A positive Caesarean Birth story:

Linda Enever shares her C-section experience
By Linda Enever
Date: January 27 2012
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As a mum who had a Caesarean for my own reasons whatever they maybe, I thought it was about time I shared a positive birth story and my experience with a C-Section.

I enjoyed the delivery of my baby girl and was not traumatised by the process. And to be honest I am sick of being told, the decision that I made that was right for me and my family was wrong.

My doctor and I had discussed all the options and at 32 weeks in my mind it was time to make a decision about how my baby would arrive. I was happy for a birth whatever way it happened as long as it was safe for me and the baby.

My husband and I discussed the options and we were fully informed at the time we made the decision to go Caesarean birth and were even told in a kind and gentle way that I could change my mind at any stage.

So now, to how it all happened, my planned caesar was great. It took a load of my mind and I was ready for the delivery and arrival of my baby girl on the day she arrived. And as it was, she had made it back to being transverse at 39 weeks so delivery would have been a caesarean anyway in the end.

I was admitted to the hospital prepped and briefed by the wonderful nurses, midwifes and the surgery team and taken down to theatre where I went by myself as hubby was opting to stay out of the room until our angel was born.  The assistant and midwife were great and prepped me and took the camera ready to get pictures of my baby’s arrival for me.

My OB returned to make sure I was ready kept it light and breezy asked if I had any questions and had me at ease as I was taken into theatre.

The team talked me through the entire process. The midwife talked to me as the spinal anaesthesia went it telling me what to expect and joked with me about what my husband was missing. I must say all the time I felt in good hands and well informed about what was going on.

The ice test was done to make sure the spinal was working and then we were away. I did feel some tugging and my OB was talking to me all the way telling me what was happening and what to expect. Then the most amazing thing happened - I heard the cry of my baby girl and she was here.

The curtain was dropped. I could see this little baby whose heartbeat I had heard and scans I had seen was in front of me. I was the proudest mum in the world, no matter how my baby arrived and I enjoyed the experience of her getting here - her arrival, delivery and every day since.

This is Linda Enever's experience. Share yours below or write a column and send to info@motherpedia.com.au

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4 Total Comments
Claire says: 2012 01 27

Nice to hear a positive story. Thanks for sharing

Linda Enever says: 2012 01 27

Claire thanks I know hearing a positive story from a friend helped me too.

Emma says: 2012 01 31

Lovely story, Linda and thanks for sharing it.  I’ve had three births - one c-section and two VBACs.  I look back on all three as equally wondrous, empowering and joyous and I’m thankful every day to have my babies in my life.

Sarah says: 2012 05 15

I love this story. I have a 2 month old baby boy, whom we dearly love.
At about 32 weeks, we were advised that a c-section was likely to be the best option for me due to the size of our baby boy’s head (lovely genetics he has been blessed with). We monitored the head growth at regular visits, and it was often a week or two ahead of where he should be. Other than that, I had a healthy baby and a normal pregnancy.
My Ob gave me the options and advised me of the risks of both a natural and a c-section birth.
I so desperately wanted to have a natural birth, however, my baby would not engage, and my Ob would not induce me as he wasn’t engaged, the theory being that it is likely I would end up having an emergency c-section anyway due to the stress it would place him under during an induction.
So after my 40wk appointment, he gave me the option to either have a c-section 3 days later or return in a weeks time to ascertain progress. It was my call and I knew the risks - potentially suffer from bladder weakness in the future, cervical prolapse etc or lose my core (abdominals) for a few weeks.
I struggled that night knowing that my baby was still some time away and my fear of ‘being less of a woman’, however, I discussed it at length with my husband and we elected to have a c-section.
When the time came, my female anaethetist (who had had c-sections herself) talked me through her procedure before and during, as did my Obs.
The most amazing feeling came across me when we met our man for the first time. I was on such a high, the same high a woman going through natural childbirth would go through. My experience was entirely positive.
Back on the ward I did have a catheter in place for about 16 hours and I was hooked up to pethidine. I was slow to move around for about 24 hours. But, having my little man delivered safely and without stress to him and damage to me was important.
When I saw my Obs for my 6 wk check up I told him that I didnt regret my decision one bit and that I did struggle with not feeling like a woman beforehand. He summed it up nicely by saying that irrespective of your delivery method you are still your sons Mum and it doesnt make you any less of his Mum by choosing one way or the other.
I would like to have a natural birth next time, but it is unlikely that we will go down that path. However, I would expect the same situation to be just as positive next time, and that feeling cannot be explained or replicated by any other means.

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