Requesting a c section

[Doublebubbles]

Hi, I'm expecting dcda twins this summer after a lot of fertility treatment. At my last consultant appointment I was told that I would be induced at 38 weeks if babies haven't arrived by then, would have to have an epidural and give birth in theatre.

I am terrified. I am going to request an elective c section, I know there are risks with this too but I feel that they are more of a controlled and planned risk than the risks of a natural birth with twins.

Have any of you requested a c section, did you have to fight for it? Any birth experiences with twins would be really helpful too. Thanks

[2015isgoingtobeBIG]

I was told if twin one was breach at 32 weeks, it was automatically a c-section but if twin one was head down I could choose which option I wanted ie section or vaginal delivery. This was in a central london trust. I'm now in Berkshire and am booked for a section as twin One is breach but I onky moved into this area after 32 weeks and have discovered the consultants seem to view it differently with one essentially saying they would see what would happen naturally as twin two had the head low down so was the presenting twin. I'm not sure I'd have been given such an easy choice here.
I'm letting you know about both my experiences so you can see that in some places it might be an easy conversation but in others it might be trickier. My current trust has an established policy that they don't do elective sections unless there is a medical reason so it may be thir ethos to not offer it.

I actually would have chosen a vaginal delivery but with th position of twin one that isn't an option.

[BrassicaBabe]

Hi Congrats! Scary though isn't it

I requested a CS at about 14 weeks before we even knew the position.

The hosp favourite approach was a natural delivery with an epidural.

For a list of reasons I knew I wanted a CS. So I wrote to my consultant. A proper letter. We talked about it at my next appt. He wasn't keen but saw that I wasn't for persuading. So agreed and booked me in for an elcs.

As it happens my waters broke before the elcs and I had another small fight on my hands because of the different team on shift. But again I had done my research, stuck to my decision and referred them back to the earlier agreement. Even though tw 1 was head down and tw 2 was breech.

The CS was fab. Well controlled pain. Back driving (and sex ) within a fortnight.

Oh and twins very well!

Best of luck xx

[BrassicaBabe]

Oh, and I am so with you on the points of "there are risks with all births but the CS risks are well managed and much mitigated". I think that might have been one of my better letter points.

So, yes, I did have a little "fight" but it didn't take long to convince the consultant as he could see my decision was well informed x

[quesadillas]

I didn't have a fight when I requested it. However, I did have an emergency section last time, and so the consultant said he'd have advised it anyway. My trust apparently are very flexible on all requests for c-sections, not just for twins or more. I think that can really vary by hospital.

And I agree as well that the risks seem more predictable and manageable with a c-section for multiples, over a natural birth.

[DayLillie]

My hospital's policy was the same (not that they ever told me - had to find out from other mothers of twins). It was not what I wanted, as I had already had one baby (fast) and knew it was unrealistic. Only one doctor I saw (and I think he was the only one I saw ) at 20 weeks understood, but he was not much use.

Most people I knew did not have the epidural, because they did not need it, and the anaesthetist was shared with A&E so not immediately available if you did not have a labour lasting many hours. Many people did have perfectly normal deliveries with little intervention.

You may not have the labour the hospital intend for you.

However, I would probably go for a caesarean in your shoes, rather than live with the uncertainty.

(ps, mine arrived early, fast, no intervention, and safe, despite the hospital's best endeavours, but it was stressful)

[Reginafalangie]

Not sure hearing my birth story will help but it was my experience and you did ask

Twin A was breech and I was told if there was no change it would be a csec at 38 weeks which I was booked in for. Twin A was still breech so c sec it was.

Everything went well at first however once twin B was removed I bled out badly it was very scary. I ended up needing 4 pints of blood in total.

I actually wanted a natural birth and I wish I had been able to have one. Recovery time after csec was long and I hated staying in hospital as long as I did ( I discharged after 3 days).

I think there are always risks with child birth and I do wonder if I would have had such a near death experience if it had been natural.

[Doublebubbles]

Thank you all for your advice and experiences it really does help.

I just feel so undecided, I feel that the option I've been given for a natural birth isn't very natural at all ie induction, epidural and theatre.
Can I ask what were the main points you all considered in deciding on natural v c section?

[GlitzAndGigglesx]

I'm also having dcda twins and at my last appt the consultant asked which I'd prefer and why. I explained I'm shit scared of pushing out two it seemed to make more sense rather than possibly delivering twin A naturally and there being problems with twin B, meaning I'd likely have to have an emcs anyway. Of course there's the chance that all goes well with a vaginal delivery (my twin and I were delivered naturally but with complications) but to me it seems wiser to opt for elcs. The consultant has put the request forward so I should find out at my next appt where I'll be 28 weeks. The first consultant I saw didn't even make it feel like an option she was full on talking about a natural delivery

[quesadillas]

My decision was purely based on having had a c-section before, which probably doesn't help you much if you've never had one. I've no idea how I'd be feeling if I'd had a natural birth before or if it was my first time.

[Cheesewithbread]

I requested a section with no problems at all. Both babies were head down but I felt there were too many variables with vaginal birth plus I didn't want to go through induction. 37+5 i had the section, all went fine.

Check NICE guidelines, I have a feeling it's ok to request a section with twins according to those.

[Duckdeamon]

You can ask for the type of birth you would prefer, my friend asked for C section. Ask to see their written policies and outcomes from both types of twin births and complain if necessary.

[BettyCatKitten]

Hi, I had emcs at 32, twin one breach. Prior to this my consultant wanted me to deliver naturally, even though I requeted a cs. I was all set to complain when nature decided for me. Good luck with your pregnancies

[Heels99]

my consultant Suggested a section. I immediately agreed!

