Maternal request Caesarian

[Housebears]

For those who managed to get one when was it approved.

I’m 38+2…I’ve left it too late haven’t I

I requested it at 24 weeks I didn’t get a date until 37 weeks. I suppose you can always ask but your little bundle of joy could be here any day now :) good luck and congrats

I should add it was approved by the consultant the day I requested it.

I was requesting it from 6 weeks but no you absolutely haven’t. If he baby is still in there there’s still time if that’s what you want! Get on to your midwife asap for a consultant appointment. Tell them all your reasons, read the risks on the nhs website yourself before the appointment so you’re well informed and not shocked by anything they say, find your hospital on the maternal request c-section page of the birth rights website to see whether they’re rated red, amber or green and have the nice guidelines saved in your phone or printed so you have them to hand if there’s any issues in getting it approved.

Why have you decided you want one now may I ask? Mine was the best day of my life and the recovery was completely fine too 😊 I’d do it all over again without even flinching!

Thankyou to you all.

I wasn’t considering one at all but I don’t feel listened to by the midwifes and hospital consultant and I feel like it’s the only way to get them to help me

I hope this does not upset anyone but I have a bad fear of stillbirth due to a horrific past experience with a close family member. This baby has been small but steadily growing (growth scans due to issue with my placenta) however the growth has tailed off at my last scan which was 35 weeks.
They refused to bring any scans forward other than the 3 weeks despite the baby dropping on the centile chart as they said it can be normal so I’ve spent the past 3 weeks terrified and I can’t do any more worrying. They won’t induce me due to induction risk until 41 weeks and I can not do 3 more weeks of this stress. I have another scan this week and want to discuss getting this baby out now but I keep being dismissed.

I’m dreaming of bad things happening every time I close my eyes and I feel like I’m going to have some sort of breakdown.

As I understand they would offer me a Caesarian at 39 weeks as per the nice guidelines if I was approved so 2 weeks earlier than the induction they would have offered? I know it sounds silly but that’s the reason.

I requested from day one (about 6 or 7 weeks when I was booked in by the midwifery team). I had my date confirmed on Friday just gone, at 35+6 Every trust is different though. Mine wanted me to go through lots of (mental health) screening before approving it. They tend to book for 39th week so my little one will be evicted on 26th Oct when she's 39+3.

I would raise it ASAP and have a good list of reasons why it's your preferred choice, a solid understanding of the risks that increase with c-section (but also the risks that decrease by avoiding vaginal birth), and be familiar with the NICE guidelines that state a women has the right to request a c-section and to be referred to a second consultant if the first one says no. Actually, when I got to finally speak to a consultant, she said yes straight away. As you're so far along, you may get to this point a lot sooner. Most importantly, be assertive and don't take no for an answer. Many women on here will testify some medics try to put you off by reciting the risks of c-sections and pros of vaginal. If it is really what you want, explain why it's still preferable despite all that

@Housebears

Thankyou to you all.

I wasn’t considering one at all but I don’t feel listened to by the midwifes and hospital consultant and I feel like it’s the only way to get them to help me

I hope this does not upset anyone but I have a bad fear of stillbirth due to a horrific past experience with a close family member. This baby has been small but steadily growing (growth scans due to issue with my placenta) however the growth has tailed off at my last scan which was 35 weeks.
They refused to bring any scans forward other than the 3 weeks despite the baby dropping on the centile chart as they said it can be normal so I’ve spent the past 3 weeks terrified and I can’t do any more worrying. They won’t induce me due to induction risk until 41 weeks and I can not do 3 more weeks of this stress. I have another scan this week and want to discuss getting this baby out now but I keep being dismissed.

I’m dreaming of bad things happening every time I close my eyes and I feel like I’m going to have some sort of breakdown.

As I understand they would offer me a Caesarian at 39 weeks as per the nice guidelines if I was approved so 2 weeks earlier than the induction they would have offered? I know it sounds silly but that’s the reason.

This doesn't sound silly at all. It sounds justified on the grounds of mental health. Additionally, c-sections are considered safer for babies due to the fact they are born in 10 to 15 minutes and can receive medical attention immediately if needed. I would get hold of your midwife ASAP and tell her/him that you want a c-section during your 39th week rather than waiting 2 more weeks. Definitely emphasise the impact on your mental health and how that is affecting your life more generally.

Thanks @Labyrinth86. Such a stressful time!

I tried to discuss induction at the last appointment and the consultant was very dismissive and said they wouldn’t consider it until 41 weeks. My last baby was born at 37 weeks with a failed placenta (although he was fine just 5lbs and had a short hospital stay) so I really have concerns that it could fail before that point, especially as this baby has slowed growth. Not slowed enough to intervene though they have said.

I’m not sure what else to do to get them to get it out, other than refuse to leave or camp out in the delivery suite! They keep reciting policy to me over and over but that isn’t helping me sleep at night, I can’t relax at all.
On top of that I have anaemia and am still vomiting from hyperemesis so it’s hardly like the baby is getting much from me anyway at this point!

