to think elective repeat caesarian is a valid choice?

[schmee]

I'm currently pregnant with DC3 and would like to have a repeat c-section. I had a planned c-section last time as had twins, one of whom was breach. I haven't seen the consultant yet, so I don't know if I'll be allowed one on the NHS but I hope so.

I remember last time round people saying "oooh I don't blame you if you're having twins" when I said I was booked into for a section. I really don't understand what "blame" has to do with it, particularly as the decision was made to safeguard the health of my twins. This time round if I say my preference is for a repeat c-section the response is even worse, with people from frenemies to strangers feeling able to question my choice and try to get me to reconsider. WHY?

I wondered if people here think repeat c-section is a valid choice. And whether anyone's mind about planned sections had been changed by watching One Born last night which showed what a calm and baby-focussed scenario a scheduled section can be.

mosschops "An unecessary surgery is not and shoul not be a choice, unless you want to pay for it in which case you can do as you please.
"

Absolutely agree!!!

kitstwins - that sounds awful - do you mind if I ask if it was emergency or scheduled/elective?

Schmee you are entitled to pain relief, it's not as if people expect you to deliver naturally.

Oh and most peoples bodies don't 'rip apart' as you dramatically put it. My body was only ripped apart by a surgeon not my vaginal deliveries.

In response to your repeat c section questio, my answer is the same, it's not a valid choice if there is no medical indication for mum or baby.

I wanted an elcs with my 2nd after an emcs with my first. They pretty much said no. I'm not sure if I'd have stamped my feet and shouted they might have let me in the end but I would have had to fight for it.

In the end my VBAC was a wonderful experience. I wasn't strapped to monitors because by the time I got to the hospital I was 10cm and fighting the urge to push. The only intervention was an episiotomy which the MW insisted on because of fear of rupture. The way the baby shot out after that I'm glad I needed it because I fear I would have given birth in the car otherwise!

Anyway, I just wanted to say, make sure you have thought it through well and listened to the advice of the experts (not random internet people). A lot depends on why you ended up with a cs in the first place. For me it was really down to bad positioning of the baby. If it was a problem with you, that is likely to happen again, then absolutely I would opt for an elcs.

I do think it is a perfectly valid choice to have an elcs after a previous one. I'm pg again and tempted to ask for one again because I still fear another experience like my first. All being well I'll try for another vbac though. Recovery for me was so very much easier. However at the slightest hint of a problem I'll be asking for a cs!

I had a normal (normal being the operative word) birth to healthy 8lb baby, without tearing, so it is possible for women to give birth and not turn themselves inside out.

"DrMcDreamy I agree - the days after a CS are very painful and unpleasant - I just don't see how it can be considered the pain free easy option"

Mine wasn't painful and upleasant at all, I was up and about the morning after (c-section iI never had a painkiller stronger than a diclofenac in the first couple of days, and even that wasn't really necessary. So while I appreciate it's not like that for everyone, blanket statements about how awful it is are scaremongering.

Your baby
Your body
Your choice

Not your money though is it.

Just waste valuable nhs money because you 'can't be arsed' with the pain. Same as people who 'can't be arsed' to pay for a taxi and call an ambulance instead!

mosschops when you say "In response to your repeat c section questio, my answer is the same, it's not a valid choice if there is no medical indication for mum or baby." There is a medical indication for mum and baby if you have had a c-section before. More than a 1 in 100 chance of uterine rupture if you haven't had a vaginal birth previously.

"I had a normal (normal being the operative word) birth to healthy 8lb baby, without tearing, so it is possible for women to give birth and not turn themselves inside out."

Yes, but it's not very likely. It's very likely that if you have CS you and the baby will be totally fine and the experience will be reasonably pleasant.

"But I dont agree that the nhs should fund csecs because some people feel they are more civilised. How can that be justified within an nhs budget?"

If that's the case why are other medical situations dealt with using the benefit of reliable anaesthesia? Apendictomy on the NHS without G.A, anyone?

