Dani Dyer opens up about last-minute c-section

Love Island 2018 winner Dani Dyer welcomed her first child with boyfriend Sammy Kimmence, a baby boy named Santiago, last Saturday at the Portland Hospital in London. Chatting to dad Danny on their podcast Sorted With The Dyers, Dani revealed that she had to have a Caesarean as she wasn’t dilated enough.

Dani Dyer’s birth story

Dani said: ‘I never ever planned that, I never ever wanted a C-section. Obviously I know they’re very common and I know they happen but I never wanted it that, it was never in my birth plan, so I just felt like a failure.’ However, as Dani wasn’t dilated enough she was advised to have a C-section.

Whilst hospital staff said Dani could wait another two hours, she opted for the Caesarean to avoid the baby being stressed out. Furthermore Dani revealed:

What happened was, the reason why the baby wouldn’t come out was the umbilical cord was wrapped round him. So every time I was contracting, he was popping back up again.

Although coronavirus lockdown measures meant that Dani’s mum Joanna couldn’t be in hospital with her for the birth as she’d hoped, Dani credited her boyfriend Sammy for being ‘brilliant’ through her labour, making her laugh and playing Ariana Grande to calm her down.

Dani Dyer explains Santiago’s name

Dani also opened up further about why she chose to call her baby Santiago– although she revealed she still doesn’t know whether to pronounce it ‘Santi-ahh-go’ or ‘Santi-ay-go’. As well as being inspired by her Spanish heritage, Dani also said she had first heard the name on a TV show – although she refused to say which one.