Tips for avoiding an emergency cesarean?

[CityDweller]

Is it even possible to do anything to off-set an emergency cs? I'm 15 weeks with my first and very much planning and hoping for a home water birth. I guess my worst case scenario (aside from stuff being wrong with the baby) is labouring at home for ages and then having to be rushed to hospital in an ambulance to have a cesarean. Like many things during pregnancy, this concern is beginning to occupy me irrationally. Perhaps because I don't know anyone (first-hand) who's had an emergency cs, so I'm convinced the law of averages means that it will happen to me.

So, my whacked logic aside, is there anything I can do to optimise my chances of a natural birth at home? I'm going to do hypnobirthing classes and an active birth class and will aim to keep moving in last weeks, with walking and swimming and bouncing on a birthing ball. I'm healthy, relatively fit, used to do endurance sport (!) and pregnancy has been uncomplicated so far. But perhaps nothing I do, or about me physically, will make the blindest bit of difference... Is an emergency cs just a case of (bad) luck that you can't do anything about?

tbh there is no point worrying about it as if you need an emcs you will just want your baby out and in one piece. I had a lovely birth plan however dd had other ideas and was born via emcs, all I cared about at that point was that she was alive, couldn't give a flying fig about the stupid birth plan!!

(Sorry to hijack OP ) Phlebas, can I ask what were the symptoms and the effect on your baby of chorioamniontis? I'm just wondering because there was some infection of my waters - not meconium - and so I was rushed for an emcs and DD was in NICU for the first few days. They never gave a diagnosis but this sounds possible. And I'd quite like a diagnosis because I'd really like an elcs next time

Good luck & good for you for knowing what you want.

Birth plans are great but also be prepared to go with the flo...in all honesty its impossible to have a set plan when you go into birth. Do bear in mind that birth can be really unpredictable and if your plan changes then so be it. I have lots of friends who had first time home births.

I'd totally recommend a tens machine - helped me so much I was reluctant to take it off and get into the water first time round.

I still ended up in theatre & heading for an elective this time round but its all about getting baby here the safest way possible for both of us and I didn't know I had problems with my pelvis till I was at the pushing stage last time.

Keep an open mind and be positive. Hypnobirthing etc may help. But rest assured that even if it ends in an EMCS as it did in my case, it will be alright.

I was terrified of the prospect, and I cried when the decision was made. But it was surprisingly ok, and next time around I might (gasp!) actually prefer to have a CS.

I had definitely over dramatised it in my head. Try to relax!

I was also healthy, fit and having a straightforward pregnancy. Then I got gestational diabetes which quickly became uncontrollable except with insulin.

This meant that I was induced on my due date. At this stage I still hoped to have a natural birth - I had been out in the bush a week or so earlier and had said to DH "I would love to just labour here, under the stars with nature all around me, imagine how magical it would be bringing a child into the world out here"

Well, 6 hours into a labour consisting of constant, back to back contractions, when I had dilated 1 bloody cm, with my precious DS's heart rate decelerating with each contraction, as soon as my obstetrician mentioned the word c-section, I almost bit her hand off (except that would be weird as then she wouldn't have a hand which would have made doing the c-section a bit tricky).

THe c-section was the best bit! Very quick, painless, no drama. DS delivered onto my chest.

And now 2 years later, I basically never think about how he came into the world, although I do sometimes stop and think how lucky I am to live in a country with access to superb medical care which means that my wonderful boy is actually here.

So basically, it's lovely to plan for a natural birth, but once it's all over, if you're a bit calm about how it's all going to happen, you probably won't think about it much once it's done - but if you do attach a lot of importance to the event of birthing the baby, and then it's not how you imagined, you probably will feel a bit sad and let down. But it really doesn't matter how they come out, as long as they and you are healthy at the end of it.

sounds like you're already doing the right things

I had am emcs and lots of things contributed to it, I was stressed in early labour and that meant I couldn't cope well with pain which meant I had an epidural which meant I was on my back which meant my pelvis didn't open and I needed a CS

IMO what happens in early labour is REALLY IMPORTANT. being happy and calm and feeling in control starts things off well

btw the actual CS was fantastic, such a happy memory, they're not scary! But the labour itself was shite because I wasn't relaxed and happy and feeling in control

Hi citydweller

Obviously you've had lots of responses from women who've had emcs seeking to reassure you that the experience is not necessarity a bad one, and as long as you and baby are well it doesn't ultimately matter how this is achieved. This is true. But having had 2 straightforward vaginal births, one of which was a planned home birth I'd like to offer you some words of reassurance too.

Planning a home birth and a positive attitude to birth are both great ways to end up with the kind of birth that you want. The MWs who attend you at home will keep a close eye on how you're progressing and will arrange for you to transfer to hospital if it's necessary, sometimes an emcs is unavoidable, sometimes it is avoidable.

The most common reason for first time mum's transferring into hospital during a planned home birth is for pain relief so I would recommend JuJu Sundin's book "Birth Skills; proven pain management techniques for your labour and birth". This book helped me hugely and got me through my last 2 births with just TENS and the techniques, didn't even need g&a.

My first birth was straightforward and in hospital. 2nd was a planned home birth, so much more relaxed and calm. Am planning a 3rd home birth for sometime in the next few days hopefully. I know several women who have sucessfully had their first baby at home with no problems at all.

I'm sure you've already found www.homebirth.org.uk and also www.tellmeagoodbirthstory.com both great websites offering positive views about birth.

The fact that none of your friends have had an emcs does NOT mean that the odds stack towards you. Remember a straightforward birth is normal, not lucky.

I second getting a doula (Doula UK has a hardship fund BTW). There's only so much you can learn at antenatal classes, a doula will help with the unexpected, have lots of experience, and have lots of 'tools' to try if, for example, labour stalls. My DH was wonderful but he felt totally out of his depth at our home birth. I ended up transferring in due to 'failure to progress', nobody was in any danger and we both wished afterwards we'd had a doula with us to talk common sense/ask questions/make sure we totally understood what lay ahead! Also read up about induction to prepare yourself if you go 41wk+ because you will probably be put under some pressure (I resisted). And hypnobirthing is a great idea because it will help you to relax.

I'm 21wks pg and have found a wonderful doula.

Good luck!