I am soooo broody for baby no. 4 but can't have another c-section

[PinkButterfly]

Wasn't on MN for a while and now I am back and seeing all the pg / ante-natal threads I am so broody.

Would have another baby in a minute but I have had 3 c-sections and another one is just too risky.

I should be grateful for the three gorgeous kids I already have I know, and I am.

Will my broodiness eventually go away then ?

PB

[MarkStretch]

But what would they do if you said you were pg again?

Just interested...

[PortAndLemon]

Is it really too risky (as in, has someone reviewed your particular circumstances, healing, etc., and advised that it's too risky for you, or is this just a "too risky for anyone to have more than three sections" thing?)? Because lots of people have more than three sections...

[PinkButterfly]

Consultant at hospital when I was having dd said that obviously if I fell pg again they would need to give me a c-section but he would highly recommend us doing everything possible to avoid that situation. They asked me if I wanted sterilised during my 3rd but I said no. I know I shouldn't be putting my health at risk when I already have my three and should think of them. I didn't have any problems with my operations - healed fine and no-one said I had excess scaring so I think just generally they were telling me I shouldn't ?

[PortAndLemon]

I know people with four and five sections, and I think there's a Mumsnetter who's had seven(!). And there's nothing in NICE guidelines to suggest three as a cut-off.

[PinkButterfly]

Really P&L ? Consultant seemed quite adamant they didn't recommend it. Oohhh !!!! Certainly no plans for 7 however! Oh my! Thanks so much for that.

PB

[cthea]

You can hide away the threads that make you broody. There are risks associated with subsequent CSs.

[PinkButterfly]

cthea - I am feeling broody anyway but seeing pg threads just makes me more so. I want to be sensible though - probably should just be thankful for what I already have. PB

[VictorianSqualor]

PB, I'm doing a VBA3C next time.

PAL is right, no cut off point, my HV and I were actually talking about me having my 4th and I told her I was going to ttc at the end of the year to give my scar a decent period of healing from DC3 (born in April) so that a VBAC wouldn't be too risky. She was cool with it, as was the mw who was at the clinic at the time. It's all down to the care team you have on how they react tbh.

[cthea]

I have a friend who recently had her 4th CS (all went well). But there are risks associated with CSs at the best of times. I thought hiding threads would be easier.

[PinkButterfly]

VS >

My hospital was totally against a VBA2C - talked me right out of it - so can't see them behind on VBA3C!!!!

PB

[VictorianSqualor]

It isn't up to them, just get a good doula or independant midwife

If you read this www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1913 in section 6(/) it talks about risks of VBA2/3C's and how they aren't much higher than a normal VBAC for uterine rupture, which is the risk they normally throw at you.

[Twiglett]

fairly certain that zippy had 7 or more c-sections

there is increased risk of long-term damage but you have to weigh up whether you're willing to take the risk or not .. bearing in mind that just breathing can be risky

[PortAndLemon]

You might find this article interesting -- compares c/s in women with one previous section and in women with three or more previous c-sections. Obviously the risks are slightly higher, but there's no magical switch that flips after three sections.

Unless you are positively ancient there's no need to rush into a decision anyway. Give it another year and see if you're even still feeling broody then.

[PinkButterfly]

Thanks all!

Whilst I am not "ancient" , if we were to go ahead with another pg we would prefer a smaller age gap between dc3 and another child. There are 4.5yrs between my ds1 and ds2 and 4 yrs between ds2 and dd but yes, will take some time and think it all over.

PB

[suiledonn]

My sister has had 4 sections. She was advised after her third that she had a lot of scarring and that having another was not advisable. She decided to take the chance again and although the pregnancy was fine she had complications during the section and was in theatre for ages. She had decided to opt for sterilisation during the section but as it turned out they would have had to do it anyway due to complications.

[muckypups]

Ive had four c sections and so has my docters wife. Healing didnt take any longer. I had to have a blood transfusion too but think that ws more down to loss of blood as placenta broke down, was in surgery a little longer as was steralised at same time.

No chance of me having another one!

[procrastinatingparent]

I have had 4 CS, but I did check with the surgeon during CS3 what he thought about me having another one. He was fine with it. I have also met another consultant who thought it was fine to have up to five (but he was a mad slicer tbh). I was advised not to have any more this time, but only by one doctor; another one I saw was less firm. I decided to be sterilised anyway after this CS

But if they have strongly advised you not to, I assume they have a good reason. You could try getting another opinion.

[PinkButterfly]

Thanks for that suiledonn. I am not aware of any problems with my scarring but may ask for my medical notes to be checked in case anything has been noted. I was told by my consultant during my 3rd pg that they didn't advise more than 3 and was only asked by a nurse completing my pre-op paperwork if I wanted sterilised at same time. Nothing was said during or after my op.

[Miaou]

I fairly sure WendyWeber had 4 sections, and I know other people in RL who have had four.

