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Lakeville woman has first maternal-assisted c-section at St. Paul’s Mother-Baby Center
One Lakeville mom Elizabeth Andreyevskiy was preparing to give birth to her fourth child, when she knew she wanted to do something different.
LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - When it comes to bringing new life into the world, cesarean sections are nothing new.
But as Lakeville mom Elizabeth Andreyevskiy was preparing to give birth to her fourth child, she knew she wanted to do something different.
"Knowing that this was my last baby, I really wanted to have a different experience," Andreyevskiy said.
She had an unplanned c-section with her first baby.
"It ended up with me in general anesthesia and I missed the whole experience of hearing the baby cry for the first time," Andreyevskiy said.
Elizabeth turned to home births for her next two kids, but she experienced complications. As she was getting ready to deliver her baby girl, Nellie, a family member sent her an idea she had never heard of before.
"My sister-in-law sent me some Instagram videos of it being done in other countries and I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness I have never heard of this!,’" Andreyevskiy said.
Maternal assisted c-sections give some women the option of having a hands-on role in the birth of their child.
"It starts like a normal c-section and then, once they pull the baby out a little bit, they lower the drape and the mom has sterile gloves on and she reaches down and pulls the baby under the arm pits and puts the baby right on the chest," Andreyevskiy said.
The procedure is relatively rare. In fact, some major hospitals in the Twin Cities don’t offer it as an option.
Elizabeth approached her OBGYN at the The Mother Baby Center in Saint Paul, which is a partnership between Allina Health and Children’s Minnesota.
"She was really open to the idea. She was like, ‘I’ve never heard of it, but I don’t see why not,’" Andreyevskiy said.
In the end, she got the experience she wanted, giving birth to a healthy baby girl. She’s now encouraging moms-to-be to advocate for themselves and to seek out providers who will listen to their wants and needs.
"It was so unique and special and I think it created an extra bond," Andreyevskiy said.
You can learn more about Andreyevskiy’s birth experience on her Instagram page, Emotionally_Healthy_Legacy.