Can I opt for a C-section having had a traumatic first birth?

[mojomands]

My first birth was considered a "Normal VD" it felt anything but normal. 21 hrs and no pain relief - several tears but the pain!!!!!!!! I'm ususally ok with pain but my daughter had her elbow stuck out and I was told to keep pushing and well with no pain relief I still suffer from nightmares. I've just found out I'm pregnant again - an accident - and well I can't imagine a natural birth. Can I opt for a c-section?

Of course you can. Usually anyway!

As an aside, I had a nightmare 1st birth (ventouse and 3rd degree tear but managed a natural 2nd birth and even went on to have my 3rd at home. Both subsequent labours/births were far easier than that first one. I had hypnotherapy before the 2nd one to relax me as I had no positive memories of the 1st and was terrified.

Why didn't you have any pain relief? Was that your choice? Did you suffer and physical damage (things torn, broken, etc.)?

I think if you you are very firm and absolutely under no uncertain terms request (more like demand) a section you can have one. But, don't let them tell you you have to wait until 36 weeks to talk to the consultant.

Where are you? What are your hospital choices? Do you have to go to the same place where you had your first child?

Poor you. I had a nightmare birth with ds and ended up having emergency section.
I had dd 19mths later by selective cs. And it was a dream. No panics, no hesitation - able to select the date - all wonderful. I would def. do it again.
Make your decision early - be adamant and stick with it - you can change your mind later if your feelings have changed, but at least along the way the hospital will be clear and helpful (or they should be, if not then change hospitals).

Good luck.

I had a traumatic first delivery too and was pleased when the consultant advised a c-section second time around.

But... for lots of reasons (longer recovery, DD took ages to breastfeed well, she seemed very unsettled by being 'sprung', etc.) I am going to try for a vaginal birth this time. I have found a lovely doula and feel a lot less scared about it all.

This doesn't answer your question (in my experience with friends you can ask for a c-section and have one) but it won't necessarily be 'better' or chase your fears away (I can still get very emotional about my first birth and he is 4 years old!).

What does "Unsettled from being 'sprung'" mean?

And I thought section babies could breast feed just as well as those born through natural delivery.

I think you will probably have no difficulty getting an elective though you might need to ask 2 different consultants within the same hospital if the 1st one is not supportive.
I am not goinmg to attempt to change your mind.... but i can tell you that for the vast vast majority of women a 2nd VD is much easier... but you have to want it and that isn't what you're saying .... I do hope your pregnancy!
Uwila - statiscally babies born by section do have harder time to BF and they also don't BF for as long... Notice that I said "statistically"....

Hmmmm.... that's not what I heard when I was planning my section / breastfeeding after section. But, I'll leave with your stats.

As far as I am aware you can elect to have a c-section. I had an emergency section with ds (my second baby) after a 21 hour labour which led to complications hence the emergency c-section. I can't say it was 'better' than the natural birth I had with dd, the recovery is a lot longer - I was unable to life my dd (she was 14 months when ds was born) for 10 weeks, I did try earlier but the pain was terrible and I did little bit of damage and got a slap on the wrist! I didn't find bf ds any problem, I had to lay on my side to do it though in the beginning as my stomach was so so so so tender I couldn't hold him that way, although my sister did buy me a cesarean belt which was like a guard to go over the wound which was fab! I dont want to scare you just thought you should get another perspective of a c-section. Maybe talk to someone regarding your first delivery and explain your fears? Hope this helps

A committed mother will usually succeed but due to positions, pain, milk coming in later etc there are issues around it.
As a BF counsellor I do find I have more work helping the c-section mum than the VD.... but a very hard VD and you also can struggle BF... there are no guarantees either way!
There are definitely stidues looking into why section babies do not BF as long as VD birth babies...
If you want to do some interesting reading The Ceasarean by Michel Odent is quite thought provoking. I know several mumsnetters who have read it... including Aloha (definitely very pro-c/s) and found the book very good.

just another thought.
I had an emergency cs - it was really painful and took weeks, if not months to recover.
My elected cs was a completely different ball game: discussed at length with dr and consultants beforehand, procedure was calm, guided and 98% pain free but importantly the recovery was fantastic. I was walking the following day.
Also, knowing the date beforehand was super - gave us time to prepare and make arrangements for ds and include him in everything.

