I was denied an elective C-section – only to have an emergency one

I was left fighting for my life (Picture: Neave Glennon)

I woke up to a bone-deep, unnatural ache pulling through my body. Sweat clung to me, yet I was shivering uncontrollably.  

This didn’t feel like the rhythmic ache of contractions. My body was failing me as I lay on my hospital bed, frozen, silently begging for help. 

Then I was told I needed an emergency C-section – I couldn’t believe it. I’d asked for one weeks earlier, but was told I was ‘too young’. 

Because of that, I was left fighting for my life. 

In 2024, when I first found out I was pregnant, I was hopeful. I was 24 and although my partner and I didn’t live together, we felt ready. We ensured everything would be in place, and he was my rock throughout. 

For the most part, my pregnancy was smooth sailing. No complications, and I spent my days happily planning for the new chapter ahead. Halfway through I started to struggle with some pelvic girdle pain, so began to seek more support at my midwife appointments. 

But as the pregnancy progressed, my confidence eroded. Midwife shortages made appointments rushed and transactional. 

I was told my baby was too large for a natural birth (Picture: Neave Glennon)

I thought maybe I was just unlucky, but now I realise it’s common. In the UK, an NHS patient survey showed that only 24% of women saw the same midwife consistently throughout their pregnancy in 2024, despite strong evidence that continuity improves outcomes. 

It was during a routine scan, 17 weeks before I delivered, when I was told my baby was too large for a natural birth. Calmly, I requested a C-section.  

‘You’re too young,’ the obstetrician replied. They told me an induction – where labour is started artificially with medication or other interventions –  would be much safer and risk-free for someone my age. 

I felt panicked, explaining I would feel more comfortable with a caesarean. However, they were adamant it would be the wrong choice, and instead booked me in for a growth scan at 32 weeks to see if I would still need an induction.

My epidural was not working, and the pain was unbearable (Picture: Neave Glennon)

At that scan, I was officially booked in. Denied an elective C-section once more, I focused on the induction. So, at 37 weeks, five weeks after the scan, we arrived at the hospital with optimism.  

I was given Propess, a vaginal hormone insert, then labour began. The epidural went in, followed by Pitocin, a drip to strengthen contractions. Things were progressing, until they weren’t. 

My epidural was not working, and the feeling was unbearable.

But the midwife who said she’d get my failed epidural fixed suddenly finished her shift and her replacement told me I didn’t need more pain relief, brushing aside my growing fever.  

On the second day in the hospital, I knew something was wrong. I was still achy and in a haze but no one seemed concerned.  

My son was born 30 minutes later (Picture: Neave Glennon)

Turns out, I had an infection, and the midwives didn’t tell me. I later found out it was documented, so they were aware, but by time anyone acted, it had become maternal sepsis – a life-threatening condition that is caused by an infection during pregnancy. 

Hours passed and I was told I needed an emergency C-section. It came too late to avoid trauma, but just in time to save us both. 

My son was born 30 minutes later.  

The midwives held him above the curtain, but not high enough for me to see him. A moment I’d waited nine months for was stolen in a second. 

On the postnatal ward, care was almost non-existent. I was still in a significant amount of discomfort but I didn’t receive proper pain relief for days. 

Luckily, my partner never left my side (Picture: Neave Glennon)

Both my partner and I complained, because they wouldn’t explain why I couldn’t have it. When they eventually did help, I had three cannulas – two in my hands, one in my wrist, which were feeding me antibiotics, anti-sickness and pain relief.  

While tending to me, a midwife laughed that I was a human pin cushion. Others gossiped about ‘difficult’ families in the hallways. I knew they were talking about me. 

For 48 hours, I sat in blood-soaked sheets, despite asking for fresh ones. 

Luckily, my partner never left my side.  

For a week, he slept on the floor next to my bed, caring for our newborn when I couldn’t. When my milk didn’t come in, the midwives turned their nose up at helping him learn to make formula. He had to teach himself, ordering the supplies on Uber Eats to the hospital. 

I was repeatedly told it’s ‘just how it goes’, but it never should be (Picture: Neave Glennon)

I felt deflated when discharged 10 days after giving birth.  

For days, I curled up crying in pain, unable to be fully present with my son. The guilt was overwhelming, but I couldn’t do anything – everything hurt. 

Five weeks later, I began suffering from visual and auditory hallucinations, body chills and weakness. I learned that the infection hadn’t properly cleared. Despite 40% of survivors reporting lasting effects after sepsis, I wasn’t even given an information sheet when discharged.  

I was exhausted – too tired to take legal action. I was repeatedly told it’s ‘just how it goes’, but it never should be. 

I complained using a maternity survey they’d told me about in the hospital, but it took two months for an apology. They simply stated that they were sorry some parts of my care were not positive, and offered me a phone call – which was just a rehash of my experience, with another apology. 

I feel blessed to have an unshakeable bond with my son (Picture: Neave Glennon)

Emergency C-sections are linked to high rates of postnatal PTSD, yet prevention is poor, with cases rising each year. The CQC maternity survey shows women aged 16 to 26 are amongst those who report the worst care, often dismissed and excluded from decisions. 

As a young mum, you’re told your age is an advantage because younger bodies tend to recover quickly and pregnancies are perceived as lower-risk. But my age didn’t protect me.  

I believe that if they allowed me to elect for a C-Section from the start, my trauma would have been preventable, not inevitable. 

However, three months on, I feel blessed to have an unshakeable bond with my son – thanks to my partner, who held us together when I couldn’t.  

Birth trauma doesn’t end in the delivery room. Maternity care must centre a woman’s voice from the start, as it shapes how we enter motherhood. Some of us never get to come back from that.

In the UK, you have the right to make informed decisions about your birth. I urge you to learn your choices, ask questions, and keep records.  

You’re not just a patient, you’re a parent, a human. You deserve care that reflects that. 

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. 

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