Serena’s Birth Story: Charli and Alfie
From The Mat To Motherhood:
Twin boys with an emergency C-section and a NICU stay.
I had an emergency C-section, although it was originally booked as an elective. A C-section was something I had decided on long before I was even pregnant, I always had this feeling in my stomach that it was how I would give birth. Because of that, I was at peace with the plan.
What made it become an emergency in the end was pre-eclampsia, something I didn’t find out about until the boys were almost a year old. At the time, all I was told was that there was concern.
Leading Up to Birth
The day before my C-section, I went into hospital for what was supposed to be my final scan. I’d had at least 37 scans throughout pregnancy, and this was meant to be the last one, just one week before my booked elective date.
But when they checked my urine and blood pressure, they weren’t comfortable letting me leave. I was told I would be delivering the next day.
I cried into my consultant’s arms, saying, “But I’m not ready.”
She hugged me tightly and said, “You will never feel ready, but you will be amazing.”
I’ve held onto those words.
Moments That Stand Out
We found out I was pregnant very early on after meeting my partner, but both of us knew we wanted children, something about this relationship just felt different. When we discovered we were having twins, it felt like the universe had handed us something incredible. We already knew it was happening, it just felt meant to be.
I wasn’t able to attend yoga or any antenatal classes for most of pregnancy. Being self-employed and the breadwinner meant I had to keep working two jobs. I didn’t finish my evening job until around 30 weeks, which only left me four weeks where I could go to classes. I made it to a few, four, maybe five, and the final class was actually the day I was told I needed to stay overnight and give birth the next day.
Afterwards
How I felt afterwards? Every emotion. I think “the full rainbow” is the best way to describe it. I’ve felt the highest of highs, the lowest of lows, and everything in between.
I’m currently on Sertraline and have had counselling. But I am so unbelievably grateful for my two amazing little boys, who made me a mummy.
And I’m grateful beyond words for the support I had from Katie, from the start and all the way through. Experiencing hyperemesis was incredibly difficult, and having someone who could hold space for me through that, especially another mother running her own business, meant everything. It’s been so calming to share this journey with someone who understands that things don’t always go to plan, things aren’t always textbook, and that we can walk that together.
