"C/S Experience at Karratha Health Campus"

Positive experience! Elective C/S at Karratha Hospital.

I just wanted to thank you for allowing me to do the C/S Hypnobirthing course after we had a last minute change in plans. It really helped and the Karratha team was so supportive - especially Deb & Michael (the DMO & anaesthetist). By Friday morning a few weeks ago, instead of dreading having to have a C/S, my mindset had changed to looking forward to meeting my little girl.

I was really looking forward to another vaginal delivery & implementing the hypnobirthing strategies so when it was recommended a C/S would be the safest option, I was devastated.

Although I couldn't have a maternal assisted delivery, the did everything they could to accommodate my other birthing preferences which I felt empowered to ask for after doing the course - otherwise I would have had no idea I could have asked for the requests.

- My partner with me the whole process (prep, spinal block insertion, surgery +recovery).

- Headphones and my own music during the spinal block. (was very anxious about this due to a painful previous insertion experience with an epidural),

- My own music on speaker during the whole delivery & stitching.

- Out of the way placement of monitoring on my chest.

- The anaesthetist physically assisted me upright to see my girl being born, drapes dropped for delivery.

- Immediate skin on skin (she came out crying & perfectly healthy!). She wasn't washed or weighed immediately

- space blanket for warmth for skin on skin instead of wrapped in a towel. Monitoring was done with her on me.

- Early breastfeeding.

- My partner able to take photos. The anaesthetic nurse also took some photos of my husband and little girl which was so special.

Thanks again for providing the course and thanks to KHC for facilitating my preferences as best they could.