Labour / C Section

[Chocol4te]

Hi all, big moment is approaching and I am getting anxious, Would you know how long they wait for you to dilate before deciding you need a C section if the cervix doesn't progress? I don't wanna be too much in labour, I would rather have a C section if things are not progressing. Would they take into consideration my thoughts or what will be the procedure?

[Mummylanie3]

My first labour was 36 hours 2 hours pushing then a c section but only because he moved my second was an hour and 50 mins third was 9 hours epiosomy and forceps this time I'm having a planned c section as long as baby isn't distressed and ur ok they will just leave u

[Delbelleber]

I think the baby would have to be in distress for them to do an emergency c section. I was in labour from the Sat to the Mon and only got to 3cm dilated. My baby's heart rate was monitored throughout and it took a dip very low, at that point they decided on emergency section.
I had felt "in myself" they should've done it sooner but it wasn't for me to decide.

[auntienameyname]

If you arent dilating or progressing they will likey hook you up to a hormone drip. This is what happened to me, i went into labour naturally with waters going first but was slow so they ramped me up.

Csections arent considered unless baby distress or baby stuck. Good luck op

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

It took 75 hours of labour, 2 hours of pushing and a failed forceps attempt before they'd given me a section. I'd been trying to tell them he was stuck for hours.

[Chocol4te]

I sincerely don't fancy the idea to be in labour over 24hours, I would like to have the choice of a C section after a certain time even if we are both well...

[ChocolateCoins19]

My. Friend went 48 hours.. No Progress. Drip didn't work after another 12 hours then had section.
Pretty much 3 days.

[ChocolateCoins19]

They won't give the choice if You're both well.

[MrsSiriusBlack1]

Laboured for 12 hrs with my 3rd then they realised she was brow presentation and was truly stuck, then they lost her heart beat so was rushed for emcs, home 4 days later 🙂

[firstimemamma]

C-sections are carried out either if something has gone wrong and one is needed or elective c-sections are carried out but they are booked in advance.

I've never had a c-section and don't work in a hospital but from my understanding you can't just decide there and then if you want one just because you want one. I don't think it works like that.

[moonsmarshmellow]

I think they can do c-sections for ‘failure to progress’ if labour isn’t moving? I don’t have much knowledge of this though and not sure what the guidelines are.

Sometimes they will suggest other means to get labour moving or baby out- breaking your waters if they haven’t broken, putting you on a hormone drip, doing a high forceps delivery (or maybe a combination of interventions)

However, you are able to decline anything and at that point a c-section may be an alternative option if you aren’t happy to proceed trying for a vaginal birth with the suggested intervention.

[crazycatbaby]

My waters broke naturally but I only dilated 2cm in 24 hours, so they put me on the hormone drip, which got me to fully but he was getting distressed and tired, the cord was round his neck and they didn't feel like he would be able to come out quickly enough without the aid of forceps (which I wrote on my plan that if there was a situation with forceps or a c section i wasn't against a c section), and that's when I got one.

[IslayBrigid]

Have you given birth before OP? Are you afraid of the pain of labour? I would highly recommend this book - The Positive Birth Book by Millie Hill - it's really informative and has taken my fear of birth away. It will help you write a birth plan that works for you and you can state your preferences.

To progress quickly and naturally your body needs to produce the hormone oxytocin (also known as the love hormone) - labour just won't happen naturally without it. Often the environment we are given in hospital halts oxytocin as our subconscious does not feel safe (bright lights, noise, strangers etc) even if our conscious brain feels very safe (doctors nearby, emergency equipment, etc). So often this means labour is slower than it would have been if you were in an environment where you did feel safe, on a deep subconscious level (e.g at home, in a dark room, in bed, with loved ones).

If you are birthing at hospital and it's possible, dim the lights, put some of your own music on, get access to a birthing pool, have a good birth partner (baby's other parent/friend/mum/a doula) and this should all help the labour progress more quickly and naturally. All of these sorts of things can help your body release oxytocin. Massage also helps - get your birth partner to rub your back and arms and shoulders, if you feel ok with this.

A natural birth is much easier to recover from than a c-section. A c-section is a good back-up but there are reasons they tend to encourage natural birth if poss.
Hope it goes well for you!

[AvaSnowdrop]

I was in labour for 24h and failed to progress past 5cm so they decided to give me a CS. I waited another 3h for an operating theatre so 27h in total. Baby wasn’t in distress but I was exhausted and in bad pain and not coping very well. The main concern was that the baby was big and facing the wrong way, so they thought a natural birth might injure me or him if he got stuck.

