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Childbirth

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

Has anyone had a 'natural c section'?

19 replies

NoRoomForALittleOne · 03/03/2015 20:26

What was it like? Was it how you imagined it would be? Would you recommend it?

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Laquila · 03/03/2015 20:28

Did you was the article on holisticmama.co.uk that was floating around Facebook? I didn't have chance to read it but am going off to find it now! I had an EMCS but didn't have morphine - that was the most natural thing about it ;)

NoRoomForALittleOne · 03/03/2015 20:36

No, I didn't. I'm trying to read up on it but there isn't loads of stuff out there.

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NoRoomForALittleOne · 03/03/2015 22:43

Thank you. That was such a beautiful story and great pics. It makes me feel a bit better about the possibility of ELCS.

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lotsoftoast · 04/03/2015 09:14

www.facebook.com/groups/naturalcaesareanuk

MinceSpy · 04/03/2015 09:21

I'm confused how is having a spinal block and a surgical delivery 'natural'

ragged · 04/03/2015 09:26

Maybe OP means this kind of thing.

Small incision and the uterus is encouraged to do some contractions to help baby leave.

Um... smaller incision sounds very good? Not really sure I understand the appeal otherwise. Hope you have a positive experience, whatever it is.

MinceSpy · 04/03/2015 09:41

Wow! Thank you for that link, seems a good option where possible.

NoRoomForALittleOne · 04/03/2015 12:14

The point is that the baby has the fluid squeezed out of its lungs as it is delivered more like a vaginal delivery. This leads to a lower incidence of respiratory distress. Also baby has skin-to-skin much sooner.

And no, there is nothing 'natural' about surgery but sometimes it's the least worst option.

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YosemiteSim · 04/03/2015 12:19

I had a sort-of-natural c-section with my second DC (elective after emergency section first time round).

It wasn't called 'natural' and I didn't ask for it, but its apparently how they do elective sections at UCH.

They lowered the 'curtain' at the point the baby is lifted out so I could see the birth (if you want - they did ask first!), and I got immediate skin to-skin for a minute before they took DD to be checked over. When they took her for her checks, it was a few feet away and within my eye line so I could see her at all times. An anaesthetist stood in my way at one point and the midwife barked at him to move so I could see my baby Grin.

Then I got more skin-to-skin in theatre as they stitched me up, then immediate skin-to-skin when we were in recovery. The midwife was amazing and got DD on my breast as soon as I was wheeled into the recovery room. It was nice - very different to my emergency section.

lotsoftoast · 04/03/2015 23:32

I had one today and it was perfect - my waters broke last night so it was technically an emergency section but I got my skin to skin, cord ties, lowered drapes, slow delivery, partner present at all times etc - it really was a pleasant experience xx

NoRoomForALittleOne · 05/03/2015 07:10

Congratulations Lotsoftoast! That's really good to hear. Thank you for coming on and posting when you've just had a c section.

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lotsoftoast · 06/03/2015 07:13

Will be blogging about it so will post a link to the full story for you

NoRoomForALittleOne · 06/03/2015 21:24

That will be great to read, Lotsoftoast.

I'm surprised that there doesn't seem to be more awareness of natural c section on MN. I thought that lots of women would be along to share their experience. I hope that it becomes more 'normal' for c sections generally as it seems to make a lot of sense.

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AvaCrowder · 06/03/2015 21:34

I've never heard of this before, but it sounds brilliant.

HappyAsASandboy · 17/03/2015 02:34

Had elements of a natural CS with my second ELCS.

Delayed cord clamping. They waited maybe two minutes, with the surgeon/assistant holding my baby curled up on her hands - he wasn't crying, so no distress at waiting for cuddles. The surgeon asked me before he cut whether I was happy we'd waited long enough, and told me the cord had finished pulsing. He'd have waited longer if I asked.

Immediate skin to skin and constant parental presence. Once cord was cut my baby was moved straight to my chest (pooing a sea of meconium on the surgeon, the floor and my chest on the way!). Baby stayed there maybe 20 mins (during which I attempted a feed but couldn't get the angle right as I was tilted head down and onto left side and there was a sea of meconium on us!) before being briefly taken for weighing etc - DH went with baby. This was the first time my baby cried and it turns out it was because they have injected vit K at that point, despite birth plan being covered in request for oral. Separate issue, but still quite angry about that. Baby was then brought back to my bedside and held by DH, though could have gone back on my chest if I'd asked. DH then carried baby from theatre to recovery, which I was surprised at, but it just happened that way.

If you don't ask, you don't get! But I would ask for specific things you would like rather than just for a 'natural CS', as the term means different things to different people. It is likely your hospital will agree to some things but not others, and it'd be sad to miss the things you can have because you can't have them all.

Also, ask early. An if possible, as to see a senior midwife in the hospital team rather than community team to write a CS birth plan together. She will know what has been done before, and which surgeons will be open to what you're asking for. I planned my CS birth as part of a VBAC clinic to plan a VBAC birth - the NHS had invited me to meet lovely senior midwife so she could pursuade me to VBAC, but whilst we did pull together a just-in-case-you-change-your-mind VBAC birth plan, she also helped me plan a CS as I was sure that's what I wanted. Your community midwife might be able to arrange for you to meet with a suitable hospital midwife, though I would start with a 'I was wondering if this type of birth night be possible' approach rather than making any demands - there's time for demands later if softly softly doesn't get you there Wink

Good luck!

Dildals · 18/03/2015 12:50

I found an article from a medical journal on natural C-sections
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2613254/

I showed it to my consultant (St Thomas's) but she'd never heard of it and said that they don't give syntometrin before the baby is out.

I'll try again in a couple of weeks :-)

They do do delayed cord clamping though, so better than nothing I guess.

BathshebaDarkstone · 18/03/2015 12:52

Sounds like an oxymoron. Confused

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