A Category 1 Cesarean Section – Frans Story
(6 minute read)
A Category 1 Cesarean Section – Frans Story
Trigger warning: traumatic birth with a positive outcome. Understanding interventions – their pros and their cons can help you to have a positive birth and make informed choices. Please do contact our free pregnancy helpline if you’re worried and would like reassurance.
I first started having twinges about 10am, on and off until around 5pm when I decided to go in the shower and suddenly they intensified to the point where I couldn’t stand. I went to hospital with bleeding which thankfully turned out to be a bloody show, but because of going in with bleeding I’d had monitors strapped on to keep checking my baby’s heartbeat.
I was 4cm dilated when I was first examined and after my epidural I was around 6cm so progressing nicely. The midwife broke my waters to check there was no blood in there (which thankfully there wasn’t) and that’s when everything went a bit wrong!
My baby’s heartbeat slowed so my midwife pressed a button and another midwife came in. My midwife was feeling around to see if the cord was wrapped around my baby’s neck, she put a doppler on his head and before I knew it the room completely filled with people. I was asked to lie on my left side, then my right and when it wasn’t making any difference, I heard the Doctor say that we needed to go to the operating theatre as category 1. I had no idea what that meant and I was then taken into the operating theatre and put under general anaesthetic.
My son was born at 12:37am and I came round about an hour later. Thankfully he was fine, my husband said he heard him cry within minutes of me being taken into theatre. I just remember coming round and my husband saying “Max is here” and I just cried feeling awful that I hadn’t seen my son be born or get that first hour with him. We had a birth debrief a couple of months later and found out the last time Max’s heartbeat was checked was 12:30 and he was born 7 minutes later so it all happened pretty fast!
My poor husband had to stand by and watch in the delivery suite whilst everyone worked to make sure Max was fine and we didn’t even get to say bye when I was taken into theatre. It was pretty traumatic for us both and took me a long time to accept what happened.
The staff at the hospital were incredible and did everything to make sure Max and I were fine. I went into labour with a very loose plan which I’m glad about as I think if I’d have I’d have been more disappointed with my birth. It might not have been the birth I imagined but it’s my story and I’m proud of my scar ☺️
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