Unplanned c-section birth story - Roxanne and baby Florence

This story is written by Roxanne who is a first time mum and had her baby by unplanned c-section due to placental abruption during labour. She says, ‘I felt as in control as you can be with something like this - my husband was an amazing birth partner and watching the online hypnobirthing classes and using the Freya app were invaluable to us!’ Read their birth story below.

Trigger Warning - use of the word contractions (not negative to Roxanne), emergency caesarean, reduced movements, induction, placental abruption.

Roxanne’s pregnancy

We were incredibly fortunate to fall pregnant the second month we tried. While I suffered migraines badly in the first trimester and then terrible heartburn in the third, my doctor helped me remedy both of these and I had very few other symptoms. I am a teacher and stopped working at 36 weeks. I had Covid during week 21 of the pregnancy and as such was recommended a growth scan check at 34 weeks. Our little one was going well and meeting all benchmarks! I had an anterior placenta which meant at times a trickier heartbeat to locate, but I was able to feel her moving from about week 16 onwards. I was able to express colostrum from 35 weeks, which took a while at first but I soon found a rhythm and I had just over 10ml by the time we went into labour! At 37 weeks, I started to notice Braxton Hicks every other day or so - I used my exercise ball most nights to bounce my way through, as well as heat packs to help relieve some soreness in my hips.

Roxanne’s labour before c-section

On Wednesday the 17th August my husband and I decided to head into the hospital for a bit of reassurance as baby’s movements had changed a little over 24 hours. She was still responding if I gave her a little jiggle, however she just felt slower and less energetic (she’d usually be rolling around and kicking most of the day and night up until that point). The staff were incredibly reassuring and agreed that I’d been right to trust myself to get a checkup; after three hours of monitoring and some strong kicks, the team were very confident all was fine. They did say to keep an eye on things and if movements remained slow they would suggest an induction by Monday. At this point I was offered a stretch and sweep, and, as I had previously decided this was an induction method I felt comfortable with, I accepted. I was delighted to find I was already 1cm dilated and had lost my mucus plug (we had suspected as much about three nights before but I wasn’t certain as it had happened in the middle of the night and I’d flushed it down the loo!).

The next day after a big walk with the dogs, at around 1:30pm I started noticing some “tightenings” (that’s what I was calling it!) that were coming often but infrequently. I was on the exercise ball often that afternoon and at one point used the Freya app to start timing, but contractions were very infrequent - sometimes every five minutes then nothing for twenty minutes. I was uncomfortable but eventually went to bed around 11pm. I woke with a start and jumped out of bed at 1:30am, raced to the loo, making it just in time as my waters had broken! I was so excited and my husband had raced in after me knowing something was up. We were both excited and nervous, but practiced our calm breathing and got straight into “game face” mode. I jumped in the shower while he called the hospital to let them know what was happening. As soon as I was off the loo however, the contractions kicked in hard. I had regular contractions pretty much straight away, and they were intense! The hospital said to labour as long as we could at home, but I told my husband to pack the car immediately as I knew it wouldn’t be long.

By 3am I’d vomited twice and changed clothes twice as my waters kept leaking through everything! The contractions were now 3-4 minutes apart and getting very powerful. My Freya app told me I was in Active Labour and I knew it too! We decided to go to the hospital and thankfully the car ride was okay - but from parking to getting into the ward I had five huge contractions, which was great as they were happy to admit me straight away. I agreed to be examined and was 3cm dilated, and taken to a birthing suite. While I’d wanted a water birth, once we found ourselves in the room I just wanted the hot shower on me. My husband set up the candles and room spray, and I was in the shower with just my swimmers on and finding my rhythm.

“She broached the subject of a caesarean and strangely, I felt incredibly calm about it. Our birth preferences had been natural and in water, but I knew that at this moment the most important thing was to bring her safely into the world. ”

— Roxanne

Category 1 unplanned c-section

By 4:30am I asked to use gas and air, but only on the lightest setting. The midwife left us to it and came in every now and then to check baby’s heart rate with a portable Doppler. This time was just magic: I used my breathing and my husband said all the magical affirmations. He’d learnt them all and was my coach and my guide through it all. We watched the sunrise over the city in the background, and despite the pain, I felt like I was strangely in control. At around 5:30am the midwife asked to check me as baby’s heartbeat had become quite high, and she was worried I was overheating in the shower. I’d also had some bleeding and the pain had moved to a serious ache both at the front of my stomach and also to my bum: it felt like immense pressure and as though every contraction my insides were expanding. Indescribable really!

The midwife got me into the bed, checked me over and told me I was fully dilated! I was ecstatic, but she advised there needed to be some more checks as baby was getting a little distressed. At this stage the wonderful Obstetrician came in and made some practical suggestions: would we accept a transducer to better monitor the baby’s heart rate in the final stages. She broached the subject of a caesarean and strangely, I felt incredibly calm about it. Our birth preferences had been natural and in water, but I knew that at this moment the most important thing was to bring her safely into the world.

My husband told me later on that by this point I’d lost quite a lot of blood, and that things were getting quite intense, however I genuinely don’t remember this! I was cracking some jokes (they tried a few times to find a vein as I’d lost a lot of fluid and they were worried I was dehydrated) and remember feeling good between contractions. They also inserted a cannula and by this stage the doctor had called in additional nurses and they were monitoring babies heart rate intently. I was still taking gas and air for contractions, which were coming fast and feeling awful on the bed. At around 6:15am the doctor spoke to me and said she was really concerned and recommended a Category 1 caesarean. This was the highest level of emergency and meant my husband would be left behind, and I would be going under general anaesthesia. I looked to my husband and we both immediately agreed as I felt there was something that needed to happen to get this baby out ASAP.

The team were amazing and while it was challenging being wheeled out into a new room and not having my support person there, the safety of Bub was too important! I woke at 8:30am in a recovery room and was told baby Florence was born at 7:02am. She was with her dad in NICU receiving the colostrum and snuggling. I made my way to meet my family at 10am, and being reunited was the most magical, surreal moment ever.

Later on we found out a placental abruption had occurred during labour (basically my placenta had fully detached from the wall of my uterus), hence the blood and Florence’s elevated heartbeat. Thanks to the amazing quick response by the doctor and team, they were able to check both placenta and umbilical cord and there was still oxygen to both - no issues or damage at all for our gorgeous baby!

While it wasn’t the birth preference we’d had, I felt as in control as you can be with something like this - my husband was an amazing birth partner and watching the online hypnobirthing classes and using the Freya app were invaluable to us! We’re settled as a family of three and so so happy and loved up with our little Florence.

All the best for your journey and I know you will have an amazing, empowering experience.

Trust the professionals around you, and most importantly, trust your own mumma instinct! x