on a ward where I struggled to sleep. The midwife told me that if I could stand within six hours of the operation (and meet other requirements) I would be able to get home and I was determined. Although walking to the toilet loaded up on medication made me feel pretty shaky and weird I got Simon to help me and we were discharged.

Issues I experienced

After my initial starvation, I started to completely lose my appetite. My tummy, which had been pretty flattened post-birth, started to fill with wind. It just kept on bloating up and was so uncomfortable. The doctor thought I was embarrassed to fart and was holding it in but I could not get it out. It was horrible! 

Eventually, moving around and bending forward started to release it then I was able to get it out but I was constipated and my bowels took weeks to settle down. I had to take fibre drinks and got awful piles which made sitting down to breastfeed so painful, I cried.

I remembered this second time round and didn’t let the wind build up. I leant forward the first time I went to the toilet post-birth with Otis and the compression helped all the trapped wind to come out. I upped my fibre and water intake pre-birth in preparation for this and used a foot stool to poop, to prevent the piles and help with constipation. Massage massively helped too.

I was so glad I had Simon in hospital with me during both births as it's so hard to roll over and pick a baby up out of their cot when you've just had abdominal surgery. 

At home 

Just home with Otis

The thought of going home with my first baby was so daunting. I slept badly as woke to check on Caspar and felt anxious about him constantly. I wanted to get out and walk, which is what I did but it's not what my body needed, it needed to rest. 

With Otis it was the exact opposite. I learnt from my previous experience. I wanted to go home so badly from the hospital and the second I was home I got in bed and slept so well. I then pretty much stayed in my bed or on the sofa for two weeks and just enjoyed him. Caspar came in for snuggles too and I felt so much better, both mentally and physically. 

Caspar doting on his baby bro Otis

Both times, a night or two after my operation, I woke up in the night feeling really cold with my whole body shaking. After phoning the hospital, they reassured us this was just the drugs wearing off but it was quite scary the first time I experienced it. Simon wrapped me up in a few blankets and it soon subsided. 

Healing

My C-section scar healed well and fairly quickly after both births, despite me not resting so well the first time. However, for weeks I needed to wear the lovely big post-op pants! Those things were so comfy, I recommend you get multiple pairs! Loose-fitting waistbands on trousers were also a must. I couldn’t wear jeans that sat on my scar for months after and even now prefer a high-waisted fit.

Although my birth preference for my first baby was a home birth, after the lovely calm experience I had the first time with Caspar, I chose to have an elective (planned) C-section with my second, Otis. I proudly wear my badge of being a two times C-section mama, I had a good experience with both my births and whilst it is major surgery, it needn’t come with the negative and scary connotations.