Natalie and Paul’s Positive Unplanned C-section.
I recently received an email from Natalie and Paul announcing the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Sofia. The early days with your baby are so busy and incredibly special, but, Natalie has kindly taken time out to write her birth story for us all to enjoy. I know this story will help so many. If you have found her birth story helpful please do let her know in the comments.
I am really pleased Natalie and Paul prepared properly for their birth. When plans change it can be worrying, especially if you don’t know what lies ahead. It also helped that the maternity staff were amazing. Using a green hat, such a simple yet brilliant idea. One that helped Natalie and Paul achieve a very special birth.
x Enjoy x
‘Hi Emily,
Hope you are well and had a good Christmas! Just wanted to let you know that myself and Paul had a baby girl on 5th December at 11.34am – Sofia Alexandra, weighing 7lbs 5 oz. Sorry it’s taken so long for us to let you know, I don’t know where the days go now we have Sofia!
The birth wasn’t as planned but Sofia arrived safely which was all that mattered to us. Had hoped for a water birth at the birth centre but I ended up having a C-section at the Higher risk Maternity unit! I had a sweep at 40 weeks and 4 days and my midwife also sent me for a scan that day as thought baby was measuring small. At the scan they thought baby was measuring too large and also that she was breech. The consultant recommended C-section but the Hospital was fully booked that week for C-sections. They had to fit me in as semi-urgent a few days later alongside the electives that were already planned.
On the day of the C-section, the spinal block didn’t work on me (only my right bum cheek went numb, lol!) so they had to put me to sleep in the end for the op. This meant Paul couldn’t stay in theatre with me, however, all of the staff were amazing and put me at ease before going under. As we didn’t know the gender of our baby and couldn’t be there when she entered the world, they set up a gender reveal for us – put her in a mint hat and popped a nappy on her when they took her into Paul so he wouldn’t know the gender. When I came round from the anaesthetic Paul brought her into the theatre to me and took the nappy off for us both to find out that we had a baby girl! 🙂 I was so pleased they did this for us, made it even more special.
The midwives and other staff at the Hospital were brilliant overnight and helped me and Sofia with the breastfeeding. We left hospital the next day with Sofia being able to latch on and I’ve been breastfeeding ever since. We both had our 6 week check today and all going well.
We’re totally smitten with Sofia and love being parents! Thank you so much for all the knowledge and tips you shared with us at Talking Babies. It really has helped us – from the role play of what to expect in an operating theatre (there were so many people present on the day of the C-section but it didn’t phase us as you’d prepared us!) to advice on feeding, and most of all keeping calm and supporting each other.
I’m in touch with the rest of our Talking Babies group and us mums and babies are all meeting next week. A great support.
Natalie and Paul x’
If you too would like to prepare properly for your birth like Natalie and Paul please join us on one of our 5 * Midwife Led Antenatal or Hypnobirthing Courses.
Here are some more real birth stories, written by mums for mums-to-be:
- Daisy’s Positive Quick Birth With Epidural
- Emily’s Positive Due Date Birth
- Becca and Bo’s Positive Water Birth