When I first found out I was expecting my first child I was overjoyed. I jumped into researching and searching for the perfect midwife. I was so excited to have a natural drug free childbirth experience, my team green little one had other plans. At my 20 week appointment, I found out my placenta was anterior and very low also the baby was breech but there was lots of time for that to change. This did mean we would have another ultrasound in a few weeks to check the placenta. I did a ton a research and most placenta move up no issues so I tried to not worry and a breech baby this early on was not a concern. Every appointment with my midwife we checked and the baby was still breech. At 28 weeks I went and the placenta had moved up enough they felt like they could clear me for a vaginal birth but baby was still breech. As time went on I began to research ways to flip a breech baby for a vaginal birth as no one delivered breech babies near me. I began doing the exercises on Spinning Babies daily. I searched for a chiropractor certified in the Webster technique as it was shown to have good success at flipping breech babies. I also found that acupuncture and the use of moxa had good rates of flipping breech babies so I found someone and tried acupuncture for the first time in my life. I scheduled an external cephalic version (ECV) to take place at 36 weeks as that gives it the best shot of working with enough fluids surrounding baby it makes manually flipping easier.My doula did our first home visit we went over some things about going into labor and when to call her. We also asked her to come with us to the appointment for the ECV. At 36 weeks we went in for the ECV I was checked in to the hospital given a hospital gown reminded that it was possible that it could send me into labor or result in an emergency cesarean if the placenta ruptured or baby went into distress. I wanted to proceed as I felt if I did not try everything that I would be upset with myself for giving up. The doctor came in did the third ultrasound of the morning he said he could try but it was unlikely to work and would likely result in a baby that day. So my husband, my doula and I discussed it and decided to let baby cook more. So due to an anterior placenta and engaged butt-down baby, it was not a good idea so the ECV was a failed attempt. I left feeling so sad and worried about having a cesarean and how far that was from the birth I had envisioned. I did not lose all hope and continued trying everything to flip that baby I was doing hand stands in the pool and at the chiropractor multiple times a week. I also began making my new birth plan in case the baby did not flip. I came across this from Mama Natural about a gentle cesarean. I found an NPR article about gentle a cesarean this began to make me feel a bit better about the possibility of having a cesarean. Mother Love had a great article about making a birth plan for a family centered cesarean.
Family Centered Gentle Cesarean
When c-sections become necessary, especially when pre-planned, there are some factors that your family can discuss with your midwife or doctors and your birth team to try to create a more gentle environment.
If circumstances allow.
Things like:
* Dropping the drape or using a clear drape so that you the mom can actually witness the birth of your baby (Do’t worry you won’t be able to see the incision because of its placement)
* Immediate skin-to-skin once baby is born and while you are repaired if possible. If not, dad can have the skin to skin with baby while you are being repaired
* Fostering of the early nursing relationship by having baby on your chest during the rest of the procedure so baby can start to nurse if he/she desires just as they could in a vaginal birth
* Using a specially cultured gauze to swab the baby and expose him/her to your natural floura (beneficial bacteria) This is called seeding and should NOT be done if the mothers has any infections or STDs.
* Letting the dad cut the cord if circumstances allow * Letting the cord continue pulsing after birth if possible. * Keeping mom, dad and baby together in the recovery unit to let nursing and bonding happen
* Allowing for an extra person (doula, grandparent, etc) to be there to photograph the birth so that you and dad can both interact right away and be present for the birth
* Have music of choice playing if possible
* Having all IVs, straps, etc on the non-dominant arm so that you can touch and hold baby once he or she is born
* Performing all newborn tests on your chest if possible
* Ensuring that all medications are approved for breastfeeding, if possible
Of course the health of mom and baby are the most important and if there is an actual medical reason for not allowing then that takes precedence.
