Erin came along to my weekly pregnancy yoga classes in Darenth as she prepared for the birth of her first baby. She also attended my Summer pregnancy retreat day in Gravesend. She went on to have a wonderful elective c-section at Darent Valley hospital.
I wanted to start with a massive thank you! Around a year before I found out I was pregnant I was diagnosed with PCOS. I became extremely fearful that I would never have children as my symptoms were quite severe and I missed most periods. We were extremely lucky when not long after trying I fell pregnant, but unfortunately in the first trimester I struggled with perinatal anxiety… Shortly after the first trimester I found Bloom and Flow Yoga. To say this saved my mental health in pregnancy is an understatement.
My birth plan was always to go down the natural route if possible with little intervention. However, in the last weeks of my pregnancy my baby girl was measuring big and my blood pressure suddenly started going high. I didn’t want to be induced due to the likelihood of then needing an emergency C-section, and an elective C-Section was always my backup if I could not have the little intervention birth I would like. My Mum had three beautiful experiences with C Sections so it almost felt comforting knowing my baby was coming into the world the same way I did when my birth plan had to change.
It was all very sudden after I had made my decision. On the 16th of October I went for an appointment with a consultant following a series of growth scans where I was told my baby was measuring big and growing a lot quicker than she had been on her centile line. I was also having my blood pressure monitored at this point. Due to elective C Sections being pretty much fully booked, the soonest they could fit me in was the next day! If not it would be weeks away, which wasn’t possible. Essentially it was tomorrow or induction the following week if she didn’t get a move on herself… I didn’t like those odds. Suddenly I was meeting my baby tomorrow! Safe to say I didn’t sleep that night as I was extremely nervous.
On the 17th October at 8AM me and my partner Brad went to the hospital excited and scared. My Mum was a birthing partner on my plan so she went to the hospital and waited in Costa all day. We went up to the labour and delivery ward and were welcomed by excited staff members who showed us to our side room. A midwife came to see me and they told me my time slot which was 4PM for surgery and explained that an anesthesiologist would come to see me and I would meet my surgeons.
The anesthesiologist came and checked my back and explained what he would do during surgery. Then I met the two lovely female surgeons, one of which was my consultant from the day before. They comforted me as could tell I was nervous and explained the whole surgery. I went and met my Mum at costa, her and Brad had lunch… I was nil by mouth! We estimated her weight and I enjoyed my last afternoon pregnant.
We went back to our room and I tried to relax for a bit and before I knew it it was time for us to gown up. They also did my cannula which did sting a bit but wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
We walked down to theatre which felt weird walking down a corridor barefoot in a gown that was definitely too small for me being heavily pregnant haha. Walking into theatre I was welcomed with the familiar faces I had seen earlier. As I sat on the table and had the Epidural fitted I was shaking with fear but the anesthesiologist started joking with me about wanting to move to Tahiti… this made me laugh. As I laid down I used breathing techniques I had learnt in pregnancy yoga which helped me to ground myself. Brad put our playlist on and before they even started the surgery he was crying!
Before I knew it at 4:56PM we welcomed our beautiful daughter Harper, I heard a cry and they instantly lowered the curtain. Brad filmed the first time we saw her. She weighed 8lbs 15oz. Brad cut the chord and they brought her round and put her on my chest. We were on cloud nine, our girl was finally here and perfect. She latched instantly and took to breastfeeding very well, the midwives were incredibly supportive. I cant fault the staff at the hospital, the care we received was brilliant and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Recovery is going well, and we are soaking up every minute in the baby bubble. Looking forward to going to Mum and Baby Yoga and for Harper to make her first friends. 
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