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For many women the thought of having a caesarean is terrifying, the knowledge that after viewing your newborn child, you may be unable to hold or even see your baby for at least an hour (sometimes longer), can be devastating. Paula Beckton experienced a ground breaking caesarean, where she helped assist in the birth of her second child Oliver and not only was he not whisked away immediately, but was placed on her chest for cuddles and mother/baby bonding. This is her story...

Finding out that I was pregnant again was just as amazing as the first time. However for a brief moment, I sat back and thought of the heart ache that I went through with my first birthing experience and I was determined to make this time different. With my first child (Eli, now 13 months old), I had an emergency caesarean. It was totally unexpected and I didn’t get the chance to experience a contraction (I had even purchased a new watch with a second hand to time them), but was diagnosed with placenta previa at my 40 week check up. I didn’t get to go home after, but was taken straight to the hospital and within the hour my beautiful healthy, baby boy had arrived.

Not able to birth my own baby, I felt something had been taken from me as a woman. Then, not to have the baby bonding process start until I was out of recovery (which was approximately an hour later), didn’t seem right. I wasn’t going to go through that again! So, I started my own research on VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) and showed the relevant information to my obstetrician. He was open to the idea, but it was made plain to me from other hospital members, that hospital protocol, insurance, indemnity and bureaucracy, would basically take over. As much as they said they would let me try to have a natural birth, the bottom line, was that I would have to have a caesarean (especially with my pregnancies being so close together).

I decided to be pro-active and take control of my birthing experience. Accepting that I had to have a caesarean this time around didn’t mean that I had to leave all the decisions in the hands of the doctors. There were three things that I wanted to be part of the birth;

• I wanted to be able to reach down and pull my baby out once the head and shoulders were clear
• Bring the baby on to my chest
• Have the baby in recovery with me

After coming up with the idea of helping birth my own caesarean, I managed to locate a doctor in the UK (Dr Chris Griffin) who had assisted several mothers with this procedure. Many emails to UK hospitals later, I found him and put him in contact with my OB (Dr Gary Swift), to talk about the situation and answer our questions. Of most importance to my doctor was the health and safety of my baby and I. Once he had communicated with Dr Chris Griffin and his questions where answered, he didn’t feel there to be a higher level of risk with me being involved. This was to be the first (documented) time in Australia that a mother would assist in the caesarean birthing of her own child. I’m sure my doctor thought I was mad.

We had a meeting the week leading up to the birth where I even got a brief measure up for gloves (to make sure they had some that would fit) and we went through the process and how we thought it would take place. I wanted to have a back up strategy, as I had first hand experience that not everything goes to plan. If I was unable to move from the spinal block, I still wanted my baby to be placed on my chest straight away. If the baby was unwell and needed to be looked at, I wanted him back on my chest skin-to-skin after being checked. If I was unable to be with him (for one reason or another), I wanted him wrapped in the bunny rug that I supplied (I’d slept with it for the past 2 nights and it had my scent on it), so he had something familiar when coming into this big world. The health of my baby was the most important thing to me, then my health and staying sterile so I could assist.

On the morning of the 18th January 2005 (my second wedding anniversary, a good omen if ever there was) we had to be at the hospital at 5.30am. After going through the admitting process the anaesthetist came around to do his bit (he had been informed by Dr Swift on what would be happening and I could see he was as excited as me). We talked about repositioning the drip so it wouldn’t interfere with my movement when it came time to assist. It was at that precise moment that it hit me; I was actually going to make this happen! Everyone had been briefed as to what was in my birth plan and how I was going to contribute.

Being wheeled down the corridors brought back some bad memories, but when I got to the theatre and started speaking to the staff, they all knew what was about to take place and everyone was keyed up (I could also sense a bit of uncertainty though, after all this was something they had never heard of). The head theatre nurse went through what we were to do with the hospital gown (apart from throwing it away as I suggested). It was important that I kept warm and once the baby was on his way out, she would remove the gown from my chest so we would have immediate skin-to-skin contact. I could hear Dr Swift inside the theatre briefing everyone, it was moments away. I was eager, yet nervous.

