My c-section birth story

It has taken me a while to get round to doing this!!

We had been trying for almost 6 years to get pregnant and after many surgeries and diagnoses of blocked tubes, endometriosis and one miscarriage, with the help of IVF, we fell pregnant with our much wanted little baby.:D
I had the best pregnancy - didn’t have much to complain about, although was sick as a dog until 25 weeks, then again at 32 weeks but that was ok, it was reassurance that things were going well and I had a strong little one in there.

When I started showing, I noticed that my bump was sitting “funny”. I’d said it all along, and felt kicks in unusual places. I went on the spinning babies website to try and map where bubby was lying but found it impossible.

Anyway, I had my 38 week antenatal appointment at 38w3d and all was well. Bubby was not head down but my Dr said that was nothing to worry about and she’d make her way when she was ready. At 38w4d I started getting painful back contractions which lasted 12 hours. I rang the hospital to get advice and explained that I was having these contractions but at my appointment the day before bubby wasn’t head down. They talked me through what was happening and told me to just stay at home and see what happened. The contractions stopped at 3am the next morning, so it came to nothing. (thank goodness!! - that could have been really bad for reasons which are explained later!!!!)

At my next antenatal appointment (I was 39w3d), DH got finished from work early that day (it was the thursday before the easter long weekend) so he came to the appointment with me - he hadn’t been to ANY before!! I got a different midwife than I had usually seen and she had a feel of my tummy and again decided that bubby wasn’t head down and that actually she couldn’t feel where the head was. She went to get a scanner machine and did a little scan and found that bubby was transverse lie. I told her that I’d been saying that to my Ob for weeks. She rang the Ob and he came through and did the scan again. He also started pushing my belly around (which bloody hurt by the way) and said that yes, bubby was transverse. He gave me two options at that point, an ECV (um, no thanks) or an elective c-section. I chose the c-section because I felt that an ECV would be too painful - it hurt when he was moving my belly around to scan so there was no way an ECV was an option for me. When the Ob was out of the room I asked the midwife what she would do and she told me that ECV’s generally move bubby but then bubby will more than likely go back to the position that she is most comfortable - so basically I’d probably need a c-section anyway. I was fairly happy with this.
So they organised for my c-section to be the wednesday after easter (we went public by the way). And then told me that I’d need to stay in hospital until then (which was 6 full days!!!) because I was at high risk of cord prolapse. Because bubby’s head was no where near the exit, if my waters broke, the cord could come first. Not good!
I asked if I could go and get some things and they wouldn’t let me!! I was escorted to the ward and I had to make a (huge) list of things for DH to go and get for me from home!! It was all so sudden and a bit scary and I spent that evening in tears.

When I got to the ward, the midwife looking after me came and explained how serious transverse lie could be if my waters broke. She told me that if I felt my waters break, I had to get my bottom in the air and push my emergency buzzer. I got even more freaked out.
But they were all very reassuring that I was in the right place. On further examination over the next few days, they found that bubby was VERY transverse and explained that I might need a “T” cut c-section which is basically where they cut across AND up. Because her back was where the main cut would be, there would be nothing for them to grab onto - no feet and no head because she was all tucked up towards my back!! Stubborn little baby! Anyway, I didn’t need that in the end thank goodness!

I guess the good thing about it was that I got to rest the week before bubby came along - and also got to hear her heartbeat every 4 hours when they came around to do my obs!! The midwives were fantastic (give or take a ***** or two) and to be honest, it all turned out ok. But throughout the time there, I started to wonder what would have happened if those contractions I was having the week before had come to something and got upset that I could have had a cord prolapse at home. That could have been sooooo bad. I talked through this with one of the midwives who was fantastic. I considered putting a complaint in about my Ob and regular midwife but thought against it. I guess I’d have been complaining about a “what if”. No point in dwelling.

So the wednesday came around (very slowly) and we were booked in for 1pm. The Ob registrar came around at 11am that morning to do a quick scan to see if bubby was still transverse - but the little bugger had ever so slightly moved head down!! Although, still not enough to try for a natural birth as they still classed her as “unstable”. So at 1.57pm our much loved little baby Evie Jean was born!! 

I found the whole c-section to be rather unpleasant and hated the fact that I couldn’t tend to Evie that night but to be honest, I didn’t care because I had my baby and she is perfect!!:D:D

Thanks for reading!!
Sue xxx

Congratulations on your gorgeous little girl! Mummy instinct is an amazing thing, how frustrating that your OB didn't pick up on your bub's position earlier!

Thanks for sharing your story, I'm glad your DD arrived safe and sound :)

Wow, not the end to the pregnancy you expected, I'm sure!
Thanks for sharing your story - Very glad that she arrived safe and sound in the end :)

thanks for sharing your story, i had a simular situation, i kept saying bubs wasnt in right position, when i was in labour my belly would have two lumps and a gap in the middle when contracting which my mum and ma both said wasnt normal, in the end they scanned me what do you think transverse and he was wedged lol, luckily i didnt have a natural birth and a normal c section he was born by forceps, same as my 2nd son was born with forceps. and they found out through a D&C 3 months later that i could give birth naturally so i was lucky. congrats on your bundle of joy, as long as their healthy doesnt matter if born naturally or by c section as long as their here safe thats what matters xxx

Another case of Mum knows best :) Congrats on the safe arrival of Evie! Thanks of sharing :)

Sounds like you were extremely lucky to finally have someone listen to you...........how scary.

Well done and a belated Congratulations :D