"Aboriginal Midwifery Group Practice and Birthing"

I was under the care of a AMGP appointed Midwife at King Edward Memorial Hospital, meaning I got the see the same midwife at every appointment and the care I received from her was outstanding. I went into every appointment feeling heard and supported 150% every single time with my birth plan.

I knew with my 3 previous births (cesareans) that I wanted to experience something I've never had to opportunity to do so this time around, as I was unable to try for a vaginal birth and after years of research that was to have an assisted maternal cesarean. 

My midwife knew this was something that meant so much to me as I never got to experience the "golden hour", delayed cord clamping or instant baby to breast/chest with my 3 previous children, she went above and beyond to try and advocate for me to have the assisted maternal cesarean for months but we were reached with a road block after road block, as the hospital came back to us multiple times with "it's not our hospital policy", but given this has been completed at other public hospitals in the same city, I was hopeful that a hospital dedicated to woman and babies, that this hospital could also offer this for mothers, given how important it is for mothers to feel empowered and for the sake of their mental health during their births even if it is a cesarean birth, as we do not get the same feeling as vaginal birth parents do bringing their babies into this world.

The next best thing I was offered for my cesarean birth plan was that my midwife could take my baby straight from the surgeon and place my baby straight onto my chest for instant skin on skin, with this I agreed as I had no fight left in me feeling like my wishes were constantly falling on deaf ears and I wasn't feeling supported by the doctors.

When it came time to deliver my baby, I had my midwife every step of the way and when my baby was finally born, he was given to my midwife from the surgeon and placed straight on my chest with his cord still attached to my placenta, while the surgeons were stitching me up, and this is when my baby instantly attached onto my breast and started feeding while I was still on the operating table, I was able to enjoy that instant skin on skin, delayed cord clamping and all of his checks were done while he was on my chest feeding and it was the most calming, empowering and one of the best bonding moments I have ever been able to experience and my student midwife captured every photo possible during my birth.

I was able to have my baby stay with me all the way from birth, recovery and into my room in the ward and it wouldn't of been possible without my midwife listening to my birth plan and my wishes and being my advocate through it all. I would like to see the hospital policies reviewed so future cesarean mothers are able to have the opportunity to birth their babies experiencing an assisted maternal cesarean.