Trigger Warning: This birth story contains details of birth after birth trauma, caesarean, placenta complications. If you are triggered by these topics you may wish to skip this blog or read it once you have support available. If you are seeking support for your birth trauma, you may wish to contact our Peer Support Service.
My name is Melissa. I would love to share my positive second birth story after a traumatic first birth.
For my first birth, the actual birth itself went, as my midwife called it, a “textbook” delivery. I got to 9cm at home got to the birthing unit where I had wanted to birth just in time to start pushing. She was born about an hour of me getting there. No help needed, no tears, scratches, no pain relief nothing.
We had cuddles for a good half an hour my husband cut the cord as I could feel it was time to push the placenta.
It turned to custard from there.
My placenta never detached from my uterus and my uterus folded over the placenta and I pushed them both out. OUCH!
My daughter was taken off me and handed to my husband. The emergency button was pressed and I started losing a lot of blood. I was then raced up in an ambulance to our nearest major hospital an hour away to have everything put back in. I also suffered a bowel and bladder prolapse about 6-8 weeks later.
It took me 2 years to even consider a 2nd child.
When I did fall pregnant with my son, my husband and I spoke to so many medical professionals to get their advice on how to birth this time around. I spoke to so many friends who had caesareans. I went to a councillor as well as I had so much anxiety the entire pregnancy.
We finally came to the decision of a planned c-section. When we booked a date in with the surgeon the relief that came over me was incredible I knew then in my mind and body this was the right decision for me and my body.
The day arrived and my poor husband was a bag of nerves at the hospital until the baby was born. During the c-section both my anaesthetist and surgeon were telling dad jokes. It was the calmest delivery. There was no pain and lots of laughs. My beautiful son was born healthy and happy. I’ve always told people he was my healing baby. The recovery was certainly a lot longer than a normal vaginal delivery but so so worth it.
That is my story
Melissa xxx
If you, or someone you know is struggling with the idea of giving birth after birth trauma, we have peer mentors available who have given birth vaginally or via caesarean for their second baby and can support you on this journey. Learn more about our P2P Support Service here.
