Caesarean after vaginal birth?

[hunkermunker]

Has anyone had a straightforward first birth and gone on to have a c-section?

I had a waterbirth with DS, from waters breaking to baby in arms was under 12 hours and I had no pain relief other than a half-broken TENS machine for a couple of hours, then the pool.

But the baby I'm nearly 33 weeks pg with is breech, already pretty big (I'm not big) and I have gestational diabetes which is getting harder and harder to control with my diet (things I was eating a couple of weeks ago with no problem are spiking my sugar levels now and I'm feeling tired and thirsty again).

I don't particularly want this baby turned if it doesn't turn itself, and because it's big, I'd be worried about trying to deliver it vaginally if it doesn't turn (and I don't think the hospital are that keen on delivering breech babies either from what they've said).

I know that lots of women have VBACs, but has anyone done it the other way round and had a CAVB?!

(PS - I am not worrying about it, I'm not getting ahead of myself, and I know it could still turn - but I am the kind of person who wants to know everything in advance, so humour me, OK? )

Hm - you mentioned the "no driving for 6 weeks" thing. This is not true. You can drive as soon as you feel able to do so (phone your insurance company to check; they may want your gp to ok it). Most can drive 3 or 4 weeks after.

Think about when you'd have a cs. Would you hold out to 40 weeks? Because the later the better. Most people who stay in for more than 3 days after a cs, seem to do so because their baby needs it. And I guess baby is more likely to need it if he/she wasn't quite ready to arrive.

I couldn't lift my dd (2y9mo but light) for about 6 weeks without it hurting quite a lot. But plenty of people on here have said they could lift their children earlier.

I went in had hours and hours of horrible and traumatic agony (not labour apparently - yeah, right)and then a blessed caesarian the next morning at 11ish. Stayed in that night, the following day and night and home next morning, bright and early. So two days. I could have gone home, I felt, the previous afternoon.
The night before was infinitely worse than the recovery from the caesarian in my case. The pain of the labour - all in my back - and being left totally alone all night (my dh was sent home) was both physically and emotionally deeply traumatic. I cried about it only a few weeks ago, and dd is nine months old. The cs was brilliant.

Hunkermunker, thank you for starting this thread, it has reaffirmed my choice to push for an elective c/section. Luckily my consultant is on my side too so should be booked at my 36 week growth scan on 6th December!!

But HM, I hope you have the experience you want. And that your baby turns and stays under three stone

I had a tough first birth with a nasty tear and elective c-section second time around. The birth was lovely, a genuinely joyful euphoric birth. I was pain free, not scared at the time (really anxious before though!), and DD was safe and well (and gorgeous!).

But... the next day it hurt more than I thought it was going to and that lasted for a good few days. I hadn't gone through labour but I'd had a sleepless night worrying about the birth anyhow. It was tough looking after DS (18 months) and a new baby with a c-section to recover from. Possibly TMI here but I remembered being really fed up dealing with the blood loss, aching boobs AND a painful scar.

DD took a long time to get her head around feeding and sleeping and I've always wondered whether she was 'ready' to be born (she was born 6 days before her due date) and whether my body was ready for her too.

Next time, all being well with the tear (the reason I had an elective) I would like to try for a vaginal birth again.

Have heard that acupuncture and also reflexiology has good success at getting babies to turn. I am investigating that.

I had 2 vaginals followed by section, long but fairly uneventful 1st labour, second 2.5 hours pushing before dr came and said she was brow presentation took me to theatre but managed to turn her and avert a section, 3rd time I was given option of section but turned it down arrived at hospital fully dilated 10 days overdue, told another brow but that dr wouldn't turn the baby and went straight for section. Was better than I had anticipated but tough with 2 other under 3.5!

Yes - a friend of mine had something called moxibustion (I think) which involved burning something near her feet and her baby turned at 36 weeks. Sorry to be so vague but I gather it's an ancient technique. She delivered at 40 weeks in bath at home.

Having had an emergency c/s I would go for an elective next time. I was shattered after a 30 hour labout and no sleep for 2 nights. Too jiggered to hold the baby and just desperate for everyone to leave us alone so I could sleep! Bonded with her fine though.

