November 2015 Thread - Teams Yellow, Pink and Blue selection has started!

[tootsroots]

For all those lovely bumps incubating until last few days of Oct and all November, spilling possibly over to December for the super comfortable babies- come and chat, rant, vent, chant, glow, sweat, watch nails grow whilst doing antenatal pilates/yoga/sleeping/eating/navel gazing and over analyse to your hormones content!

Optional - FB group is up and bumping, PM me with email to be added.

I think I'm leaning towards elcs, mainly because I don't want another emergency section. I also think I'm one of the lower success rate VBAC women in the studies I've read because I never had a labour (the further you've got with a previous labour the better), have a small age gap, had a premature c section (so sewn up when still small), there were some others too but can't remember now.
The other thing she said was during labour you produce oxytocin which keeps things progressing. But if you're scared the adrenaline blocks it making it slow down. But that's a bit like telling someone stressed to relax isn't it? I know I'll be scared!
It's a difficult one. I'd quite like a VBAC in a way, but it could end up in an emergency. Having no experience of either a labour or an elective makes it hard

Sorry to waffle on, but the other thing making it difficult is the research. So, most of the research into c section outcomes lumps them altogether, such as the emergencies and early ones. She said that the most recent research, now routine sections are done at 39 weeks plus, shows much better outcomes. Although of course it's surgery so there's always risks.
So even with reading the research (and I work in stats in a medical background so shouldn't find this complicated!) I'm still unsure as the research is mixed. There are small risks with both options

Hi Sunshine, nice to see you over here hope your GP is being helpful.

Congrats to lots of folks on lovely scan news, some great pics on FB too. I'm starting to get a bit scared/excited about mine on Monday. It still all seems a bit theoretical, I'm a bit fatter at the moment, but haven't really felt movement yet.

I've managed to escape too much commuting madness, definitely one of the advantages of not being London based! I travel a fair bit for work, though, and I'm getting a bit pickier about booking seats on trains, etc. right now I do a lot of trekking around where I live too with a laptop bag and all my gym kit, not sure at what stage I'll start to find that a bit harder to do...

Omg there is a March antenatal group. I still feel like a newbie to all of this!

March????

abbeyroad there is a really great vbac support group on facebook. lots of info and ladies trying to decide, lots of successful vbacs, lots of failed ones, and lots of women opting for repeat caesareans. I'd definitely recommend joining

Thanks TwoBees I'll take a look.

The thing that's doing my head in is that it's my decision, so if something goes wrong with either it'll be because I chose elcs/VBAC. The midwife asked if I felt guilty about my first section and I don't, because I had no choice, there was no other way, so nothing to feel guilty about if that makes sense?

Is it VBAC support group UK? Just wondering if people will be able to see I've joined it. I've not announced on Facebook yet as I've got work people on there and work don't know yet

I'm so exhausted. Work has been awful this week. I've just put my son to bed and not eaten and my husband is sleeping in the lounge. I already told him I wanted help with housework tonight as it occurred to me that I don't have to do all the cleaning. But really I just want him to feed me healthy food so I then have the energy to get on with it myself. I know he's tired too but how do I point out that work is particularly tough right now and I am severely anaemic, without sounding horrible? I'll probably just cry, which I hate because it works...
Sorry, it's not like me to moan but this seemed like a good place to do it!

Yes it is the UK, and no one will see you've joined it unless they are also a member of it, as far as I know! It is really helpful as there are ladies on there who have had sections for every possible reason so there will always be someone who knows how your feeling

Great thanks!

I've been reading research studies this evening. Looks like I have a 60% chance of success after a preterm c section and 1% chance of rupture. Now going to look up about the small age gap etc. I think the consultant appointment is 15 minutes, but I'm preparing a lot of notes - they'll either love or hate me, haha

Abbey I would say that the risks of major complications for any kind of birth in this country are pretty low so you would be justified in going for your gut preference and where you would prefer to have the stitches

That's what I'm thinking Snozzberry and I actually found recovery fine last time. I realise that's mainly luck though.
It was quite fun at the course in a way as there were a lot of opinionated women. When it cwas suggested that some women feel like failures after a cs everyone went ape, I enjoyed it immensely!

