Talk me out of having a caesarian

[ggglimpopo]

I know that it is early days but I am seriously considering a section.

I have done childbirth five times and have nothing to prove - too posh to push does not apply!

I am worried about something going wrong during childbirth, I have had scary labours where things were touch and go.

I am old.

I just want the safe delivery of a healthy baby.

Please give me some reasons why I should or shouldn't.

GGG, I don't know what to advise you but I had a c/sectio for my dd and I thought it was great.
Since you asked, I have a flat, non-overhang and non-numb tummy and my scar is now totally faded. I never had an overhang at all.
I had a planned section and no labour and thus recovered very quickly. I was up and about the next day. You don't have to take morhpine if you don't want but I thought my morphine pump was magic. (It's the only time in your life you have legal access to opiates, lol.) I went to a BBQ wearing a skimpy dress within a week and driving after just 3 weeks (my insurance company had never heard of the 'six weeks rule'.).
I think you are bleeding LESS with a section as they take out most of the gunk during the surgery. I certainly onlt bled for about 10 days.
The section itself was very relaxed, and surprisingly quick. They totally respected my wishes and I felt no fear, anxiety or pain. It really was a lovely experience.
I remember that when I was briefed for my section the consultant said to me that a c/s is very very safe way to be born for a baby as it is so quick and controlled.

GGG, good luck with whatever you decide !

wanted to add that you and your family are still very much in my thoughts and that you deserve the best luck in the world !

Do what you feel is right for you. Trust your own decision.

Big Hugs.

Message withdrawn

GGG... I can totally see where you are coming from, and although - thank God - I have not been in your position, I know that a friend who had had a stillbirth had quite similar feelings.

I can tell you about my elective section, which was a really positive experience. It was very relaxed (very different from what I've heard about emergency sections), everyone was very happy and positive (I'd had a stressful pregnancy for different reasons, and I really felt that I was in safe hands now and I totally trusted them to get on with it). The anaesthetists (2 of them) chatted to me and dh during the first part of the op (the cutting-open bit), but then withdrew totally into the background once dd was out. My dh was able to hold dd straightaway and then she was weighed and wrapped up (she was quite small and a bit cold) and then she was placed on my chest. I held her like that for the rest of the operation (iirc it was about 10 mins from the start of the op to her being born and then about another 20 mins of stitching up). I was able to try to bf her in recovery immediately afterwards. (She didn't want to know, but that's another story and not to do with her being born by c-section.)

I did not find the recovery too bad. I had two morphine injections that day. One in recovery as soon as I started getting some feeling back, and one a bit later. I hated the effects of the morphine (it made me feel panicky and - this sounds daft now, but it freaked me out at the time - I couldn't remember what we'd called the baby) and in retrospect shouldn't have agreed to the second injection of it. Otherwise I had paracetomol and codeine plus volterol (which I think is an anti-inflammatory) for a couple of days and then just normal paracetomol for another day or two. I got out of bed about 6 or 7 hours after the section to go to try to express some milk for my dd, though I was still catheterised at that point. My catheter was taken out the next morning and I was able to get out of bed and move about (quite gingerly) that day. IIRC, I had a shower that day too. By 8 days after dd was born I was able to walk down the road (say 200 yards) and buy a newspaper. I felt a bit knackered when I got back, but I wasn't in pain.

Some of my recovery may have been made easier by the fact that I had a very small and very sleepy baby and no other children to run around after. But I really didn't find it that bad at all. I don't now have a numb tummy. I do have an overhand, but I had that before and it is purely a case of too many pies - I can't blame dd/the section.

Having said all that, I did opt to try for a VBAC (which went really well) with dd2. But if you feel that an elective section is what you need, then I promise you that it can be a really positive experience. I wish you well and will be thinking of you.

I had 2 sections.. I found them perfectly fine

I think you have to go with your gut instinct GGG

That should have been an overhang, obviously. I also bled less with my section than with my VBAC, but I am not sure if that's because I had bled so much beforehand.

Thank you all - I think this thread has told me what I already know, which is that I would like to have an elective section. I will discuss this next time I see the Obs - I know it is (damn!) early but I want him to get the message right from the word go!

Thank you, you lovely lot!

Hi GGG - you are NOT old (I am 43 as well and I am NOT old!!!).

FWIW I think I have seen somewhere that most female ob/gyns in US choose sections as safer for baby. Not sure how true this is.

Can totally understand why you would want a section.

Sorry you are feeling weepy - but it is totally understandable.

Hugs to you my dear.