"Trusting made things go smoother and in a more positive light"

Guest blog by Sharna Mahanidis from "James' Health Journey" www.jameshealthjourney.com

​Well I am normally over @jameshealthjourney sharing autism motherhood.

Then I read @themummysomniac was after some positive c section birth stories.
I am all for positivity, so I thought why NOT hey?!

So here goes, here is my birth story ( well one anyway).... the birth story of my precious ASD soul, James Michael, lifted into the world on January 13th 2013 at 9.23pm via emergency c section.

When I had my first appointment with my amazing obstetrician I went into ramble mode of all the things I wanted in my birth story.
You know the essential oils, fit ball, massaging and music. 
All the things really I had seen on TV, and thought I wanted, but let's face it I really didn't know what I wanted.

In my first appointment I asked my OB when he wanted my birth plan, he said to me on that day in early 2012, 'your birth plan is, to be prepared for the unexpected'.....

So as a Mum to be I just threw myself and my wishes to the wind and decided whatever will be will be. I trusted this man I had just met. After all Dr O is a very well known professor in the field of delivering babies! 

I knew early on I was high risk for a c section. 
Dr O kept telling me things like low birth weight, placenta issues and then....

At 33 weeks along I went into pre term labour.
Pre term labour that they managed to stop with the use of a little red pill.
I was placed in hospital for a few days on watch while they pumped my veins with steroids (to strength babies lungs just in case).
At 33 weeks James baby was still upside down, inside out and back to front.... also known as a footling breach.
To be exact his head was under my ribcage, one of his feet was around the back of his head and his umbilical cord wound around his neck.

So it was settled.
​
Dr O said you will either have a c section or an emergency c section.
The plan was I was to deliver James at 37 weeks as it would be too dangerous to go much after that.

At 36 weeks and 5 days my little man decided his quarters were far too small and he wanted out!
I was admitted to hospital and closely monitored all day long.
My OB came to visit and said, 'we may be having a baby today'.
I was checked every hour by the midwifes on the ward, it was all really uneventful.

Then at 8.45 pm the midwife came running in my room in a panic, she whipped gloves on her hand and checked my cervix. She said '4 cm's dilated' and then she bolted out of the room.

Hubby and I just looked at each other like WTF!
At 8.50pm she sprung back in the room and threw me a gown, 'put that on, Dr O is on his way'.....

​The rest is honestly a haze.
It was quick, super quick.
I was wheeled down to surgery at 9pm and James was born at 9.23pm.

Yes he was distressed.
Yes we were stressed.
Yes he spent some days in special care.
Yes it was incredibly painful.

BUT I felt so supported and well cared for by my obstetrician and his team. I trusted him and his decisions and I think by not fighting back and trusting made things go smoother and in a more positive light. 

Today James is a happy, healthy 4 year old with a spunk in his step and a unstoppable energy, exactly how he was when he was rocked by the beat of my heart.

If you would like to read more from Sharna's blog click here, or head to her Instagram @jameshealthjourney.