Elective caesarean

[Phoneshea]

I’m hoping to have an elective caesarean for multiple reasons (not medical) at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital and wondered if anyone had any experience of how accepting and supportive they were there.

Have you had a look at birth rights? Just looked it up and it’s one of the few who aren’t rated because they didn’t provide details of how many elective sections for non medical reasons they have carried out. Regardless of how awkward they are, if you go armed with the NICE guidelines, your reasons and show you have researched the risks etc you should be able to have one. I’m at a different hospital but have just gone through the same thing, have it all approved and booked in!

www.birthrights.org.uk/campaigns-research/maternal-request-caesarean/

@sarah13xx thanks for that info!

I’m going to bring it up at my next midwife appointment at 25 weeks. I’ve already written a letter explaining my reasons and the risks and pros associated with each method of birth. So nervous they’re going to decline it though. It’s really worrying me to be honest. I’m determined to have an elective so hopefully they’ll realise that.

When are you having yours?

I’m at a different hospital but found that actually the midwives were more disapproving of c-sections than the consultant was. It was trying to actually get to speak to the consultant that was my biggest battle. My midwife was off and I had someone else and gave my whole big sob story to her at 22 weeks and she could clearly see there was only one way this baby was coming out so she referred me on the spot. I got to speak to the consultant at 29 weeks. I’d heard she could be a bit blunt but she was actually really nice when she realised how anxious I was about the whole thing. She did put the risks down to me quite strongly which might have shocked me if I hadn’t already spent years reading about these things (and the fact those are the risks of all sections carried out - not a nice straightforward elective one). Mine is booked for early August. Petrified about it too but I think right now if I get to the date without going into labour I will be more relieved than anything else! If you’ve already got a letter written then I’d say you’ll be fine. I wrote a 5 page set of notes to read out at my first appointment with her, mainly about what’s on birth rights, the NICE guidelines (which I didn’t even quote in the end because she’d already said she wasn’t saying no) and a whole list of my reasons. I did really emphasise the anxiety I was feeling about this decision being made and how I’d woken up during the night worrying about it, couldn’t stop googling etc. I included the fact that if I was refused and forced to give birth vaginally I don’t think I’d mentally recover from that and would no doubt have PND and would struggle to bond with my baby. I said that after she’d given me the risks to say I felt those reasons outweighed the risks. Already thinking what I’m going to send this woman if this all goes to plan! Dreaded someone telling me no my whole life then when it came down to it she was actually really nice!

I asked what would happen if they ended up too busy as I knew (with no medical reasons) I’d probably be bottom of the list but she assured me she’d get me in. When I had my second appointment to find out the date, it wasn’t with her but the doctor I saw said ‘oh that’s strange, she’s actually already got you in the diary’. So I think she thought let’s just make sure this girl has a space, I can’t listen to anymore of her 🙈

Good luck, hope yours is as straightforward! Just don’t let them phase you with any of their risks and scare tactics x

Hi there, I’m having a c-section at the RD&E next week for medical reasons. The consultants I’ve seen have been very pro section. My midwife said there’s one consultant in particular who is very pro section and has no difficulty signing them off - as your midwife to see him! (Dr M T)
Best of luck!

@northernerinthesouth1
Thank you for your reply.
I saw my midwife recently for 24 week appointment and asked (well, announced) that I was having an elective c section and gave her all my reasons and my two page letter that I’d written out supporting my decision and she was really understanding and said she’d refer me to the hospital and said that - I quote “if that’s what a woman wants, that’s what she gets”

I was massively relieved I have to say but I’ll be truly happy once I’ve spoken to the consultant and got it all booked in. Fingers crossed!!

Good luck for yours - if you’ve got time afterwards it would be really useful to hear about your experience when you’ve had your baby.

I saw on one website they don’t allow you glasses or contact lenses for a section which obviously I’ll just get on with it if that’s the case but I was a bit concerned as I’m so short sighted I can’t really see anything without them!!

Hello! I know it’s been years but I was wondering if you could please share the doctors name? I am planning a c-section at RD&as and would love to speak to him. Thank you.

@SophieJS Hi it was Ian I think.

I've since had a second baby and had my second elective c section and had no problems getting that booked in. And you can wear contact lenses at RD and E if anyone would like to know!

Ah thank you so much @Phoneshea that's lovely to hear and really helpful. Thank you again :)