to think that some MNers are just a tweensy bit biased when it comes to elective CS?

[youcannotbeserious]

Why is it, when anyone ever posts that they want an elective CS / considering going private, LOTS of MNers start going on about the risks (I appreciate that they exist and, to be fair, they are explained in detail by the consultant and you have to sign a waiver so you are fully aware of them) and needing to be in an NHS hospital 'just in case' and you wouldn't want to be in one of those pesky private hospitals, but the same never gets said for home births which, as far as I can see, must have a reasonably equal risk of needing to go to transfer to a hospital?

Why is it that Elec. CSs are so frowned upon?

I'm genuinely curious - I had to defend my 'birth plan' several times here on MN - and I don't honestly see why it's so emotive... Should I run for it now?

thanks twinkle ,

you are definitely a positive voice!

i went from 8 stones to 15 though so i'm not sure it'll just drop off. but i think excercise and proper nutrition can only help.

tori32-as a theatre nurse how many cs do you think is safe(silly way to put question i suppose as any number has risks)

Sorry about the strep thing. This test is standard where I live so assumed it was so for all NHS patients. What a shame that it isn't. However, I still stand by my assertion that in my experience, the NHS delivers care that is more than good enough.

And my butter and sugar comment was also tongue in cheek!

I am a bit aghast that people seem to think that having an obstetrician on standby is a prerequisite for a good birth experience. Personally, I felt far safer in the care of midwives who are more focused on a 'normal' delivery than I would have in the care of an obstetrician who is IMO only necessary for the big problems that can't be solved by non-medical means.

FWIW, I had a room shared with only one other mother and baby on the NHS with clean spacious en-suite facilities. I was scanned a couple of times in my pregnancy when I felt unwell at my request. I had one midwife throughout labour at the hospital (admittedly only a few hours). There were no restrictions on visiting hours. I did not need to see an obstetrician nor an anaesthetist so have no idea about how often or when I might have seen them.

Also, I can't help feeling that the gym is no place for a mother with a six week old baby. Sorry if this is inflammatory. I just wanted to lie in bed cuddling mine at that stage and I think it did us both the world of good. I can't imagine wanting to go to the gym at that stage of motherhood!

OK, Lucicle - YOU want to lie in bed. Fine - Lie away. But surely, if someone else wants to go to the gym, that's up to them and shouldn't be something you feel the need to comment on?????

I'm not in a gym, but at 6 weeks, I am walking 5-7 miles per day with my baby.

Surely, what's important is a happy, healthy mum???

Well, this is a discussion. I can comment on any bit of it I like, whether I'm being reasonable or not, surely?

Yes, I suppose you can.... but I don't understand why you would feel the need to comment on whether someone else wants to go to the gym IYSWIM.

That was my point, with this whole thread: Why SOME MNers feel the need to judge another woman for her choices for childbirth.

You didn't say: oh, I couldn't / wouldn't / didn't go to the gym.
You said: I don't think any woman should want to go to the gym

I guess I just don't understand the judgemental attitude... For sure, put forward your opinion (which is based on your experience, situation etc) but don't expect that to hold for all people...

yes?

To be fair to lucicle, YCBS, quite a lot of ob-gyns/MWs/HVs (in more than just the UK) believe that women shouldn't take any exercise for the first 6 weeks or so after the birth, and only gently after that until their body has recovered from pregnancy - the risk of overdoing things right after the birth is health problems further down the line.

Really????

When I had DS, the physio came round on day 2 to get me exercising and (as Twinkle said) the only thing I was told to avoid was weights)

Thereagain, twinkle and I were in the same hospital?

But, exercise (from day 1) was encouraged.

My MWs and HV were adamant that I (and all the other new mothers under them) should take it extremely easy for the first six weeks, until our GP check up. This in an area of the UK where people are very comfortably off and can easily access gyms, personal trainers etc. Basically the more we rested the better, bar a gentle amble down a country lane.

