I really really REALLY don't want a c-section

[SaffronSands]

More of an AIB unrealistic as opposed to AIB unreasonable.

I'm pregnant with my first. Pregnancy hasn't gone the way I wanted it to (of course we all want it to go smoothly, so far it has been far less than smooth and very, very scary).

I am desperate to have a natural birth. Absolutely do not want a section (unless of course I have to for the safety of the baby). I hear that things such as epidural and the type of hospital you birth in can make a difference. I can't give birth in midwife led unit sadly but still have time to choose a different hospital.

Both times I've had a local I've been quite sick afterwards. The idea of surgery of course is not one I enjoy, as I have quite a fear of it and had a bad experience with a complicated appendectomy when I was younger.

So whilst I know that a section may be necessary for safety reasons, is there anything I can do to to reduce my chances of needing one?

Never done this before or felt so out of control in my life.

I really really didn’t want one either ..

After an induced labour.. torn privates .. distressed baby.. weakened pelvic muscle and little control of my flatunance as a result .. I now consider c section to have been the much easier option on the body.

We under estimate what real labour is until we experience it

Ur privates will never be the same again lol, if you do natural birth.

It’s still worth a shot. I don’t regret doing the natural way.. but I think I exaggerated in my head how bad c section was because I didn’t know that natural labour was equally bad ..

Took me 2 weeks to recover from pain of being torn and 8 weeks to fully recover and 5 months to not have scar tissue .... still not the same

Have you considered hypnobirthing? If you are relaxed and focusing on your breathing while giving birth that can only help things. I read hypnobirthing books while pregnant, listened to CDs and practiced the breathing exercises, and had two very easy, very quick natural births. It could have been luck, but I think being as relaxed as you possibly can be during labour helped a lot. I would also advise you to use a birthing pool if available, my second was born in a pool and it was way more relaxing than giving birth on a bed.

This one comes under the category of a long shot but maybe worth a try. One important factor in whether a CS is needed is the positioning of the baby. It might be worth reading things like the spinning babies website on ways to potentially make the baby less likely to be breech etc. This will depend how far you are along though.

For me this meant sitting in a forward leaning way whenever possible, often on a gym ball. And avoiding places like cars where I couldn't. Also walking when possible. It may have worked in that both mine were in a good position and no CS was needed.

It’s ok to not want a C section. But you need to be aware of the possibility and not freak out if that’s what’s needed on the day.

I really didn’t want one either. I was lucky, DS was presenting the right way, I was 5cms dilated when I got to hospital, I had an epidural which went absolutely brilliantly and all was well.

However things can and do go awry so best to be prepared.

I know this may not help but honestly, pregnancy and labour are the very beginning of a lifetime of worries about a person who is out of your control! You just can’t control parenting, many things will happen over the course of their lifetime that were out of your control. I realise parenting is an incredibly frightening thing but there you go, this is the journey you are embarking on.

Birth is incredibly unpredictable as with anything in life. I’d say a section is probably the most controlled you can make birth tbh! I was like many FTM’s and went in armed with a birth plan insisting I don’t have an epidural, 12 hours into a back to back labour and I was having that epidural! Que sera sera.

Obviously the safety of mum and baby is number one concern.... but isn't ALL that matters! I really wish people would stop saying it!
It belittles the way people feel after what is a highly emotive time. It's important that women feel listened to and supported regardless of their choices. Being told your feelings don't matter doesn't help!

I'm very aware that I may need one. I would never put my baby at risk and would not hesitate to have a c section if it was an emergency situation. Let me just put that out there. I also understand that I cannot control childbirth and what will be will be.

This is what I have read and wanted to know if it was true:

Find a health care provider and birth setting with low rates of intervention
Ask the health care provider about their philosophy on cesareans and their cesarean rate (rates vary between 10-50%1 nationally)

Create a flexible birth plan and discuss the plan with your health care provider

Become more educated about birth by taking child birth classes, reading books, and asking lots of questions.

