Rec. for private OB - "natural" C section and a good scar

[Eachpeach80]

Hi,

I am pregnant with DC2, only 5/6 weeks.

I have to see my gynae next week but it is likely that I am going to opt for a C section this time due to problems after forceps delivery of DC1. I am disappointed as would love to give birth naturally but am now looking at ways in which I can make a C section as good as it can be.

I have read about natural c sections and wondered if anyone could recommend a consultant who does them, but who can also give me a decent scar.

I want to be in a hospital with excellent postnatal support - I'm worried that breastfeeding will be difficult after a CS, especially as I could not BF DS lying down until he was about 1.

Any recommendations for consultants and hospitals in London?

tia

Hi. I can't recommend a private consultant/hospital as I had my c section on the Nhs.
The surgeon pulled the screen down as DS was born and we saw the sex for ourselves which was amazing. I held him in recovery and bf straight away,had no problems at all.
My scar is tiny too.
I'm sure lots of people will recommend hospitals to you.

"as good as it can be". Sounds like you have some strong views about CS being less positive than a vaginal birth. I don't really get the notion of "natural" cs because it's an entirely false situation. As for subdued lighting etc, I really wanted to make sure my surgeon could see EXACTLY what he was doing! And both my ELCSswere special as they were the calm, pain free beginnings of my children's lives. What else could anyone want?

Queen Charlotte's London pioneered the natural c-section technique (not about lighting but ways to deliver baby by c-section that mimic the benefits of vaginal birth). The obstetrician's are interviewed about it in the video at the bottom of this post hackneydoula.co.uk/?p=80

Thanks supportivesib - I will have a look at the video, and mrshoolie, sounds like you had a great experience.

bagofholly - not sure why you feel the need to get snippy with me. cs comes with more risks to me and the baby so yes I do have strong views about it being less positive than vb. of course a natural c section is a misnomer but I did not invent the terminology and you clearly know what i mean by it. with regards to the lighting i'm quite sure that the surgeon will be making sure that he or she can see what they are doing.

A friend had a natural c-section at Queen Charlotte's and recommends them. They also leave you with control of your own morphine drip afterwards - just press a button and all is well.

I had an NHS c-section at Kings College and the scar is tiny and flat. I also bf in the recovery room - which is common practice with sections. Occasionally I bf lying down - but only cos I was tired, I was perfectly able to feed sat up from day 1. I used a My Breast Friend feeding pillow for the sofa/in front of telly and a Boppy pillow for upstairs in bed. i was able to feed DD with pillows and in any position very quickly. Section just wasn't an issue.

I'm not getting snippy! You're clearly very defensive and where we differ is your negative view of c section. As for burden of risk, you're actually badly informed there - there is less risk of injury, infection and death to both you and your child in an elective section than an instrumental vaginal birth, which you might call "natural."
I suggest you explore your perceptions of cs, the source of your negativity and get some more accurate information before you proceed further. For example I didnt understand your reference to bf lying down, unless you're assuming that you spend the first few days/weeks lying flat! I was sitting up in recovery, within minutes of both my sections, and bf perfectly normally. I have no idea what you mean by a "decent" scar. If you're having a planned section it's very straightforward and there's no reason for your scar to be anything other than unremarkable. Why would you expect anything else?

I wouldn't call an instrumental birth "natural" holly. I'm not badly informed and I'm not stupid.

For what it's worth, my reference to bf lying down came about because I have read on here, on kellymom etc that this is often the easiest position for mums who have had a c section.

I don't believe that you "have no idea" what I mean by "a decent scar".

I did not come on here to be patronised but to ask for advice as per my OP. If you don't want to help with that then don't bother replying

Get over yourself. If you don't like the way your posts come over, think before you post them! I really DON'T know what you mean by a decent scar! For goodness sake you'll be dealing with surgeons, not butchers. And what do you expect anyone to say? "Try St.Mary's, their cs scars are only 2 inches and they fade really quickly"? An ELCS scar is an ELCS scar.
Unless you absolutely have to have a cs then perhaps itd be worth exploring other options, such as a midwife led delivery with mobile epidural.

Ffs bagofholly don't you have any empathy? It's obvious the op is looking for advice and reassurance there is no need to pick at every word with the intent of not 'getting' what she's saying. If you feel that she is I'll informed try giving her you experience rather than taking offence at her preconceptions about csections.

Op sorry I can't offer any useful advice, hope you get the info you want.

