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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Elective c section

13 replies

Annieannie2010 · 19/08/2020 21:07

Hi everyone, I’m expecting my first child and I am absolutely terrified of pain. I honestly cannot even imagine having to go through normal labour. Does anybody know if I will be allowed to opt for an elective c section in Northern Ireland please? If I cannot get this on the nhs I feel I have no option other than to pay privately which will be a huge financial strain. Any advice at all would be really appreciated

OP posts:
RollercoasterRaver · 19/08/2020 21:54

Gosh I have no idea I'm afraid, I am hoping for elective next time as had emergency last time.

You will get pain with a c section though, I was lucky with my recovery but it was painful and the trapped air after pains were horrid, stopped me in my tracks. Sorry to ask but I guess readers of this would be curious too....but was this a planned pregnancy?

Original poster
Annieannie2010 · 19/08/2020 23:57

Thank you for your reply. No it wasn’t planned although I am 35 and have been with my partner for 10 years. The sole thought of labour is what has stopped me from getting pregnant before. I know there will be pain afterwards but I feel I would be able to manage this better and knowing when the section would take place would ease some of the anxiety I’m feeling. The worry of labour is clouding any joy I can feel about the pregnancy because I’m so scared.

OP posts:
Nannylp · 20/08/2020 00:16

Hiya,
I'm sorry that this is clouding your enjoyment of your pregnancy. I'm no help for your question but all I can say is that I think we all feel that fear to some extent. Its not knowing what its going to be like and hearing horror stories that got my anxiety up!
Regardless of how your birth plan goes perhaps you could try a hypnobirthing course? It might help to learn some calming techniques regardless of how you'd like to deliver. I personally found the sciencey bits really interesting and knowing the process and what is happening in your body was fascinating. It definitely helped me feel more in control.
My labour was pretty 'intense' but I would honestly do it again in a heart beat. If you're not able to have a section you don't need to be in pain, there are lots of pain relief options open to you.

Sundance5 · 20/08/2020 00:47

Hi, being this scared must be so rubbish. The first thing you must do is to get antenatal education asap. Preparing for birth will give you so many more choices. It's an unpopular thing to say, but you can have a beautiful birth. Look up birthing without fear.

Lookatthemshine · 20/08/2020 01:06

Hi,

I’m in N Ireland and I think you can ask for an elective c section but they will try and talk you out of it. Just a note of caution - I’ve had 3 sections and 1 natural delivery in the middle. I’ll not deny labour was painful but once the baby was born the pain left, with a section that’s when the pain and discomfort begins. If you really feel you can’t face labour talk to your doctor/midwife and explain you our anxiety. Good luck Smile

tartantroosers · 20/08/2020 02:39

I had one but went private. Absolutely recommend it. No pain after and would make the same decision a hundred times over.

Alicesweewonders · 20/08/2020 21:34

Hi, I'm from Northern Ireland and I had an elective section due to tokophobia (fear of childbirth) I mentioned it to the consultant at my first scan & he mentioned if I still felt the same to get referred back to him at 25 weeks. I spoke to my midwife, she was really understand - and I got sent to a senior midwife at birth choices. She talked through all the risks of a section & I got booked in.

I have to say I thought I would've came up against judgement & ridicule but the staff were lovely. I asked myself with the NICE guildlines but didn't need any of it.

I had my section & it went really well. I am not pregnant with my second & getting booked in for another.

  • Just to also mention, I did try & enquire about paying privately in NI for a section, but I was told they no longer provide this due to insurance issues.
Original poster
Annieannie2010 · 20/08/2020 22:12

Thank you all so much for your replies, I really appreciate it. Alicesweewonders can I ask how long ago it was you had your first section please? I really feel that this would be the best option for me, I can’t continue to feel this worry for the whole pregnancy or I will be a wreck by the time the birth actually comes around. I’ve also checked up on nice guidelines but hopefully like you I will not need to push this. It’s a relief to hear you didn’t come up against any judgement when telling midwives etc how you were feeling. Can I also ask which hospital you had your section in? Also congratulations on your second wee one, it’s really encouraging to hear how you got on and feel ok about going through it again x

OP posts:
binkydinky · 20/08/2020 22:18

Apologies if this sounds stupid but are you scared of giving birth vaginally or scared of pain? I had a semi elective CS & stupidly thought it would be pain free 🤣 but as another poster says the pain hits you after!

binkydinky · 20/08/2020 22:20

Although to be fair I was sent home the next day & only had paracetamol whereas some women stay longer &/or have stronger pain killers so that also impacts how much pain you're in after.

babbafett · 20/08/2020 22:30

OP absolutely go for a csection if you think it will help you enjoy the rest of your pregnancy. If whatever reason a csection isn't an option please know that not every labour is awful or incredibly painful. I found contractions painful but very manageable. It's like my body and mind went to a totally different space,I cant describe it properly but it was almost primal. I was very nervous about labour and didn't think I'd be able for the pain but it honestly wasn't as bad as I built up in my head. However the labour ended in a csection anyway and like others said the recovery of that isn't pleasant but I think it didn't help that it wasn't a planned section. Friends who have had planned csections seemed to have fared better with recovery for whatever reason. I'll be considering an elective section too should I have another baby,just for this reason alone.
Dont be afraid to advocate for yourself, you have a right to enjoy your pregnancy and give birth in the way you want. Best of luck and congratulations Smile

Freckleyou20 · 20/08/2020 22:36

Hiya, I'm not much help to whether you can opt for c section but I was absolutely terrified with my first about the pain etc of natural labour, more of a phobia I'd say. Everyone would say to me the pains only there while it lasts sort of thing and I to be honest thought they was plain faced lying. How can something so painful just be over so quick. Honestly, it was. I was on postnatal ward and obviously was very sore but nothing to what the other mums I could hear complaining about after there c sections. A lot of them were having to ask for assistance from midwives etc to attend to their babies where they was still in so much pain. If you don't mind this then go for it because you're gunna get pain either way :( but another thing I didn't even think I'd care about is this; my body, as a woman went through and did what only a woman's body can do and go through and just knowing that, there really are no words for it. But it just depends really do you want to go through pain and it honestly be gone almost immediately or go through pain once baby's born... because like before, there's unfortunately no pain free labour natural or not... x

Alicesweewonders · 21/08/2020 12:59

Hi Annie, my section was in 2018 in Altnagelvin hospital, Derry.

I really hope it all works out for you, i definitely have no regrets - seeing as I'm having another, something I didn't think I'd be able to do.

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