"I gave birth at 34 weeks"

"My name is Dezray Mason. I'm a first-time mom who was very keen to have natural birth. I was actually so against C-sections, and told my husband I was having natural no matter!

When it came to my 3rd trimester, I went to Cape Town (from the Lowveld) to prepare myself to have my baby there. My family and support were there.

I went for my next scan appointment, only to have the doc there say that he was not very happy with the outcome and that he was a bit concerned.

At 31 weeks I had .2 fluid around my baby. This was a concern, so I was put on bed rest and had to go back weekly for a check-up.

The next week nothing had changed, and my baby was still lying breach. I had told my doc how important it was for me to have a natural birth, and I was so sure my baba would turn and the bed rest would help.

At 34 weeks he set up an appointment for a foetal assessment. As we feared, my fluid was dropping and my baby was starving!

I was scheduled for a C-section at 34 weeks!

I had an epidural, and was awake for the birth. I was amazed at how quickly it all happened, and that my doc talked me through the whole thing! When he pulled baba out, the umbilical cord, which apparently was very short, was wrapped around her wrist.

She was born on 25 July 2011, weighing in at 2.080kg.

I didn't get to have the birth experience I wanted, but just listening to the advice from my doc, I saved my baby's life. And it really wasn't a bad experience at all.

Hopefully next time all will go as planned.... :)"