Good luck and take care

I had 12 hour labour/ventouse/shoulder dystocia with ds1. With ds2 as he was much bigger hospital suggested I needed c section. I was not mentally prepared at all as only 2 hours notice )or prepared for the pain afterwards). I still wonder if it was the right decision and ds2 is 6m old. Having said that I have a healthy baby and thats all that counts. I did struggle with breast feeding this time but as far as bonding goes no problems at all.

One of my friends had c section with her second and drove herself home from hospital the next day. Said she felt 100% normal so everyone is different. I would definately go for c section for breech.

Hi Hunkermunker,
I'll tell you my story and I hope I dont waffle for too long !
I had my ds1 vaginally in 2001, and then in 2004 my dd was breech all the way through my pregnancy. I went into labour 2 weeks early, and had a scan upon arrival in hospital. She was still breech and footling breech, which they were not prepared to deliver. They tried to turn her, but it was extremely painful with contractions and eventually after many tears, the consultant gave up. One hour later I was in theatre and 30 minutes after that I had my beautiful daughter weighing in at 7lbs 15.
The whole event seemed very surreal and extremely fast!
I bonded with her, and breastfed her as soon as I got into recovery. However I felt extremely dissapointed that I hadn't "given birth" to her myself.
I was extremely sore for a day and also upset that They wouldn't let me leave for 3 days minimum. I got tranfered to a local maternity unit which was fantastic. I left after 3 days.
6 weeks later I was diagnosed with severe postnatal depression. I'm sure this was due to the fact I was totally unprepared mentally for going into labour at 38 weeks, and that from arriving at hospital, within 2 hours I had my little girl. Also I was so upset I hadn't had her vaginally, and hadn't ever assumed I would have to have a c section. I felt terribly cheated, and still to this day get upset that I didn't have a vaginal birth. This June I had a vbac with my ds2, and now I feel completed.
The C section itself wasn't bad at all- a total breeze and I found it really interesting!, it was the thoughts that provided the problem for me. Physically looking after ds1 was alright, I couldn't carry him upstairs for 6 weeks, or drive, but I got by. The painkillers they give are fantastic- so there's no need to ever be in any pain. Anymore questions please ask.
Wishing you all the best with your pregnancy !!
Vicky

I know some brilliant independent midwives in South London who are so utterly unphased by breech deliveries at home. I can't recommend them highly enough. These women were with me at all four of my homebirths. None of my babies was breech in the end (one threatened to be) but I've met several of their clients who had perfectly lovely breech deliveries at home.

When ds1 was threatening to be breech, the mws talked me through it and made me feel totally confident.

I'm almost evangelical about these women. I never thought I'd use private healthcare and I certainly couldn't afford it, but dh and I agree it's the best money we've ever spent.

Let me know if you want their number. It might be worth a chat with them anyway.

SM, is that CF et al? (sorry, nosey!)

I don't know CF dinny.

Pruni, yes, I remember - must have been uncomfy! Not sure that I'll be able to go as long as that because of the GD and concerns over my sugar levels not being as well-controlled as they might be (it's too, too cruel to have gestational diabetes over Christmas - I was in Woolworths earlier browsing the selection packs in a wistful fashion!).

I'm not 100% sure that I won't have the baby turned or try different methods for it - I'm already trying some of the foetal positioning stuff.

I do know that a section's not an easy option - like I say, I've had abdominal surgery four times in the past (appendectomy and three extensive laseroscopies) - they were bad enough to recover from, so I wouldn't have a section as the "easy" option!

Papillon, agree with waiting as long as possible before having a section too - I want this baby to be as cooked as poss! But I think with GD, I'm at higher risk of the placenta deteriorating earlier, so that's a factor in how long I can wait. DS was 10 days late, but I know that first babies are often late compared to subsequent ones.

It's good to hear of sections that have been easy to recover from - one thing I'm wondering about is bfeeding after a section - especially if I need to have one before the baby's really ready.

Cori, consultant is Miss Jackson - met her after DS was born, but not this time round. She seems very nice. Have seen her registrar who was also very nice (can't remember her name). Do you know her? I also know Mr Robinson - he did one of my laparoscopies!

Aloha, I remember reading posts from you soon after and being very shocked that you were left overnight like that

Gem, I had a bad tear with DS (second, but very nearly third degree and took a very long time to heal - is still not 100% "right") - I think partly it's fear of whether it would be far worse if I needed an instrumental delivery for a baby that got stuck because it was big that's making me wonder so much about a section.

