My emergency c-section birth felt positive

“After 36 exhausting hours of labor it was looking less and less likely I’d have the natural birth I’d hoped for. Dilation was very slow, and the staff were getting concerned about the baby. When they told me, they were taking me to theatre for an emergency c-section I felt disappointed. But I knew it was the safest decision for both of us. The operation itself was fine – I didn’t feel a thing. But when Harrison came out, they took him straight to the resuscitaire to check him over and it was the longest five minutes of my life! When they handed him to me, he was fine, thank goodness, but he was making a bit of a grunting noise because I’d labored for so long, so he needed to have some antibiotics to help his breathing. As I held him in my arms, We gazed at his tiny, perfect face and we both fell so overwhelmingly in love! Suddenly it didn’t matter that I hadn’t had the natural birth I’d wanted. The whole experience felt really positive. I was exhausted, but I healed well after the section and felt so safe and looked after throughout. We were just happy to have a healthy baby at the end of it – that was all that mattered to us.”

Caesarian-section tips, from Parenting Club midwife Emma Mills

• If you’re interested in having a planned c-section birth, make sure you discuss with your midwifery team in good time so that all options can be explored

• During the post-caesarean recovery period, sipping peppermint tea can help ease the discomfort of trapped wind, which many mums experience because the bowel often slows down after abdominal surgery.

• Remember to pack some bendy straws in your hospital bag (look for eco-friendly ones!). It can be difficult to move around and sit fully upright after a caesarean, so bendy straws are your friend, for keeping you hydrated.