Did you request a c section? If so was it difficult to get it?

[womsaal]

In the last year I know 11 people who have given birth. Only two had vaginal births and the others were either a planned or emergency c section. I just wondered if that happens to be my pool of people and in fact most people give birth vaginally? The reason I wonder about this is because I elected a c section (and had to fight for it) because I just knew my frame wouldn’t be able to push out the baby. I was right as our baby was nearly 11 pounds and I am tiny. It would likely have ended in c section anyway but I was massively discouraged to do this. I feel really strongly that women know their own bodies and yet it seems the majority are forced to try and give birth vaginally and then end up in an emergency situation that could have been avoided?

I wanted a C section because it was a forced birth (found out I was pregnant over halfway through pregnancy and had no choice not to go ahead). I had injuries after previous precipitous labour. I felt really uncomfortable describing my injuries to a male doctor so I politely requested a female. There wasn’t one available so I agreed to speak to a male consultant who was off with me from the outset because he took it so personally I requested a female. I really wasn’t able to sit in front of him and describe my vaginal problems.
He made lots of presumptions ignorant comments and he said no to getting a C section. So that was that. Baby arrived prematurely and I needed a blood transfusion and we both nearly died.

Well they can fuck off, no-ones opinion matters more than yours, even medical opinions (unless it's a danger to life)

I asked for an elective c-section at booking appointment and had the date by about 19/20 weeks I think. No midwife tried to dissuade me, a few said it was a good idea. And it was because they were fairly short staffed in the hospital and most of my NCT group who did try labour said the shortages made for an unpleasant experience (and half of those needed a C-section, a quarter needed forceps, another had an episiotomy, nobody got a straightforward vaginal birth).

How do they know this private medical information?

@arecklessmanor they outright asked! The first few times I answered c section immediately as I wasn't expecting opinions, didn't realize people felt so strongly about how a virtual stranger gives birth!!

I am tiny but I'm also a nurse with some midwifery training so I knew not to go for a section if I could avoid it.

What a load of nonsense. Perhaps with your ‘training’ you could look up the stats on the number of obstetricians who go down the elective CS route - eye opening!

@Disturbia81 It's my first pregnancy so I had no idea people had opinions on it! Apparently it's the easy way out LOL

@IceCream889 Oh some people love to give their opinions don't they, and even a lot of the medical ones are just their personal opinion (eg when midwives push vaginal birth because that's what they love doing) or consultant says go for vaginal just to save money.
I went into my first pregnancy thinking.. this is my body, I'm not just a number. I'm the one who has to go through it, has to live with the consequences for life.. to these people I'm just another patient in that shift who they will forget about once I leave (not in a bad way, it's just how it is) so unless there is a danger to life having a c section then nothing and no-one will change my mind.
And the randomers giving their opinion! As if we care 😂

Oh that’s so rude/nosy of them! Yes people will continue to be this nosy and opinionated on all things related to feeding/sleeping/nappies etc so just do what works for you.

For me it might have been the easy way out but I’ll never know if in some parallel universe I’d have had a super smooth labour and delivery or a really difficult one. And that was key, having more control.
It took a little while for milk to come in but I breastfed beyond a year so don’t let people say c-section means you can’t breastfeed. There are stronger painkillers than paracetamol available.

I've had 4 children, first 2 were normal births, 3rd was a emergency c section totally the midwives fault she'd put the picotin too high so i was getting no rest between contractions and my son couldnt handle them and his heart rate kept dropping so that had to get him out, the consultantthat did the section shouted at the midwife when she came in and saw how high it was, this was 2 years ago. My 4th who is 4 months old was an elective section as I was scared by the previous birth but also sterilised at the same time. It was easy to get, I spoke to a consultant, signed the forms and was given my date, it was such a lovely experience I was first down in the morning everything was just so calm and relaxed and I saw them take my son out my stomach still in his amniotic sac (was watching in the massive light above my head). I don't regret it at all.

I’m a midwife. The NICE guidelines state you can have an elective section for whatever reason you have. Whether they agree or not, your midwife should be supporting you to have the birth you choose. For me, that’s meant I’ve referred to different consultants where my locality has refused a patients’s choice (which they shouldn’t, but they do).

You are a great midwife 🖤

Oh please.
You can request a swab and exact microbes that would be introduced through pushing through vagina can be transfered to a baby via swab.

Why would you be withiut pain meds if BF? Pleanty of paunkullers can be taken safelly while BF.

Your body can 100% grow a baby too big for your frame. Women died en mass from this century ago. I am perplexed how people tgink childbirth in the past was funtivity and everyone was ok. No.
Men just married again.