Elective section nightmare

[pamplem0usse]

I had a consultants appointment two weeks ago at which I was told to come to my next appointment having made up my mind about whether I wanted an elective section or a VBAC. My little one was measuring big and since my daughter was 4.44kg (9lb12) and I ended up with a four day failed induction followed by emergency section at term having only ever got to 3cm, I decided I wanted another section. The often quoted 75% figure for successful VBACs doesn't take account of fetal macrosomia.... (or a number of other things for that matter).
I get to my appointment today and see another registrar who tells me the leading consultant has put me down for a VBAC and I basically have no choice. They had a five line letter from my old hospital (no notes despite me being assured they'd be sent for) and insisted that my baby wasn't scanning as 'that big' (actually by my dates he's 95th centile, and in any case scan measurements at this stage aren't particularly accurate).
I insisted I wanted a VBAC and after a (different) consultant was called in I got booked in. But only after ending up in a terrible state and being told there was no chance of me having an elective section / asking why I was 'so angry' / if I'd changed hospitals because I'd 'not got on' with people at my old one.
So cross that I was treated in this way. Now seen 4 different consultants / registrars who've all said different things and offered no continuity of care and have v little confidence in the hospital. :-( does this merit a complaint?

yes, complain! Leave a message for the first consultant you saw at the hospital who invited you to consider your options. It's August. The junior doctors will have just rotated and be ripe for making cock ups in their new roles. Be sure to talk to an organ grinder rather than a monkey if you're anything less than happy.

Yes, complain. (sorry, your post is little confusing, but I think you want a CS not a VBAC? in any case my advice would be the same) -

write a letter, be as clear as you can be - get someone else to read it before you send it if you are happy to, and separate out chronological events (eg "I saw x and they said one thing, then I saw y 2 weeks later and they said the opposite") from your emotional reaction (save a section at the end to describe how you feel, how distressing it has been, the effects on you and any symptoms of stress for example).

Send a letter to the lead consultant, the head of midwifery or lead midwife, and crucially, cc a copy to the exec of your local hospital so they know you are determined to be heard. This should stop you getting brushed off with a 'there there lovey, we all get a bit hormonal when we're expecting' response.

Good luck.

ARGH yes I meant I insisted I wanted a section... evidently am hormonal and incomprehensible!!!

How awful for you. I just had my appointment with my consultant and said I wanted an ELCS. She said that as I had an EMCS (foetal distress, no reason I couldn't attempt a VBAC) last time there would be no problem and I should come back at 36 weeks to book the op. It's terrible that you didn't have the same experience, I would have been so distressed.