Would you opt for caesarean

[Chicci1]

I would really appreciate any thoughts on this. My daughter has developmental delay and for about a year, there was suspicions that she had cerebral palsy and that her delivery could be somehow involved. That has now been ruled out. I had a normal quickvaginal delivery with her with no intervention but during the time that we thought that she had been damaged due to her delivery, I spent hours rereading my labour notes and obsessing over the ctg. I'm now pregnant again and my consultant has advised that a caesarean is an option if this is the road I want to go down. He has also said though that given my daughters delivery was normal, I have a very strong chance of a normal quicker and easier labour which might help to ease the psychological wounds of the first time. The main reason I'm considering a caesarean is to have more of a sense of control and the feeling that I'm bringing my child into the world in a very controlled way. The thoughts of watching another ctg trace really frightens me. At the same time, perhaps I'm taking unnecessary risks by opting for a section in circumstances where my first delivery was, on paper at least, totally textbook. Any thoughts would be very appreciated.

I would OP. I have had two sections...the first was an emergency and the second, I requested for reasons similar to yours.

Knowing when your baby is coming and knowing how long the baby will take to arrive is a great weight off your mind.

I recovered quickly from both my sections. Are you fit and healthy and of a good weight?

That's always useful when recovering from surgery. It DOES hurt afterwards for a couple of weeks...there's no denying that. But once you're healing, it's fine.

You shouldn't underestimate your physchological health and for me, my 2nd section was completely justified as the experience of the first was traumatic.

I had an emcs with our dd (first child) 16 days ago. After having started the induction process on the Tuesday, she finally arrived on the Sunday.
It was absolutely not what i had wanted but it was a great birth. She was safe for a start. The operation was quick and I've recovered remarkably well so far. Painful for the first few days but not unbearably and I was up and about (slowly!) the same day.
Knowing now that my body is not keen to labour, I would probably opt for another.

Oh I feel for you, you are carrying a lot of stress from something completely out of your control

can you access a counsellor or psychologist and work out what your pros and cons for both would be, for example like the OB said a vaginal birth might be healing for you, or would it cause more anxiety? Do you actually need a CTG in labour.. would that make it easier or not? If you had a Caesarian how would you feel if your baby had to go to special care if he had wet lung? Could your Doctor give you steroids at 35 weeks to help prevent that happening?. What would happen if you went into labour early? Would you still want the caesarian or would you continue? Maybe if you can answer those sort of questions it might help you work out what is best for you?
How supportive is your midwife? Do you have enough time with her so you have a familiar face, is it worth hiring a private midwife or even an experienced doula or midwifery student for some continuity support and extra education?

Had a vaginal birth first time and it was lovely. C section second time and it was awful. I totally understand people opting for it that had a bad vaginal birth first time round. And many people told me what to expect but what got to me the most is not being able to properly hold your baby afterwards, can't change nappy, can't dress them. It's so difficult to get in and out of bed for a long while. And injections daily for 10 days that you have to give yourself. Someone to take your pants on and off. Have to wear stockings that someone has to take on and off. I am a very independent person and have found it really tough.

Lotsosqueries, the op's circumstances are different though, aren't they? I would very easily give up 10 days of my life, in pain, to reduce the risks of having a child with a health problem or developmental delay. Even if it was just for peace of mind. oP, I have had two emergency c sections, both were because of my own health issues (during both labours I developed very high temperature, high heart rate, I was hallucinating basically, doctors think it's because my body went into shock).i recovered very well from both surgeries, out of hospital after 4 days with DS1 and 3 days with DS2.

I think the problem is that you never know what you don't know, iyswim? I know someone who had an elective c-section for similar reasons, then blamed herself for years for her dc's issues - which are more common in children born by c-section.

I think for someone who had a crash section, having an elective makes sense. However, in your situation I wouldn't as I would be worried about the increased risks to the dc from being born surgically.

MyschoolMyrules, agreed, I had to have planned section because my baby was breech and it was the safest option. So yes I agreed to it putting the health of my baby first. But there are risks and many disadvantages to a section. Many I wasn't aware of! People think they're easy because they're common. They aren't easy. And if the possibility of the birth causing the development delay has been ruled out? And the birth was textbook? Have you asked the consultant what option he advised you take?

Thanks everyone. Yes the possibility of my first delivery causing my daughters difficulties has now been ruled out but it was a very long road of investigation before that was concluded. My consultant has said that it's entirely my choice if I want a section. I suppose because of what my daughter went through, it's made me hyper aware of the risks associated with a vaginal delivery and a major fear of the unknown. I find I'm obsessing over the delivery now and thinking about it all the time. It's sounds stupid but I was so relieved when she was given the all clear in terms of cerebral palsy that I now feel like I've gotten away with a crime. So in a nutshell my reasons for considering a section are all psychological. I have been requested referral to the hospitals counselling services to discuss this.

Good on you. I wish you all the best and hope the counselllor can help you come to terms with everything you have been through. Enjoy this pregnancy. You sound like a great mum who is trying her best to do everything 100%

My friend had 3 crash sections followed by an elective CS.
The crash CS were fine, she never felt upset about those. But she dreaded the elective CS and found the actual experience very stressful. Still speaks of it with a shudder.
Although she was doing the logical thing, she sounds like she wished she had gone for trial vaginal birth again.
Sometimes you don't know what you'll get.. .but I think it's worthwhile listening to your hunches about what would make you happiest.

I would do the section OP. I had an 'easy' birth (is childbirth ever easy?) which has left me with an injury. I am fairly certain I will have a section for my second as I think the psychological impact of knowing I have to push another baby out will not make for an easy second birth. How do you think you will cope during the throes of labour, not knowing if your baby is going to be okay? How will you cope if you do have another vaginal delivery and your second has similar problems to your DD?

And queries, I couldn't sit down without significant pain for almost 3 weeks after my daughter was born and didn't change her nappy until she was 5 days old because of problems I had during/after delivery. Those sort of issues are not uncommon after a vaginal birth and I'd personally rather have abdominal pain than severe vaginal pain.