'My biggest fear was a c-section but I would choose it again.' Georgie's unplanned c-section birth story
Georgie went into labour on her due date and things progressed well until they realised baby was back-to-back. A change of plan meant she had an emergency c-section for baby Jack's arrival into the world
Georgie, a member of the MadeForMums Top Testers Club community, gave birth to her son at exactly 40 weeks by emergency c-section after discovering he was back-to-back during labour.
A back-to-back position means that the baby is lying head down in the womb with its spine towards the mother's back. Most back-to-back babies will turn so that their spine is facing out towards the bump (the best position to fit through the mother's pelvis) before or during labour. If the baby doesn't turn vaginal delivery is still possible, although in some circumstances a c-section may be required.
This is Georgie's unplanned c-section birth story:
"At 40 weeks pregnant, I went into labour on my due date 22nd July. The contractions were coming but I wasn’t fully aware. In fact, I barely noticed over lunch and my partner Danny and I went for a long walk. I would never have believed that I would go into labour on my due date as it’s quite rare.
"At approximately 9.00pm I was at home watching TV when I noticed some tightening, but it wasn’t painful. I rang Lauren, my best friend, who is a community midwife and she confirmed I was in the early stages of labour. Lauren and I met having moved in opposite each other and both realised we worked in the same hospital as I am a nurse myself.
As soon as we realised what was happening, Danny and I both got a bit overexcited and giddy! Our popcorn went flying and Danny ran down to put champagne in the fridge!
"We walked the dog around the village at 2.00am whilst I was having more frequent, stronger contractions. After having a bath and pacing the garden, Lauren came over and checked how dilated I was. We were guided by Lauren and her expertise and she came and monitored me at our home (she lives opposite us). We didn’t go into the hospital straight away, because the contractions were a gradual build-up. It was also during the covid pandemic so we were trying to keep out of the hospital until it was essential. I was excited but in the mindset of right, my body is taking the lead I have to mentally go with it. Danny was great, calm, eating copious amounts of chorizo and getting ready to drive me in!
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"We drove into the birthing centre at the hospital at around 5.00am. Thankfully Lauren was able to come into the hospital on an extra shift and it was pure luck that I went into labour when she was able to come in – this was authorised by the head of midwifery.
"The birthing pool helped with the pain and at 8cm my waters were broken. I had a couple of rather odd laughing episodes (yes it was the gas and air) plus Danny making me laugh by dropping the gas and air and breaking it! He also kept feeding me jelly baby sweets – I’ve not touched one since! Before you know it, I was pushing. It was the most natural, overwhelming sensation! We arrived at the hospital at around 5.00am in the morning and I was pushing by mid-morning.
"After 1hr 40minutes, it became apparent my son wasn’t getting past the ‘U-bend’. In other words, the baby was struggling to make its own way through the birth canal, which is the passageway a baby takes through their mother to be born. We were all calm but I was exhausted and I asked for help.
"I was transferred quickly upstairs to the labour ward for the ventouse and a catheter. After a quick decision from the obstetrician, they swiftly moved me to theatre with the aim for a forceps birth.
However, it became apparent that my son had moved back-to-back with me. This warranted an emergency c-section.
"At that point, I was ready to just go with it and was completely exhausted.
"A lot happened in a short amount of time. I was shaking from the drugs and adrenaline. By this point though I was just relieved that I had had a spinal and that I could relax from the contractions.
"There was a moment when I told the poor anaesthetist to leave me alone as I was contracting and he was trying to do his bit simultaneously. During the c-section all I felt was my body moving but no pain. A few tears were shed too between Danny and I as we were all a bit surprised at how it had turned out.
"Baby Jack finally arrived and my best friend Lauren was the ‘baby catcher’. She whisked our son off with Danny to weigh him and Danny got to have cuddles and cut the remainder of the cord.
"I tried to hold Jack but I was shaking so much. But as we moved to recovery I was able to have that touch time, and tea and toast! My biggest fear was a c-section, but it was nothing to fear when it came down to it and I would choose it again.
"Jack arrived safely on 23rd July at 2.43pm weighing 8lbs and 3oz. Our student midwife who had done an A-Level in Photography kindly took some images for us.
Pic credit: Georgie Le. As told to Janet Mtima
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