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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Elective C Section or trial of labour?

49 replies

KristinaM · 20/04/2004 10:47

Hi everyone! I?m new to mumsnet and really need your views/advice. I?m expecting my first baby shortly & my consultant has given me the choice of an elective section or going for a trial of labour. This is for non - obstetric medical reasons ? in his view the baby will be fine either way (as much as any doctor can ever say this). He says it?s really my choice - or mine and my partners - and that neither decision would be wrong ? the outcomes of both are likely to be good.

If the choice was between an elective CS and a normal vaginal delivery, with a small tear and a few stitches, it would not be an issue ? I would go for the latter. However, both of my sisters have had TERRIBLE experiences with vaginal deliveries. One had a long induced labour, mid cavity forceps to turn the baby and subsequent major internal damage. She became doubly incontinent and had to have colorectal surgery to repair the damage. Unsurprisingly she has chosen to have no more children because this. The other sister also had a ?trial of forceps? & a huge episiotomy and third degree tear, then an emergency CS. She has had another two children by elective CS.

I know there are probably lots of you out there who had these wonderful spiritual experiences during labour, or quick straightforward water births. I would love to have this too. But mostly these seem to be second or more babies, and often after a very bad time with the first. Or am I wrong? This is my first baby and because of some medical issues, it will be my last. So my heart really wants to try for that elusive normal delivery and I worry that I will feel cheated somehow if I don?t at least try. But then I?m very scared of having similar problems to my sisters. So I know in my head that the elective CS might be the sensible option in terms of damage limitation.

I know that someone out there must have faced a similar decision ? what would you do in my situation???

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Noodleboo · 26/04/2004 21:09

SarajaneA, I think that we had exactly the same caesarean experience - I couldn't believe how good it was! Am now pregnant with number two and desperately want the ease of a CS but baby is right way round this time - despite me doing handstands to turn it's head!! probably not what my midwife would advocate but am very scared of second birth by vagina. I really want to ask for a CS but feel guilty that there is no real excuse.

KristinaM, I think that if this is your only child you should go for the CS option despite the missing out on childbirth bit - you still get the baby at the end as someone said. Go for it and don't feel guilty!

Smurfs · 26/04/2004 22:24

KristinaM

Just wanted to say congratulations on the pregnancy and go for the C-Section! I had DS 10 months ago following a lovely elective section - Do not feel guilty that you are not going through labour or potentially horrific tearing, forceps etc instead congratulate yourself on being a women prepared to stand uo for what she wants , with all her body parts intact!! ( Ok with the addition of a little scar....)

Hennypenny · 27/04/2004 00:36

All I can say to you is that on 26 Sept last year, myself & hubby left home at 0800 as I was to have an cesaerean op. By 10.48 we were parents. It was blinding. No pain. Nothing.

However, the getting fit after the birth is a different story. My C/S scar burst and I had to lay down for days when I didn't want to.

It's a no pain lovely delivery. They told me that my baby was too big!!!!!!! He was just under 6.5 lb.

If I had the choice I would opt for the c/s any time.

toddlerbob · 27/04/2004 01:51

I think it could be hard for you being pregnant and rehearing your sister's horror labour stories. I didn't know any other people with children so didn't get the tales and had a pain relief free water birth - but I'm not sure the two are related in any way. It was my first baby and my mum was deeply shocked that I should go down this route, but it was what I wanted.

Why not try for the vaginal but let them know that you are not interested in a long labour with every toy going and that you would like a section in preference to this.

Also there are lots of things you can have in your birth plan which you can usually do however your baby is delivered. Having control of these means you are guaranteed to have some bits of the birth the way you chose them.

bloss · 27/04/2004 05:38

Message withdrawn

sexgoddess · 27/04/2004 06:51

Hi Kristina - my first was an emergency c-section following a long and very tiring labour. For my second I really wanted to have a trial of labour but after a few problems (with size mainl) the Consultant decided not to allow a trial of labour but insisted I had an elective c-section at 37 weeks. Whilst I was upset with this initially I was also relieved that I was prepared. Good luck.

allatsea · 27/04/2004 08:35

I had an emergency c-section with dd, after days of difficult labour. When I was pregnant with ds, I was really inclined to have an elective, because I knew what was involved, I had recovered well from the first one and i was terrified of tearing badly (a friend of a friend performs surgery on women who have major tears so I knew 'too much' about it) I saw the consultant on numerous occasions and they were happy to do what I wanted. In the end I opted for a 'well, lets wait and see' approach. The second labour started out like the first, slow, painful and ds in the wrong position. However, although it took 12 hours, in the end he appeared really easily. Although I had a second degree tear, I knew that the section was an option if things went badly and the recovery from stitches is so much easier than from a c-section (not being able to drive for 4/6 weeks is a real bind) My sister had both of hers in 6 hours or less and only had a couple of stitches each time, (I hate her)o so there's not necessarily a link between what happened with your sisters and what will happen with you

aloha · 27/04/2004 08:53

I said it before and I'll say it again - I drove after about ten days. NO reason not to. I found my recovery fast and straightforward.

sexgoddess · 27/04/2004 09:28

You're lucky aloha - I felt able to drive early but my GP passed the buck to the dvla, the dvla passed it to the insurance company who then passed it back to GP after telling me if anything went wrong I wasn't covered.

oliveoil · 27/04/2004 09:28

I was fine afterwards as well, didn't drive cos I can't () but was up and about the following day in hosp, bit sore but would have been with vaginal delivery anyway. No problems with scar healing etc and it is fading nicely. I am in the same boat in deciding what to do this time round - go for a trial labour or straight to c section.

