In labour - need urgent advice!

[Ineedadvicee]

Well.. kinda in labour, kinda not!

Waters broke 27 hours ago, arrived at the hospital shortly after they broke but contractions failed to start. The hospital said that if nothing happens in 24 hours (24 hours after works breaking), they will start the oxytocin drip to get things moving. Apparently they can only allow 24 hours as you are more prone to infection once waters have gone.

Problem is… the 24 hours are up but there are no beds on labour ward so they want to take me in for a c section. I’m gutted because I haven’t even been given the chance to try for a vaginal birth… of course I need to follow their advice but it seems so unfair that the reason for the c section is purely down to lack of beds, not because of anything medical?

I don’t know what to do…

Hope you’re ok, all went well and you recover well. What a horrible situation to be put into. I felt bullied into a C-section with my 1st - started induction but then they decided foetus was in distress. I beat myself up about it for two and a half years and felt like I had failed. Please try and make the most of it and enjoy motherhood regardless. I fought tooth and nail to have my second baby vaginally (it helped that I moved from London to Edinburgh mid-pregnancy and I avoided midwives ante-natally) - being “old” (37) didn’t help! My third son was born vaginally after about 3 hours’ labour. Youngest is 18 now, they’re all healthy. Having done both, it’s swings and roundabouts: short term pain vs longer recovery, but I really wish I’d just gone with the flow rather than torture myself with guilt when 1st was a baby. Just enjoy your baby, get plenty of rest and take all the help you can (and eat ALL the chocolate biscuits while you’re breastfeeding!) x

Be careful of waiting too long! My baby's vital signs were all over the place after 15 hours. I was told there were "Too many little things not looking good" I signed for a C- Section. Baby 5 minutes later and they had Paediatric team right there on standby. Thankfully not needed. My only complication was a fever overnight. I was up on my feet the next day. Don't rule out a C Section. I know its not your first choice but just play it by ear! Take care!

I hope all went well, and you and baby are doing well.
The only I would say is that the birth is just one part of the whole pregnancy/becoming a parent journey, and it sounds as if the C section was unavoidable.
The main thing is that you and baby are fine, try to put aside the less than ideal birth and focus on the positive.
No stitches down there for one, no episitomy for another!
Congratulations!🥳🥳🥳

This makes me so upset to read op. I did a lot of reading up to my birth and when my waters started going at about 10am on the monday and I had that confirmed at the drop in, I reread some bits for clarity and reassurance so then when they wanted me to immediately go for an induction I politely declined. I was happy to go along with regular temperature checking and self monitoring that way, and I went in again after 24 hours of the waters going… still no contractions but they could see on the heart rate monitor of baby, that ‘things were happening’.

I held out, doctors advice tends to just be about hospital policy and it’s far more focussed around hospital convenience and control than what is actually better for the birthing woman and baby. I know that statistics were in my favour, over 80% of women will go into spontaneous labour within 48 hours of their water going and sure enough, after about 4.5 hours of contractions and pushing, my baby was born at just after 11:30pm on the Tuesday just with gas and air. I got to the hospital at 10cm dilated. While a rather traumatic birth (incredibly quick and incredibly painful) I wouldn’t have had any alternative that they were pushing, in so many cases it makes it all worse.

Doing a major operation on you because they ‘don’t have beds’ is totally totally inexcusable and I’m absolutely horrified by it, when you don’t even need an induction let alone a C section! They need to let you go into spontaneous labour at home and go in when ready. Hospital labours are managed so horrendously in this country.

I hope you’re doing ok, I really feel for you. X

Thanks all - little man is here now, he was born at 3:30pm and weighs 9lbs 3oz so perhaps I should be feeling relieved that I didn’t have to push a 9 pounder out of me! Still can’t move, DH has had to leave (he is injured, awaiting corrective surgery and in a lot of pain with his leg) and I’m just here feeling really…. weird/lonely?! It’s dark, they’ve already turned the main lights out and popped the little reading type lights on. I just can’t wait to leave to be honest. I can’t even reach over to get baby, so he is on me at the moment because if I ask a nurse to put him in his cot, I can’t get him out again and I feel like I’m constantly asking for help reaching things! They are SO busy and I’ve since learnt that I’m definitely not the only one essentially forced into a c section due to lack of beds on labour ward. Thank you for your messages.

Ah, congratulations! I hope you recover quickly and get home with your beautiful boy.

Congratulations op! I wish I could come and help you out 😔 have you got someone else who can come? A friend or relation?

Congratulations!!! 💙 💙 How lovely that your little man is here! And what a whopper he is! Hope you’re home soon enjoying your lovely family 💐

Congratulations, glad he is here safe, maybe it will be a vaginal birth next time ;) x

I am so pleased he is here safely! I am sorry it has been so stressful for you and dh. You will be home soon! I wish all 3 of you the best

Congratulations! Rest as much as you can. Have you decided on a name?

Congratulations!!!🎉
Glad he is well and healthy.

Oh, sweetheart.

My 8lb 10oz baby turned 15 today and the absolute brutality of her (forceps) arrival was 100% worth it. Congratulations on bringing your lovely little boy into the world. (October babies are the best. :))

Congratulations OP make sure you buzz when you start feeling pain it can sometimes take a while to get meds.

From friends who have had c sections there is huge difference between the experiences of those with planned vs emergency c sections.

From my own experience of birthing over a 9lber the amount of stitches required was more then my friends c sections!

Thank you all! He currently has no name, I really like Theo but DH is torn. He likes Noah but my nephew is a Noah. The only other name we both like is Isaac but I still really want Theo!

For a different reason to you, I too ended up having a c section without the planned attempt at vaginal delivery. It wasn’t the birth I wanted. It wasn’t a great experience.

When this is all over and you’re in a better frame of mind, you can ask to meet with the treating team and ask for a review of your case to discuss it with you. It is really helpful.

Take care and enjoy your baby.

Congratulations - so glad he is here and healthy!!! I did find the first bit where you are not very mobile hard but it will go soo soo quickly - don’t be afraid to ask them to do what you need them to do in the meantime. Once you get moving around and even better get home you will recover really fast - but this little bit is a bit weird and sucky.

Shouldn't this be the FIRST thing the Maternity Unit senior staff member asks you if you would consider that, and then do the phoning around using their direct contacts list? 🤔

They have to get your consent to do a c-section. It's surgery. I am guessing if you tell them you won't give it a bed will be found. They know full well that if the medical evidence is not there that you needed a c section on medical grounds they could get hammered down the line

Op tho - do make a complaint. Doctors should no better than to put you through a unnecessary surgery. First - do no harm.

Both Theo and Isaac are gorgeous names.

Theo! Lovely

No bad choices out of those names!

Have they said how long you'll have to stay in?

Congratulations Mummy.

I'm glad baby is here safely, sorry you didnt have the birth you wanted, but you have years of happiness ahead.

With the name, meet on the middle.. Neo or Neoh.

Both Theo and Noah are lovely names, but I see why your less keen on Noah if you already have a Noah with your nephew.

You can be on a drip in a waiting area. I was walking about amongst people in the waiting room with my drip on a stand while being induced. You don't need a bed until properly in labour.