Arrange for continuous labor support from a professional, like a doula. (Studies show that women with continuous labor support are 26% less likely to have a cesarean2).

Explore options for coping with pain

Ask your health care provider about how long you can delay going to the hospital once labor begins. A common reason is prolonged labor at the hospital.

Avoid continuous electric fetal monitoring during labor. Studies show that EFM can increase the chance of cesarean by up to one-third

Avoid epidural analgesia if possible.
Ask for recommendations on turning a breech baby, and actively attempt these if necessary.

Avoid induction if possible.

When in labor, find laboring and pushing positions that work for you to help labor progress.

OP, can I ask why you can't give birth in a midwifery led unit and how many weeks you are now?

You are right in that some of the things you have said can have an effect on the chances of a c section. The earlier you go to hospital, the higher the risk of interventions. Also epidurals and inductions have a higher risk. However as has been pointed out, many of these things are taken completely out of our control when it comes to giving birth.

The best thing you can do is research and have an open mind. Find out as much as you can about sections and the reasons it may be necessary and try and come to terms with the fact it might be a possibility. Then if does happen you are prepared and will hopefully be able to recover quickly and it won't impact on your birth experience and bonding with baby.

I really really didn’t want to have an emergency cs and I wanted to avoid forceps if possible. So I had elective cs twice and it all went smoothly. I felt much more in control paradoxically.

@Monr0e there was a small anomaly on the 20 week scan however this has now disappeared. They want me to give birth in a hospital in case baby needs extra care afterwards (precautionary and unlikely!). Apparently it doesn't change anything regarding birthing options. I'm nearly 24 weeks.

Not read everything but:

I felt exactly the same. The thought of having a section scared me so much I just couldn’t even think about it. Vaginal delivery didn’t excite me either to be fair but a section was worst case scenario in my notes!

After a 26 hour labour (and a textbook pregnancy), waters broken, drip, starting to undilate... I had a section because I was too exhausted and my baby wasn’t going anywhere! He never got stressed in the whole thing which was good.

It took a day or two for me to register how my body was as I was totally dazed but the main problem I had was being unable to stand upright for a couple of days. However within about a week I was happily mobile and within three I was really well and happy.

I realise I had a good time of it and some people don’t but I am now of the opinion that birth is birth and whatever happens you have to roll with it! It’s so unpredictable and crazy you just have to go with what happens.

Looking back at labour my husband and I were in good humour, he supported me entirely throughout it and we both just had to keep going even though we were both shattered.

In my opinion the thought it worse than the reality.

But there is lots you can do for your baby’s position during pregnancy. I mean, you can’t guarantee it, obviously, but ther is still lots you can do - malpositioning being one of the biggest issues in terms of delivering easily and safely., I think? A well positioned baby will, ideally, present well with even pressure on the cervix, allowing it to dilate reasonably quickly and evenly, tuck and turn and make all the shapes they need to do to wiggle themselves out. Can’t malpositioned babies end up being very late because they aren’t in the right position, then end up being induced which causes contractions that push them even further into the wrong position, and then causes long labours ending in c-sections or foetal distress? Simplistic language from me, I know, I’m not a HCP.

In that case, can’t you do positioning work during pregnancy to help your baby to be in a good position, and if they aren’t accept that their position might be structural eg shape of uterus, short cord, etc. It’s worth suggesting, surely. I don’t mean lighting candles and deep breathing etc, I mean actual proper exercise for strength, core positioning and posture stuff?

It’s been a while since I was pregnant but maybe it could help you to feel purposeful (although don’t fall into the trap of thinking it is something you can succeed or fail at)

I understand OP.

I also have GAD and was absolutely terrified of having a C Section both times I was pregnant. Luckily I didn't have to.

I think the strategies you have listed above all look sensible. Avoid having an epidural if possible as it slows labour down and does increase the chances of having the CS.

I did find the breathing exercises incredibly helpful. I used those as pain relief for first two hours of DC1 before moving on to gas and air. With DC2 I only did breathing and didn't even need entonox, but he did arrive within two hours!!!

