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.

2 family members are ObsGynae consultants - neither opted for C-sections; 1 had to have one on first but SVD for other 2 births. Other had 2 SVD deliveries.

For both, section was major surgery & ideally avoided unless necessary.

But I don't think you can typify medical professionals like that; other factors come into play too eg family preferences (what mum / sister did), personal views (as distinct from medical) & so on.

God you are well-versed on all your colleagues birth experiences 😀

I was doing an obs and gynae job when I went on maternity leave. Had my baby in the unit I’d worked in - absolutely trusted them all. As it turned out I had an emergency section due to sepsis and a massive 7 litre bleed. They were amazing and I’m forever grateful that I avoided a hysterectomy.

it was kind of weird though… the consultant on call had been my boss up to 2 weeks before the delivery and it felt very bizarre when he was rummaging about down below saying “sorry doughnut I’m just struggling to find your cervix”. Very few situations where it’s appropriate for your boss to say that!

There's a really widespread belief that obstetricians all have c sections themselves but I looked and couldn't find much evidence on this - I found this which is pretty old and was also asking them hypothetically, but which suggested it was a minority who said they would prefer to have a caesarean.

Im an anaesthetist/intensivist- elective sections.

It's what I know and the circumstance that suited me best given what was going on at the time. I wouldn't want an epidural but would always take a spinal - personal choice, I never judge any patients for their personal choices.

I would never give birth in a private hospital without nhs facilities and a cardiac arrest team/ICU/NICU/paeds on call team on site. That to me is mad

@shreddiesandmilk Would you mind if I ask you a question about epidural vs spinal?

Yep. Mine told me that almost all of the ones in their department/ their partners had elective sections.

Water births with G&A only, in hospital. I would not have considered a home birth or private hospital. I was open to any intervention that was needed, and would have had an epidural if I had wanted one in the moment.

I really hope these HCPs transfer that same attitude if women in their care request an elective section for maternal choice

I'm a doctor. I had elective sections.
Of my doctor friends the majority have had vaginal deliveries though.
I don't know many female obstetricians but of the 3 I know, 2 had elective sections and 1 had normal deliveries.

@thebestcestmoi round here that's certainly the case - I have a number of non medical friends that have requested a section with no issues. It's how it should be.

Ex-midwife.
4 vaginal births - last 2 were induction for raised bp and the other induction/augmentation for lack of contractions following my waters breaking.
No epidural but I'm a fast labourer so knew they were pointless. Little did I know how long that last labour would drag on!!
All except the 2nd in labour ward (2nd on Midwife led unit and the best one by far) as high risk.
If I were to have another (no thanks) I would be aiming for MLU again although I have haemhorraged twice now so not sure if they would let me haha

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

I think this is just one of those urban legends. I know loads of doctors & they haven't done this. Surgeons probably do though, but they are often control freaks! 😆

I know an obstetric anaesthetist. His partner had their first baby in a birth pool on a midwife led unit. Their second baby was a planned home birth. He said these experiences were very different from what he saw in his day job.

I had worked in obstetrics previous so for my first I had no plans all I knew was I wanted a cannula in incase I bled afterwards. The pain was so horrific as I arrived at the hospital I couldn’t speak and was having contractions every 2 mins only 4cm so I got epidural which was amazing then had a lovely night - the cannula was useful for the haemorrhage after. After enjoying the birth so much with the epidural I got one asap with number 2 but also used more gas and air which was great. I didn’t want C-section and so pleased I did need one as after doing them previously I know the risks / issues that can arise.

If you work in a maternity unit do you normally opt to birth in a different one?

How do you go back to work with colleagues who have seen you bottom-half naked in stirrups/stitched up your bits/seen you poo??

I’m a GP and was in the midwife led unit for my first with gas and air, TENs machine. Planning a home birth for number two but otherwise hopefully MLU if things stay straightforward.
My cohort of GP trainees tended towards MLUs I think.

Though my GP friends who have already had babies were all (relatively) young - 28-32 or so. Very few of my friends in hospital settings have had babies yet, and I wonder if maternal age as well as approach to risk management / desire to remain in control play a part.
Ive heard the theory that female surgeons go for planned sections but will have to wait and see as they all seem to be delaying starting a family due to the training program.

Surgeon- SVD in a rural midwife led unit. Just me two midwife’s, 1 trainee and my partner and my mother in the place. Only opted out of home birth as December and lived in the middle of the downs making potential transfers a challenge if it snowed!

Im a junior doctor (GP trainee). I had planned a water birth in MLU at the hospital I worked at at the time. I wanted the option of being easily transferred to the main ward if needed. Unfortunately ended up on a CTG for most of my labour on the other side due to an accident causing premature labour (long story). Had wonderful care with 2 midwives, and 2 registrars at my birth (one was shadowing as first night at new hospital). It was SVD in the end. If I ever get to have another I would probably go with MLU as I had planned previously.

I’m a midwife, I had DD before I was a midwife though and had a straightforward un-medicated vaginal hospital birth. If I was to have another child (not planning to) I would have a homebirth.

My midwife colleagues have had a mixture of different births, a lot do tend to plan homebirths though.

I know a GP who has had 3 homebirths.

I know a surgeon who has had 2 homebirths, the first being a planned breech birth at home!

I know several paramedics who have had homebirths.

Yes it is.
OP -You need to specifically ask O&G docs and surgeons and you will likely find there is a higher than average rate of elective caesareans in this specific cohort of doctors.

Doctors and nurses can come from a variety of clinical backgrounds and some will have no more direct experience with pregnancy and labour than the average lay person.

I'm a midwife, experience with working in clinical governance, HSIB cases, serious incidents etc.

2 x SVDs for me. First time round my plan was for an epidural- was expecting emergency section at full dilatation or instrumental delivery for absolute sure. The registrar on duty was the absolute bomb and I think knowing he was there and having a wonderful friend look after me meant I was relaxed and laboured quickly. Was stunned that I had a normal delivery!

Second time round I would have loved an epidural but no time! Again I had an amazing friend look after me.

I can see why there is a push for continuity of carer as I do think feeling so comfortable had a bearing on my experience and outcome- unfortunately it is not particularly workable especially in the current staffing climate.

I still work with them all and no I don't feel weird about them seeing me naked. I still harbour secret deep grateful love for the anaesthetist who did my epidural.

The only firm no I had in my birth plan was no fetal blood sampling.

Anaesthetist with an interest in obstetrics.

I had two inductions for different reasons. Gas and air only for the first; the second one took longer and I needed the oxytocin drip, so had an epidural. Both times had vaginal births.

I definitely wanted to be in hospital to give birth, but the only two stipulations on my birth plan were 1)no pethidine (I ended up giving my midwife a pharmacology lecture on why it was rubbish, while off my tits on gas and air ) and 2) C-section rather than difficult/rotational forceps.

Amongst my colleagues there's a real mix of choices, from home birth to maternal request CS, but I've not done a data analysis!

First was an emergency c section (I wanted a natural birth) and the second was an elective c section.