[Heels99]

The deciding factor for me was that the consultant said that on 1 in 210 cases there are "mechanical difficulties" getting the second twin out and it dies. I had spent five years going through Ivf and I did not want to take that risk. I didn't really give it a second thought. I hadn't had a particularly " natural" conception or pregnancy so a natural birth didn't bother me and with twins it's always going to be an interventionist birth there were about 10 people in theatre.

[NinjaPanda34]

I have 13 week old dcda twin boys.
Both boys were head down and I was on course for a natural delivery, even though all through my pregnancy I was told that because they were breech/transverse at the weekly scans and they turned at 36 weeks...
I had a lot of fluid (I lost 3 stone total from the morning of my induction to 6 weeks after, lots of night sweats in the days weeks after. nice.) ANYWAY! I was induced at 37+6, and because I had a lot of fluid - especially on my back, the THREE epidurals I had all failed. THREE. At the third one, they tried a longer (11cm) needle, at which point my husband fainted... So yeah, THREE epidurals, and NOT ONE of them worked. Apparently this can be quite normal for a twin birth (I found this out after ). I had SEVEN hours of full-on labouring and contractions from my waters being broken at 11am and got to 8cm. They had two clips on baby A's head, which both fell off... So basically they lost his heartbeat - even though we could see them both rippling/moving and I could feel them both moving, suddenly there were 14 people in the room and I was signing a form for an emergency CSection.
So because they were so low down, it was a lower uterine cs, so my scar is really low, in a natural crease of skin, so the wound didn't get much air around it and took a good few weeks to heal properly. (and kept opening up.) If i was to do it again not happening I would definitely be booking in for a CS. Much calmer, ultimately safer for the babies (especially twin 2) and at least my foof is intact!
Congrats on your pregnancy, twins are amazing. Hard work, but amazing. Routine is the key, ours have slept 8 hours a night since they were 4 weeks old. Feed (we formula feed) every four hours, 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm, 11pm. If you're on your own, don't wait. Wake one of them half an hour early so they're not screaming when you're feeding one and the other is kicking off. Be calm, the babies can sense it. And repeat the mantra "if they're crying, they're breathing!" They soon learn to self-settle and are ultimately more content. Enjoy! Oh and get bouncy chairs and netflix and make up bottles in advance. It is FINE to zap them in the microwave, just shake them to remove/disperse any hot spots and always test before giving them to your babies. Don't waste your money on that coffee-maker-esque bottle machine. Get a big steriliser so you can make 3 feeds at a time. Oh and weigh yourself the morning you go in, biggest weight loss ever!
Don't listen to people who say it's not a natural birth. The outcome is the same. Good luck!! (and demand a section, and don't tell people when you're going in, have a day of just you, your OH and your babies) :)

[Doublebubbles]

Thank you all so much you have really helped make up my mind.

Heels after almost a decade of infertility and treatment I feel the same as you naturals over rated!
Looking at the birth boards on another forum and the posts are very martyrish "I handed the decision over to the professionals to decide"and "I don't see it as my choice to make" well it's my body and my babies so I think I definitely do have a choice in this and I will be making that clear at my appointment next week.

[NinjaPanda34]

Quite right :) your body, your precious babies and you're going in informed and confident in your choice. (And your foof remains intact!) ;)

[Ilikesweetpeas]

I didn't have twins but a singleton after lots of IVF. I firmly requested a c section and was allowed. I've never regretted this decision, it was a lovely calm experience and I had a good recovery. Congratulations on your pregnancy and I hope you get the birth you want. Have fun with your precious babies!

[BettyCatKitten]

goof remaining in tact!
Another good reason for a cs!

[BettyCatKitten]

Goof??? Foof damn autocorrect !

[AlpacaLypse]

I was very 'anti' C section, as several friends had gone through the emergency version, and a couple through planned too, ending up with infections etc.

My daughters decided to arrive at 33 weeks, when I had not yet planned anything formally. I'd only stopped full time work three days before and had achieved buying six newborn vests, two packs of new born nappies and a double buggy. Absolutely nothing else!

I remember a terrifyingly young perinatal care specialist popping in to talk about prem baby special nursing, and an almost-as-young anaesthetist popping in to talk about epidurals.

I accepted the epidural, after trying gas-and-air, which to me was vile.

DD1 came out very nicely head first, and after a short kiss and cuddle went off with her own private paediatric crash team to Neo Natal.

DD2 was lying sideways. The registrar doctor - one of about nine people loitering down the end - said something about C section. My mother and my midwife, who were up at my end, both suggested a second opinion. After a very short time, the Consultant appeared, and manipulated dd2 so she was now vertical and ready to go. I really don't think there are words to describe how peculiar this felt!

As it turned out, dd2 was now feet first not head first... however, out she ooshed, she was a bit green and went 'cough, cough ARRRRGH'.

Apart from a minor jaundice scare three days in they proceeded to thrive.

This was just over sixteen years ago. Between the two they are predicted 12 A*s for their GCSEs and the rest As or Bs.

After all that OP, if an elective CS is what you really and truly want, that's what you should get.

Best wishes what ever the birth plan (or birth not-plan!) becomes.

[AlpacaLypse]

I think the reason I was so very very anti C section was the driving ban afterwards, for six weeks, and the sheer numbers of my friends who'd had infections/complications as a result.

Because they were really rather small - 4lb1oz and 3lb15oz - our daughters had to spend 28 days in SCBU. Getting lifts up and down was a big enough pain for the first few days, although my family and DP did their best. It was a great relief when I tried driving my car again and found I was 100%. In fact it was sheer joy to find I could actually fit behind the steering wheel again without disaster..