How to get an elective c-section?

[islabonita]

Hello there Ladies.
Is it really possible to get an elective c-section without any "medical reasons" such as placenta previa etc. Is total panic towards childbirth good enough reason to get one?
Is there anyone who got a c-section just because they felt like it was right option for them?
How did you get it and how difficult it was to persuade the consultants?
thanks

[MissJC]

You might want to start a new thread if you see the dates this was originally posted...

[Kassm]

I'm looking for advice about having a c section under general anaesthetic. I have osteoarthritis in my spine and also fibromyalgia. I had a bad birth with my first and didn't know about my spine until afterwards, I'm just wondering if you can request to have a general anaesthetic c section as I don't think my health is able to do natural. Thanks

[Kassm]

I'm looking for advice about having a c section under general anaesthetic. I have osteoarthritis in my spine and also fibromyalgia. I had a bad birth with my first and didn't know about my spine until afterwards, I'm just wondering if you can request to have a general anaesthetic c section as I don't think my health is able to do natural. Thanks

[Lulumama]

brazil, after an experience like that, there is no reason you should not have a c section this time. and it would be a great idea to debrief your birth with a MW< going through your notes, to find out exactly what happened and why. all the best with your next birth

[princessmama]

Just wanted to add, I think if someone is just frightened, as I was, they should be encouraged to birth naturally. However, if someone has has a very traumatic experience and they request a CS then they should be listened to. Natural birth can be wonderful, but is not the best option for everyone.

[princessmama]

I wanted a CS for my first birth as I was terrified of the pain.I was too nervous to request one, though. I ended up being induced and having a fast, painful labour where I was strapped to the bed and continuously monitored. As my labour was too fast there was no time for an epidural. I felt bullied and out of control. For my second birth, I took control and had three sessions of hypnotherapy beforehand, where I discussed my fears and dealt with them. I dreaded going to hospital again, so I didn't. I had the most wonderful homebirth which was not painful, just intense. Afterwards I felt so powerful. I think if I had been offered a CS I may have had one, but then I would have been robbed of an amazing experience.

[Brazil]

I had a very TRAUMATIC experience since the beggining because I had Hyperemesis and had to be in hospital several times. My first delivery was normal. I had a 25 hour labour and never felt so much pain in my life. I have Irritable Uterus and my uterus wouldn't stop contracting. I begged for Epidural because the gas and air wasn't helping a lot and unfortunately I had to wait for more than 3 hours. I could't move even cry because of the pain. They gave Pethidine and nothing happened. I was so tense that stopped dilating. After having the epidural I dilated the last 4 cm in 1 hour. Unfortunately I had a lot of pression to push the baby out very fast, because she was in distress due to the long labour and crazy contractions. I had loads of second degree tears and also an episiotomy. They had to use the ventouse. When my baby came out wasn't breathing and blue and they told she could have a brain damage. Thank God she was fine. My stitches took 9 weeks to heal, I was afraid of coughing or sneezing.
It's been 2 years and I still have constant nightmares, there's no way I will ever get over it. It wasn't only the pain but the fear of losing my baby.
I am 20 weeks pregnant and tomorrow I'll see the midwife and try to get an elective Cesarian. I am aware of the steps of the procedure and pros and cons and totally accecpt them. Let's see what happens, my mental health depends on it.

[Alfie72]

Here's a link to an excellent website which may be helpful for those considering an elective section: www.csections.org/

[dal21]

ewww, at least all I was throwing up was water from the crushed ice i was trying to keep down to rehydrate me! thankfully the 2 IV's did a grand job of that and my first food after the op was the best tasting (homemade) cheese sandwich ever!

[eleusis]

Oh yuck. I bet that smelled as bad as it tasted.

[izyboy]

Yes a friend told me that wolfing down curry and yoghurt soon after her cs was not a good idea either!

[eleusis]

Oh, I had that sickness problem. It'a a common side effect to anaesthesia. We were at the hospital at 6:00 (or some rediculously early hour) and DS was born at 11:50 and I was bloody starving. So they brought me some toast with butter jam. It was the baest damn jam on toast I'd ever had in mylife. And I puke itt all up. And I was mad because then I was starving again.

