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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

oh cr**p - postponed my elective c/s - now having major wobbles

58 replies

marymillington · 25/01/2007 09:40

Sorry this is long....

After weeks of being wracked with indecision I was booked for a VBAC to take place next Monday.

Everyone - consultant, midwives (various), DH, mates - have been very encouraging about VBAC, I've been reading a lot and my head says its the right thing to do. Baby's head is 3/5 engaged, good position and was having strong Braxton Hicks. So on Monday my elective was postponed until Feb 8th (which is 3 days after my due date). But since then was made I haven't slept at all, I'm feeling horribly negative and unbelievably anxious, I'm totally daunted by the idea of labour and my mind is going through all the potential problems that could happen however slight . And weirdly, all my BH's have completely stopped, almost as though my body is saying, right we'll just have to hold on until the 8th then....I can't help thinking all this means that I have made the wrong decision.

DH is now saying, ring them up and get the section brought forward again. He's worried that I will go into labour and freak out.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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lulumama · 25/01/2007 13:32

i was worried about the pushing too mary.....

as i had not got to that stage with DS..would i recognise the urge, would i know how to push??

well, i did and i did.!

my body reached 10 cm, and i was overwhelmed with the most strong sensation, every fibre of my being was pushing for me !!! it was an amazing and exhilarating feeling !! and the pethidine had worn off and i had no g&a,,,so just me and my body doing it

the feeling of DD arriving was the best i have ever had , bar none

piglit · 25/01/2007 13:34

Everyone is different though uwila. I had stitches after my vbac and could sit up straight away. I could also lift ds1 (he was only 12 months old) the day after I had ds2 by vbac. I couldn't have done that if I'd had a section.

The downside is that vaginal birth can "mess up your bits" whereas a section leaves you "honeymoon fresh".

uwila · 25/01/2007 13:36

Well, it's of course good if baby is moving a lot. pay attention to that and definately go in if decreases.

I guess something else you should consider is if you want a VBAC bad enough that you are prepared to risk the possibility of an emergency section.

I've had an emergency and a planned one. And I can assure you that the experiences are worlds apart.

lulumama · 25/01/2007 13:36

i had a couple of stitches for a graze, i could sit down fine ! stings a bit when you wee, but pouring warm water over your bits as you wee helps

also, i agree that contractions can stop for a reason, sometimes , a tragic one..but labour can naturally pause....contractions can be irregular, and it is ok....on the whole....

some women get to 10cm and have a break, the rest and be thankful stage.and then push a while later...labour is not one straight line we all follow

uwila · 25/01/2007 13:40

True piglit. And it's also true that some women post section will say they got up and walked a mile the next day pushing a twin pram... but that's not usual.

Oh, and if you have a section, you can wee without a horrific burning sensation. And you have a much smaller risk of incontinence.

Anyway, I don't want to go too much into the pros of a section because I want to leave you to make up your own mind. I don't want to convince you to do something you don't really want.

MarsLady · 25/01/2007 13:40

they are indeed worlds apart uwila (and not to be rude etc... I'm sure you know I wouldn't be... or would try not to be).. I have had emergency c-birth, elective c-birth and vbac. I prefer and still do the vbac. So much better for me and my body despite the fact that I recovered so quickly from my elective. VBAC every time for me.

Not that I'm having any more!

mears · 25/01/2007 13:54

Confused about SHO's comments re more problems with VBAC babies. Are you sure he didn't say elective C/S babies?

It is well known that elective C/S babies can have breathing problems due to the fluid not being squeezed out the lungs at birth which happens with vaginal deliveries. That said, the official figures are 5 out of 1000 babies born vaginally have breathing problems compared to 35 out 1000 C/S babies.

In order to try and avoid breathing problems, elective C/S should not be scheduled before 39 weeks unless there is a complication.

As for sitting down post delivery - the vast majority of women can do that without difficulty. Yes you might need forceps/ventouse but on the other hand you might not have any difficulty at all pushing your baby out and you may not have any stitches at all.

It would be wonderful to know in advance what will happen but unfortunately no-one can tell you.

I find that it is once women are actually in labour that their confidence grows re VBAC. The best situation is to go into labour spontaneously. As I said earlier, the likelihood of that happening before your planned C/S date is small anyway. If you do labour then you can take that as a really positive sign

belgo · 25/01/2007 13:56

quick hijack - Mears - I would be interested in your opinion here please

Original poster

marymillington · 25/01/2007 14:04

mears, saw the SHO at my first "consultant" appointment - I asked specifically about elective c/s babies having problems - and she said " not in my experience, quite the reverse". although i know that her experience must be limited, its still enough to add to the anxiety.

i think the truth is that an instrumental delivery is not something that is acceptable to me. which probably means that i will have to have the c/s.

