Susan shares her second C-section which occurred only a matter of weeks ago. After her dramatic Emergency C-section on her first little boy this second C-section was, for her, much easier and she was able to make requests to make it a more enjoyable experience:
Baby 1 was an emcs at 33 weeks; he was in theatre beside us for 8 minutes and I got to give him a kiss, that was all. I was in HDU afterwards for 2 days and didn’t see him at all. I got to hold him on day 3. I didn’t feel any baggage or trauma from his birth, I was totally accepting the way it happened saved both our lives so oddly thankful for modern medicine. So this time around, just under 2 years later, aimed for VBAC with supportive consultant, but with my history was well prepared in my head in case it didn’t happen.
Was admitted at 36 weeks, but let home, post a discussion with my consultant that if baby’s growth slowed I wouldn’t make 40, nevermind 40+.
At 38, wheels were sliding rather than falling off, but I wanted to avoid a repeat of Conor’s birth, and we agreed on a likely c/s a day later based on some test outcomes but to be decided on the day. Went through birth preferences and all agreed. Next day came in, met consultant, another review, and agreed that it was best for baby to come out.
I walked into theatre, which in itself was empowering versus being brought in on a bed like last time. Up on the bed, anaesthesist talked me through the spinal, everything very calm and casual, lots of chit-chat, totally relaxed atmosphere. Lay down, slightly tilted to one side, and the op started. Johnny was brought in maybe 5 minutes into the procedure and sat beside my head.
Radio was on (she arrived to Van Morrison Moondance), staff were all chatty and the atmosphere was very jovial and I was so excited. A world apart from the first time.
She was lifted up and out with bits on display so we saw what we had. Quick check by paed beside us and then quick rip of my gown and skin to skin on me for 40 mins. Then moved to skin to skin on dad and he went into recovery with her and I followed a very short time later. Immediately back on me and fed straightaway.
It was a really really healing experience for us both, even though we didn’t know we needed “closure” and I even thanked my consultant for a “lovely time” (might have been the meds!).
My recovery was super straightforward in comparison to first time, up and mobile that night, limited pain, breastfeeding fantastically well. Shes a super baby so far, despite entering the world not at her timing, she’s very placid and very much had a ‘gentle’ birth.
Susan is a busy Dublin mum of two, Conor was born 7 weeks premature in 2013, and Freya arrived in 2015. She survived the magic combination of 2 under 2 for six weeks.
If you missed her first C-section story it is here.