Fiona, one emergency C-section

The staff were incredible and so in control. We found ourselves surrounded by kind, generous, professional people who made me and my husband feel confident, and a scary situation became a great one. They talked us through everything, and even though it was clearly an emergency (it was 20 minutes between them making the call and me being in theatre), it didn’t feel rushed. The surgeon came to see me afterwards to explain what had happened and that was so kind.

I don’t think we talk enough about how tough recovery from emergency C-sections can be. I found it really hard and I paid for a women’s health physio to check me out and help me get back to running, which made what would have been quite a scary postnatal period positive.

To be honest, I still wouldn’t pick a caesarian over a vaginal delivery, but 50 years ago, either me or my baby (or possibly both of us) would have died due to my complications, so how amazing is it that we both got through feeling incredible? Emergency C-sections can be really empowering. Understand before you go in for a ‘normal’ birth what the possibilities might be and what that might feel like. It’ll help to feel informed and in control if things do go down that path.

Leia, one planned C-section

My first birth was traumatic as it ended in forceps and episiotomy after a whole day of the baby being stuck in a back-to-back position. It took forever to heal and had a real impact on my mental health. With my C-section, however, I just strolled into hospital feeling relaxed. The pain relief worked immediately, unlike the first birth, and the staff were amazing – it was just a fabulous experience.

I only have that first traumatic birth to compare it to, but my recovery post-surgery was also really good. I was up and about the next day and probably could have stayed in hospital for an extra day as my body felt tender, but the ward was noisy and I wanted to be in my own bed. The recovery was so much better than it was for my first baby.

“After a traumatic first birth, this was a fantastic experience”: 11 women on their positive C-section experiences (and what people get wrong about surgical birth)