A Family Oriented Cesarean Birth
Mine was scheduled due to my darling daughter being ‘complete breech’ since 28 weeks. We did EVERYTHING to turn her and even found a doctor/midwife team in North County San Diego who would deliver vaginally at the last minute. But we then decided it was best for me and baby girl to stick with the care I had had since the beginning of my pregnancy (I trusted and liked the care I had gotten from UCSD medical health center) and surrender to protocol, which was so difficult for me to do.
This was my first baby and I felt so anxious, scared, vulnerable, angry etc., as I had prepared for and wanted a natural birth, damn it! For having a wonderful and completely normal pregnancy, (I still believe breech is a variation of normal) my 3rd trimester was full of angst and stress.
The doctors wanted me to schedule between 38-39 weeks but I decided to schedule on her due date, which had never changed throughout the pregnancy. On the 9th of Aug., I went in for a check-up and to do the stress tests and I was contracting pretty strongly and regularly on the monitor (even though I only felt minor back cramping). After being checked by my midwife, I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced!! This made me so happy because I had wanted natural labor to onset before the surgery.
Before bed I journaled and chanted a bit and actually slept quite well. I woke up to watch the sunrise on my baby’s birth day, and do a short yoga practice, then fell back asleep until 8am. I still had minor cramping, but nothing major. We arrived at the hospital at 9am and met the team of nurses and doctors, who were all very sweet and accommodating to my birth plan (and young and mostly still in training because this is a learning hospital). My birth plan had been reviewed beforehand and most of it was honored.
I had to remove my birthing necklace for the surgery, but had it on before and after. The IV was easy (I’m terrified of needles and most medical procedures), met my doula, and then grandma and grandpa arrived. My surgery was postponed for about an hour due to a woman needing an epidural.
Just as I thought I couldn’t take the anticipation any longer, I was finally rolled into the OR for the spinal tap, which I barely felt! (yaah!!) Then my husband-to-be, Jonathan, and the doula, Darci, were allowed in. There were probably 12-14 people in the room total.
Everyone had introduced themselves, and a couple students had asked permission to be there for observation and other research reasons. Jonathan was so secure and supportive and his strength was my pillar. He was all over the OR with our video camera, DJ’d my i-pod, and held my hand throughout. At one point a Christmas song came on and we all started laughing that it was Christmas in August. Darci was great, reminding me to breath, brushing my hair, and putting cold compresses on me because I got really hot at one point (she never got to use the essential oils she had).
Within about 15 minutes of surgery starting, Ella Marie Charlotte was born at 13:18, 7 lbs 2oz, 20”, and Jonathan recorded the whole thing! As she was being born ‘Blessed Always’ by Donna DeLory was playing on the iPod, and it was absolutely divine. As my plan requested, they immediately lifted her over the screen and I kissed her beloved face/lips! Bliss!! Jonathan stayed with the baby while they cleaned her up and Darci stayed with me while they closed me up, which took awhile. Jonathan got to cut the cord a 2nd time, (they wouldn’t let the cord pulse) and the nurse brought me the placenta and cord to look at as requested.
She showed me the sack and all, as I was very intrigued by what sustained my daughter her first 40 weeks of life. They gave Ella the Vitamin K shot and that was it. They didn’t even have to suction her as she started crying on her own. After that, Ella was brought over and laid on my upper chest for me to see her and revel in her beauty (ahhh those lips!) and we took pictures.
They wheeled me back to the recovery room with Ella in my arms and the nurses helped me to breast feed right away. She never left my side the whole stay in the hospital and my milk came in before I left. The catheter was removed the next day and the staples were removed before I left on the 3rd day, both of which were painless (I was also very terrified of both)!! I was walking around by the 2nd day.
My recovery was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. The nurses were amazing, giving me so many tips on breastfeeding and newborn care in general. My little, Olympian, Ella had gained weight by the time we left the hospital and breastfeeding was going great! The nurses said she was the calmest newborn they’d seen in a long time.
I still wish doctors were trained to deliver breech vaginally because I think I could have done it. But I have no regrets: my birthing experience was sacred and wonderful and brilliantly surrounded by so much love and support. My pregnancy, with its breech challenges, was an absolute gift.
