'Magical connection' as mum assists birth

Delivering a baby by caesarean section isn't usually a hands-on experience for mothers, but at Epworth Freemasons they're doing things a little differently.

Maternal-assisted caesarean births were introduced at the hospital in 2020, and one Melbourne mum said it was "one of the best experiences" of her life.

"For someone who hasn't been able to experience a vaginal birth, a maternal-assisted caesarean section birth was the closest I would get, so that's why I opted for one if we could – and it was pretty amazing," Stacey Allison said.

Her first son Bailey was born by an emergency C-section 14 years ago. Her daughter Ruby, now aged five, and second son Toby, now two and a half, were also C-section births.

Third son Harvey was her first maternal-assisted caesarean delivery, after hearing about the technique from a friend.

In this type of birth the obstetrician partially lifts the baby, allowing the mother to take the baby out of her womb and onto her chest.

"While you still have nerves going into the operating theatre as with any operation, it felt a lot different compared with the other very clinical C-sections where you don't get to hold your baby, you only get to have a quick look before they whisk them away for checks," Ms Allison said.

"It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life.

"Every birth is special, but just that moment when I lifted him up and put him on my chest, and the connection and the love and outpouring of emotion, it was just magical."

Obstetrician Dr Stephen Cole introduced maternal-assisted caesarean births at the Epworth HealthCare hospital, which has given more than 200 women the chance to deliver their babies by the method from 2020 to mid-2023.

He said many mothers felt somewhat removed from their birth experience with traditional caesarean sections.

"Maternal-assisted caesareans are a way of trying to help mothers feel much more engaged in their birth experience and give them an opportunity to experience that immediate bond with their baby, which is often lacking from the way we have traditionally done caesareans," Dr Cole said.

"Not all women will feel comfortable with a maternal-assisted caesarean, but every woman I have looked after who has chosen a maternal-assisted delivery has found it to be an incredibly positive and emotional experience.

"I'm proud that I have been able to introduce this technique at Epworth and opened up this opportunity for women."

Ms Allison said the first moments with Harvey were wonderful.

"That whole experience from reaching down to pick up the baby to put them on your chest was quite healing," she said.

"He was on my chest for so long and I definitely felt more of a bond straight away. I felt it made my post-partum experience more positive."

Ms Allison said Dr Cole had been incredibly reassuring during the procedure.

"He was so lovely and nurturing and comforting," she said.

"I got nervous in theatre and he said, 'Stacey, come on, you've nearly delivered more babies than I have'. He just put me at ease."

A maternal-assisted caesarean may not be suitable for every patient, so to ensure the safety of the mother and the baby, medical criteria apply. Women considering this kind of birth should discuss their individual situation with their obstetrician.

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