Caesarean ~ How did you make it an empowering experience?

[meow]

I know you didn't ask but I just wanted to ask if you've considered a breech birth? You may have looked into it already, but in case you haven't thought it was an option I thought I might raise it for you.

All the best!!!

[Malyna]

I had midwives with me, and as soon as bub was born, his butt was placed against my cheek as they took him off to test him. DH got to cut the cord (they left it on the long side) and then as soon as bub was checked out, he was tucked down my top, resting on my chest.

He stayed in recovery, where a midwife focused on getting him attached to the breast, and he rode back to the room on my chest, where after a long cuddle, he was weighed and measure.


Had a single room, so DH stayed and did the first nappy change and got up to DS in the night.

[*Beema*]

Thankyou everyone for you replies, I really appreciate the time and effort you have all gone into posting, you have really given me a lot to think about and I think I will be doing a birth plan a bit earlier this time, didn't get one done for DD as she arrived before we looked at it but it was only going to be very basic, as will what I do this time as it is likelt to be happenening pretty fast either way.

Some great suggestions mykids, I will be definitely taking note of them and putting some into my birth plan, I would not have thought about half of the things you have written, I know with DD i had a lot of stuff on the floor and down low. Not standing for 24 hours, wow I didn't realise it could be that long, but at least I cen be more prepared for that if it does happen.

Thankyou so much for sharing such a personal experience and one that you are still struggling with surprised You haven't come across as being unsympathetic at all. I haven't got any grandmad undies, got some other "normal one's" that I hadn't got around to buying with DD, but I will grab a pack of the grannie one's to pop in my bag JIC, I've got the soft trackies already

You have really put a positive spin on so many things I was seeing as negative, yet I can make up for them in time if this is the way things go. I just needed to see things from a different perspective and you have really helped with that.

Thankyou so much for that information Arimeh I rang my insurance company yesterday and there are not conditions, all I would need is a verbal ok from my OB, you have really taken one of my fears off my mind and I really appreciate it. Although I haven't experienced and don't fully understand what it was like for you, it is births like yours that has brought this to a forefront as to how I can prepare myself better for it should it happen.

Thankyou so much for that ~*Kat*~, my OB and her MW's are very supportive, but if I don't make it to 36 weeks I won't be delivering with her MW's as I will be in a different hospital as they can take me until I get to 36 weeks, but I will be talking with my OB about it and making things clear in my notes and I hope to bring forward meeting with the backup OB as it isn't until 34 weeks so that she can be up to date with my wishes as well JIC my OB has time off when it all happens, definitely worth getting everyone on the same page early. I am glad this this time you are able to be much more prepared and putting things in place to make it a more positive experience.

Thankyou ~Kim~ for sharing a more positive way to look at the delivery, and that even thought it isn't mine or bubs choice how they arrive and that I can't lay blame or be upset about that.

Thankyou Malyna for sharing those special moments that your experienced with your DS, and the efforts made to BF in recovery, and wonderful that the weighing and measuring was put off to enable lots of skin to skin, DH can stay in the priate hospital but I am not sure about the public one, as when I had DD it was the middle of the night and I sent him home to bed at 2am, there was nothing he could do. But if we get to 36 weeks I know he can stay with my int he private hospital, and home is literally just down the street

Thanks meow, it has definitely crossed my mind to have a breech delivery, but I know my OB won't go for it, and I have been really happy with my care with her and based on the risks I can't afford to step away from the medical environment as such, but if bubs decides to come in a hurry like last time she might just have to deliver breech I have watched a few breech deliveries and read a number of breech birth stories as well which have been really interesting.

Thankyou so much MD for sharing, what a great perspective to take and I really appreciate the view it has given me, which is quite to opposite of what I thought I would see, I hadn't expected to see it as a healing of a traumatic VB experience. And wonderful to hear that is was such a calming and gentle experience for you and your DD, which I see has been one of my fears the CS that I have seen have not come across like that at all (some have freaked me out with how rough it looked) except for the maternal assisted one. Even if some of the things that you have posted may not apply they have certainly opened my eyes to another perspective that I would not have been able to gain without you sharing your experience.

I am not sure if DH would even contemplate looking over the screen, it is something that I would be mroe interested in seeing than he would!!!

Thankyou Vixstar for providing such a positive view for a CS 'babies don't care how they got here, they are just happy to be here', I wish you all the very best for your delivery in September and I hope you are able to make your last birth a postive and empowering experience.

Thankyou so much leesa for the book suggestions, and if you do get them back soon i would definitely been keen for a read. Your other suggestions have been great as well, I hadn't thought of a special box for when I get home, i had only thought about something for her at the hospital.

I am definitely a person who likes to have some sort of control over their future and although I am not afraid to wing it, if I can have some things in place to try and make this as positive as possible I think it will help me accept what ever mode of delivery this baby needs to take to arrive safely.

