"Having our voices heard and our wishes honoured during a gentle c-section gave me a deep sense of ownership and peace about the experience."

"Some birth stories don’t follow the path we imagine, but that doesn’t make them any less powerful. In fact, sometimes it’s within the unexpected, the complex, and the deeply emotional circumstances that we see just how strong, informed and resilient people truly are - Paula’s story is one of those!

From the very beginning, Paula and her partner Dan approached pregnancy and birth with intention. They educated themselves, explored their options, and made decisions that felt right for them; not just once, but again and again as their circumstances changed. And when life took an unimaginable turn with a breast cancer diagnosis during pregnancy, they continued to meet each decision with courage, clarity and deep thought. There is real strength in that. Not just in the big moments, but in the quiet, steady determination to stay connected to what matters most.

And Paula… what an absolute force. Navigating surgery, treatment decisions, and the emotional weight of it all whilst growing and preparing to meet her baby, and still showing up to birth with openness, presence and trust in herself. A true birth warrior in every sense of the word.

It was an honour to walk alongside this wonderful family. To support them in shaping a birth experience that felt calm, considered and aligned, even when it looked very different to what they had first imagined! Their story is such an important reminder that birth isn’t defined by how it looks on paper, but by how you feel within it. Informed. Heard. Supported. Safe. And this birth story captures that beautifully.

"For many years, I have envisioned giving birth at home. I followed Terri on social media in the hope that one day I would be able to work with her to help make my dream home birth a reality. When I fell pregnant, I was classed as low risk so my midwife was fully supportive of my decision to opt for a home birth. We started antenatal classes with Terri and practised the hypnobirthing techniques we were taught in preparation for a physiological birth.

What’s that saying? ‘Man plans. God laughs’. At 24 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent surgery whilst pregnant and I was told, to give myself the best chance of long-term survival, that I needed to start chemotherapy during pregnancy. This treatment would be paused to allow me to give birth and then started up again once I was approximately 3 weeks postpartum. My baby needed to be born within a small window of time. Unless he decided to bring himself into the world slightly early and within that window, I had two options: induction or elective c-section.

After much consideration, we decided to book in an elective c-section. After months of uncertainty and worry, I still wanted to do everything in my power to have a calm, gentle and positive birth experience. During our antenatal education, we had been taken through the induction process and a section was the option that we felt most comfortable with. It gave me a feeling of control and certainty. We knew when our son would be born and how. My c-section was booked. My pregnancy had a deadline. We held onto the hope that I would go into labour naturally and still have the physiological birth that we imagined. Once I entered that safe delivery window, we tried to naturally induce labour but our baby boy had no desire to be born just yet.

At 39+4, my husband, Terri and I arrived at hospital at 7.30am. I was lucky to be first on the list so we were all taken straight to the recovery room to wait. Everybody we met, the obstetric

consultants, the midwives and the anaesthetists were incredibly kind and caring. I was nervous but ready to meet our baby boy. Around 9am, I was taken to the larger of two theatres. Both Dan and Terri were there, dressed in scrubs, and our playlist of music was played in the background.

The most difficult part of the experience was having the spinal block inserted. It felt as though it was taking a long time and although local anaesthetic was used, I could still feel pain in my lower back. I remember saying that it hurt but I was met with questioning. Pain or pressure? Terri advocated for me and after some more local anaesthesia was given, it became comfortable.

Once the anaesthesia began to work, things moved quickly. I was laid down and a drape was put up across my chest. I couldn’t stop shaking and I felt overwhelmed with emotion. I held Dan’s hand so tightly. Terri reminded me to use the hypnobirthing breathing techniques and I began to feel calmer and more present. I remember being able to feel a lot of pressure and pulling. I kept my eyes closed and focused on my breathing.

The birth plan that we had written with Terri was followed closely. So, as requested, the drape was lowered as our son was born for us to watch him emerge. He was delivered slowly, allowing the incision to squeeze him. Terri filmed our baby being born - it is incredible to have that moment captured. He was immediately placed onto my chest for skin-to-skin contact and the cord was not cut until it had turned white. Feeling the weight of my baby on my chest and seeing him for the first time was pure bliss. I didn’t notice anything happening below the drape from that moment onwards. It was magical. Our baby boy spent the first 24 hours of his life doing skin-to-skin contact with myself or my husband. He was only removed momentarily for routine checks that couldn’t be done with him on our chests.

I hadn’t realised the number of choices you still get to make with a planned c-section. Those small choices mattered more than I expected. The gentle elements, like having our choice of music playing, choosing who was with me and being able to meet my baby immediately. Those moments helped align my birth to my values and allowed me to stay connected to the birth emotionally, even in a very clinical setting.

We’re grateful that we had a positive experience despite our birth not being ‘Plan A’. Looking back, I realise that the mode of birth mattered far less than how we were treated within it. Having our voices heard and our wishes honoured during a gentle c-section gave me a deep sense of ownership and peace about the experience."

Doula support is for all births, all choices, and all people. And the same is true for hypnobirthing. It’s time we move away from the idea that this work is only about plink plonky music, fairy lights, home births and a “perfect” plan. Paula’s story is such a powerful reminder that support, preparation and informed choice matter in every birth - including planned caesareans.

As a Doula, I support families across the full spectrum of birth. From free births to elective c-sections, and everything in between. My role is to stand beside you, help you navigate your options, advocate when needed, and make sure you feel listened to, respected and fully supported - whatever path your birth takes. Because this isn’t about one “type” of birth. It’s about how you feel within it.

If you’re pregnant and want to feel informed, confident and supported as you prepare for your baby’s birth, I’d love to walk alongside you. Get in touch to find out more about working together. Visit www.cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk for find out or or email me on info@cornwallhypnobirthing.co.uk