Labour Before Planned C-Section - Positive Birth Story
Many women who are having an elective c-section worry about going into labour before their planned c-section date. This is exactly what happened to this mum, but all was well and calm! She shares her positive birth story with us to reassure any fellow parents who are feeling anxious.
Our birth story began 4 days earlier than we expected! It was a Sunday and we were booked in for a planned c-section on the following Thursday. I busily nested and cooked a family roast excitedly awaiting the arrival of our first baby. On Sunday night I felt achey and had mild cramps but put it down to doing too much in the day when heavily pregnant. We went to bed that night and at 1am I woke up to go to the toilet and then tucked myself back into bed. At 2am I woke up and sighed - “not another trip to the toilet!”, but as I stood up I exclaimed “oh!” and realised my waters had broken.
I calmly went downstairs and grabbed my maternity notes and called the hospital advising them I was booked in for a planned c-section but thought our baby had other ideas. They advised us to come straight in so, slightly panicked, we packed the hospital bags and set off to the hospital. We went straight to the labour ward and a nurse examined me to check it was definitely my waters that had broken. She confirmed it was and shortly after a doctor came to examine me too, to see if my cervix was dilated. They said I would have an ‘emergency c-section’ at some point that day.
Despite now being classed as an ‘emergency’, apart from the anticipation of what was to come, everything still felt very calm. I started to have some contractions which were manageable and as I was monitored we prepared for theatre by signing forms and changing into a gown / scrubs. At 9am the Midwife came to my room and said “It’s time to go!” I couldn’t believe it!
We walked down to the theatre and were greeted by the surgical team and then everything started. I had a whole birth plan and playlist planned out and to be honest this did go out of the window, but it really didn’t matter. I felt supported and safe, and our baby girl arrived within 15 minutes, happy and healthy. We had skin-to-skin almost immediately and she started to feed whilst were were still in theatre.
By 10am we were back in our room with our beautiful baby girl and it all felt like a dream.
Going into labour before our planned date was a shock and there were moments of panic but it was managed so calmly by the team, and in hindsight I am really glad I got to experience a little bit of labour too!
Have you had a positive c-section birth that you’d like to submit to our Positive Birth Stories page to help other parents feel more confident? We’d absolutely love to hear from you!
Please click here for info on how to send us your story (and photos from your birth if you're happy to do so!).