Sorry for the long post. I just wanted to update everyone on the surprise early edition to our little family!

At 35 weeks 4 days, I woke up at 3am with niggling stomach cramps. It felt like Braxton Hicks only a bit stronger and more regular. I tried to ignore it but it wouldn't go away. By 6am I realised that I was gripping the bed-head and focussing on my breathing as each contraction hit... time to take this seriously! So off we all headed off to the hospital, toddler still in her PJs and with no brekkie in her belly.

The only thing they could do at the hospital was just wait and see. If the contractions tapered off then it would be just a false alarm. If they got stronger then obviously it would be the real thing. So I ended up labouring all day. By late afternoon it became apparent that the baby wanted out NOW.

A caesar was hastily arranged for that evening (due to my previous medical complications, another vaginal birth was not advisable). I hadn't yet had a chance to discuss my wishes for a "Maternally Assisted Caesarean" with any of the hospital staff, as the birth was still meant to be more than a month away. Everyone in the operating theatre was on a STEEP learning curve as I explained to them how I hoped things would run. Thankfully they were all really receptive and worked together to improvise a way to make it work.

7.20 pm My "Maternally Assisted Caesar"...
My arms were scrubbed down with a sterilising solution, then a sterile gown was placed on me. The body section was cut off the gown so that I could have skin-to-skin contact with my baby. Then sterile gloves were placed over my hands. (They didn't have any long gloves available in the theatre, thats why they had to improvise the "gown-arms & short-gloves" solution.) There was no screen placed in front of me - I was able to see everything as it happened. The obstetrician made his incisions, and used forceps to deliver the baby's head. She let out her first cry as her face hit the air. Then he told me it was time for me to birth my baby. I brought my hands down and grasped her tiny body. I lifted her out of my belly, out into the world and onto my bare chest. It was AMAZING. No-one else had been able to see whether the baby was a boy or a girl, as I had placed her straight onto my chest. They all kept asking but I kept it my little secret for a few minutes before I told anyone The paediatrician allowed her to stay on my chest for ages while they stitched me up. It was such an amazing, wonderful way to birth my child. I am still buzzing from the experience.

My little girl is now 3 weeks old. She came home from the Special Care Nursery a week ago and is breastfeeding beautifully! Despite giving me a big shock coming so early, everything has turned out wonderfully!

(I have some photos but cant for the life of me work out how to include them in this post... I'll blame that one on sleep deprivation)

P.S.
My baby was born in a private hospital in Geelong, Victoria. I was pleasantly surprised how little resistance I faced when I proposed the idea to my Obs at 25 weeks. A HUGE thankyou to all the women who have gone before me in having a MAC/S. I believe the info you provided was pivotal in convincing my Obs that this was a reasonable request. I would be happy to share more specific details with other women wanting to do something similar if you contact me directly.