Elective C-Section after Emergency last time??

[TKV]

Hi everyone, sorry if this has been covered before.
I really like to hear from people who had to have emergency c-sections for their first births and what they chose 2nd time around.
I am pretty adamant about having an elective this time as DS birth was a horrible, traumatic 14 hours that ended in an emergency under a general and we almost lost him. They actually made the first incision while I was still conscious it was all so desperate in the end.It was terrifying to say the least and I never never want us to go through anything like it again.
My decision is mainly because I just don't want to risk anything happening to this one and to be honest, I didn't cope with the pain as contractions started two minutes apart and only go closer and I could have no pain relief it turned out as it messed with my blood pressure and his heartrate etc etc
I think my mind is made up but there is a tiny part of me that wonders if I should give it a go....?? DH if pressed, thinks it would be worth a shot.

I'm seeing my GP this Thursday and was going to tell her that I want a caesarian, which I know won't be an issue.

Any thoughts?

thanks :-)

MissTuesday, DS1 was delivered by emergency c-section. As I'd had a couple of failed epidurals/spinal blocks I knew that if I had a second section it was likely to be under general. In some respects we were playing a numbers game. DS1's head was 39cm in circumference, and I'm quite small. Although we'd had a number of scans to see if he would fit, on the day we was facing the wrong way and wouldn't fit - you could actually see the marking on his wead where he had got stuck!

Having a baby whilst you are "asleep" is a bit odd, but, knowing in advance that this owuld be the case, seemed to be fine. We already knew the sex and had chosen a name. The only "surprise" was that after a number of scans indicating another largish baby (ds1 was 9lb 3oz), ds2 was only 7lb 4oz - though he still had a big head!

I did have extra help around the house for a few weeks after ds2, though my return to health was v similar to first time so back to feeling normal within 4 weeks, driving, sex etc.

I would have to agree that caesareans get an undue bed rap regarding recovery. I remember being advised that I could excersice or drive a car for 6 weeks. I drove home from the hospital. And, I was up and around resuming normal activity in about a week or two. Never sat on a ring.

I suppose some people really do spend weeks just ggetting back on their feet, but I certainly wasn't one of them. Personally, I think that the NHS campaign against elective caesareans has more to do with their budget than it does my health.

oops. that should have read "I remember being advised that I couldn't..."

I recovered also quite quickly from the opld C 9 Emergancy ds was 9,10 lbs and got stuck ) and I have every intention of going again.
not sure that it is for everyone , but for me it was fab - surgary staff were v cheerful , which is a bit spooky IUKWIM

Well I am sorry I wasn?t trying to say that caesareans were bad. As a doula I see all sorts, this year alone, 2004, I have worked for 25 families (5 had caesareans, 5 had VBACs, the rest are "normal" vaginal births)... Lulupop I have never seen (but I know it happens of course!) anyone have any trouble after 7 days of a vaginal birth (never ever seen anyone sit on a rubber ring for more than a week) but I can tell you I see women recover slowly from caesarean, I see infected wombs (2 out of 5 thsi year), I see women complaining of having pains at their scar when I leave them 6 weeks after the birth,... I am not at all trying to be negative... you need caesareans it is a life saving operation.
And OF COURSE you can recover fast from a caesarean and slowly from a vaginal birth. Don't forget though that a caesarean remains an operation which requires cutting into 3 layers...

Now hammer me !

No Pupuce, sorry I didn't mean to be down on what you were saying. As a doula I know you must see a huge range of birth experiences and therefore have a more balanced view. I just find that everyone is so insistent that caesarian = bad, natural = good, and that just doesn't chime with my experience and the anecdotal experience I hear from friends.

A positive sotry is that last April my best friend who had her first baby by elective section (for breech), had her second baby all natural at St Thomas'. The midwives were fantastic, I was with her throughout, and despite the midwives saying "No, we won't examine you again yet, the contractions aren't strong and regular" (I was saying they seem pretty strong and regular to me!), at the point she asked for an epidural, they had a look and said No love, it's time to push. Three pushes and 5 mins later her lovely DS2 was born. I cut the cord. Apart from my own 2 being born, it was the best moment of my life, and although we've always been great friends, I feel that shared experience has given us a bond that can never be broken. She's having baby #3 in Jan and I hope to be with her again for that.

hi all

all these posts are so so helpful and pupuce, whilst I so appreciate where you are coming from, hearing positive elective section stories is really heartening for me. I too recovered from my c-section much faster than 4 of 5 of my good friends who had their babies naturally at the same time. Only one of 5 had an intervention free birth despite all of us hoping for completely natural experiences. Three had horrendous 'natural' deliveries with episiotomies, forceps and agonising labours, the other was very similar to me and had an emergency c-section. One had to have her episiotomy restitched as it was infected and stitched too tight and she genuinely did not leave her flat for a month she was in so much pain and could not walk. All of us still have regular dinners together and the shock and trauma of childbirth still brings tears around the table 17 months on. I know that for some many women childbirth is an amazing experience but for others, its just awful. I also completely accept that natural birth really works for some people but for others, like me and my sisters I believe, 100 years ago we would have just been the unfortunate ones who didn't make it through childbirth at all. We are just not all built to have children sadly. And thankfully for us, there are now alternatives. With one of my sisters, both her babies failed to engage at all despite her being overdue and with the first, induction didn't work so she had a c-section and then another with the second. My other sister attempted labour with the first three babies but again, induction failed and all ended up c-sections, her fourth was an automatic c-section.

Not all of us are 'built to breed', that's for sure. Also, each baby is different. My SIL had her first 2 kids so easily that I was green with envy. First one in just under 2hrs, second one even quicker. With the third, she had 'failure to progress' and ended up with a v. scary emergency caesarean.

labour doesn't have to be a '24-hour hideous experience' lulupop! hurrmph.

Hi Everyone! I had an emergency caesarean with my DD and was adamant from the day I found out I was pregnant with DS that I wanted an elective caesarean. I actually assumed (but was wrong!!) that once you had one you automatically get put forward for another one because of the risks of tearing the original wound etc. However, when I first mentioned to my midwife that I wanted an EC she sent me to talk to a consultant at the hospital who argued with me that I shouldnt do it and sent me home!! I was totally gutted as I was very nervous about having complications again. So I spoke to my midwife again and asked for the hospital report from my first birth to be sent to the consultant - then went back to see him. He left me in the room 3 times to think about my decision but I put my foot down and got my date booked My elective caesarean was wonderful! It was a very calm and well planned day. It was a million times better than DD's birth - but be warned they may try to put you off - but if its really what you want you have to put up an argument til you get it. Best of luck

Loved my C section, but agree with Pupuce, the recovery after is hard. I got an infection and it was horrible. My normal delivery was wonderful too but having stitches I thought that was uncomfortable after.