As I was wheeled in, the starkness of the operating room made me feel a bit uneasy, but seeing Dr Swift and him asking if I was ready for this, put every other feeling aside. Once the spinal block was in place, I was asked to hold my arms in the air palms down, while an alcohol rub was wiped over my arms. Dr Swift then placed some very long gloves over my hands (my drip had been re-positioned just below my elbow, which was then covered by my gloves) and my belly was rubbed down and sterile green drapes where placed across my stomach and chest. I was then directed to place my folded arms on these, while they were covered in a special sterile plastic to ensure I stayed germ-free. The importance of staying sterile was really drilled in to me, just in case I came into contact with my womb. There was no way I was going to move unless I was told to.

For those of you who have not experienced a c-section, let me enlighten you. A green piece of material is placed in front of you as a screen and you can’t see anything apart from what is around your head and the screen. Once your baby is born you have to try with all your strength to look over the top of the screen to see your baby being held up and shown to you like a trophy. You get one touch of the baby with your hand, then he is whisked away, brought back to you for a moment or two, unrecognizable as he is wrapped in so much material all you can see is this tiny face, then taken, not to be seen again until you are out of recovery. Needless to say, I requested that no screen be placed in front of me, only one to lay across my stomach with a hole that would allow them access to the baby. Having such a big belly, I couldn’t see any cutting (nor did I want to).

It had started, I heard Dr Swift say “Oh No, hang on” (my heart skipped a beat), the cord was around the baby’s neck, but he managed to slide this over. Soon he was saying to me, “Okay, are you ready, here come the head and the shoulders, now reach down.”

Within a few moments he was returned to me in my bunny rug, I was able to unwrap him and have skin-to-skin contact again whilst they stitched me up.

After a while Oliver needed some more checking and was taken to the nursery with my husband (Marty) and my sister (Kylie). I was only in recovery for a short period (compared to last time) and I had so much going around in my head (tears of excitement about what I had just achieved) that it passed very quickly. Although, I really wanted to see little Oliver, hold him, kiss him, tell him how much I love him and reassure him with some familiar surroundings (my voice and the body that carried him for 9 months). It was time for the bonding to begin.

As soon as I was back in my room, I took mine and Oliver’s clothes off and we remained together (like that) for the next 24hours.

I had also done this with my first son, because with a caesarean the bonding process is interrupted and delayed and it was important to me to have this contact. Well, no more, as I have shown, that need not be the case. I helped birth my own baby through my caesarean! I have managed to change what is called ‘normal’ procedure and I added a personal touch, a soft, loving moment to the birth of my child.

The rate of caesarean born babies has dramatically increased. Up until the 1970's the caesarean rate worldwide had remained low, around 5%. The rate now surpasses 20/25%. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a caesarean rate of 15%, which we are currently exceeding. In Australia one in every four babies are born via a c-section. I’m hoping that in reading my story and the process I went through, that it could help change their birthing situation and make it a more pleasurable experience for all.

Many women are no longer given a birthing option due to medical reasons or (sadly) public insurance/indemnity and are booked in for a caesarean delivery from 6 months gestation. For the amount of woman that are now having caesarean births without choice, it is important that they too know they can still take control of their situation and feel a part of ‘bringing their baby into the world’. I know that for me and my family, self birthing Oliver was not only the most natural option afforded to us, but also the most tender.

Please feel free in contacting me if you have any questions, I also have a large display of photos and camera footage. Paula 0414 864 994 or beckton@ozemail.com.au

A special thank you to Tina Shaw of Tina Louise Industries for helping me complete my birth story, Dr Gary Swift and Dr Chris Griffin without them none of this would of taken place.

I only ask that if you do choose to share this story with your readers that you let me know, so I can keep track of how Little Oliver John Beckton helped change the world of birthing!