[izyboy]

Lovely to read a balanced personal testimony Dal, thanks for that.

I doubt that there are many people who flippantly make the decision to have an elec cs. Therefore reading considered 1st hand accounts are really important.

[dal21]

I had an elec c/s 11 days ago for my first pregnancy - due to medical reasons and I have no regrets whatsoever.

It was a magical experience - the CD of the band that played at our wedding was on the stereo, the atmosphere was relaxed and calm. The baby was placed skin to skin immediately and had apgar scores of 9 at one min, 10 at 5. (think that is right timings off top of my head). He fed whilst in recovery. I was on my feet that afternoon, fully mobile the next day. Recovery (touchwood) is going well - lochia has virtually stopped, no pain post op, am no longer on any pain relief. My milk came in day 3 and with the fantastic support of the mw's - have established breastfeeding.

The only negatives to note are that I had a period of nausea/ vomiting after the op due to a reaction to the morphine (but that was sorted sharpish with the right anti sickness drug). And I am still tired/ having to take it easy 10 days after the op as energy levels are not back to normal.
But in terms of the experience and bonding with my LO; I cannot say enough good things. Yes the not being able to drive is a tad annoying - but on the flipside, taking it easy and enjoying this time with the baby (vs. rushing around in the car) has its positives too.

Am not saying the VB's are not positive and wonderful experiences too - but I think if you want to have csection - it can be an incredibly positive and wonderful experience. Empowerment should not come to new mums based on the method of delivery; as long as mum and baby come out the other side happy and healthy after (what feels like being pregnant forever!), that is the most empowering emotion of all IMO.

This thread scared the living daylights out of me pre section so I am posting this incase there are any people reading it who felt the same way i did. There is no shame in having a section and no way of saying that this method of delivery will leave you any worse off than VB. Do whatever works for you and your baby.

[izyboy]

Well, I feel that there is no 'wrong' or 'right' way to give birth.

If at the end of the day the woman in question is satisfied with her birthing decision (after being privy to statistical information and balanced personal testimonies) then she is more likely to feel ok about the birth itself and bond with her baby afterwards. This is the most rewarding outcome for all.

Every birthing experience is different and emotional response is a complex area to discuss, therefore taking away a person's birth choices because they do not have 'experience' of such an event seems strange to me.

As for the expense of an elcs, again, that is not as obvious a calculation as has been put forward on this particular discussion thread.

For both elcs and vag births there may be all sorts of follow up treatments incurred as a result of the chosen mode of delivery. These factors could in theory tip the 'expense' balance in favour of one or the other (a discussion a had with my consultant obs.) Some of these treatments may occur when a woman is in her 50's for example.

For the above( and other reasons) I think it is not beneficial to say point blank it is 'wrong' for women to have access to elcs for 1st births.

[kittywits]

But it's not well informed. If that were the case and the risks she descibes are so real then all women should be given sections. But it's not the case.
How sad to live your life looking at worst case senarios.
It's just 'wrong'

[izyboy]

Yes, Kitty I can see that. I feel that freedom of choice is ok, especially if it is well informed.

I think that there would be nothing worse than undergoing an event such as a vaginal childbirth against your wishes. Especially if you have spent alot of time thinking through the process.

[kittywits]

It bothers me though.

[izyboy]

Even if, kitty, that 1st timer has thoroughly researched the subject and feels that an ec is what they want?

After all it would appear that personal choice (irrespective of experience)is the route to satisfaction.

[kittywits]

heated, you had a traumatic time and I can nderstand your reasons for wanting a section. This issue I have is not with elective sections for second and subsequent births when the mother has medical reasons, but with women like the op for whom it is all theory.

[Heated]

I had a very tough vb with my first child. I was sent away from the labour ward when I went in, having done most of my labouring at home with a tens machine, was told it would be hours yet but I was back within 2 hours having started pushing in the car! Told it was too late for pain relief, I then spent over 5 hours trying to push the baby out, 3rd degree tear (which I felt) and baby was born blue. Fortunately he was ok, but postnatally I tore again, kept in for 4 days since couldn't establish bf and then got a uterine infection probably from the scummy bath after giving birth. The birth, combined with a lonely maternity leave, and an unsettled baby contributed to pnd - something I only realised I'd had when I contrasted how I felt having had my 2nd.