Good luck

I really believe you can’t make statements like this as situations go out of your control, it will lead to feelings of disappointment if you do need a section. Be kind to yourself and don’t pin your hopes on anything other than a healthy baby.
A section isn’t that bad, I was relived when they said I needed one after 25hrs of Labour.

Definitely get a doula, any good one has all the facts at the front of mind.

Mine was amazing and if you happen to live in Croydon north Surrey I’d send you her details happily

@ChanklyBore thank you. That's really interesting and I'll definitely ask my midwife about it.

I think it's funny that I've posted about how anxious I am regarding a c section and some people have taken it as an opportunity to tell me about how horrific their natural births were! I really just wanted advice on whether there was anything you could do to reduce the chances. I am not naive and I do know that it might have to happen. I have a very open mind and am just terrified of surgery. I have anxiety and OCD and sadly that's not going to go away in the next 15 or so weeks.

I had 2 C sections .. both breech babies .. it was great !!

I had an emergency c section first time and vbac for second

Tbh it’s no great shakes having a vb

I totally get the wanting to be in control of some element of something that can get so completely out of control and scary. I have an anxiety disorder and pregnancy was terrifying for me. At some point though you just have to relinquish control and realize there’s zero you can do. Your body will do or not do what it wants / needs to and you just have to rely on the skills of your medical team. I had high BP and oedema throughout and then a 40+ hour labour that resulted in PTSD. It’s taken me ages to even consider another, but if I do I’m going to make a case for an elective c-section on mental health grounds.

I had a c sec after 2 vag births and i enjoyed my baby being born and felt very controlled. I have had an episiotomy and 2 nd degree tear
Just take stitches if you are offered them, biggest mistake i ever made.

@IncorrigibleTitmouse it really is terrifying. After 3 miscarriages, and lots of complications during this pregnancy, I feel a bit numb to it all. A terrible birth would be the cherry on top. I am envious of those who love being pregnant and glide through pregnancy (a friend of mine for example - v happy for her however).

All those things you’ve mentioned and you may consider hiring a doula as well. I would especially try to stay home as long as you feel comfortable. Also just trust your gut. If you need more help on the day, you’ll know and it will be fine.

I’ve had two home births, all natural with very little meddling even by the home birth midwives. With my first baby, midwives arrived just as I was reaching about 10cm probably and with the 2nd, I was already pushing and he was born about 50 minutes after they arrived. It was lovely and relaxing and great.

Preparation really does make a difference and not listening to other people’s negativity too much.

OP, reading this thread you must remember that MOST women give birth naturally. This is true not just of midwife led units, but of birthing wards in hospitals as well. It seems like you are only getting responses from those posters who had a section. You sound sensible and well informed, and the things you are writing that are likely to reduce your chance of having a section are all reasonable things that can't harm. Your attitude of "I'll have a section if I have to but I'd really rather not" is also very reasonable. Perhaps speaking to your midwife or getting doula would help. Remember, you are NOT getting a representative sample on this thread.

Thanks for explaining. So they haven't suggested continuous monitoring throughout labour?

Definitely try and find out as much as you can about sections and aftercare at the hospital. In my experience, the women who are most traumatised or upset following birth are those who felt they did not have a choice or did not understand why certain decisions were made. I would suggest always taking the time to talk through every decision and the reason for it with the midwife or consultant at the time. Even if you need extra time to decide (provided not in an emergency of course) Taking that extra time to understand your options and being happy you made the decision for yourself can make all the difference, no matter what the outcome and you can still have a positive birth experience, good luck.

I had an EMCS and was glad I had it. I never wanted a natural birth due to issues other mothers I knew had (baby trapped in birth canal and starved of oxygen with lasting effects, terrible tearing and lasting issues with damage in labour) and I was relieved when they suggested a C Section. I recovered really quickly and can laugh and sneeze without having an accident .

If you need one, it will be ok. The most important thing is a safe arrival.