Hannah and Finlay’s Birth Story

From The Mat To Motherhood:

A Planned Caesarean Birth for a Breech Baby: “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Hi, I’m Hannah. I’m a first-time mum to a little boy who’s now 16 months old.

My pregnancy journey became more eventful near the end, when it became clear that he was breech. I had some decisions to make. As a doctor who has worked in obstetrics and gynaecology, I’d never actually seen a successful ‘turn’ so I decided I didn’t want to try one. I felt that if he was breech, he was that way for a reason, and I didn’t want to interfere.

I did try a few things myself, pregnancy yoga classes, lots of inversions but nothing worked. And in my opinion, that confirmed that he was exactly where he needed to be. So I decided to go ahead with a caesarean section.

Originally I had been preparing for a vaginal birth through pregnancy yoga, and that’s what I felt ready for. But once I got my head around the idea that a planned C-section could still be a really lovely, calm, positive experience, I focused my mind on preparing for that instead.

And honestly, it really was a lovely birth.

One of the things I appreciated most was being able to plan everything. I knew the date of my section three weeks in advance. I had time to prepare to take leave from work, and my partner and family could prepare too.

The Birth Day

My section was scheduled for the afternoon. That meant we woke up knowing we were having a baby that day which was completely bizarre, but also really special. We had a slow, quiet morning at home, trying to enjoy the last few hours of life before becoming parents.

When we arrived at the hospital, the staff were lovely and very informative. I was really clear about what I wanted: delayed cord clamping, immediate skin-to-skin contact, and to breastfeed as soon as possible if everything was okay. I also asked to be able to see the birth I’d heard of the screen being lowered, and I wanted that experience.

Watching him being born was amazing. I still think about it now.

My husband was right beside me, holding my hand. Once our baby was born, my husband followed him to be washed and weighed while I was stitched up. I could still see what was happening, which made me feel calm and connected.

As soon as they had checked him over, they brought him straight back to me. We breastfed while I was still on the table being stitched, literally within minutes, which was exactly what I’d hoped for.

There’s honestly nothing I would change.

How Yoga Helped

I had a little wobble before going into theatre, just nerves, really, but the breathing techniques I’d learned in yoga helped so much. Even having the spinal anaesthetic, which I’d been nervous about, was nowhere near as painful as I’d imagined because I focused on my breathing.

I also think yoga made a huge difference in my recovery. C-sections are major abdominal surgery, and the recovery can be more painful than a vaginal birth. But knowing how to move my body well, and everything I had learned physically in yoga, made such a difference.

The day after the birth I was already walking. By day three, I was walking into town. That helped my mental and physical health massively.

The breathing techniques also helped with pain post-op, especially when my stomach felt uncomfortable or if I’d moved too quickly.

Pelvic Floor After a C-Section

People sometimes think that if you have a C-section, you don’t have pelvic floor issues but you absolutely can. Pregnancy and the weight of the baby impact the pelvic floor regardless of the type of birth. In fact, C-section patients can often have a tight pelvic floor, leading to difficulty relaxing, constipation, and problems passing urine.

I really believe that my yoga practice throughout pregnancy helped me avoid those problems, and also meant I knew what to do if they came up.

Breastfeeding After a C-Section

I was very happy that I could breastfeed. People often worry that C-sections make breastfeeding harder, but I didn’t have any issues at all. The midwives and nurses in theatre were incredibly supportive. I’m still breastfeeding now at 15 months.

Looking Ahead

I sometimes wonder what a vaginal birth would be like. If I’m lucky enough to have another baby, I might have the chance to experience that, because after a C-section you can still plan for a vaginal birth next time if everything is safe.

But I’m really happy with how my birth went. Being prepared for all options, and planning different scenarios, really helped me have a calm, positive experience. I wouldn’t change a thing.