I have given her my experience, in my first post. I've suggested seeking further information and also a midwife led delivery with mobile epidural. But you've summarised it neatly with "preconceptions about sections" which are, in my opinion and experience, offensive. A cs is not an inferior way to give birth, but the tone of the OPs posts show she clearly thinks it is, and lacks empathy with the millions of us who have delivered by cs and had a very positive experience without having to 'try to make the best of it'! And pointing that out isn't patronising!
OP I hope you get the birth you want.

thank you namechange.

holly, i asked in my OP:
Any recommendations for consultants and hospitals in London?
You obviously don't so not sure why you are becoming so obsessed.

I have no problem with the way my posts come across but you clearly do.

You know NOTHING about my reasons for needing a CS so I would suggest that you piss off with your do not make suggestions for mobile epidurals etc.

I have not said at all that CS is "inferior" but it would not be my preferred way of giving birth. I would not cast judgment on someone else's birth choices. I would suggest that you explore the source of your need for empathy from me.

Bag of Holly - you are the one whose posts come over as I'll informed (suggesting anninstrumental birth falls under the heading "natural", comparing the stats on the riskiest VB (instrumental) with the safest c-sec (elective)). The OP asked a simple questions into which you read a lot of your own ishoos.

OP - where in London are you? Queen Charlottes has two surgeons who pioneer natural csecs BUT it's in the arse end of nowhere and a pain for visitors. If you get stuck in hospital for a bit there isn't even a decent food shop for miles (God how I longed for a break from the hospital food). I guess those things aren't important if all runs smoothly but they really affected my experience.

Thanks Asparaguses, that's very helpful- actually Queen Charlotte's wouldn't be too bad at all for me as I'm in SW London. Do you know the names of the surgeons?

Ooops - have just found the names on supportivesib's link.

But instead of going on the attack why not explain how although disappointed she can still have a positive birth experience?

Eachpeach80 I suggested midwifery-led with mobile epidural IN CASE you can avoid cs, as this isn't something that's often available on the NHS. I have no idea why you might need/want/chose/be forced to have a cs, so there's really no need to tell me to "piss off". How very rude and childish.

Asparaguses, where have I called an instrumental vb "natural"? And I highlighted the comparative risk between instrumental vb and ELCS as in the OPs second post she states that "cs comes with more risks to me and the baby." That's not necessarily true, particularly when compared with instrumental vb, hence roughly 25% of all births ending in cs anyway.

There is nothing natural about a Caesarian Operation. Even a caesarean that is done sensitively is a major operation. Major operations carry risks in both the current pregnancy and for subsequent pregnancies. Please do look at all your options carefully and take the route that is best suited to you and your circumstances. Be properly informed.

OK I will get straight to the point.

I had Mark Johnson at the C&W. Absolutely brilliant obstetrician and a very kind person. You won't find any negative comments about him online. I got to hold baby straight after he was weighed. I reckon he would be amenable to the natural CS. My scar healed beautifully and he gave me gave me lots of tips on how to care for it. Didn't have any overhang. I had very little pain post-CS. Nick Wales at the C&W gets very good reviews also.

He gets booked up very quickly though.

I've just had dc3 and because of unstable lie, spent five days in hospital thinking I would be having elcs. So I had a long time researching, talking to midwives etc. I found the idea of natural c section online and was a bit gutted when the midwife who explained how mine might work was describing something quite different. Then I had long chat to one of the community midwives, who I really thought would be saying natural section was the bee's knees. She described sections she had attended and also quoted some eminent natural birth advocates who were of the view that there is a danger with natural sections that you can be trying to get something it isn't rather than making the best section you can. One of the scenarios she described was skin to skin before the recovery room and how there can be probs keeping the baby warm and how mums can feel frustrated they can't see their babies. So her take was skin to skin with dad for a few short minutes then for mum, and bf as soon as in recovery. She was so positive and warm about c sections when in best circumstances that i almost started wanting one. Now, I would never tell someone the best thing for them, but I found it surprising that the arguments against natural c section are not from the speed efficiency or doctor's convenience point of view but from making it the best poss experience for the family. I just thought I should share it with you, to process as you will. I hope things go well for you whatever happens.

Thanks sh77, I will look them up.

That's interesting hormone, i haven't heard that perspective before. Thanks

I really empathise with you, each peach, for whatever reason you're having to do it, considering a section is a real process. All I can say is that I felt at ease with it in the end, although my baby turned in time