To think this decision about how to give birth is impossible

[AliceAbsolum]

7 years trying, 5 rounds of IVF, previous loss. Consultant wants to induce at 39 weeks due to ivf. Or I can elect for a c section. I've been incredibly anxious through this whole pregnancy and I have no idea how to make this decision. Every time I read about it I just go back and forth. There are pros and cons on each side. It's impossible!

I'd like a straightforward natural birth but that looks unlikely to happen. How can you decide about something where you have no idea what will happen? I don't have any gut feelings or strong preferences either way. I don't want major surgery but I also don't want 3 days of pain and panic followed by surgery....

Maybe I'll just ask the consultant whats safest for the baby and go with that.

How did other people decide?

Just to provide an alternative view on the c section. As I said above I’m the same as you with years of ivf and ttc. I went planned section but unlike alot of posters here I did have a tough recovery and 3 months in my scar is still sore and stomach numb with nerve damage but I have zero regrets. After all the ivf and getting through a whole pregnancy I just wanted the baby out safe and quickly. So if I was you I’d also choose c section but just don’t expect the easy recover if alot of posters here.

Thanks everyone! I'll speak to my consultant about it in a few weeks.

Not in your position but I’ve had an induction and I’m glad I did. I did opt for epidural (not my plan but right decision in labour). No other intervention, no forceps, no episiotomy, grade 1 tear (the smallest grade - only needed paracetamol for few days). It was absolutely the right thing for me and baby in our situation. I’ve also had a high risk pregnancy go to 40 weeks with spontaneous labour and “natural” birth (whatever that means!). I’ve never had c-section so can’t comment on that.

Possibly, we'll never know, doctors are all convinced my scar is perfect, and tbh it looks it, always has, every doctor that looked said what a tidy job they did. But it still feels like it's fresh.

I saw how unhappy friends had been when their “perfect” birth plan didn’t go to plan due to complications and their disappointment at not been able to have the so called perfect drug free vaginal birth, C section etc

My Ob for my first child got annoyed with me as I wouldn’t come up with a birth plan as I decided to just “go with the flow” and do whatever my body, baby and health dictated at the time whether it be induction, c section etc etc.

I have done the same with all 4 of my healthy children and each experience has been different, spontaneous labour, inductions, vaginal births and c section and each time I was happy as I had no expectations of a birth plan the only goal was health and safety of baby and mum so just went with the drs advice at the time.

I also did IVF and have had all 4 babies between 38 weeks and 42 weeks.

I can only speak of my experience and that of the people I directly know, but of a pool of approximately 20 women, I would say half had C-section and half had vaginal birth. Those who had a planned C-section (some through medical advice, but most through elective choice) they all had no problems.

Of the half that went for the more "natural" birth I would say half had a traumatic experience, either with tearing, forceps, or emergency C-section, where the section itself wasn't the issue, but the 18hrs of labour going into complications then being rushed to theatre just left them feeling exhausted and overwhelmed with panic. Nearly all who had a first natural birth, who have gone on to have more DC, have had an elective section the second time round and expressed that they wished they'd done it the first time as well.

Two of those who had elective sections are not happy with their scars. These two women put on an extreme amount of weight during pregnancy and have found that now they have lost the weight, they have a flap of skin that hangs over their scar. To be clear though, I put on 4.5 stone with DTwins and did not have this issue, we're talking weight gain in excess of that. I'm not sure why, they are both quite slender women in both pre and post pregnant state.

I'd still take the potential of having a scar with a flap, over the more natural experience I've seen some of my friends have to recover from.

I think there's a lot to be said for knowing what's going to happen, and feeling mentally and physically prepared for that. I was very calm on both sections, knew what was happening, at what time.

That’s an important point @TwinsAndTiramisu . A c section often results in a stomach overhang afterwards. If appearance is super important to a woman she may not choose this.
I don’t care personally but some women do.

I have been induced twice, at 37 weeks for medical reasons.

Both experiences were extremely positive, no pain at all until they checked after 6 hours and broke my waters, then it did hurt (but no worse than normal labour) DD1 was born 2 hours after my waters were broken, DD 2 after 90 minutes.

I know everyone is different, but I personally wouldn't hesitate to be induced again.

(And I didn't have stitches with either birth)

Induction is not easy.....

My personal advice (experience 3 children overdue and induced):

• run away from "pessary" or wtv

• refuse sweeps point blank!!! THEY DONT WORK!!! And are very painful

• never tried balloon, wasn't recommended for me. But it seemed like a nice option

• breaking waters would be my best suggestion. If kind of starts a clock and if you aren't in labour after 12 or 24 hr (don't remember) you go straight to Csection (worry of infection and others)

• I had a gynaecologist tell me that she chose CS for herself instead of induction 🤷🏻‍♀️

Best of luck!!!!

I haven't read the full thread, but if you've the choice I'd have the c-section as they won't do surgery without a full set of staff but inductions can go on for ages, shifts change and there are staff shortages. I would think that's the real risk, not the very marginal differences in outcomes when you take everything into account.

I had an EMCS and recovery was straightforward. First and only pregnancy at 40, IVF.

I don't have an overhang. 4 children and 1 c-section. But I also have no stretch marks.