And no, epidural isn;t always the answer 0 for some it didn't work, for me there was no anaesthetist available at the time to perform one.

kitstwins, you were very unfortunate. Maybe it was because you were put under that it was harder for you, I don't know. I had an ELSC under spinal block and experienced none of the after-effects that you did.

YANBU

I had an elective CS 5 years ago with DD mainly because i had SPD and also a terrible natural birth with DS (who is now 10), my mum also died when i was 26 weeks pregnant with DD and i had 2 MC before DD which all left me a jibbering wreck!

I am currently 29 weeks pregnant and at my 12 week appointment with consultant i was asked my preference for birth.......i said CS and it was agreed then and there! written in my notes that CS to be booked for around 8th May. I will get my date for CS at next appointment in april.

My child, My body, my decision. My recovery with DD was ALOT better than with DS.

YANBU. Just to clarify again that a CS is NOT the easy option. That incision site hurts like buggery the next day and for quite some time after!!

"Some women need to grow up, grin and bear it."

I grew up after a 36 hour labour, half spent on a drip to speed up contractions, infection, emcs, baby seen for 30 secs, whisked to special care, meningitis, two week IV antibiotics, trying BF by walking up to special care every two hours throigh day and night - my first baby - staying in special care, listening to families howling with grief that their baby had died, or had been ventilated or whatever.

fuck off

"Not your money though is it.
Just waste valuable nhs money because you 'can't be arsed' with the pain. "

Whose money is it, then? Oh yeah, men's. We shouldn't waste it on our insignificant women problems.

Generally NHS money is precisely there to make sure we avoid pain, so again I think this is all just misogyny pretending to be about the state of the economy.

I had a second CS because I couldn't bear the thoight of it happening again which isn't really a medical indication.

as for the cost issue........I could labour for hours and still require a CS and at best require extra help ie epistiotomy and ventousse delivery which would involve lots of extra staff etc......If my scar ruptured it would become more dangerous for my baby and myself and im not prepared to risk that.......neither are my consultants hence them agreeing at 12 weeks to a CS

LoTM - if someone could promise me a straightforward homebirth, no scar rupture, no PPH then I'd take it - but they can't.

I am that you would pity someone for the birth choices they make, and you have no fucking idea what I 'grinned and bore' when I was in labour for 30 hours with my DS.

So this time, if I decide I don't want to go through all that again, it's my choice thank you very much.

Clytaemnestra
My experience sounds like yours, really positive and I was straight up and about. I understand it can be very painful for some from what I've read but I wouldn't change anything about my choice to have an EC.

I have no problem with emergency cs or medical conditions giving little other choice.

I object to women "opting in" when they have had normal pregnancies/labours and are otherwise fit and healthy.

It's a waste of money and time.

mosschops30 - do you believe in prescription painkillers?

YANBU and I did it and have never regretted it despite having pain in my scar

"I too, had a home birth Valhalla, without pain relief, exceptionally fast, and my ds was born in the back of an ambulance, perfectly well."

I had a hospital birth, Lady, not a home birth and mine was a ventouse delivery without pain relief.

And I wanted to die.

Hence I chose to have an ELCS next time around and am so pleased I did.

In the OP's case it's perfectly reasonable that she should have another ELCS and don't begrudge my NI contributions going towards helping a woman give birth her way, with as little pain or distress as possible.

mosschops - I'm not sure who your comment about not being arsed with the pain is aimed at - as people have said c-sections are not necessarily pain free.

I do think cost is an issue which is why it's ultimately the consultant's decision whether the NHS will provide this for me or not but as other posters have said there are plenty of things the NHS pay for that others might not agree with.

But generally I don't see why women criticise other women for having c-sections. e.g. the too posh to push brigade who pay for it privately themselves. I really don't get it.

If there was no medical reason then no.
If you want a section for no good reason then pay for it yourself