A Mother-Assisted Cesarean Birth Story | Choosing MAC in the Netherlands

On Wednesday , I rereleased the episode with Dr. Koen Deurloo — the OB-GYN who pioneered the mother-assisted cesarean at Diakonessenhuis Utrecht. You saved it, shared it, and sent it to friends who needed it.

Today, we hear from the other side of that operating table.

Geri had her youngest child with Dr. Deurloo as her gynaecologist, and in this episode she walks us through everything — the moment she first heard about the MAC, the decision-making process, her pregnancy, her preparation, and the extraordinary experience of lifting her own baby into the world with her own hands.

This is an honest, emotional, and deeply human birth story. And it is for every mother who has ever wondered whether she is allowed to want something different.

In this episode:— Why Geri chose a mother-assisted cesarean and how she made that decision— What the preparation and pregnancy journey looked like— A step-by-step account of the day itself — walking into the hospital, the operating room, the moment of birth— Recovery, the emotional aftermath, and what she knows now that she wishes she had known before— What she would say to a mother sitting somewhere right now, wondering if this could be right for her

Whether you are planning a cesarean, hoping to avoid one, or simply want to feel prepared for every possibility — this episode will stay with you.

Follow Geri on Instagram here moedergeassisteerdekeizersnede

Listen to our Dr. Koen Deurloo episode for the full clinical picture — linked in show notes. @kldloo on Instagram

DAM Parenting is a weekly podcast for international families navigating pregnancy, birth and parenthood in the Netherlands. Every Wednesday (plus an extra here or there!)

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(214)

You're Allowed to Be Exhausted: A Reality Check Before the Summer Holidays

Feeling like an exhausted parent before the summer holidays have even started? You're allowed to be. This short, one-take episode — no editing, no polish, on purpose — is a reality check on parent bur...

22 Jul 0s

Why Does a Hand Lotion Calm Me Down? Nervous System Regulation with Elif Durgel

You catch a smell. A lotion, a tea, something cooking. And in under a second — before you've even thought about it — you're home.That's not nostalgia. That's not weakness. That is your nervous system ...

15 Jul 25min

What Is Trauma? Big T, Little T, and Why It Might Be You

Have you ever reacted to something and thought — why did I react like that? Or carried a weight you couldn't quite name?Today we're breaking down what trauma actually is — plainly, warmly, and without...

8 Jul 31min

Obligation Sex Is More Common Than You Think — Here's What It's Really Costing Your Relationship

This episode is brought to you by MamaSocial, who connect mums across the Netherlands so you actually have a community to lean on. Brunches, mingles, networking, whatever you need — MamaSocial will be...

1 Jul 23min

Queer Parenting in the Netherlands: Why One Dad Built a 250-Family Community From Scratch

When Aldo's daughter arrived via surrogacy in Canada, he looked around and realised he'd spent 10 years focused on becoming a dad — and forgotten to build a community for her. So he started a WhatsApp...

27 Jun 28min

Raising Bilingual Children in the Netherlands: What Summer Travel Really Does for Heritage Language Development

Your child speaks the school language all year without thinking. Your language — the one you grew up in, the one your parents use, the one you hoped would just stick — has to fight for space. And then...

24 Jun 24min

Coparenting After Separation in the Netherlands: One Dad's Honest Story

What actually happens after a relationship ends — when you have children together, you're living in the Netherlands, and your village is far away?Niko, a German dad, joins us this week to talk honestl...

20 Jun 29min

Why Becoming a Dad Made Me Finally Realise I Had ADD - Mens Mental Health Week

If you became a father and suddenly felt like you couldn't keep up — with the admin, the overwhelm, the switching, the forgetting — this episode is for you.Liam, founder of Dads Do Art and familiar Da...

17 Jun 35min