Birth story - Emma and baby Olivia

Pregnancy :

I really struggled with being pregnant, I’m 23 and our baby was a honeymoon baby and seeing my body go from the shape I was at our wedding, to stretch marks changing everyday and all new symptoms I never knew occurred during pregnancy.

I found a lack of support from “friends” and it was really a lonely time.

Physically the baby was doing really well, we had Low Papp A so had growth scans along the way but told he/she was growing well.

From around 32 weeks my baby has been in the transverse position so when I saw my midwife before Christmas she told me to not have my heart set on baby moving.. I’m so glad she said this because I went home and researched a lot. Regarding:

Natural delivery of breech babies

Positive C section stories and recovery information

ECV’s

and even joined a breech baby Facebook group.

Using BRAIN I decided that if baby was still not head down at the latest date.. I would book a planned c section.

Our 36 week scan came and babies head was down I was sooo shocked. But it did explain why I was walking funny and the constant pressure on my bladder.

Babys measurements were good.. but a large jump in abdomen measurements, my high BMI (exactly 35 - I don’t feel I looked obese in my pregnancy what are they going to expect!) they sent me for a glucose test for gestational diabetes… and planned for another 38-39 week scan to check growth.

It was so strange I thought the appointment would be discussing sections and the growth of baby being enough.. and it suddenly became a concern for diabetes and baby being too big!

All of that came back negative final scan baby estimating 7lb 8oz slight increase in fluid but not a concern and I got signed off for the birth centre so my water birth was in reach!

PBC COURSE

I did worry a lot during pregnancy and even about when my baby was here and how much it’d change my life.

I felt guilty as I’ve always wanted to be a mom but now I was and wasn’t enjoying pregnancy.

I saw a lot of videos about people doing this course and my husband bought it me for Christmas including the postpartum bundle and honestly within the first couple of videos my mindset changed and it is the most empowering experience I’ve ever done.

I will buy this for every pregnant friend/relative in the future.

Changed my pregnancy and birth for the better 100%

So our due date had been and gone and tbh I had never thought it’d happen that day anyway.

I went to work Monday to keep busy and Tuesday planned to work from home and picked up a big load of food shopping supplies.

So many people had guessed they’d be a Valentine’s Day baby and I told my husband clearly they were wrong as there’s only 12 hours left in the day.

At lunchtime I suddenly felt very tired and a little sick - I tried to get some sleep in which baby usually moves when lay down and it dawned on me I hadn’t felt baby move much since the night before.

I did all the things that I usually do to get baby moving and nothing was working.. I just had a feeling something wasn’t right.

I called my midwife who suggested I go to triage. So we go there around 4pm.

Tried side laying on the monitor but no movement and a higher heart rate than usual of 156ish.

It’s usually 140 ish but as she wasn’t moving this was a concern.

I went to the Labour ward for extra monitoring and a sweep. She couldn’t complete the sweep because baby was so far up and I was only 1/2cm.

Based on this I knew it was more likely looking at a C section as the monitor was showing baby was not happy.

After how uncomfortable I was during the sweep despite her saying how in control I was of my breathing I couldn’t help feel relieved that I’d be meeting my baby sooner than a vaginal delivery would’ve been.

I had what my mom calls the nervous laughter where I’m not really present but living outside my life because I’m too nervous to face reality. I talk sh*t and laugh randomly.

The midwife was amazing and said let’s just get ready for the surgeon just incase (so it was less of a rush)

I’d already made it clear to them that I wanted my husband to reveal the gender we had been waiting all this time to find out.

I asked the midwife on the way to theatre how many people would be there so I could prepare. (Roughly 10-12 people inc us)

Everyone was lovely at keeping me at ease.

The whole time I used my up breathing to focus keeping still and relaxed during the spinal. I would’ve been a wreck if I’d have not had any tools in my basket to relax.

My husband joined me and within minutes he told me we had a little girl. To that I burst out crying. I genuinely couldn’t believe it. I have always wanted a daughter.

She needed some help because..

She’d turned herself breach!

Had cord wrapped around her neck 3 times!

She had pooped inside me!

My husband kept reassuring me she was ok, he quickly took a photo to show me and I instantly felt at ease.

I was confident she had all the help from the doctors she needed despite not getting my initial skin to skin.

My husband stayed with me the whole time whilst they hoovered my insides and sewed me up.

She was passed to me about 7:45pm

Our beautiful honeymoon baby Olivia Grace had arrived on Valentine’s Day how perfect

It’s crazy because even though pregnancy was a struggle I did always love feeling her kicks inside me.. but the last time I felt her move I never realised would be the last time.

I stare at her in awe everyday, that I grew her, and I would do it all over again in a heart beat.

Even though my birth may sound quite traumatic - because I didn’t know any of these things until after, I do still feel I’ve had a positive experience.

Stayed in hospital 2 nights and had support from lovely midwife’s, doctors and surgeons.

Anyone fearing C Section the oxytocin our bodies produce after do wonders for recovery.

Recovery

I’ve had my dressing off which I was nervous for but I feel so much better having it off, the scar looks soooo neat and tidy and the midwife said the surgeon had done an amazing job of it.

It’s right below my bikini line so no one will see it. I’m keeping dosed up with pain relief and I was told to not over do it.