"More pre c-section info would have helped"

I had my second baby end of April 2025 via planned c-section. The birth was wonderful and extremely empowering and healing after a traumatic birth with my first in 2021. 

Leading up to the birth I was extremely relaxed and not at all anxious. Being led to theatre I was completely fine, however, once I entered the operating room, I was completely thrown and extremely emotional. 

I’ve never had surgery before, so I didn’t know what to expect (I had an idea but it didn’t live up the reality) and nor did my husband. We both agreed that we would have found a virtual tour of an operating room extremely helpful. We believe it would be so beneficial to other women and couples, so that they can visually see: 

1. The lights, as they’re so bright and you can’t prepare for this;

2. The number of personnel. It’s all well and good saying there will be 11 people in the room, but it would be useful to see what 11 people look like in the room beforehand;

3. Explain that your surgeons will be scrubbing in and they won’t be in the room when you walk in;

4. Seeing the operating table and the equipment;

5. The baby cot;

6. The chair/seat that your birthing partner will sit on

If I had seen all of this, I believe I wouldn’t have panicked and felt so overwhelmed when I walked into the room. Which in turn would have helped the surgeons and anaesthetists.

Just a suggestion, but overall the staff in RD&E maternity unit were incredible and I’m so grateful for them. Happy to discuss in more detail if you need, and I have some wonderful pictures and a video of my birth that I would be more than happy to share with you.