This became my birth plan as my baby did not flip and I allowed my midwife to schedule my cesarean with her favorite OB at the hospital and we let our doula know so she could be there with us and support us in this new way. We had the date set the 4th of December 2015 a Friday this allowed us to make a plan for the next week of things we wanted to finish up before brining our baby earth-side and becoming a family of three. I had meal prepping and last-minute photo ideas I wanted to take in my last day’s of pregnancy. My husband planned to work Monday and then take the rest of the week off to complete our to do list. On Monday November 30th 2015 around four O’Clock in the afternoon our midwife called and said our cesarean had been rescheduled for tomorrow and we needed to her there at Seven I the morning. I was shocked it was not the plan we were having a baby on Friday not Tuesday. I called my husband as soon as I got off the phone to let him know we were having a baby tomorrow on Tuesday not on Friday. That was the closest I got to being in labor was the mental feeling of going from knowing when I was having a baby to it all changing in an instance. I stayed up way too late that night I was so very anxious and nervous for the next day and my clock had run out of time for baby to flip. Before I was in the window of no food or drink
I had a big yummy dinner and a glass of wine per my midwife’s request. I had my husband take a last few pictures of me pregnant to include one in front of our Christmas tree we had put up early since we would have a newborn that year. My husband finally was like I am going to bed we have to get up early I stayed up a bit later I went to bed around two in the morning for the last time as a pregnant mother. We woke up early put the many bags we had over packed into the car and headed to the hospital to check in. I made a play list for the OR on the drive over, one I ended up not getting to listen to as the anesthesiologist who is in charge of the OR said no music as he is not a fan. We got there and checked in they checked the baby was still breech. We met the OB doctor that would be performing the surgery we went over our new birth plan and made sure that our midwife would be there with us and once in recovery that our doula could be with us again. She told me the long list of things that could go wrong and said at the end if I tell you that you are good none of them happened, which the case most of the time. Our surgery was bumped a few times as there were a few unscheduled cesarean sections that needed to take place. I was getting more and more anxious and hungry so very hungry. The anesthesiologist lacked bedside manner and common human emotions, he came in and introduced himself and was short and rude told me no to my request for music and left. I was still unsure of how the spinal would feel and what it would be like to have a cesarean. I had of course read up on its and done a ton of research but I wanted to hear once more what it would be like to mentally prepare myself and help with my anxieties. I was lucky and though she had never shared it with us my doula had herself had a cesarean herself so she explained what it would be like, she said the spinal feels like a bee sting then they lay you back down and you can not feel from your chest down which makes it feel like you can not breathe but remind yourself you can breath you are ok and you are about to meet your baby. Those words were so very helpful when the time came and it was exactly how it felt. All that part happens before they allowed my husband in the room also luckily I had my midwife and one of the nurses was a friend of mines friend so she was a familiar face in a room full of new people. My husband came in and sat next to my head. It took what seemed like an eternity of them pulling and tugging to get our baby out they lowered the drape and I saw that sweet little baby for the first time and all the anxieties and worries melted away. My husband got to announce to the room the baby’s sex, the baby is a boy he told the room then walked over where they quickly checked out our son, he held daddies finger while they measured him. They then brought him over and set him on my chest where he remained until they finished up the surgery. The OB looked at me and said it all went as planned no need to worry about any of those things and that my incision looked great and I would be a great candidate for a VBAC for my next baby like I wanted. I was wheeled into recovery and while they were moving me they had to unplug the leg compression cuffs and them not compressing my legs made me feel like I did not have legs as I could not feel them. I asked the nurse to please plug them back in so I had legs again and could focus on my baby. My lovely doula came in and helped get baby and I off to a good start nursing asked me how I was doing mentally with it all. I said was overjoyed to have my baby here with me and for now nothing else mattered. My doula left and took my placenta along with her in the “doggy bag” to encapsulate. December 1, 2015 was an amazing day we welcomed our son earth-side and life changed forever. I really wish I had gone to bed earlier and gotten a good nights sleep because now two years later and I am still lacking in the sleep. One other thing looking back I wish I had just enjoyed the last bit of my pregnancy and not continued fighting to flip my baby that was not going to flip. Ultimately baby knows best he was breech for a reason and nothing was going to change that.
Beautiful Mess Mama 