OP posts:

mears · 25/01/2007 14:08

MM - you could have in your birthplan that if instrumental delivery is required you prefer to have C/S.

lulumama · 25/01/2007 14:12

why is an instrumental delivery not acceptable..do you feel you will have 'failed' if baby helped out?

Original poster

marymillington · 25/01/2007 14:21

mears - do you really think they would respect that? i was under enormous pressure to let them have a go last time but refused and insisted on second opinion. (my nots actually say "patient very stroppy")

i'm very squeamish in that dept - had some gynae problems in the dim and distant past, felt utterly violated by it all for a long time. i think it might - just might - cause me to resent the baby....

OP posts:

Aloha · 25/01/2007 14:22

You must do what you feel is right MM. But I have to say, I could pick up my baby the day of my caesarean, and I really regret going into labour at all, so people do have very different experiences. Some really seem to enjoy labour, others end up in counselling for it. It's a really hard call, and I'm not going to try to persuade anyone of anything. If I hadn't postponed by cs because I had flu, but had been persuaded to, and what happened to me, happened, I would resent them for the rest of my life tbh.
I do, however, think your braxton hicks stopping probably means absolutely nothing, and if you think you will regret having an elective, then that's probably the wrong decision for you.

lulumama · 25/01/2007 14:25

do you think that is the root of your being uncomfortable, these gynae probs and the way you felt? have to go and do school run in a bit, but will be back later ! you need to live closer to me, then i could pop over at the drop of a hat and make you tea and sympathy !

mears · 25/01/2007 14:25

mm - there should be no reason why not. If the baby does not descend in the second stage then a repeat section is an option. I have attended births like that before.

If you were brow presentation last time, baby would not have been able to be delivered by forceps. Did the consultant come for second opinion out of interest?

mears · 25/01/2007 14:27

Hi Aloha

piglit · 25/01/2007 14:29

If it's the gynae stuff you are worried about then perhaps the section is the way to go. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter how you have the baby as long as you and the baby are healthy and safe.

By the way, I wish I lived near lulumama. She's always so lovely.

Original poster

marymillington · 25/01/2007 14:33

forceps-happy dr was a locum, said there was a 20-30% chance of success. not happy when i refused. ds could have been seriously hurt - and i'd still have had to have the section. fabulous midwife went to fetch senior reg. who tore a strip off locum and recommended immediate c/s.

OP posts:

mears · 25/01/2007 14:36

One thing to remember mm is that you will have senior medical input as you would be previous C/S in labour - you certainly would where I work anyway. Worth speaking to consultant about.

uwila · 25/01/2007 14:57

What is your level of confidence in the hospital? Do you trust them to make the right decisions in the time of need?

Also, I can't believe they called you stroppy in your notes. What nerve! I'd give 'em a good slap and say "now THAT is stroppy"

piglit · 25/01/2007 15:09

lol @uwila!

Jimjams2 · 25/01/2007 15:17

I had emergency cs (following 18 hour labour). elective cs, attempt at VBA2C (8 hour labour) followed by section.

The BEST experience was VBA2C followed by c/s
middle emergency cs following 18 hour labour
the WORST experience by far was the elective cs.

I found Michel Odents book caesarian a good comfort a) for trying labour and b) for going for section after 8 hours.

I had no great desire for natural delivery (just wanted a baby delivered safetly).

blueshoes · 25/01/2007 15:24

Hi mary, just wanted to say, having read your posts, you sounded exactly like me (or I like you), down to the lack of interest in experiencing pushing, the fear of instrumental delivery over cs, lack of faith in the hospital respecting my wishes at the pushing stage when I am most vulnerable and ... the stroppiness!

I went elective with ds. It was a perfectly acceptable birth and recovery. The ground did not move but I got exactly what I expected and my perineum is intact. Not wishing to sway you ...

Original poster

marymillington · 25/01/2007 15:59

Jimjams - i bought and read the michel odent book on your recommendation from another thread. and i think its an amazing book. it definitely made me think that VBAC was an option, and about the way in which i'd like to labour. do you mind my asking why your elective c/s was the worst?

on the whole confidence in hospital high - 3 star, foundation hospital, does lots of research, great consultant. but it is very very busy.

OP posts:

lulumama · 25/01/2007 16:06

thanks piglit...sweet of you to say !

.i had a vbac, blueshoes, my perineum is perfectly intact !!

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