Muppety, your friend driving home from hospital after a section the previous day! Wow!

MV, I understand that - I am trying hard not to have expectations about this birth so that my hopes don't get squished, but it's hard not to have an ideal in your head, isn't it?

I realise this is all navel-gazing (hah!) and the baby might turn tomorrow and be born at term weighing 7lb 4oz. But I like to work through what I'm thinking Thanks for helping me (more than DH is atm - he's just suggested "Darwin" as a name for this baby ).

HM, if your baby is a "good" breech (not footling), you can try for vaginal delivery.

Even if you decide to go for a section, a slightly emergency section (as Papillon says, wait for labour) is easier on the baby, as they are fully cooked.

DS1 was an elective section (footling breech, failed ECV) at 39+5, but had breathing problems, SCBU, formula given by nasal tube, no attempt to BF until over 30 hours old. BF problems (shocker), much struggle etc etc etc.

DS2 was an "emergency" section (lots of false labour, waters broke, head still not engaged, we went for section then, on advice of independent midwife), and it went much much better, for all of us.

Current best practice is, 24 hours post-CS, if you are not feverish, you can go home. I left about 30 hours after having DS2.

I was lucky, as DS1 was 3 years when DS2 was born. The whole no-lifting rule is a lot harder if your first child doesn't understand. You might want to consider a postnatal doula, if you don't have excellent help for the first 6 weeks.

Oh, in your position I would be trying moxibustion, hypnosis, ECV, and the OFP type stuff for turning babies, too, unpleasant though it is.

dinosaur, I SM meant CF et all, too ... they're pretty pricey as independent midwives go, though.

HM, I did manage to BF after both sections, but the breathing problem/SCBU thing did cause problems.

Oh, and don't joke about calling the baby Darwin - I met a baby called Darwin, this year. Very strange choice.

... should say "I thought SM meant CF et al" ...

yes, I thought it sounded like CF too, NQC - I did look into the BC when pg w dd but just toooooo pricey.

Hunker - sorry, didn't realise this was your thread. sorry to hear your GD not responding so well to diet change any more xxx

We met with CF's folks, but went with a local midwife, who was lovely. Cheaper, too, but the difference for us was, CF would provide two midwives, great, but we wouldn't meet either before we signed and paid. Whereas with the local midwife, we just got her, but at least we got to meet her.

SM, cannot afford an independent midwife

Dinny, sugar levels have gone mental - things I could eat perfectly well a fortnight ago are spiking my levels. Very strange. Are you at work tomorrow?

Not sure what breech position this one's in - think possibly footling (one foot down) as getting LOADS of kicks into the bladder and my left hip. Is much more painful to carry a breech baby than a cephalic one IME! Doubles me over when this one kicks sometimes! Will know more after scan on 6th December, I guess.

I breastfed both my babies in the recovery room - ie about 20 minutes after the birth. Ds was trickier to get going than dd - though I had a painful time with dd to start with,but that was nothing to do with the section, more a slightly incorrect latch.

Hunkermunker, my first was a normal vaginal delivery, induced and slow labour over 3 days but the worst was only the last three hours. Followed by 2 c-sections. 2nd was very hard to recover from- only 2 months ago, double scar tissue plus added complications etc etc but comparing the vaginal birth and the first c-section I would say the recovery was similar in terms of time and pain, so I would not worry. I know it's not the birth you want, but you will absolutely not have any probs bonding etc. Was home on 6th day with first section and 4th day with 2nd (but again due to added complications both times so you might get home sooner). Hope all goes well.

hi ,had planned c-section after 3 normal births because i had severe spd and also had a cyst on my ovary.
everything went fine and i had no problems at all. came out after 3 days and felt brilliant, yes it does take you longer to recover but if you take your painkillers you are fine.my youngest dd was only 21 months when the baby was born and it was hard not being able to pick her up or do as much with her but she didnt really mind and had no lasting problems with her.
alot has to do with how relaxed you are about the operation,if you are calm and not worried too much it will be fine. i can honestly say i had no problems at all.....
oh no there was just one... i had staples and not stitches and i thought getting them out was worse than the section itself. so if you have one ask for stitches!!!!!

DS1 used to kick me in the cervix. Also, the head in the ribs thing was pretty thoroughly unpleasant.

I did find carrying a cephalic baby less unpleasant.