Ch1134 - Hope you've eaten and are relaxing now.

Thank you. I gave up and made dinner. Then I told my husband he has to make dinner while I put our son to bed as I am pregnant and anaemic and have to eat! Now I am sulking as the evening is gone and I wanted to watch some telly!

Bit late as I've just caught up with the last couple of days, but wanted to add my BFing experience... With ds1 it took a few days to get established, we were in the hospital anyway as both he and I had to have antibiotics due to meconium and a high temp during labour. I have to say the postnatal ward midwives were really great. No pressure to Ff, they were really busy but set aside time to go through different positions for feeding, took us to quiet room to try, were really encouraging. Was in for 3 days post birth and got established by the time we left. I don't know what would have happened if we didn't have to stay in anyway but just wanted to give an example of really great support in hospital. I ended up BFing him until 14 months. With ds2, he took to it immediately and I BFed him until 18 months. I know I was lucky not to have any issues like mastitis but just to say it does go smoothly sometimes (not including sore nipples - but they get used to it in time)!

Btw, I have just got my Baby on Board badge, wore it on the bus today and ended up standing for the whole 20 min journey back to Waterloo. Girl I was standing next to (in the priority seats!) kept head down and headphones on. And tried to barge past me when we arrived at the station. I didn't use any of my carefully worded (in my mind) rebukes, but I did accidentally bang her legs with my laptop bag as she barged past ????

Abbeyroad just wanted to add my experience of having a c section with a 1yr age gap, having a newborn is one thing, but having a 1yr old who still will mostly want to be carried at that point, is definitely a big factor to consider if you have a choice. I could not lift my dd after my emcs and that was really hard as she was way too young to understand why.

That's a really good point Dixie. BF does go smoothly sometimes! I hope I didn't freak anyone out with how difficult I found it. Ultimately I still managed to succeed, I just sacrificed more of myself than I should.
God, when it does work it's wonderful and convenient and snuggly and... just great. I just would never want anyone to end up killing themselves to do it like I did.
Abbey it is a tough one. Ultimately there's no easy way to have a baby, but there's no wrong way so you probably just need to work out what you are most comfortable with.

DS slept all night last night (a rarity) but I was up all night worrying. It's tough deciding things like this isn't it?
TwoBees yeah the midwives did say I wouldn't be able to look after DS for weeks. Last time I was back to normal within days though, and had to pack and move house (although I wouldn't recommend it!) but I realise I might not be so lucky this time.
It's the less than 60% chance of success that's bothering me. An emergency is much more dangerous than an elective and I'm not keen to repeat the emergency experience. If I was one of the women with an 80%+ chance of success maybe I'd feel differently. I'm hoping the consultant will be helpful in a few weeks

Abbey I may be wrong but I though about a quarter of all births end in c section? In which case your 60% chance doesn't sound as bad in comparison to the overall risk.

Just wondering... does anyone had gestational diabetes?

I don't (that I know of) but I was wondering how you found out? Is it something they routinely test for or do you have to go with symptoms and they then test you? Not that I am paranoid or anything but yesterday I read something about some of the symptoms and it has got me thinking.. being thirsty - I am but I did eat a full bag of salted pistachios yesterday. Needing to wee more especially during the night - I do often need to go but not so bad I wake up in the night and can't hold on. Tiredness - well yes but isn't that just pregnancy??

I have a normal bmi and the midwife didn't mention I looked like I had gained too much weight at my appointment on Monday, I am just worried as I know it is something that should be monitored so just wanted to know how you found out?

That should say does anyone have or has had.. sorry

I think that figure is right Snozzberry but I think most of those will be elective e.g. due to breech or something. It's annoying but they tend to lump the planned and emergency stats together and I'm not sure what the emergency rate is on average. In a VBAC situation the 40% will be emergency if that makes sense because of something not going right with the VBAC. It's the emergency I really don't want to do again.