Jackie Heffer-Cooke, Norfolk childbirth educator and teacher of The Birthing Tool Kit and YogaBumps pregnancy yoga, gives you – 10 ways to enjoy a caesarean!
Teaching around 60 local Norfolk pregnant women a week ‘YogaBumps’ pregnancy yoga and ‘The Birthing Tool Kit’ at ‘The Orange Grove Clinic’, I come across women for whom, for one reason or another, giving birth naturally is not an option. Sometimes they are quite excited about the baby exiting through the sun roof J and why not! But sometimes they are disappointed as they feel any control or even ‘fun’ is taken out of the birth. I get this.
My first baby Megan, born nearly 11 years ago now, was breach. I remember feeling sad that (from the advice I was getting) a natural birth experience was now no longer an option. And although I was scared of giving birth (that was before I learnt any birthing tools…) I wanted Meg’s birth to be an experience, a day to remember. Not a day about an operation and a hospital stay. Plus I felt saddened that I would be separated from my partner on our first night as a three.
Whilst I was considering if I had any options, such as a manual turn, or some moxibustion, Meg decided she didn’t want to wait for me to make up my mind, and she sprang into action at 36 weeks, deciding to surprise all of us and come early. (She is still full of beans and happy to surprise!)
The birth was odd. Mostly because as soon as I entered the hospital I was being prepped for an operation, rather than full labour and birth. And this labour therefore felt like an ‘unlabour’. I had to wait in my operation gown, in ‘unlabour labour’, for four hours in a hospital room, and was then wheeled down into theatre whilst puffing and panting, feeling terrified of what was to come and a lonely night without my James to support, on this, one of the biggest nights of my life.
I was sad.
Next time around, four years later, I went for the VBAC, vaginal birth after caesarean (sexy title) but this time I was fully prepared with HypnoBirthing, active birth moves, and a hospital bag full of preparation… just in case… (this is why I now teach The Birthing Tool Kit – it works!)
I had an amazing birth with Sam. I rode my birth good. I breathed into my belly, I made some amazing sounds, and loved every ounce of empowering moment of it. Then, near the end, I started bleeding. So much so the obstetrician decided it was too big a gamble and whisked me off for another caesarean. And that was that. However, this time around I didn’t care as I had 10 hours of an amazing birth experience, and, unlike the first time, I felt I had done brilliantly – I just needed some help to make us both safe at the end.
Also I was prepared!
So here are my own personal top tips to making your caesarean more doable. Whether or not it is planned or unplanned.
Also, you should be aware that you can discuss the possibility of a natural caesarean, a calmer way to have a caesarean where a small incision is made, the baby’s head is helped out by the surgeon, and the baby moves out all on its own (sometimes taking up to around 4 minutes). Research says the birth is calmer for you and the baby and you get to have skin to skin and leave the cord until the pulsation has ceased. If it had of been available this would have been a good option, although of course not available in an emergency situation.
Ultimately, be proud you birthed you baby, however it came. If you needed some help, it doesn’t matter, just as long as the two of you are safe. Just put some love into the prep, and you will have an experience to remember. Enjoy!
Back to 10 ways to enjoy a caesarean!