By four months post birth I was walking 10km again (with baby in sling).

That's exactly what I did, ycbs! I said 'I feel' and 'I can't imagine' not 'you should'. And I was also advised to take things very gently at first.

OK, I just can't see why you'd have needed to write 'sorry if that's inflamatory' if all you'd meant was 'I didn't want to go to the gym' that's all...

Because, as you say, people can feel judged even if there is no reason for them to feel that way.

Medical advice always errs on the side of caution as well as being one-size-fits-all and so by definition gravitates to the lowest common denominator. If only to avoid the liability suits? I cannot remember the last time I took a MW or HV seriously.

I come from a family of doctors, so am very aware of the Official Line v. the more sensible 'be-aware-of-the-guidelines-but-also-listen-to-your-body' line.

Whether women want to drive or be in a gym or lounging at home is up to them, subject to their individual rates of recovery. A mother with her PFB is in a very different place from a mother with an older child to entertain or take on a school run.

You are a lot more optimistic than I am, blueshoes, on the ability of the population at large to take good care of its own health and well-being . Personally, I have only had extremely good experiences with MWs and HVs who had nothing but the interests of their patients' health at heart. Unfortunately, those same patients were not always as wise with themselves as they could have been...

Maybe that's why I got slightly different advice: The private hospital had the resources to make sure there was a personal physio - so you were being watched to make sure you were within your capabilities.

I'm sure, YCBS.

Here in France 10 post-natal physio sessions, to get your body back in order, are routine and paid for by social security. I certainly haven't met a French mother who has gone back to vigorous exercising in a gym etc right after the birth - they enjoy their private sessions first, fully supervised.

Ok, I agree with that - the hospital would NOT have condoned with unsupervised gym use...

Though, I'm happy to report that the hospital were more than happy to let me continue walking!

hmm maybe i should move to france for those private excercise sessions.

Anna, where exactly are you (just the region)? i've lived in three different parts of london and have had shitty experiences with the nhs each time. my inlaws live outside of london and they still come in to london (despite being doctors themselves) for their healthcare...so my question is where does a family have to move to for good healthcare without having to rely on private healthcare?

I have nothing against MWs and HVs, probably wellmeaning if sometimes misguided, especially HVs. By the second child, you don't want to spend any more time in their company than you have to.

Their advice is sometimes laughably over-simplistic. It is great to hear 'take it easy for 6 weeks' and feel so special, until you realise that life still goes on, particularly where you have other children to look after and no masses of support for 6 weeks.

In fact, it is Far Easier for a health professional to say 6 weeks of rest, than to tailor their advice to the woman, simply because they do not have time to continuously monitor the woman to ensure she is not overstretching herself and has the requisite support before the watershed 6 weeks. It is actually lazy and impractical advice but understandable why they have to say it. Does not mean that as a fit and healthy woman I have to listen to them.

agree blueshoes and YCBS. there is a lot of difference between heavy aerobic workouts and/or heavy weights sessions and walking, gentle yoga or pilates, not to mention pelvic floor work is exercise!

I ran to the doctors 10 days post c section (running late) but i knew i was ok because of the abdominal work i had done. (bit more of a jog TBH and it was certainly not planned). I would not advise this at all to any of my patients. But i had been really diligent throughout my pregnancy and was working as a manipulative physio until 7 months: thus bending over patients all day, using my support muscles.

As with all things, it is about the individual.

eandz - in the UK I was in the Weald of Kent. Some of the NHS healthcare is excellent - my GP's practice was faultless, as is my parents' GP practice. The maternity care was faultless right through the process IMO. But I have seen unpleasant things in the hospitals in other medical specialities.

My parents have extremely comprehensive private health insurance and are able to "pick'n'mix" their care - their GP doesn't hesitate to recommend they go private when the local NHS care is sub-standard. They have never had to go to London up until now.

i really miss the feeling of having tight muscles the morning after a massive workout. (i actually LOVED the feeling). i can't wait for it again.