Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

Original poster

Do i have a legal right to a c section?

18 replies

BobbieDog · 20/12/2016 21:59

Dd who is 4 was born via EMCS due to being back to back after a horrendous 22 hour labour.

Im 21 weeks pregnant again and due to see my consultant for the first time on thurs and im very worried they will refuse a c section.

Can they refuse one?

OP posts:

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 20/12/2016 22:22

I'm sure you will be able to have a c section

Legally you can't demand a c Section, just as you couldn't demand antibiotics from your GP, but doctors do have to offer you a good standard of treatment, and usually this involves acting within guidelines

The NICE guidelines on elective c section and vbac emphasize that women should, whenever possible, have choice about their mode of delivery

Have a look at the NICE c section guidelines and familiarise yourself with the potential negatives/ risks of a c section so you are well informed before your appt

In my experience most obstetrians would be v happy to perform a repeat section

A number might be v keen on vbac but they shouldn't force you to have a vbac.
If you feel this is the case you can ask to see an alternative consultant for a second opinion, you have enough time.

I was referred to the "vbac midwife clinic" and was worried she'd be v gung ho about pushing vbac, but actually based on my circumstances she encouraged me to have a repeat section!

Tantrictantrum · 20/12/2016 22:31

Similar circs to you OP.
I said I want a section. They said ok

Herschellmum · 20/12/2016 22:38

With a previous c section there are associated risks with vbac so while they may strongly advice they do let you decide because there are risks to both.

I had a natural with my first then a c section with my twins as they were Breech, so I got to choose with my next, I chose c section because of previous issues, but they really left it up to me.

mimiholls · 21/12/2016 08:20

They may try to encourage vbac but you will not have a problem getting a section of you've had one before because of the risks of vbac, just stick to your guns if needs be.

Thurlow · 21/12/2016 08:59

I was worried too but it was surprisingly easy. We just had a good chat about the risks for each way of birth but as i was certain, they agreed. Fingers crossed it's the same for you.

Honeybee79 · 21/12/2016 09:39

I had an EMCS 6 years ago. This time round I was offered choice if vbac or elective. Was advised my chances of a successful VBAC were good but it was my choice. I opted for section and had DD 3 weeks ago. No issue at all with me making that decision so if that's what you want and you've thought it through then they will be fine with it.

Original poster

BobbieDog · 21/12/2016 12:45

How did you find having a c section with looking after another child. Dd will be 4 and a half so not a young toddler but i am worried about the recovery process.

OP posts:

WormitTheDog · 21/12/2016 13:05

My first was natural, my second was an emergency section (cord prolapse). I have pretty miserable pregnancies - gestational diabetes, SPD and I suffer from anxiety. Just found out we are expecting again and spoke to my midwife at my first appointment about wanting a repeat section - and she was great! She said generally after you've had one you will be offered the option. She has referred me to a consultant who she said was very understanding and will absolutely let me have one. However if I fail my GTT again this time I will end up changing consultants. When I raised this as a concern she told me if I met any brick walls to call her and she will sort it out for me. It was great to feel I had someone on my side. So my advice would be if your consultant is difficult try speaking to your midwife about your concerns. Good luck.

unicornpoopoop · 21/12/2016 13:20

I demanded a csection after a traumatic natural birth.

I read all the nice guidelines.

I was fobbed off for months. They were all really horrible to me suggesting I had made it all up as they couldn't find my notes.

But I stamped my feet and got my own way. A less strong person would easily be bullied into doing it there way.

But I had been told previously my body wasn't made to give birth naturally. And I wasn't about to go through it again.

I had a 4 year old to look after and it was just fine.

Honeybee79 · 21/12/2016 17:22

Bobbie I found recovery from section with a 6 year old to be OK. I was limited in what I could do with him for the first week, but read him lots of stories on the sofa, helped with homework etc from sofa. Am now 3.5 weeks post section and essentially back to normal for his purposes, apart from literally running after him when he's on his bike. I was back walking him to school (about 1.5 miles in each direction) 2 weeks after the section. I struggled with that the first couple of days but have been fine since. My friend had a natural delivery the day before me and has struggled more than me physically - everyone's different and you can't easily predict how you will recover but I have found it to be mostly ok.

Shootingstar2289 · 21/12/2016 17:47

They cannot refuse you a c-section, if you've had one before. The consultant might try and persuade to try a VBAC. It really depends on why you had the section first time.

I had a section with my first, after a failed induction.

I actually wanted to try for a natural birth with my second. The consultant was very encouraging of this. I ended up having another section anyway.

Recovery was okay. Ended up over doing it though I think. My partner went back to 12 hour shifts after two weeks off and then it was the school holidays and my son was driving me mad wanting to go out!

Original poster

BobbieDog · 21/12/2016 18:47

Im really worried. It took me along time to consider another child after the time i had with the first.

I did have CBT early this year about afew things and the lady said she felt i hadnt really got over the birth of dd.

OP posts:

mimiholls · 21/12/2016 19:04

You truly don't need to be worried. You will get your c section.

megletthesecond · 21/12/2016 19:10

Fwiw my planned section was a far easier recovery than my EMCS. Ok, the first 48hrs aren't fun but after that I was quite comfy back home pootling about in pj's. I said no guests and rested while XP was on 2 weeks paternity leave. It's easier to plan and at least you know what you're doing with a newborn second time around.

Sparrowlegs248 · 23/12/2016 21:44

Hope your appointment went well op. I had ds by elcs due to breech and have been given the choice this time, it's my decision. Cant decide.....

Original poster

BobbieDog · 23/12/2016 21:49

I went to my appointment yesterday and she has granted the section but i did feel she really wanted me to try for a natural.

She kept suggesting alternatives to a c section like going for a natural but have a epidural much earlier for pain relief. She also wanted to be to go to a vbac workshop which i refused.

OP posts:

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 24/12/2016 14:42

Glad you got your section approved

I hope you feel more relaxed about the rest of your pregnancy now

I found recovery OK - I just made sure I didn't have to lift my older child for the first few weeks, and had my Husband stay overnight in hospital to help me

I have been seeing a postnatal fitness instructor and I think that has helped my recovery

nichito · 29/12/2016 02:07

Glad you got your section!

Was interested as I'm 14 weeks with my first and I too requested a c-section (successfully!) at an appointment with the consultant expecting to meet with no obstruction whatsoever. Long story short, I fractured my femur 5 years ago and it went undetected until last year - joint is totally fused, have pathetic adduction/flexion in that hip and medics are amazed it's held out as well as it has (and it's in a right old state), even in a twenty something. Was awaiting a hip replacement when I fell pregnant!

When I was told that a c-section was not a necessity I was pretty flabbergasted - my orthopaedic surgeon (who is about the biggest orthopaedic cheese in the U.K.) had already told me that a c-section would be an absolute necessity if I were to have a baby before the op. The thought of getting a large/full term baby out with my hip in this state seems borderline ludicrous tbh and even if it were structurally doable, my options in terms of positions etc would be fairly limited.

Doesn't help that I'm very narrow built but was 10.5 pounds at birth, and the obs consultant even admitted that if we "went natural" & the baby got stuck we'd quite feasibly be in the shit

He was a good-humoured chap so I gave him a wry smile and told him that I understood that some women had an emotional attachment to vaginal birth but that I was not one of them, and that I was quite sure about the c-section, thank you very much. It was immediately agreed to.

Hope you feel a little more peaceful now!

Flip