Does anybody actually know anyone who had an ELCS just because they thought they were "too posh to push"?

[InAStateOfReflux]

Just watching the Wright stuff. One of the hot topics is that apparently ELCS rates being performed by the NHS are rising because people are deciding they are "too posh to push" and it's costing the NHS lots of money.

They are suggesting that these women should be offered psychiatric counselling to bring them round to the idea of having a vaginal birth.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I was given an ELCS because my dd was breech and was in fact strongly advised to (not given much choice in fact) and anyone else I know who's had one has been offered it because of significant trauma or complications in a previous birth.

I have never however met a woman who insisted on one on the NHS just cause she didn't fancy pushing it out of her fanny, and I doubt the NHS would go with this anyway tbh...

And if they're talking about women who have real fears and emotional distress regarding child-birth, then yes of course lets force the hysterical wench to push it out, does she not know how much money she's costing the NHS?

Oh how I love the way the media portray these issues...[sigh] Yes perhaps ELCS rates are rising and perhaps this should be addressed in some way, but to suggest it is for such fickle reasons is so juvenile. Perhaps it is the HCPs fault and not the whole female population who are apparently too cowardly to push their babies out?

nullius, how exactly did that affect you exactly?

My sister chose to have one because she didn't fancy giving birth.

I think I am too posh to have a CS to be honest.

I mean really really exactly!!!!

CrapBag - your docs must have been far more confident with breech deliveries then mine! It wasn't even a question that I woudn't have a CS with mine until I raised it, then they said that if I absolutely insisted I wanted a VB then they woukd have no choice but to support me in it, but that it was very ill-advised. I still feel slightly guilty (wrongly I know) that I didn't do it the "proper" way. That's why things like this really piss me off!

I'd very much like someone somewhere to tell me which NHS hospitals are conducting C sections because the women are too posh to push......because I don't know of any. These reports are all a little light on detail.....

No, doesn't happen.

The NHS COULD push down their ELCS rates by putting more resources into women's first birth experience so that SOME women don't end up traumatised, damaged and terrified of giving birth naturally for a second time.

But there is no money to do that!

It's funny, because when I had my ELCS the consultant had to fill something in in the "reason for ELCS" box on the paperwork.

I wonder how many say "too posh to push"

A friend had an elective cs. From day 1 she knew that's what she wanted. I don't think it was because she was scared as such she just thought what's the point of going through all the pain etc when you can just have a cs. Also, her dh said he wouldn't be able to look at her 'bits' in the same way again if she had a natural birth! She had to fight for a cs and it wasn't decided until maybe a month before hand that she could definitely have one. She still stands by her decision and i get the feeling that she thinks that myself and friends who have gone into labour etc and had a baby vaginaly are fools to have not asked for a cs. I think she sees the whole process of an elective cs a more efficient way to do it. Personally I don't agree but each to their own. She went on to breastfed and I didnt. I don't think it makes a difference in the grand scheme of things.

Why ?

Of course that's true as well

God I hate women-hating media SHIT.

I am having an elcs next time as my first birth was so dreadful. They were seconds away from emc, but tried the ventouse one more time. Ds had to be ressussed and I lost nearly 3 ltrs of blood. They had to scoop blood clots out of me with their hands.

I am NOT going through that again, and if someone says that makes me too posh to push then I will personally remove their kidneys via their anus with a spoon.

I have never ever heard of anyone, in REAL life, having an elcs for anything other than a very good reason.

Yes my cousin did. But to be fair she had a very traumatic first delivery giving birth to twins naturally.

Also, didn't Britney Spears have a c-section because her mother said that childbirth is the first thing ever or something? (It was in the paper so it MUST be true)

worst thing ever I mean!

i have two friends overseas who have had elective sections because they thought it was more convenient (their words, not mine) and they didn't like the idea of vaginal birth. Both were very happy with their decision.

Given limited NHS resources, I don't think c/s should be offered as a choice unless there is a medical reason for it (and I would include in that category women who have had a previous traumatic delivery - I made the difficult decision to have an elective 3rd time round after 2 spectacularly failed home births with my first 2dc)

I did of course!

Well- I did have a polo match to get back to y'know.

I can't see that psychiatric time (haha- as if there were any of that available!) is any cheaper an option than a CS tbh. Perhaps society needs to be addressing the crux of the issue which is why so many women have poor birth experiences and so many are scared to death of giving birth.

"nullius, how exactly did that affect you exactly"

Chunkythighs I didnt say it did, I was answering the question in the OP.

I think often consultants push ELCSs because they make their lives easier - more predictable outcomes - the registrars and F1/F2s can do them easily between them so they are not called in at ungodly hours...

TBH I think money saving isn't always the first thing on the Drs' minds so why should it be our main concern as women?

No I don't.

I agree that it is a media phenomenon. TBH if a woman doesn't want to risk damaging her body through childbirth she should be allowed to choose anyway. C-section is not an easy option and comes with it's own price (I've had two).

its not it's

jordan- I think you've hit the nail on the head with "The NHS COULD push down their ELCS rates by putting more resources into women's first birth experience so that SOME women don't end up traumatised, damaged and terrified of giving birth naturally for a second time"

I know someone who had an elcs for no reason other than she had had a previous cs. Her previous cs wasn't for any reason that was more likely to happen again. She didn't seem to think vbac was an option. She just did what the docs told her.

Good old Daily Fail

middle classes too posh to push

or pay

''TBH I think money saving isn't always the first thing on the Drs' minds so why should it be our main concern as women?''

I really agree with that InaState particularly in an area like childbirth. Save money giving generics instead of branded drugs, fine, couldn't care less. Save money by forcing a terrified woman to give birth in a way that may traumatise her for life? Nup.

I was rather shocked to find out that my cs was entered as elective when in fact it as becos I was having a 29 weeker weighing 740g - it wasn't as if there was a choice. It wasn't an emergency as they had 24hrs to plan it.