SoupDragon · 27/04/2004 09:32

To see if you are safe to drive, sit in a chair and attempt to do an emergency stop. If you can't manage this, then don't drive

Original poster

KristinaM · 28/04/2004 14:54

Thank you for all your suggestions.
Bloss - I have tried to get a doula, but apparently there is only one in our area and she only does post natal work.
Olive Oil ? what have you decided to do?
Toddler Bob ? it?s encouraging to hear that some women DO have a good experience first time around
Thank you Mearns for your suggestion of trying for a normal delivery but then asking for quick intervention if its not progressing (at least I think that?s what you said!!!)

I really appreciate those of you who spoke about your positive experiences of a CS. This is so encouraging, as I have quite a high chance that I will end up with one, one way or another. So it?s good to know it?s not the end of the world!!!

OP posts:

aloha · 28/04/2004 18:17

Sexgoddess - then I was right not to say anything to anyone then!

miserlyzebra · 28/04/2004 19:00

Just going to say, KristinaM, I wouldn't go by your sister's experience as anything. I have 3 cousins (full sisters), each has had 3 babies.

Sister 1: 1st baby quite small, slow progress labour, ended in emergency CS. Not sure about why she had CS afterwards, but she definitely feels that she can't do vaginal childbirth. Was very impressed by her own DD (who has also now had 3 babies vaginally).

Sister 2: induced after waters broke 1 month early, found it very painful but managed vaginal birth ok(ish) in the end. Had epidurals without hesitation, and vaginal births for babies 2 & 3 (baby 3 was 10 lbs).

Sister 3: drops baby with a small sneeze and no pain relief or damage -- I'm not kidding! Even my aunt says "She just isn't bothered by it". Babies are average size.

You wouldn't believe they are 3 sisters, of similar height and builds, with similar-size husbands, too (mostly tall); their experiences of childbirth have been so different.

willow2 · 29/04/2004 18:32

My advice would be go for vaginal birth, but if things start going pear shaped then opt for c section and not forceps.

pupuce · 29/04/2004 19:02

Kristina... where are you ? There are birth doulas in MANY places around teh country... most of us travel up to 1 hour but women don't think we would!

Original poster

KristinaM · 30/04/2004 11:49

I have discussed this with DP and my consultant and decided to go with basically what Willow suggested - a trial of labour but opt for CS if it goes wrong. no forceps. Have also agreed that i will hold off being induced for as long as possible , to try to go into spontaneous labour.

I want to stay at home for as long as i can, so i can remain mobile - the facilities in the hospital mean you are mostly confined to bed as there is not enough room to walk around let alone use a birthing ball!!!!! Its crazy!!. I know that being starved and confined to this tiny prison cell-like room will sap my energy and morale very very quickly.

Pupuce - we are in semi-rural Scotland!! We have checked out the doula network & there is only one person available at the moment and she only does post natal work as she has a young baby of her own.

OP posts:

pupuce · 30/04/2004 19:20

Shame about the doula - I presume you called Lesley-Ann Patrick?

oliveoil · 04/05/2004 10:05

KristinaM - sorry, didn't see this last week. I have decided to go for a vaginal birth and hope for the best. I am hoping to forgoe an epidural in case this slowed me down last time, but really have no idea what will happen.

I don't want to have another section as I will not be able to put my feet up like last time as I will now have a 22month old dd to look after and don't want her to feel pushed out if I can't pick her up properly etc.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

MUSA · 04/05/2004 14:26

can any one tell me, does a c section hurt afterwards. how long is the recovery period, because i dont think i could have a normal birth next time cant handle it.

MUSA · 04/05/2004 14:30

can anyone tell me is it true that, the more babies you have the bigger in weight they get.

kiwisbird · 04/05/2004 14:36

no it is not true, well it wasn;t for me, 2nd was lighter than the first, as it was with my mother too.
Also just asked MIL and her biggest was her first who was overdue. The others got progressively smaller...
HTH

oliveoil · 04/05/2004 14:37

Hope not, dd was 9lb 10, ouch.

JanZ · 05/05/2004 10:11

KristinaM - if it helps, I used a birthing ball ON the bed to help me stay in as upright a position as possible. My dh even took a picture of me, which I gave the physios permission to use in training sessions.

I sort of "draped" myself over it. I had got too tired to stand/sit and the unsympathetic midwife (the second one, as I had gone through a shift - my first one was lovely) wouldn't let my dh support me, as we hadn't "practiced" doing that (!!!). I was also being monitorted, as they had started to induce me, because my waters had broken more that 24 houts before (hindsight/ more informed now - I now wouldn't have let them induce me, as I am sure that contributed to the forceps that I ended up having)

I'm also in Scotland - although in Glasgow, so as urban as you can get!

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