To say that I feared giving birth again was an understatement! But unbenknowst to me, my vb had been labelled traumatic and my mw referred me to the consultant. Because I had suffered incontinence because of the tear, and because the consultant had to give 2 women colostomy bags that year, she advised an ec. However, my mw was horrified. Neither could advise me objectively I felt so in the end I did my own research and decided on the statistics. I found the caearean.org website and the radical midwives online site invaluable and it had links to the medical studies I needed.

In the end, I had a vb for my 2nd but it was with a guranteed epidural and it was fantastic: 5 hours, no pain & no medical problems and a very contented baby.

However, having researched further, if I went on to have a 3rd child, I would give serious thought to an ec. They certainly don't mention the bladder problems for women in their 50s and 60s due to vb, which I would be prone to having had some incontinence with the first mismanaged birth.

[fizzbuzz]

I read that book, and that report about c sections that you mentioned, even more fuel to the fire for me!

[izyboy]

Fizzbuzz, that sounds like a really tough experience! Goodness I really feel for you!

Well, I have experienced a vag. delivery that many would describe as straightforward especially for a 1st timer with the baby in a back to back position.

I attended the NCT classes, fought off the obs who wanted to induce me at 40+1 days and gritted my teeth through 24 hours of labour with just gas and air.

I endured catheterisation and a threatened venteuse delivery plus second degree tear.

I and my gorgeous baby were completely 'knackered'. He had difficulty latching on to bf because of tiredness and we stayed in hospital for 3 days due to this.

The stitching hurt for months afterwards and I could hardly recall the birth because I was so exhausted.

Was I proud? Well I was just relieved that we were ok and in one piece. I think 'relieved' is definitely the word I would use to describe my feelings about the event.

I have subsequently lobbied my Obstetrician for an elective cs. I started the research when I was 6 weeks pregnant and presented him with a 3 page letter at my 20 week appointment.

He agreed to a date there and then and we had a very illuminating discussion about natural childbirth and the physiological reasons for incontinency as a result of this mode of delivery( especially for ladies in later life).

I do not wish to divulge any details regarding my reasons for an elective cs as I feel that they are pertinent to myself, my midwife, my DH and Obs only. I apologise if this seems a bit unhelpful.

However I did discover that a study for the British Journal of Psychiatry (2000) revealed:
' Women who got their preferred form of childbirth-usually caesarean section-tended to do much better after after birth. They were less likely to become depressed and bonded well with their babies.'

No, I did not read the entire study but this seemed to make sense to me and maybe the OP might feel the same way.

I would like to say to Kittywits and other vbacers I peruse your threads with interest and enjoy the opportunity to read differing opinions (esp. Lulu's which appears usually to be measured and well informed).

Just like to make up my own mind and expect this to be respected.

Some time ago I read the excellent 'The Weaker Vessel' by Antonia Fraser, (A woman's lot in seventeenth century England). The chapter entitled 'The pain and the Peril' reveals in detail how our ancestors felt about childbirth (clue in the chapter heading).

Reading it will make you glad that you live in the 21st Century and that we do have choice no matter how limited it may seem at times (at least we will not be subjected to cure by 'the pigeons' if something goes wrong).

It is not a recent occurence for women to be terrified of childbirth - it has always been the case and sometimes with good reason.

Anyway power to all you ladies about to give birth (by any way you wish) I hope you have satisfying experiences and speedy recoveries.

[lulumama]

that sounds absolutely awful, fizzbuzz

i am sorry you had such a difficult time, sounds like you were totally traumatised. did you talk it through with anyone afterwards?

i can understand why you would elect for a c.s second time

i have nothing against elective c.s per se, but as a default position for a first birth, i find it hard. but there is a lack of continous care antenatally, which would be of benefit to women to give them confidence before the birth.