If you are a doctor etc what kind of birth did you have?

[TheBeesKnee]

Was it natural/unmedicated, did you have an epidural, an elective CS, etc?

Just curious what choices people who work in medicine have made.

I'm a nurse, obviously work with a bunch of nurses and doctors. We're all different.

One had EMCS first time, elective second baby.

Another had a short labour, vaginal birth first time round.
Second time round even shorter labour and vaginal birth but that came with severe tearing into anus.

I had a long labour vaginal birth using a ventouse (suction cup) first time round. Second time I was induced and it was quicker and more straightforward vaginal birth.

Another friend had EMCS first time with a major haemorrhage. Second time round elective c section and a minor haemorrhage.

Another had a vaginal birth with a haemorrhage first time round. Second and third baby both ELCS due to anxiety.

All healthcare professionals. Birthing in a baby isn't a case of what occupation you do as to what you prefer, most people would prefer a vaginal birth. It's what your body enables you to do to safely birth your baby.

Sorry just to add, it's not really a choice. When the baby is coming, they're coming out one way or another. A plan may say 'epidural once 4cm' then a certain Spotify playlist put on at this stage. But reality is you just want the baby out.

I'm a nurse, I had 3 NVD, one in hospital on a bed, second in hospital in the birthing pool, third was a hypnobirth at home with minimal intervention from midwife (she caught the placenta in a bucket!)

I know 2 midwives who both had home births

Our friends are hospital doctors in the NHS. They both opted to have their babies (one is a man so advised his wife to) in a private hospital due to knowing how understaffed the maternity units are in their local NHS hospitals. One had an epidural, one didn’t.

I’m a hospital doctor. Planned a low intervention home birth, now have PPROM and am under consultant-led care for delivery on obstetric unit or section depending on baby’s condition when labour starts. The birth plan went in the bin a while ago.

@AHopeInUniverse

All healthcare professionals. Birthing in a baby isn't a case of what occupation you do as to what you prefer, most people would prefer a vaginal birth. It's what your body enables you to do to safely birth your baby.

I understand that, but I was wondering if there was a common theme.

Last night I watched a vlog by a doctor in the states, she had an epidural. It seems that a lot of doctors do over there and I wondered if there was any thread of commonality in the UK. So far this thread suggests VBs.

Most of the Drs I know went for elective c section.

None of the doctors i know had a c section 🤷‍♀️

Consultant surgeon here. I had 2 elective c sections.

There is definitely a far higher rate of maternal choice sections amongst surgeons. I guess theatre is a safe place for us and we like to be in control as far as possible!

My obstetrician had hers by elective section too!

I went to NCT classes with my 2nd (1st born abroad, emcs), determined to have a vbac but terrified due to my first experience. Met a couple there, husband and wife both consultant anaesthetists, she opted for elcs - just there for the social aspect and bf advice. 🤔Soon changed my mind and had elcs #2 - as did my own GP who was pregnant at the same time and a GP friend of mine.
I figured the medical professionals must have known something we didn’t!

Doctor here.
I was terrified of needing a c-section, the procedure is brutal IMO.
Luckily it worked out for me - one was a very early induction, it was unlikely to work but I gave birth 12 hours later. Second and third were spontaneous labours. I've never had an epidural, not because I'm against them in general but because I didn't need one.
Only one of my colleagues opted for a maternal choice c-section, she had a horrific first labour.

I've heard that the caesarian rate among obstetricians and gynaecologists is higher than average!

Opposite here. I know 3 doctors and 1 surgeon; all had an elective C-section each time.

elective caesarean

I remember seeing statistics on this and it is a very high rate of Obgyn's opting for ELCS.

I’d be interested to hear what midwives would do. Presumably surgeons in this country see emergencies and planner c - sections. They don’t see normal, no intervention vaginal births.

Hospital consultant here (not obstetrics). I had 3 home births.

I worked as a nurse in Obstetrics and Gynecology for 13 years for the birth of my first. He ended up being a CSection in Epidural after over 24 hrs of labor . Non Progression due to the cord being around his neck 3 times . Next child elective CSection again in Epidural. That was a wonderful experience. I was up and about less than 24 hrs later. I had my babies in my workplace. Private hospital in Germany

Community Nurse - Health Visitor . I had a homebirth.

I’m a midwife and had 2x homebirths. We joke with obstetricians and SHOs at work that they all have elective LSCS because they only ever see horrible births. The majority of my colleagues have all had straightforward vaginal births. I think the support and love of the people around you does a lot for the birth process, and as midwives we’re fortunate to be looked after in labour by our friends.

I wanted a home birth but things went rapidly downhill so ended up having an emergency section. I have found anecdotally lots of my colleagues opt for an elective section.

I'm in obstetric theatres. For myself, I've had two early inductions. First resulted in a regular vaginal birth (no epidural). Second in an emergency C-section (epidural).

As for my colleagues cracks knuckles

Consultant Gynaecologist - Vaginal birth
Nurse #1 - Em. C section then elective
Nurse #2 - Elective (tokophobia)
Nurse #3 - Vaginal birth then elective (twins)
Nurse #4 - Vaginal birth
Nurse #5 - Vaginal birth

I’m a GP who did 12 months of postgraduate obstetric training.

Number 1- midwife unit vaginal delivery water birth. No intervention besides a bit of gas and air.
Number 2- homebirth. No analgesia.

Curses. Stupid keyboard disappearing.

Nurse #5 - Vaginal birth then elective (traumatic first birth)
Nurse #6 - 2x Vaginal birth
Nurse#7 - Elective (breech)
Nurse #8 - Elective (breech)
Midwife #1 - 3x Home birth
Midwife #2 - Vaginal birth
Midwife #3 - Em. C-section
Midwife #4 - 2x Vaginal birth