And from the outset, you’ve had a preference about how you want to deliver this time, you’ve wanted to go for an elective section?

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

And that’s been from the beginning, and’

Yeah, well, even from when we were trying to conceive. And as I said, I was, I was completely certain that I would get the elected caesarean.

And at no point have you changed your mind?

No. When I went for my twenty week scan’ I was speaking to the, to the consultant and he was trying to put, put off my decision. But’ even just talking about it with him, even just, that, that slightest, slightest doubt that I might not be allowed to have an elected caesarean just really agitated me at the time and I just said – I said, ‘No, I’m not leaving here ’til I’ve got the date plan.

you know, I just had such a horrible, awful and traumatic three days before that caesarean that I just, I just really would never go through that again. And it was just such a horrible way to start off being a mother, because I was just so tired and I was just so battered, and exhausted, that I hope that this time I’m much calmer. I’m quite happy about going there for the caesarean now, so, I’m hoping that the day after the caesarean I’ll be quite rested and’ and quite ready to start looking after my second baby. So it’s, it’s like all of this is behind my decision.

If I had had some doubts that I may be would not have been able to have an elective caesarean at the end of the second pregnancy, I might have hesitated about getting pregnant a second time. Because it was just such a horrible experience being induced and… and trying to, to get into labour and not. ‘Those two or three days were just so horrific, and just the fact that I was quite certain I could have the elected caesarean made me quite calm.

And when were you told that you could have an elected caesarean with a next baby?

I just assumed so, to tell you the truth. And then when I saw’ because I know because of my background it would be difficult for somebody to deny me a caesarean’ whereas with the first birth I’m sure you can’t just’ well, I don’t think it would be right to just instantly want an elective caesarean, but I think that I was pretty certain that after my, with my track record, nobody could really deny me an elected caesarean for my second child.

And you didn’t have any worries about any effects on yourself, kind of emotionally about the fact that you’d had to have a section?

No. I felt quite practical about it. I know people say things like feeling failures because they didn’t, you know, but absolutely not. I’m a very practical person.

Good. And what about your husband? Did he have any’?

Actually, I think I was very brave to have tried, considering the background.

That’s very true, actually.

But that’s why I’m very, very sure of the fact that this time I’m, I just want to go into, straight into the elective caesarean.

And overall, how would you sum up that you feel about the way that your son was born?

Fine… I think that was, yeah’ I was, I think’ I don’t think it could’ve gone any other way because I wouldn’t have wanted an elective caesarean without even trying, but at the same time no, no, no, that was it, that was fine. I mean I wish it had, maybe wed come to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to dilate within twenty-four hours instead of forty-eight [laughs]. But I suppose it couldn’t be avoided, and I was quite happy with him being born by caesarean in the end. As, as I say I feel quite satisfied that at least we tried.

So, how did you feel about having the section?

I was, at the end I was very’ very pleased to have the section.

Just get it over with.

Yeah, absolutely.

And was it like you thought it would be?

Yeah. Well, it was even better, because as I said, I thought I’d have to like spend two or three days in bed, but I was up on my feet the next day.

And how involved would you say that you were in the decision about the delivery?

Oh, a hundred percent. Yeah, even, even, yeah, the decision for the caesarean, even though it had been three days that I’d been there, induced, I was very aware of what, what I was deciding to do.

And while you were in hospital, were you able to discuss any anxieties or fears that you had about the section then, once there was a move to that being the way that you were going to deliver?

Yeah, I remember, yeah, there was a- a trainee midwife that I spoke to about it. Yeah, and I asked her things like, you know, about recovery and the, the kind of anaesthetic. But yeah, I remember, I was very aware of what was going on and she answered my questions and I was okay. I wasn’t too worried about the caesarean.

I seem to remember the trainee midwife spending a lot of time with us, just explaining what was going to happen.

So you felt happy with that?

Oh, yeah, and I remember they were really nice the way they’ I had music at the time in the- in the labour room and they let us put the CD on in the- in the operating room and’ [that’s nice] and, yeah, they were really, really sweet.

Well, it was even better, because as I said, I thought I’d have to like spend two or three days in bed, but I was up on my feet the next day.

And was that you initiated that getting up?

No, no, no, it was the people at [Hospital]. I remember my caesarean was at about five oclock in the afternoon, and the next morning a really lovely lady came along and helped me to the shower, got me up and I was just flabbergasted and she was just, you know, ‘Get in, get in the shower, on your feet, have a wash, you’ll feel better’, and I did.

And that’s what you wanted?

Yeah, and I stayed’ I was on my feet instantly. I didn’t go back to bed.

And what were your concerns or worries about having a section?

Well, I was concerned that it would take a long time to get back on my feet. And I was very surprised that the very next day, I was up having a shower [slight laugh]. But, yeah, I was concerned how long it would take for me to, to get, as I said to get back on my feet, and about breastfeeding. I was very adamant that I wanted to breastfeed. So, I was hoping that it wouldn’t obstruct any breastfeeding.

And how did you feel about having a section?

Sorry, whereas in fact, the fact that I had been induced for three days meant that at a certain point I was given Pethidine*. I accepted Pethidine because I was completely out of it and it was that, that led to me, I was pretty sure, having difficulties breastfeeding. Because it took about twenty-four, just over twenty-four hours to get my little boy to latch on because he was half-asleep. So, yeah, it was, it was not the caesarean but maybe the insistence of trying to induce.

*Pethidine is a strong pain killer that may sedate the baby.

I didn’t, I never went into labour, it was ridiculous. I, I was induced after-, at forty-two weeks and basically, after trying the-, well, they started off with the pessaries and then I was on the drip, I can’t remember the substance in the drip, but I’m sure you know. And it started off on a Wednesday afternoon, and by Friday afternoon, we opted for’ the caesarean, emergency caesarean because I- my cervix hadn’t even softened, apparently, never mind’ dilated. And, can I add that the same thing happened to my two sisters, exactly the same thing. They were induced and then they were their cervix didn’t dilate and so they had emergency caesareans, but I thought I’d give it a try, you know, didn’t think maybe, maybe I’d be different.

So this happened to your sisters before you?

Yeah

So you kind of in the back of your mind had thought this was something that might happen?

Yeah ‘yeah, I think they were, yeah.

Oh right.

But I wanted to go for it anyway.

And was this a planned pregnancy, your son?

Yeah.

And had you had any complications when you were pregnant?

No, with the first pregnancy, nothing at all, absolutely nothing; just a little bit of water retention, but’ no vomiting, nothing.

And had you an idea in your mind about how you wanted to deliver your first baby?

I would have liked to have been, to have had a water birth, to have had a natural birth; to have been the first in the family to have achieved one really [laughs]. But yeah’ it wasn’t to be.

And do you remember the kind of information that you’d looked for in your first pregnancy? About, you know, knowing in the back of your mind that your sisters had this problem, had you specifically sought any information about sections?

Oh, gosh, no, no I didn’t really, not, not that much about sections, but I certainly’ I was working at home at the time and I just read up on, on the whole pregnancy and childbirth and labour, and I just read up it – everything and any books I could get my hands on and got. Got books from the library and I did, I did read a little bit of caesarean but I really did think that maybe I’d be the one who broke the chain [laughs].

And what was the information like that you got? Did you, did you get all the information that you wanted, do you think?

Yeah, I got loads. I mean, I bought about two or three books, I went on the internet and, I don’t know’ theres a baby centre website that I, I got a lot of information from and I obviously spoke to my midwife, who I got on really well with. I went to parentcraft classes, also had NCT antenatal classes with my husband.