I do have a belly but it starts an inch above the scar. So it is due to weight gain and preceeded my pregnancies.

You can see from the pic.

I would have the planned section.

(I have had three electives).

IOL for IVF is absolutely ridiculous IMO. Like maternity services aren't struggling enough at the moment, it's just creating extra work and poorer birth experiences for women.

Exactly the same. Horrific first birth which resulted in a prolapsed bladder and bowel. Couldn’t bond with my baby for months. Finally had it fixed when my child was 4 years old. Went on to have 2 planned c sections. Amazing experience and I actually enjoyed my babies.

I've had both and induction and now 3 c sections (2 planned, 1 emergency). If it was me I'd opt for the c section. Induction can be very stressful. Often it doesn't work on the first try and they have to try other things so you could be in hospital a while. If it does work then labour can be 0-60 very fast with no time to mentally prepare yourself or build up your pain tolerance (as was my experience). There is also a higher chance of ending up with a c section anyway the more medical interventions you have, so you may end up going through days of labour only to have a section anyway. Mine didn't end in a section, but it did end in a 3rd degree tear, major blood loss and a resus team rushing me to the operating theatre post birth. On the other hand you could have a straight forward natural birth with no problems

I've had 2 inductions, and also a friend who has had 2 inductions who had the same experiences as me (I had epidurals) and they were genuinely the 2 most amazing experiences of my life. Gorgeous, calm, relaxing, pain free births. I loved them. We had twinkly Fairy lights on, DH loved watching them be born. I had no tears/scrapes or injuries, totally back to normal and walking around within an hour or so. Home the same day with one, next morning with the other (born in the night.)
I've also known people who've had both csections and vaginal births, some have gone well and some haven't for both types. Pros and cons.
You can agree induction with a planned csection if it's not progressing but personally I wouldn't just agree to a surgical intervention without even seeing if the other experience was possible.

IVF first time mum here. I’m scheduled to have an elected C section at 40 weeks next week. I have done a lot of research around the subject and this method is what I am most comfortable with. My obstetrician agrees.

Inductions are just too risky for me. 1/3 end up in an emergency section, something I do not wish to experience. Vaginal birth as a whole is too risky for me, women of my age (I’m 46) are very likely to suffer from birth injuries, I just did not wish to risk fecal incontinence, or forceps injuries to either me or my baby. I dont want to risk my baby suffering from lack of oxygen or any sort of distress. I don’t want the chaos of an emergency situation. Planned C section all the way for me. There are just too many unknowns with a vaginal birth for my personal circumstances. And when push comes to shove, I’d rather recover from a sore belly than a wrecked vagina / perineum / rectum.

Similar number of rounds of IVF but I was pregnant with twins.

I knew from 6 weeks pregnant (when I knew it was twins) that I just wanted them here quickly, so I always knew it would be a c section. I’d gone through to much to get them in the first place. My recovery was almost secondary.

consultant tried to get me to reconsider but in the end it was taken out of my hands, they arrived at 33 weeks due to one of them not growing.

That was 3.5 years ago and I have absolutely no regrets

Thanks so much for this thread. It shed some light on my worries as well!

Spoke to my midwife. She said in her position she would refuse the induction! She said I could speak to the consultant and book a c section at 39 weeks or on my due date and if I go into labour naturally before that fine, if not, then section.

That to me sounds perfect. I get a good go at a natural birth, but if not she is c-section at 39 weeks in line with what the consultant wants.

Really relieved the decision has been made. Seeing the consultant in 3 weeks.

I’ve had both an induction due to Ivf and a planned section. Tbh I would go section all the way- it was a walk in the park compared to the induction which took 4 days and ended in a brutal forceps delivery. The pain was excruciating right up to the point I couldn’t take any more and had an epidural. I still have problems Years later due to the forceps delivery,and when I got pregnant again fairly quickly after, I would wet myself when I was sick due to morning sickness. It wasn’t fun. my baby also had a lump on his neck which took 6 months of physio to sort out and resulted in a partly flat head because he could only lie on one side.

I’m not saying it’s everyone’s experience but you need all the facts re possible consequences - which I wasn’t given - and I was too frightened to not follow their recommendation to be induced in case something happened to the baby.

Sorry I see you’ve decided! Totally agree with your decision!

OP,
I had

OP,
My pregnancy was spontaneous (not IVF) however my placenta failed about 36 weeks.
I was offered an induction or a c section.
However on discussion, it was highly likely that an induction would convert to an emergency c section and importantly - if there are concerns regarding the placenta (which is the rationale for 39 week delivery in IVF) an induction is not likely to be the best choice - as the contractions can be so powerful it can affect blood supply to baby and they are more likely to become distressed.
I would 100% advise you to go for the planned c section. It may not be the theoretical best outcome (which I imagine would be a simple successful induction), but it's the next best over induction then emergency c section. Pick the known and get the baby out in a calm, safe and planned way. It's what an obstetrician would pick for their own too.
I wouldn't worry too much about recovery - c section recovery is fine, but it would be worse after days of pushing from an induction. C-section (in my experience of 2) is a lovely way to meet your baby.

I know it’s been a while but how did it go in the end?