[Chocol4te]

Thanks all for your replies, will be my first birth, as I had a growth scan last week baby was back to back, I know she can still turn, currently 37w4d, but I read that labour is much longer and painful if she will still be in this position so I am thinking maybe C section will be an option in this situation

[moonsmarshmellow]

I second the positive birth book, very informative and good

[firstimemamma]

Lots of back to back babies are born vaginally with no complications op.

[RhymingRabbit3]

I sincerely don't fancy the idea to be in labour over 24hours
Nobody fancies it but unfortunately that is the case for many births, especially of first babies. Remember that the waters breaking, immediately screaming blue murder of TV show labours isn't very realistic - the pain gradually increases over time.

[Chocol4te]

I am fully aware of this, I would only like to know that if at some point I want to give up and I can't continue anymore I have an option to go for C section... I kinda wish I have said this from beginning...

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

but I read that labour is much longer and painful if she will still be in this position so I am thinking maybe C section will be an option in this situation

They usually rotate which is why I was left for 75 hours. Ds did rotate into an optimal position but he was still stuck. Getting him out any other way didn't seem to be an option because he wasn't distressed.

Everyone else I know who has had a back to back baby, had them vaginally.

[Bol87]

My first was back to back & sadly, no, they won’t just give you a section because you don’t want to labour. It’s major surgery, they’ll only do it in an emergency & after they’ve tried everything else. If you are really worried, I’d suggest you think seriously about an epidural, they take all the pain away! Marvellous!

I was in labour for 72 hours & yep, it hurts. Hence the epidural. Then no pain. My labour kept stalling & my cervix didn’t progress so they gave me induction drugs & that got things moving fairly quickly. I ended up being rushed to surgery forceps as they realised babies hand was coming out first, not her head! 🙈 the tried forceps for about 20 minutes & were on their final attempt before moving to a section when she finally budged and flew out!

It’ll all be OK OP Choose a good pain relief if you are worried about coping, it’ll make life much easier!

[MrsPatrickDempsey]

I remember a very experienced midwife who who trained me all those years ago and she used to teach about the Four “Ps” which influence progress in labour
• Psyche
(antenatal education, support in labour)
• Passenger
(size of baby, presentation and position)
• Powers
(In active phase of labour, efficient uterine contractions)
• Passageway
(pelvic abnormalities, relative or absolute cephalo-pelvic disproportion

Slow progress in labour is defined roughly as failure of the cervix to dilate by 2 cm in 4 hours. Consideration is then given to the above factors and frequently an oxytocin drip is commenced to augment labour.
As previous people have said it’s not a case of being able to opt out when you decide to really, particularly if all is progressing well and a vaginal delivery looks possible.
Have a read about latent and established labour if you haven’t already. Knowledge helps to understand what’s normal. Established labour starts when the cervix is 4cm - normal progress of 2cm in 4 hrs to full dilation takes approx 12 hrs therefore. This obviously varies from women to women but is used as the benchmark for monitoring progress.
Agree that posterior babies don’t always make for a long protracted labour, they can and do rotate.
I know it’s hard when it’s all unpredictable but try and be positive!

[Chocol4te]

I am fully prepared to have a 12-16 hours labour lets say, but in some cases labour can be 48-72 hours, I am not ready for this...

[ChocolateCoins19]

I had an epidural with ds.. He was 40 hours. I was young and remember begging the words. Just cut it out i don't care. They wouldn't they offered epidural. I took it.. And would again.
I. Due next week and going eyes wide open to expect hours upon hours and take whatever they offer 😂

[starglass]

Had a 40 hour labour, and then an EMCS because of fetal distress caused by the drip, as well as failure to progress (didn't dilate past 5 cm, hence the drip.) The pain was very bad until I had an epidural, and then it was ok. I don't think they would have given me a section based on the length of labour alone. I was just glad to get him out in the end, but the c section wasn't easy.

The thing with birth is that you really don't know what you'll get. I don't have any advice except to take what pain relief you can if that's what is right for you at the time. And that the length of labour doesn't necessarily correlate with the amount of pain. But whatever happens you will have options, although I doubt you'll be able to request a section unless there's a reason for them to get the baby out that way. Good luck, I know how scary it is when you don't know what will happen!

[Snowflake9]

34 hour labour for me. Got to 9.5cm on just gas and air. Baby was back to back. Had emergency cecasarean as cervix would not dilate any more. I was put on a drip to make contractions stronger too to help it along. It didn't work. I was gutted, but it was the best thing for us both.

Try not to panic, I didn't really have a concept of time when I was in active labour. It all just went from one contraction to the next.