A positive planned c section: Rhea’s birth story
My pregnancy was very straightforward and without any major discomfort. I was swimming three times a week before the lockdown and then focused on taking long walks. Unfortunately, Rhea remained in a breech position even after an ECV procedure done at week 36. HPHB helped us prepare for all scenarios for the birth, as we had to change our birth plan from a vaginal birth to a c-section.
A planned c-section was not the preferred birth option for us but thanks to HPHB we knew exactly what to expect on the day and in the theatre, which gave us some certainty and a sense of control. Plus the breathing techniques we learned really helped me to calm down when the epidural kicked in and I was shivering (a common side effect).
When I saw my baby at first, it was a sense of relief that everything with her was ok and we had a baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes :) My partner was with us in the theatre and got to cut her cord and hold her at the beginning, which was very sweet. After that, in the postnatal ward, we cuddled skin-to-skin for hours and this felt very special.
I found the stay in the hospital exhausting because there was always something going on and I could not sleep much. Once we got home, I managed to get some rest and start enjoying the time together more. I was referring to the HPHB manual a lot in the first days for reassurance that everything we saw and experienced was normal, particularly around breastfeeding.
I would absolutely recommend the HPHB course, we got lots of useful information and it was very helpful to have my partner attend the course. We are keeping in touch with the other couples from the course and we sometimes meet for walks and drinks. It is great to have a local community.
Top Tips:
Staying very active during pregnancy helps with the recovery and builds your stamina for the sleepless nights.
Don’t forget to plan and prepare for the first few days with the baby and not just focusing on the pregnancy and birth.
Babies pick up their parents’ mood and react accordingly, therefore try to stay calm.
All baby information and advice can be very overwhelming. Deliberately having some non-baby related activities and conversations helps.
You can read lots more Positive Birth Stories here. We have positive birth stories from all types of births, including homebirths, water births, induction of labour, instrumental deliveries and Caesarean section births.
Download our free birth plan template and other resources for your pregnancy here.
Find out more about our antenatal and hypnobirthing classes in London, Essex and online and book your place here.
Access free hypnobirthing relaxations and videos to support you through your pregnancy on our Instagram TV page here.
Watch our free pregnancy and postnatal exercise classes here.