[PinkButterfly]

Thanks for sharing your positive experiences muckypups and pp ( @ "mad slicer"). I didn't feel I was being strongly advised due to any particular problems with me and just that as a hospital they don't like to do more than three c-section and obviously do their best to put you off going on about extra risks etc.

[VictorianSqualor]

suiledonn, to me, having to be sterilised in theatre wouldn't be a bad complication if it was a)get pg, have baby, be sterilised, or b) Don't ever get pg again, don't ever have another baby and don't get sterilised, I don't see the point in not having another baby, because it might lead to me not having another baby

[PinkButterfly]

I had heard that the success rate for sterilization during c-section op wasn't as high - something to do with pg related swelling in tubes. I had also heard there was a longer recovery process so with the chance of it not working I wouldn't have gone ahead with it anyway even if we weren't planning anymore pgs. Think DH will have the snip if anything.

[mammaof5]

Then don't have another c/s! There are options out there for even those of us with "poor obstetric history"- as my ob put it. I started researching vbac after my 3rd c/s and found some amazing info. This is info that docs put out but rarely follow for whatever reason. After my 4th c/s I wasn't done having kids but the docs said it would be risky to have another c/s. I really started digging deep and found that statistically speaking the risk of me rupturing (the major reason docs get nervous about more pregnancies after multiple c/s) is actually lower than the risk of my getting into a car accident on the way to the hospital. Do some research!! I am currently overdue with my 6th baby and I am so excited that I don't have to dread another c/s. If that is what God has for me then I will take it as it comes but for now I am really looking forward to having this baby. I researched the causes of a rupture (mainly ob interventions such as induction and augmentation)and am now equipped to avoid those. I researched symptoms of rupture (mainly low bp and poor fetal heart tones, sometimes abdominal pain) and have gotten a fetal heart tone monitor and bp cuff to be able to monitor myself to hopefully catch a rupture as it occurs in case I don't feel the pain. I have also researched what happens during a rupture and how can I get the best outcome if I happen to rupture (this means a c/s within 17-47 min of a rupture) so we are going to labor at a hotel 2 blks from the hospital. I am not eligible to have a qualified midwife help me at home and my health insurance is such that I have not been able to include my doctor in my plans for fear they will drop my care. I intend to labor close to the hospital and go in as I feel the time gets closer to delivery. It is nearly impossible to labor in peace at the hospital so I'll be close by but not go until I absolutely must. My hubby knows how to check my cervix so I plan on relocating when I've fully dialated. It sounds scary but when I looked into the risks of a c/s- nevermind the 5th I was even more scared of that. I have taken this pregnancy to be better equipped to deliver vaginally- exercize, better eating habits, raspberry tea and other things to tone my uterus. I don't know if it will work or not but I sure am going to give it a try! One thing about the rupture statistics is that when I think of the word "rupture" I imagine full blown uterus explosion. In the studies rupture can mean a few things. It can mean a total separation of the scar but it can also mean just a window opening (one that they won't likely find unless they do a repeat c/s which is not actually a cause of labor but rather how the body healed). The true ruptures are often lumped in with the window openings which really make it hard to decipher the study. An interesting note about ruptures also is that the ones where a mom has had a previous c/s are less problematic than ruptures for a mom who has never had a c/s. With the previous c/s moms the rupture that happens along the old scar tears neatly and is easier to repair (90% of the time mom and baby are perfectly fine) whereas for the mom who has never had a c/s it is much more difficult especially as the rupture tends to happen higher in the uterus where there is a higher incident of more blood loss and it is not as easy to find and fix. A fourth c/s I agree is very dangerous, but not a foregone conclusion. Some might think me nuts to consider a vbac but I can't wait. I love havng babies and was very sad when they said I shouldn't because of such and such a risk. Look into things and come to your own conclusion. There is such info available. Find a good midwife to trust (I enlisted the help of a VERY experienced one who has tirelessly helped me with every question I have) and then see where God leads you. I never thought it was right that I couldn't have another baby just because the docs saw fit to cut me open and it wasn't until I started doing research that I realized that my c/s might have been avoided had I known then what I know now. Be your own advocate, nobody cares as much about you as you do! The world needs more moms who adore their babies! I hope you can have as many more as pleases you! Good Luck!

[InaMalina]

Hello, it's lovely to hear of your age gaps as mine are 4yrs apart and I would love more

I have a friend who had four sections. She is fine although she was sterilised after the fourth as she ran into complications - nothing dreadful as far as I know, she was back home very quickly.

Hers were pretty close together though

I think four in 6 years

Good luck with whatever you decide, I know, I never thought I'd ever have another baby ever after the last one (it hurts ) but now I am in love again with a different man and want a few more

[expatinscotland]

the sterilisation rate during csection is better if the tubes are actually cut and not clipped.