So much information to absorb and take on board and hopefully I can produce a short and succinct birthplan, that covers the wonderful suggestions above and make sure that everyone is on the same page, and no matter which path or how early or even FT this baby choses to arrive I can be more at peace with what may or may not eventuate

[~mamaspice~]

hey Beema, here is my carsarean Birth plan. Just discard the bits that aren't important to you. You may get some good tips out of it but lets hope young flicker decides to co-operate and do a spin real soon

I'm hoping for a positive, empowering and sensitive Caesarean birth for our second child. Our daughters birth was an Elective Caesarean under a General Anaesthetic (failed epidural). This was a very traumatic experience because of the obvious lack of consciousness during the birth and the lack of immediate contact between me and my baby. We are hoping to welcome our second child into the world in more pleasant circumstances. We therefore ask you to familiarise yourself with what is important to us and we appreciate your support with our birth preferences.

Our Caesarean Birth Plan


I request that my husband Jason and professional birth support person (RN & Student Midwife) [ name inserted] be present to provide support during the birth of our baby.

I would like the screen to be lowered so that I can witness the birth of our baby.

We wish to have digital photographs and footage taken of our baby's first moments, including the birth and meeting his mum and dad etc.

It is very important to me that I meet my baby in his newborn naked state. (ie: as soon as possible after delivery and gooey). I would like my baby to be placed on my chest with warm blankets over both of us. If baby needs to be taken to be checked and suctioned I would like him returned to me for skin-to-skin in theatre as soon as possible. If for some reason I am unable to hold my baby I wish for my husband or student midwife to do so where I can see him.

Please do not discard the placenta. I wish to have it kept so it can be shown and explained to me later. I feel this will help normalise the birth experience. My student midwife can take care of the placenta on my behalf.

If baby and myself are well I would like the opportunity to breastfeed and continue skin-to-skin with baby in recovery. (this is very important to me)


I do not wish weighing and measuring to be done until I have had time to bond with my baby. Please also perform these examinations/procedures in the presence of my husband and/or student midwife where they can be involved and take photographs.

I would prefer baby to have the Vit K injection and any blood sugar levels tested whilst he is having skin-to-skin (and preferably at the breast) in order to minimise any discomfort to him.

I do not want my baby to receive the Hep B vaccination. Instead I will defer this until 8 weeks as I'd like the immunisations he has at birth to be minimal.



PLEASE NOTE:

Should my caesarean end up being under a General Anaesthetic I would like my baby's birth to be photographed and filmed.

I understand that Jason would be asked to leave the theatre but I would like my student midwife to remain in theatre for the birth if possible.

I would like Jason to be introduced to the baby as soon as possible and then remain with the baby at all times.

And I would like my baby bought to me upon waking in recovery for skin-to-skin and breastfeeding.


All other aspects of our birth plan are to remain the same.

[*Beema*]

Thankyou so much for that MamaSpice, I really appreciate it and I will speak with my OB about it tomorrow, because if it ends up being an emergency one hopefully we can still get a few written down and hopefully photos taken etc

[KimB]

Hi Beema, my last birth was a c/s due to pre eclampsia at 36w 3 days. I was petrified of having any sort of needle in my back but luckily I was under the care of a terrific obs (Dr Andrew Bissits - JHH) and he really listened to what was worrying me. I got to speak to the anaethetist (sp?) and told him that he had only 1 go at getting it in and then I wanted a GA lol luckily after the local was put in I couldn't feel anything anyway and he could have taken 20 goes and I wouldn't have felt it but he did it in one go. I had the same midwife with me from the ward to surgery and back to the ward so the continuity of care was wonderful.

During the procedure I had another midwife taking photos for us and later on it was great to look at them and see what they actually did. I told them at one point that I couldn't feel anything now and that they could start and they laughed at me and told me they were already in and just about to get her legs lol. After DD was born, she was wrapped up but then placed on my chest until I was sewn up. DF held her and walked with her into recovery and then she was stripped down and placed skin on skin with me. It was so wonderful and not rushed that even now I tear up remembering about it. DD ended up doing the boob crawl and had her first feed in recovery (lasted about 20 mins) and then she was taken off me to be weighed and measured (3.28kg and 52cm long). After that we were being wheeled back to the ward and DF and one midwife had DD while I was with the same one from the ward and a porter. DD, DF and midwife took the lift first and then when it was coming back to me the lift got stuck and we all thought that everyone else was stuck in the lift lol. I had no trouble bonding with my DD as all concerned were making sure that we had all the same experiences as a VB.

So from going from scared stiff to being a mum again my whole experience was one of being well cared for and that everyone involved was concerned about what I wanted and how I felt. All in all it was a very good experience for me.

If you can get even half of what I was offered (and I wish you all the luck of getting everything) then you should have no bad experiences. Having a CS can be just as rewarding an experience as having a VB ( and I had 4 of those previously lol)

Good luck Beema

[MumtoA]

I just wanted to say that this has been such a good thread for me to read and thanks so much Beema for starting it. Due to the issues i had with the VB of my DD i now need to have a c/s for any more bubbies. While more babies are not on the cards ATM, i have started to think about how i can make a c/s special for me, DH and our next baby. It is great to hear that skin to skin can be achieved when having a c/s and that i will be able to have baby with me immediately following their birth - as long as everything goes well. Good luck with everything Beema and i look forward to seeing the announcement of the arrival of your new little one - not to soon i hope though!!!