Battling to get ELCS (at West Middlesex)

[HoneyBee1973]

I have been battling for an elcs at my hospital (West Middlesex) and hitting a wall at each appointment. I had DC1 by elcs at Chelsea&Westminster - the consultant suggested it to me as a safe option if I wanted it (I am epileptic). I jumped at the chance , it was a great experience. There was no debate, it was offered as a choice.

Now I am at West Mid after moving house and they are dead set on getting me to have a VBAC which I don't want. I totally broke down at my 34 week consultant appointment and they reluctantly said I could state my case to the consultant midwife but i am waiting to hear when is the appointment. I am 35 weeks now. I have been upset at every visit since booking and I am starting to feel bullied.

Does anyone have any experience with requesting a c-section at West Mid?
I have a reason to have an elcs but they want me to try a VBAC to "see how it goes". I really, strongly do not want this.

Anyone have any experience at this hospital or advice to give me? Would really appreciate any responses as I am at my wits end. This is keeping me awake at night :(

I don't have specific experience at that hospital but I do know that the NICE guidelines now make it very difficult for a hospital to have a blanket ban on request caesareans. The hospital may have a policy of banning all maternal request caesareans and if they do you might need to look elsewhere. However most hospitals do not and you are probably hearing the personal opinion of the practitioner that you spoke to.

NICE states that you can request a second opinion at any time. It also now states that where a mother is making a request for a caesarean in the absence of any medical need she should be counselled, but if after this she is still insisting on a planned caesarean then her request should be granted. Check out the documnet www.csections.org/?p=111

There is also a really good book, listed on the website of the above link which talks a lot about your rights in respect to requesting a caesarean. It also provides all the additional information you will need to justify your case when you prove that you are making an informed choice and not simply jumping at the easy option (which it definitely is not in anycase).

Best of luck

Throw the book at them - this is totally against NICE guidance which says your choice should be respected. Be imaginative write to the chair of the trust, the local MP, the papers.

Post a really nasty message on www.patientopinion.org.uk/opinions?phrase=west%20middlesex

They deserve to be publicly embarrassed. You have not had a vaginal delivery before so your baby is more likely to die if you follow their crap advice.

Stress can harm your baby so make life really uncomfortable for these nasty individuals who care more about hitting their 'normal birth' or caesarean targets than they do about your health. Good luck - give them a hard enough time and they won't try it on with other women.

Christ. What Ushy said. Quote the NICE guidelines, and tell them your mental health is already suffering as a direct result of their treatment of you. If you can, get to a GP/Consultant MW and let the tears go. They should be listening to you and respecting your wishes. If they aren't you have to do everything you can to force them to listen, sadly.

PS do use the word 'bullying' if that is what you feel is happening. And say it more than once. It's a word that has some power within the NHS (due to too many cases of institutional and patient bullying, unfortunately).

I'm at West Mid too and find them fundamentally unhelpful so often. My team midwives are okay, but you never see the same one twice. Ask to speak to the Obs Consultant as well as the Consultant Midwife. I found the OC far more helpful than the midwives when fathoming out how we were going to manage my complex asthma and pregnancy. I hope you find a way to have the birth you want.

I had a previous EMCS for foetal distress 7 years ago (having already got to 10cms but his heart literally had just about stopped and he wasn't low enough for forceps etc). Was a pretty scary and horrible experience, especially as I was only just 17 and a single Mum, and had to cope with recovery from EMCS and newborn on my own. This was up North. I am currently 32 week pregnant with my second child. When I booked in at the GP at about 5 weeks, they gave me the choice of having my baby at either Kingston or West Mid. I chose Kingston. I am terrified of giving birth naturally after what happened last time, and have an irrational fear that the same will happen to this baby (even though the odds are that this wont happen). At Kingston they made me go to a VBAC clinic at 17 weeks where a horrible woman told me all of the bad things about having a repeat CS, and all of the wonderful things about VBAC. She even told me 'we don't do CS without medical need so you better get used to idea of VBAC'!!!. I just had an appointment with the loveliest on Tuesday, and ELCS was booked with no question and without me having to explain again my reasons for wanting one!! They gave me a date there and then. Perhaps you can ask to transfer??

Quite a few threads at the mo about this theme in general. I'd say ask to see someone else - this seems to be what NICE recommends.

I like the advice from one of the other threads to ask them to put into writing the reasons for their decision not to follow the NICE guidance in your case.

Hi everyone - thank you so much for your replies and support. The advice above really helped- just gave me confidence in being insistent.

I had an appointment yesterday with the Consultant midwife who was FANTASTIC. She booked me in right away, saying it was an open and shut case, no debate.
The relief is incredible, I am so glad I didnt give in to the consultants, though it was tough - had it been my first baby I wouldnt have had the confidence to keep saying no.

MrsRJC - I really hope that you get the birth you want at W-mid. Stick to your guns until you get the answers you want.

Thanks everyone who replied. Really appreciate it.
xx