Would these count as reasons for a ELCS

[Morecheeeeeeesegromit]

I'm only 10 weeks now but as it's my first I'm thinking a lot about these things, I've been wondering whether the following list would mean I would be eligible for a ELCS

• I'm terrified of anything medical, my heart pounds and I feel my blood pressure increase. I know this would mean in labour the same would occur and then constant monitoring would just make it worse still, almost creating a spiral of stress which I'm sure wouldn't help the baby
• I'm fine with the idea of the childbirth pain, I'm terrified of the process and potential for serious damage to my body such as incontinence
• I do not trust that my requests for no interventions will be listened to (I have read a scary statistic stating the amount of refused consent episiotomies for instance)
• I cannot trust myself to not put my babies life at risk by not letting medical professionals near me if I am scared in hospital if I do not trust them because of the above (I may be fine, I may Not, who knows!!!)
• when I was very young I had stitches somewhere down there.....i don't actually know where but I was only around 3 and I still vividly remember the pain and screaming at them to stop and being ignored - the statistics for mothers being ignored doesn't help this either. I have a feeling I also kicked a nurse hard in the head (which I do still feel incredibly guilty for ) I would not want to do that as an adult to a midwife

I am more than happy to talk through my fears with a xouncillor but quite frankly I think they're legitimate fears, same as someone who has a fear of snakes/spiders (actually I think it makes more sense as a teeny spider in the UK is going to have no negative impacts on you).

Would an ElCS be an option to me?

Op whilst women can be ignored on intervention do remember they don't intervene for fun, its hard to Gage whats going on as a baby is being born its life or death situation, if the heart beat starts to drop, then they have to intervene to save life. Easier after the event to critise but this is the back ground to all intervention, saving your babies life!

You can ask for ELC its your body at the end of the day and yes ELC is a calm wonderful way to bring a baby into the world with a far smaller range of issues, good luck.

If I get pregnant I'll be requesting a ELCS for similar reasons. I have a phobia of medical profession, which is all around control (and the fear that things will be done to me/forces on me) as well as huge concerns about long term effects of birth. I know it's irrational but it doesn't change the way I feel. I need to feel as in control as possible, so I can prepare myself in advance for what's to come. With a VB there are so many variables that preparing myself and having the time to put In place my coping mechanisms would be very difficult. I know CS doesbt always go to plan but from the evidence I've read the chances of things going wrong are less and if they do go awry the procedures and staff are there to handle most scenarios. There's also the issue of the dangers of VB and how they appear to be played down (I tried to find equivalent dangers as for a ELCS for VB and struggled). I ended up FOI-ing my local trust to get data on inductions, interventions and tears/damage to educate myself just in case. What I discovered made me all the more certain that if I do fall, I want an ELCS. I absolutely wouldn't want inducing, no VE's, no forceps and no ventouse-and at my age and as a 1st time mom my chances of achieving that aren't great. I still haven't managed to get the data of long term impacts of both modes of birth, (which I personally feel is important) but even without that in my position, with my issues an ELCS is the right decision, for the baby as well as my physical and long term mental health (which is just as important in my opinion).

OP -As for wether your reasons are "good enough" nice guidelines say you have the right to request a CS without a medical reason (although I'd argue yours is due to anxiety) -the dr can't be forced to agree, but they should refer you to an alternative Dr who will consider it. Birthrights is a great organisation. Pauline Hull of caesarean birth.org is also worth contacting for info. X

Well as of today I am booked in for a home birth, I plan to discuss ELCS further and I'm SO glad some people seem to understand. It's a major relief