Elective C-section help please!

[Phoebetrixabell]

Hi All,

I really want an elective c-section due to having epilepsy and I'm terrified I'll have a seizure during labor. After I have a seizure I'm normally very disorientated/confused for several hours and don't remember anything so I'm terrified that I won't remember giving birth and the mental health reprocusions that will most likely ensue.

I'm registered with St. Thomas's in London and have read online that they're very anti elective c-sections! Just wondering if anyone has any experience with something similar and getting an elective c-section for similar reasons in London?

Thanks in advance! :)

Look up nice guidelines, you have the right to ask for an elective. Trusts might be more or less receptive but if you're determined then you will get one.

Maybe ask about how epilepsy is normally handled in maternity, maybe c sections are standard even? Worth asking before imagining you'll get lots of opposition, might be easier than you think!

And congrats

Hi OP, anyone can request an elective C-section, and the reason you give sounds totally valid. I had my DD at St Thomas' by elective C-section. I had to have it because she was transverse, though. How far gone are you, and is it too late to transfer to Kings? St Thomas' is insanely busy all the time and when I had my ELCS I was bumped until almost 6pm from the original time of 9am because of all the EMCSs. I had my DS by ELCS at Kings (no medical reason, just because I had already had one CS) and I got in at 10am, very relaxed vibe and a much nicer postnatal ward too.

Thanks guys!

That's really good advice @Bear2014! I'm hesistant to switch hospitals until I know for sure I can't have one at Thomas's because they have a specialist epilepsy midwives team so want to stay there as long as possible for antenatal care. If they're making it too difficult and causing more anxiety, I'll probably look into switching then :)