Multiple C-sections

[Aquablue1324]

Hi everyone,
I had my second c section 6 months ago, I had two babies close together both via emergency c sections (15 months apart)
Anyway, I went for a general check up with a new dr the other day and she just spat out that I can't have any more babies due to my uterus muscle being thin 4.1mm. This was a massive shock to me and so upsetting as I do want at least one more, I always knew there would be a limit to how many kids I could have because of having c section births but I just wasn't expecting it to stop at two. I don't want to try till next year but I wanted to know if there was anyone else out there who has been given similar info and had a successful pregnancy and delivery?
Thanks

Nothing was ever mentioned to me although I knew there were more risks the more c sections I had. I've had 4, 1 emcs then 3 elcs. I have a 2.5 year age gap then a 3 year age gap then 15 months. My babies weighed 9lb, 10.9lbs, 10lbs and 11.6lbs and the only noticeable difference between sections was that I had an extra surgeon, it took about 10 mins longer and my blood type in theatre if needed.

If it were the case that you might have problems having any more then I think you should have been told after the section by the doctor who performed it. It sounds like it's your GP who's said this to you?

What I would do in your situation is to get in touch with the hospital where your second child was born and ask for a birth debrief (I think this has a special name but I can't remember it right now). This will mean you get the correct information.

Incidentally, "can't have any more" almost certainly isn't 100% true. What your doctor might say is that she would advise you against having any more as the risks to you and baby will be higher. Personally if a doctor told me that then I would not have another. But I do know people who've had a child against medical advice and been fine. It's not black and white.

Yes this is a good post, you need to speak to an expert in this area to get a feel for the risks.

I've had two, and was told by the surgeon after my second that because of a complication in the surgery I would need a section for any future births, but that that would've been the recommendation after two sections anyway so it wasn't a big deal. But it was the surgeon telling me that, not my GP, she wanted to be sure I realised that it wasn't a completely standard surgery.

I think the risk to cs reduces if there’s a larger gap between pregnancies. Ideally over a year I was told. I had over a 2 year gap between cs and next pregnancy and more than 3 years when the child was born.

Thanks so much for everyone's reply. My surgeon who did my last c section is my usual OBGYN but he is away for a few weeks and I've been feeling all over the place and really down lately so went to the docs to ask for some blood work done as I thought it might be my hormone levels, instead she asked to examine me and told me this, something else to worry about. 🫤😑😞

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely wait and see what my original dr thinks. I'm hoping over time the muscle grows stronger and increases in size.

I watched this is going to hurt, luckily after my baby was born (by section) but I feel like I know so much more about this due to watching it on there 🙈 I’ve had one elective and like you I had planned 3 children. I think after a section it’s all left so vague. You just sort of shuffle yourself out the hospital and home to recover, due to covid no one even checked my scar for me and I didn’t even want to look myself at first! I phoned my GP at the time but the receptionist just said ‘we’re not doing postnatal checks just now’ and hung up basically 🙄 I read on my app something about my placenta coming away and one part sounded like it was fine and in another bit of the notes it mentioned the word retained which I didn’t think sounded good but again, no one mentions any of it to you and pretty much just gave me a thumbs up as I hobbled past them on the road out. So I’m hoping I’m fine to have three sections but who actually knows 🙈 I wonder if the close age gap was anything to do with it or if it’s just your luck how thin or thick it is. Again the rumours are always to wait a year or at least 6 months between pregnancies but no one actually tells you that either. My little boy is 13 months and I’m now swaying towards trying again but feel like I should maybe hold off til 18 months after reading this. Think everyone would get on a lot better if they actually had the time to tell you how it went but again after watching this is going to hurt I don’t blame them for not having a second to tell you anything when they’re run off their feet 🤦🏼‍♀️

Similar to @JenniferBarkley I was told after my second section that due to complications they would highly recommend me not to get pregnant again, said usually a 3rd is fine however due to my significant complications it wouldn’t be advisable. So unless u had big complications and told otherwise I hope you will be fine to have another, wait and speak to your doctor xx

I was told 3 was generally the limit but to wait 2 years before trying for healing. Because there's such a small age gap I suspect that's why the muscle is so thin and obviously that'll impact on whether pregnancies are safe or not

After my twins I was told to wait to years to give my uterus time to heal.

My Sister has had 4 c sections. The first and second were less than a year apart, her third was 2 years later and then a 4th five years later.

This gives me hope at least, I definitely think I have to leave a bigger gap this time, especially after hearing this from the dr.
Once I speak to my actual dr/surgeon I will have a clearer idea I suppose.

My second doesn't sleep so not sure why I'm so eager haha but I've always wanted a big family and I feel sad to think I will never be pregnant or do the newborn stage again! However, I do feel really lucky to have my boys and if I couldn't have anymore then I still have everything I could hope for.

Thanks again for all your replies. I love this platform!

Ooh I've never heard of that documentary, 😬 I'm a massive worrier so I think I will give that a miss.

That also happened to me with my scar; no one checked it and I'm so squeamish and couldn't bring myself to look at it 😭, all was fine in the end though which I'm grateful for.

I hope everything goes ok for you too on your family building, it's so hard when we are left in the dark and it's a big surgery at the end of the day so we have to think of our health for our little ones.