The Women's Doc by Caroline de Costa

Author:Caroline de Costa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2021-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

40

Vee-bac

We left Sonya, despondent, being wheeled to the operating theatre for her first caesar. Things progressed rapidly when she arrived there. The cheerful anaesthetic registrar reappeared and topped up the epidural so Sonya would be awake to see her child born. She assured Sonya and Kieran of the obstetrician’s competence. They began to feel less worried.

Sonya was moved to the operating table, Kieran at her side. The obstetrician reappeared, gowned and gloved; drapes were spread over Sonya’s lower body; and two minutes later her daughter, squawking loudly, was held up in front of her. It was a joyful moment that eclipsed everything else that had happened.

The following day, two midwives Sonya knew, and the obstetrician herself, came to talk to Sonya about what had happened and why the caesarean had been necessary. They were careful with their language. They did not speak of success or failure, only of the need for a healthy mother and baby. Sonya was starting to breastfeed, and this went well. She went home after five days, where midwives continued to visit her. There were no unforeseen events and, in particular, she did not develop the postnatal depression that can follow a major change in a woman’s carefully constructed birth plan.

But Sonya still hoped to have a vaginal birth. Two years later she was pregnant again, and discussed her options early. She was given a 70 per cent likelihood of having a vaginal birth if she went into spontaneous labour and attempted VBAC (a vaginal birth after caesarean). Having previously laboured was in her favour, as was the fact that after two years the previous incision was now well healed and less likely to rupture.

Sonya expected labour to start again as it had done the first time. But 40 weeks passed, and then 41, with no baby in sight. Finally, at 41 weeks and four days, when her cervix still showed no sign of opening up, Sonya agreed to a second caesar. Like the first operation, this went well, and a second healthy daughter was born. But her disappointment at this outcome required just as much debriefing by the staff who cared for her. She and Kieran planned no more children; if they had, it would mean further caesars. Sonya would never have the experience of vaginal birth.

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