A new mum spent eight MONTHS in agony after her C-section wound became infected.<br /><br />Dawn Schamely, 40, had to bite down a flannel daily to manage the pain caused by the wound.<br /><br />She is better now, physically - but says the mental scars remain. <br /><br />However, Dawn, from Ware, Herts., says it was "all worth it" - after being told she would never have children. <br /><br />The former restaurant chef suffers from endometriosis, which doctors said would prevent her from getting pregnant. <br /><br />Despite stopping trying for a baby, she and husband Dan Schamely, 43, are now proud parents to little George. <br /><br />A debate was held in Parliament last month to discuss birth trauma and announced a national NHS plan to tackle birth injuries.<br /><br />And Dawn said: “Part of me had always been adamant I'd be able to have a baby one day even when the doctors said I couldn't. <br /><br />"When George was born it was so surreal holding him for the first time - I couldn't believe I was a mum. <br /><br />"But I didn't expect for months after my C-section to be biting down on a flannel every day because I was in so much pain. <br /><br />"Even now, the mental scars are still there.<br /><br />"Both Dan and I have been having therapy - the after effects of birth trauma are constant. <br /><br />"But as awful as it was, I'd do it all again to have my little miracle." <br /><br />Dawn met now-husband Dan in 2017 and they began trying for a baby as Dawn had always dreamed of being a mum. <br /><br />Two years in they were warned her endometriosis was so advanced that there was "no possible way" she'd get pregnant. <br /><br />They agreed to discuss adoption later down the line and began planning their wedding – but three weeks before the wedding Dawn experienced stomach pains. <br /><br />She put it down to endometriosis but, to her horror, doctors revealed she was actually having a miscarriage. <br /><br />Dawn said: “When the nurse told me I was pregnant and had miscarried, my legs just gave way. <br /><br />"I thought 'miracles don't happen twice' and that had been our only shot at being parents." <br /><br />But a scan showed both 'a sack of blood' and a 'viable baby' - meaning she had been pregnant with twins, and one was still alive. <br /><br />Dan revealed their pregnancy to their loved ones in his speech on their wedding day.<br /><br />Little George was then born via emergency C-section on March 13 2022 weighing 6lbs 4oz. <br /><br />His doting parents brought him home for the first time two days later. <br /><br />Dawn said: "Bringing him home - if I could bottle that feeling and sell it, we’d probably be millionaires." <br /><br />But her C-section scar following the birth showed no signs of healing - as well as causing Dawn to be in agony. <br /><br />When the wound began "oozing and bubbling" she ended up back in hospital, as it turned out that she had developed an infection. <br /><br />On March 31 she had debridement surgery, to remove infected tissue from the wound, measuring 6cm-deep, 10cm-wide and 15cm-long. <br /><br />It had to be left open to heal and needed the dressing changed daily by Dan, who quit his job to become her full-time carer. <br /><br />She said: "We had to pack the wound every day which was agonising. <br /><br />"I made Dan take George out the house when my dressings needed changing because I didn't want him to hear my screams."<br /><br />Finally, after eight months of "horrific pain" the wound healed, but the mental impact has remained - and will "never go away". <br /><br />She is now raising awareness of birth trauma, via the Birth Trauma Association.<br /><br />She says this has become her "newfound passion". <br /><br />Dawn said: "Birth trauma is such a taboo subject, but it needs raising in conversation because it happens - I am living proof. <br /><br />"Even though the wound healed it had a massive impact on our relationship, Dan was scared to even hug me for seven months in case it hurt me. <br /><br />"The after-effects of birth trauma are constant and quite lonely because it's difficult to understand unless you've been through it. <br /><br />"But we have our little miracle George, and as awful as it was, I'd do it all again for him."<br /><br />www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk
