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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have inside information!!?

27 replies

tryingtobemarypoppins · 13/07/2009 13:46

To cut a long story short I was in A&E today with terrible morning sickness. A wonderful young female Obstetricians sorted me out and was fabulous. We got talking and I asked her how she would give birth given what she had experienced and observed.

She said 100% c-section! She also said the hospital would never say no to a women who really wanted them.

I was quite delighted with her honestly but am quite shocked........making me think about 7 months time now!!

OP posts:

Tinker · 13/07/2009 13:48

Well, they only really see births when they are already starting to become more difficult. So their view will be skewed by that. I'm sure teh same question asked of midwives would give the opposite response

llareggub · 13/07/2009 13:50

I've given birth both ways and if forced to do it again I'd deliver vaginally. Recovery time is much better. I felt awful for weeks after the c section.

1dilemma · 13/07/2009 13:53

I think there was something about obs having c sections on here before which surprised me too TBH, however my team of midwives are very much mor towards the home birth line

I think stretching my brian it was something to do with horrible pelvic floor injuries and large tears ie wot tinker said

I find it equally/more concerning that teachers seem to be such big users of private schools (obs have their sections but don't tend to go private!)

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 13/07/2009 13:54

Good point Tinker but our hospital is very 'doctor' focused. Don't midwifes always say that though???

OP posts:

MorningTownRide · 13/07/2009 13:55

inside information

Original poster

tryingtobemarypoppins · 13/07/2009 13:55

I may well turn out to be one of those teachers

OP posts:

LynetteScavo · 13/07/2009 13:56

yes but which bieth weould be easier to watch? I c-section or a vag- delivery.

For an observer, I think c-section would seem the easier option, but then they're not actually going through it, or the after effects.

ilovemydogandmrobama · 13/07/2009 13:56

They have a tainted view of childbirth. How many times have they seen a natural/uncomplicated birth?

Lulumama · 13/07/2009 13:58

obstetricians and gyaneas tend to see the most complex births and post birth issues

it is too simplistic to say c section good, VB bad as there will be so many different factors that sway the outcome

best to educate yourself about how to make the birth as positive as possible and to do lots of reading and research and make an informed decision, if that means c.section , then fine, but you need to make your decison based on more than one commetn.. had she had any children of her own?

ruddynorah · 13/07/2009 13:59

why would you be shocked? their job is dealing with births and pregnancies that are unusual, complicated or go wrong.

my community midwife said she'd always go for a water birth.

1dilemma · 13/07/2009 14:03

lol Mary
hope you're feeling better

HollyBunda · 13/07/2009 14:04

my first birth was in a hospital, but I had no drugs at all and asked that they stay pretty much hands off.
While I was pushing out my dd the doctors and nurses on the ward all gathered in my room to WATCH because they said they hardly ever saw a birth like that.

Of course that's what they would say. YABU to think they have some sort of... whatever it is.

SouthMum · 13/07/2009 14:48

My MW said she'd go for a C-Section every time and in hindsight I do wish I had a section (due to probs afterwards) but there again you can get probs with a section so its all much of a muchness....

[pointless post]

engelbart · 13/07/2009 16:48

I asked the male gynae I saw after the birth of my dd what he'd advise his wife/daughter to do re natural vs c-section. He said he'd recommend a c-section every time . and that it is much much easier to perform a c-section than try and 'repair' a woman who'd had an episiotomy/tearing.

Both my midwives had c-sections too.. When I asked why they both implied that after the injuries they'd seen women suffer they wouldn't want to risk it themselves. Apparently there are loads of women out there suffering from third degree tears and botched episiotomies. Wish I'd asked them before I gave birth myself to be honest..

verygreenlawn · 13/07/2009 19:35

I think other posters have hit the nail on the head, most of us can only speak from personal experience whereas for a doctor in that field they will be going on what they've observed - and that will include the most problematic vaginal deliveries.

I had an elective cs (for medical reasons) followed by a vaginal drug-free birth, followed by an emergency cs under general anaesthetic. IME I would rate the vaginal birth as the least painful overall once you include post-birth pain and discomfort. BUT - I'm always very very clear that that was my experience and no-one else's.

LaDiDaDi · 13/07/2009 19:40

I had Maggie Blott looking after me in my last pregnancy (v. eminent obs.) and when I requested elective section she was happy for me to have one as I had informed myself re risks and benefits but told me that she had had 3 vaginal births so it's not true of them all.

loobylu3 · 13/07/2009 20:37

Obstetricians definitely see the higher risk ladies where some sort of intervention has been necessary so this will colour their opinions. The lowest risk birth is an uncomplicated vaginal delivery but it isn't possible to tell in advance whether or not you will have one or whether there will be complications. For this reason, a lot of obstetricians choose the next lowest risk option of the CS. I am a Dr and chose to have normal deliveries and so did most of my friends. Infact, only one chose an elective CS (she is an obstetrician). The recovery from vaginal deliveries is so much better and I would definitely recommend it.

independiente · 13/07/2009 21:04

If you want an (understandably) skewed view of the birth process, you'll get the 'best' result by asking an obstetrician. If you want to try and weigh up the options effectively, ask women who have had both types of birth, and who don't deal with operative births on a daily basis. Sorry, but obvious really.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 13/07/2009 21:08

My friend who is a consultant Ob said no way would she have a section and had a vaginal birth.

independiente · 13/07/2009 21:38

Ok. Apart from stripey's Ob friend.

LovelyTinOfSpam · 13/07/2009 21:54

Not surprised by this at all. Everyone is biased towards their speciality. My mum's an anaesthetist and naturally had an epidural for me and bro. When I was pg with DD1 and brought up pain relief she said "well you'll have an epidural" and that was that. It's her "thing" after all...

In the end I had emcs DD1 and elcs DD2 which threw her a bit. I gazumped her epidural with a spinal!

Pyrocanthus · 13/07/2009 22:25

Doctors expect the worst - a doctor couple I know were stunned to discover that they were able to conceive (in their twenties) and that all their children were born healthy.

mybabywakesupsinging · 14/07/2009 00:36

or is it because gynaecologists spend such a lot of time repairing the pelvic floors of those who had VBs when younger? i have a rather bleak view, but consider incontinence a much under-publicised complication of birth .
I wouldn't choose a section to avoid the actual delivery bit. And i know that physical recovery from a section is hard. But if someone had explained to me what was going to happen to me after 1 "normal" delivery I would have had a cs.
ds2 was a second vb because I had little to loose by then.

BitOfFun · 14/07/2009 01:49

I think they are biased according to what they've seen. I had a midwifery student help with my home birth and was glad that she had seen something nice and straightforward.

jabberwocky · 14/07/2009 03:52

I have had this discussion with my brother who is a family practitioner and has delivered many babies. He advised me to opt for an elective with ds1 and we would all have been much better off had I gone that route.

Had elective with ds2 and couldn't be more pleased with the birth all the way around.

Honestly, I do wonder if there is a smaller pelvis/bigger head thing going on that causes more problems now than in the past. Or do we just have higher expectations of mother and baby surviving childbirth now than we did 100 years ago? It is something I pondered quite a bit after ds1 since both of us could have easily perished during the birth. And then again when both of my nephews' wives had equally traumatic experiences with their first births. FWIW they have each vowed to have an elective the next time.

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