It all depends on yr hospital of course but it worked for me. FYI I was at Kingston hospital.

i did exaclty this. I had a horrid birth with DS 6 years ago(ventousse, episiotomy etc) and was terrified of having an emergency section when i got pregnant again! Requested elective at 26 weeks and kept requesting every time i saw midwife and consultant. HAd ECS at 38 weeks in dec 2005 and DD was born with no problems. It was an amazing experiance and i have no regrets what so ever. Recovery for me was quite quick, first 5 days not the best but i got through on pure adrenalin, was driving again after 3 weeks. Breast feeding was fine although DD did sleep for 24 hours after section so did get a little panicky but once she wanted her milk she didnt stop!!!

pupuce, do your statistics distinguish between bf-ing mums who have had an emergency/crash cs v. those who opted for an elective cs? From your experience, the mums who require your assistance as a bf-ing counsellor tend to be those who have had emergency cs?

Mojomands, you can and you should request a C-section! Like you, I had a very traumatic first birth, although mine ended up as an emergency C-section after 23 hours of nightmarish labour, the first 16 hours without any pain relief.

It felt like being in a car crash and being flung through the windscreen. I had flashbacks for months afterwards, reliving every minute. It amazes me when people try to persuade me to go through another car crash, and say things like "This one might not be as bad as the last one." I am pregnant for the second time and having an elective C-section.

Blueshoes - as far as I remember the long term BF was shorter for those with C-sections. The Swedish study found that women who had an emergency cs did not have the same prolactin level at 30 mins after the birth. And there was an Italian study that showed that breastmilk contained less endorphins in the colostrum. So the composition of the colostrum is different... less of an addictive substance IYKWIM.... or something like that.
Looking in The Ceasarean book p68 it says babies born by elective are physiologically different from a baby born vaginally. Lungs and heart do not work in the same way, Glucose levels tend to be lower, their body temp seems to be lower during the 1st 90 mins... all of this comes with references to medical artciles... I really recommend the book it's fascinating. Jimjams also read it and liked it (she ahd 3 sections if I remember correctly).

I find that if you are having an elective you should be less tired and traumatised so BF even difficult because sore and all can be planned and managed slightly more effectively. Though IME elective section babies are sleepier (on the whole) so they may struggle to show any interest at all for 24 hours+
And if they weren't ready to be born and they had to go to SCBU - again you face unplanned difficulties.

Don't get me wrong: c-section does not mean you can't have a succesful BF time... especially if you are well prepared but that is true too for VD...

Interesting, pupuce. Thanks for that.

I guess I was curious because I had a crash cs with a baby that spent 2 weeks in NICU/SCBU and had no problems establishing bf-ing (after the hospital finally removed dd's feeding tube at my insistence) and continued to do so for 17 months, longer than all of my friends in RL, who delivered vaginally. Not that I was even that committed to bf-ing to begin with!

My experience ... long labour followed by emergency c-section. Breastfeed for four months. Second pg - elective c-section (blissful experience, serene, calm and buried all my demons from before) - breastfeed for 6 months.

meant breastfed obv!

I also established breastfeeding with no problems after a long labour and emergency C-section, and breastfed for 6 months.

Thanks for that everyone. Went to consultant today. The midwife rolled her eyes when I told her why I was there and said "It is labour luvvie - not supposed to be nice. Many women feel like this. Anyway i suppose you can ask!". That just made me think I had no chance then in walked the consultant and was like " Hi I believe your after a section - i saw from your notes you didn't have a great labour last time. I see no reason why yu can't have a section shall I put you in the diary now!" I'm so relieved and happy to see that others are pro. I'm sick of people rolling their eyes particularly those who have never given birth themselves!!! (MIDWIFE WHO MADE STATEMENT ABOVE FOR EXAMPLE)

Ahhhh I am glad its worked out how you want it to, ignore MW get a different one if you can, doesn't sound like she'll be much support for you, hope all goes well and keep us informed!! take care xx

Congratulations! Job well done.

God it annoys me - I mean how rude is that midwife, similar happened to me but the other way round, when I asked for a VBAC the two consultants rolled their eyes and gave each other a little smile like I was a child asking for a sweet.