SPD poster girl again...I need opinions/advice on my birth plan please!!!!

[pie]

Ok, I written my birth plan and would like all the advice and opinions you mighty mumsnetters have

I want to make sure the m/w knows what I can and can't do and how bad my SPD really is...

It is entirely up to you.... do remember that the c-section will not (necessarily) make you better any faster.... You won't be able to drive for at least 4 weeks if not 6 - though with SPD you may still be "handicapped" for a while too.... that's tricky ! Have you asked SPD sufferers who were like you wheelchair bound ?
I got better quickly after my labour (2 weeks). That doesn't mean I was completely pain free but there was a major improvement.

BTW - regardeless of your SPD you could well have a quick labour !

I have had alot of contact with the Pelvic Partnership and there are a couple of ladies who were wheelchair bound who opted to have a c/s due only to the SPD and the way it would inhibit a vaginal delivery. Basically their options for a vaginal birth were so limited (kinda like mine) that the c/s would be more straight forward.

My GP said there was no right or wrong answer to this and that it was purely my choice.

BTW I can't drive so not worried about that!!

What's your instinct Pie? Or don't you have one? I think you should follow whichever option makes you feel safest and least worried/most reassured tbh. If that's a section, then go for it. If you feel you want to try for a vaginal delivery but ONLY within the criteria on your birth plan then do your best to achieve that (i.e make sure dp/doula/midwives know exactly what you want and why). You can always opt for a section half way through if it all turns out to be too much. Good luck m'dear and I'm glad to see you're still able to crack a joke about it too.

If I was you Pie (and you are never supposed to say that when you are giving any kind of advice), I would go for a vaginal delivery. The reason being that your recovery will be more straight forward that after having surgery. You have enough to deal with already.
I hope I haven't confused you with my earlier posts. I think that birth plans are better to have some fexibility rather than to have a definate stance on a particular issue, such as no forceps. I wanted you to see that there might be a valid clinical reason why they may be preferable to a C/S.
You are quite right about stitches being done on your side. The likelihood of not needing any are great since you only had a few last time. You probably needed a ventouse last time because of the effecrts of epidural and pushing with first baby. The fact that you had a vaginal birth makes it highly likely that you will manage without intervention this time (even if you do opt for epidural). You don't know how you are going to feel on the day. It is good to have in your birthplan what you want and do not want - it keeps everyone focused. Just make sure you have a degree of flexibility and that you are fully informed of reasons for any proposed course of action during labour. You have such determination Pie - I am sure you will know what way you want to go regarding delivery when it comes to it.

I had pretty bad pelvic probs and managed to give birth very quickly on my side. I had a small tear that they managed to stich whilst I lay on my side too.

Mears...you have no idea how long I have wanted someone to say 'if I were you'. I WANT to have a vaginal birth, but I feel very pressure to have a c/s, in fact have just had ANOTHER argument with DH, whose says as long as me and babe are ok then I'm making a fuss about nothing. He doesn't realise how totally powerless I feel and how much that is contributing to the depression.

I think that I will update my birth plan to say that I would like to deliver vaginally but should interevention become necessary I would like to be given the choice of a c/s. Is that more flexible but still assertive enough to make it clear I don't want to be trussed up like a chicken again?

www, my gut instinct is non existant, has been through this entire pregnancy, except when I did the pregnancy test despite having the coil in. Thats the only time my body told me anything!!! I cried hysterically for a week after they removed my coil, convinced I was going to lose the baby, I lost weeks of sleep after they said they thought there was a growth on the baby's spine. DH had to force me to ring for the amnio results as I just knew what they were going to say...erm but I was totally wrong. And I thought the SPD was a ruddy trapped nerve...

My body has simply given up!!!!

Your birth plan looks really good and I can understand that with your condition you will certainly need the people present to understand its implications.

I had written a really long post with my story in it but I think suffice to say that my experience was such that my birth plan went completely out the window. Thankfully the people present ultimately made good decisions in the interest of ds.

It is a tough decision to go vaginal or c/s. With vaginal I can vouch for the ultimate thrill of that last push and the feeling of relief as the baby slips out. On the other side though I can appreciate the certainties provided by c/s and hopefully feeling more invulnerable to the unpredictable nature of the event.

I wish all the best for you and your baby and a swift and healthy experience.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've updated the plan, hope I've struck the right note. I'll probably get laughed out the building on Thursday though when I have my antenatal appointment and show them my birth plan. But I have to feel like I'm doing something!

Hope all goes well on Thursday. You will not get laughed at Pie - you are the person having this baby and you should have a plan.

I hope I did not make you feel uncomfortable about planning. The plan is important as is the journey to create one. All the best!

Don't worry Aussie!!

I know that the entire plan could well go out the window if something unexpected happens. But considering I will not have met the m/w before the delivery I wanted to have some sort of testiment to everything I have learnt with the SPD, so that she knows that I know and so maybe I won't be badgered into doing the wrong thing.