Due Jan 2010....watching our beans grow into babes!

[dal21]

Hello all! Thought I would start this off as our existing thread is full!

annie that has always concerned me about a VB that something can go wrong. i am lucky in that my labours are fast so there is not much time in there but i think that knowing htat things can go wrong with a VB leading to often serious consequences does put pressure on a woman in a way. maybe talking crap there sorry ladies!

For people considering an elective CS, it is worth remembering that it is considered to be a lot less traumatic than an emergency CS and easier to recover from. I don't really understand why this is the case. Any of our more medical ladies know? It's something I'm going to swot up on when I have the time.

I would like to try for a VBAC this time, but I am going to have a talk to the consultant and think hard about an elective section. If I knew now that the VBAC would be successful, then I'd want that. But I'd rather have an ECS than another full labour and then an emergency one. Obviously no way to guarantee in advance, so I'll have to weight it up.

Not that my EMCS was particularly horrific or stressful - the baby wouldn't come out as she was not in quite the right position and so they took me to theatre. She was not distressed and I was happy for this all to happen. I didn't have the labour of my dreams, but it was fine. The recovery, looking back, did take a bit out of me, but I was young and fit and I managed.

As for the breastfeeding thing - I'm not sure about a CS not helping with the "start of bfing", but after you have abdominal surgery your movement is very limited and that can make it harder to do the little subtle movements that can help to get a baby latched on. I think it's worth knowing this, not to make a decision on CS or not, but so that if you have one, and you struggle with bfing, you have a better understanding of why it might be trickier and it might help to overcome any problems. It took me months to figure this out

I was so ill and tired yesterday that I was off sick. I rested all day long and I feel like a new person today. Although still quite grumpy.

think i may opt for a cs! but my dp wants to watch me poo give birth as his xdw had 2 cs due to funny shaped pelvis apparantly.

i just cant stand the thought of that big needle in the spine tht is why i have never had an epidural! glad i never did but atthe time i am screaming for one!

londonlottie i dont think any of your friends are thinking that! i know that many people including myself envy people having/had twins. you're not like us boring people with just one!!

londonlottie i cant think of one negative thing about having twins, especially as you have no others, i mean you will not have to give them all yur attention all the time as they will ahve each other to entertain so you get more time on mn! you dont have to worry aboutthem being nervous at school as they will be together, maybe not in same class but in the same year. if you only wanted two children you have got it all out the way in one go (my wishful thinking!!). you only have one birthday day to plan! the list is endless!

i am so scared. i started bleeding today. Started off brown and now its red. still not a huge amount but ive got period pains so think im gonna be another to leave the thread. waiting for the hospital calling me back but im not hopefull. really scared that its happening again

oh starshaker i am sorry but dont surrender just yet til you know what is really happening. how far along are you now? you should have a scan very soon. though bleeding is a sign of mc it can also be a sign of other things.

im 9 weeks acording to the doc i saw last time. I hope its not another MC as this would be number 5 and i really cant deal with that. If i loose this baby i wont get the chance to have another (dont think i could put myself through it again anyway)

surely they would investigate as 5 is quite alot? there may be an underlying reason why this is happening.
have you heard back from hospital?

oh starshaker I am sorry you are going through this. Like the others say, bleeding does not mean mc is a foregone conclusion and lots of people have bleeing throughout their pregnancy. But (having lost 3 pregnancies before this one) I know you will not be finding that very helpful or useful at this exact point.

bethoo, on the CS question, I'm a bit confused. My memory is that you've had 2 quick, natural, deliveries. Will they let you 'opt' for an elective CS?

I know where I am, as long as my pregnancy is uncomplicated, I simply won't be given the option.

Starshaker really feeling for you. Can you put your feet up. I do hope evrything is ok. Everything crossed for you.

Biccy yes that is right i have had 2 vb and was joking about having a cs, here they will only give one if there is a medical reason. i did ask out of curiosity and the midwife said no way would i get one! i asked as i had a phobia of labour and still do to some degree and she said i would be offered councelling. there was a thread last year of a woman who was about 6 weeks preg with her first and she had opted for cs because of a fear of labour that had been instilled on her by her mohter who told her how awful labour was and i think she was given one!

Thanks bethoo, just noticed your on your post... am being very dumb... it was just with all the talk of politicising birth and making women feel bad if they choose a CS I thought I had missed something which meant anyone could now choose a CS!

So, just so everyone is clear, if anyone is offered a CS, then there are clearly reasons for this and I would support those people's decisions, either way, with no feelings (voiced or otherwise) that they were in any way 'copping out' if they chose the CS route.

I had my own difficult decisions last time which resulted in me changing from planned home birth to planned hospital birth, and I dn't regret it at all. I very much wanted ahome birth, but I wanted a healthy baby much more. As anniemac says, you do whatever is in the best interests of your and your baby's health; sometimes it can be very hard to decipher which option is actually in all your best interests, but that is your aim.

If the concept of a VB is stressing you out then the obvious solution is to have a CS. I do believe stressed mums have stressed babies (no research to back it up mind you) so relax, do what's right for you and ignore anyone who tries to make you feel inadequate for your own decisions.

But, somewhathorrified, you can't just opt to have CS unless there are other medical reasons why it may be a better idea than VB. I think, as bethoo has said, you'd struggle to convince the medics to offer you an elective because the idea of a VB was stressing you. Which is why I think it's important for expectant mums to start to get their heads round what a VB might be like, and the different decisions they might have to make along the way, and take steps to try and alleviate the fears and stresses that surround it by gathering knowledge and preparing.

I am really not trying to make people feel bad if they accept a proffered elective CS. Nor am I trying to scare anyone.

Starshaker - hope all is ok with you. Have the hospital called back?

Hello everyone else!
Interesting debate on the VB / C-section.
To all the first timers, dont worry about this all now. Really dont. But as the pregnancy progresses - you will start looking at birthing and various interventions. But only when you are ready. And there is plenty of time for that. Just enjoy the pregnancy!

For those highly nervous, I highly recommend thinking about hypnobirthing. I was nerve wracked until I attended a fantastic course and it prepared both DH and I emotionally. Of course it wasn't needed in the end, but it did help me.

Re. the breastfeeding after CS. I had no problems. DS latched on in recovery. Milk came in when he was 2 days old. I fed him til 5 1/2 months with absolutely no problem.
I have absolutely no regrets about my elective cs as it was the best for me and DS. But I have to agree with the posters who have said by no means is it the pain free option.

Starshaker - hope all is ok with you. Have the hospital called back?

Hello everyone else!
Interesting debate on the VB / C-section.
To all the first timers, dont worry about this all now. Really dont. But as the pregnancy progresses - you will start looking at birthing and various interventions. But only when you are ready. And there is plenty of time for that. Just enjoy the pregnancy!

For those highly nervous, I highly recommend thinking about hypnobirthing. I was nerve wracked until I attended a fantastic course and it prepared both DH and I emotionally. Of course it wasn't needed in the end, but it did help me.

Re. the breastfeeding after CS. I had no problems. DS latched on in recovery. Milk came in when he was 2 days old. I fed him til 5 1/2 months with absolutely no problem.
I have absolutely no regrets about my elective cs as it was the best for me and DS. But I have to agree with the posters who have said by no means is it the pain free option.