@housebears If you really want a c-section, you need to say exactly that:

"I want a c-section!" You could add at 39 weeks if you wanted to put a time frame on it. They will ask why and then you go through all your reasoning. Don't let them dissuade or dismiss you - this is your precious child we are talking about

Sounds like a horrendous time. I know how much I was worrying and I was ‘only’ worrying about going into labour because I was terrified of a vaginal birth. It was waking me up during the night and I spent every hour of every day on Google 🤦🏼‍♀️ The grounds of mental health definitely warrant a c-section in your case. If you’ve decided you 100% want one, get something typed out with your reasons if need be. If it was me I would literally be camped out there until they booked me in 🙈 I just wasn’t having it. I phoned my midwife saying I couldn’t do it any longer not knowing what was happening and I needed to speak to a consultant ASAP. That seemed to speed the whole thing up and suddenly I had an appointment through. Just do not accept anything other than what you want. Don’t be intimidated by them no matter what they say. If they outright say no, ask to be referred to a consultant who will perform your c-section, as per the nice guidelines.

@Labyrinth86 good luck with yours, so glad you’ve got it all sorted 😅 it will be amazing!

[quote sarah13xx]@Labyrinth86 good luck with yours, so glad you’ve got it all sorted 😅 it will be amazing![/quote]
Thanks, @sarah13xx ! And thanks for all your help - it was so useful in buying stuff I need for my hospital bag! I'm really pleased to hear you're recovering so well I am counting down the days now

@Labyrinth86 glad it was useful, I got all my ideas for what to take off MN 😂 it’s so exciting! Wish I could do it again to be excited rather than scared about it all 🙈 just such a nice day and that moment when you see what they look like for the first time ever is just the highlight of your life 😍

I had one with my son, he is my second baby. I was induced with my daughter and it was not a good time for either of us and resulted in 5 days in NICU for her and a PPH and infected episiotomy for me. I was totally happy to try a vagina birth again until I got to 38 weeks and then I just said no. They talked about an early induction which I tried and after 24 hours it wasn't doing anything and I refused to have the my waters broken or a Pitocin drip.
I referred to the NICE guidelines which are here www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng192/chapter/Recommendations
Section 1.2 which explains the many discussions they will have with you but that ultimately if you want one they need to refer you to an obstetrician who will do it.
My consultant was incredibly rude and dismissive but once I quoted the guidance to her she did refer me on. She was actually there when I had my section and concerned afterwards that my son's (massive) head was wedged sideways in my pelvis and I would have had most likely ended in a section anyway.
I recovered really well. Was walking to the loo 5 hours later. Home and pushing baby in the pram (slowly) by day 5. And seeing my husband hold up our baby like he was bloody Mufasa in the Lion King was an absolute amazing moment.

Good luck.i hope you are holding your beloved baby very soon.

[quote sarah13xx]@Labyrinth86 glad it was useful, I got all my ideas for what to take off MN 😂 it’s so exciting! Wish I could do it again to be excited rather than scared about it all 🙈 just such a nice day and that moment when you see what they look like for the first time ever is just the highlight of your life 😍[/quote]
Thanks @sarah13xx I think I'll screenshot that and refer back to it when I feel wobbly. I'm scared of having an operation but I'm trying to focus on what I'm avoiding by doing it this way 😊

My appointment is tomorrow so I’m going to go armed and ready.

The ideal scenario for me would be that I went into Labour right now spontaneously but I don’t think that’s going to happen so I feel like I need to get this sorted sooner rather than later. I would rather have a Caesarian at 39 than wait and have the unknown of being still pregnant at 42 weeks potentially.
I’ve bounced on the ball until I can’t any more but no signs of baby budging

Good luck @Housebears do not leave until they agree to it! Take notes or a letter you’ve written to them if you’re worried you’ll be thrown off by what they say. It’s especially hard just now if you’re having to go to it yourself due to covid. Mine was over the phone which I was quite glad about since I could just read my notes to them!

@Labyrinth86 definitely! By-passing a whole ordeal completely 😂 Get the cannula in then it’s basically over, you can just lie back and relax 😌 don’t even think about the operation part of it.. it’s not you that’s doing the operation, it’s them 😂

@Housebears what was the outcome? Did you get your section?

@Oodlesofdoodlescockapoodles I did not!

I spoke to consultants left right and centre and none of them would sign off induction or Caesarian before 41 weeks.
At 40 weeks I had another consultant appointment who booked me in at 40+5 for induction but DC came the night before on her own.

Luckily all went okay ish and baby is fine however was almost 2lbs heavier than my last DC and I’m not sure how injured I actually will be once I’ve healed. Pleased it’s all over now!

@Housebears oh no, pleased all is ok now but sorry you didn't get what you wanted. Thanks for updating! And congratulations 💐