Pain, prolapse and piles! Elective Section Help

[Jellyjam36]

I will try and be brief but I am hoping for some advice from those who may have been in a similar position....

37 weeks pregnant with DC2. This pregnancy has been horrific from about 6 months.

• Severe pelvic girdle pain: pretty much housebound due to pubic bone pain. My pubic bone separated so much during my first birth I could barely walk or stand for months. I couldn't do anything.

• Prolapse birth trauma from baby number 1 (failed ventouse and then forceps delivery). This took 9 months to feel "normal", paid to see a private gynae as GP was so dismissive.Terrified of this worsening.

• Have just finished a course of antibiotics due to chest infection (similar thread currently active which discusses this horrendous bug that turned into a respiratory infection) and my ribs are so strained and painful I can barely move.

• The coughing and vomiting from the infection, as well as the pressure of my baby, I now have some lovely hemorrhoids which are BAD. Doing all I can to treat these but it is just so depressing.

I had a consultation re: section at 30 weeks, with a consultant who was dismissive and did not engage with me at all. I went away thinking I would just go and get on with a vaginal birth.

However, following this infection and the added issue with hemorrhoids, I don't know how I am holding it together anymore. I don't know if I can handle anymore physical issues/trauma!! I know I need to move fast now if I want the elective. I know a section isn't a walk in the park, but friends I know who have had one have all told me to choose this route.

Thank you.

I had an elective and it was a wonderful experience. Of course there was pain and discomfort afterwards and a long recovery however for me the benefit was feeling in control of when and how my baby would be born.
You do seem to have a lot of ongoing issues so if I were you, I'd do it in a heartbeat (but I know it's easy for me to say that having had one) x

I had absolutely horrific SPD in both pregnancies but particularly bad with DC2 to the point where I genuinely didn’t walk more than a few steps about a solid 6 months. It was agony and I think unless you’ve gone through it you can’t appreciate how debilitating it is. You have so much of my sympathies, I shudder remembering the pain!

I had an ELCS with DC2 in the end although it was not related to the SPD. I’d never had surgery in any capacity before and I will be honest I was very scared beforehand. It was not an easy decision to make but ultimately it was the right one (DC2 was very big and the doctors were concerned about relative risk factors). Because it is not an emergency the procedure itself is as relaxed as major surgery can be! I’ve got say that everyone was so incredibly nice and a big focus seemed to be on putting me at ease. The spinal was fine and I didn’t feel a single thing during the operation. DC2 was out in 5 minutes and it actually felt very magical!

I won’t sugar coat it that recovery was hard. Because I hadn’t moved in so long because of the SPD my abdominal muscles were totally shot, my belly had a huge floppy overhang and I struggled to pick DC2 up for the first 4 weeks. But it does get better!! In the longer term I recovered quicker from my ELCS than I did my vaginal birth. You must do what is right for you, it isn’t a walk in the park but I don’t think birth ever is!

Sending lots of love

Section every day. I had one for similar reasons. Absolutely no regrets.

Hi OP

Although I'm only 23 weeks pregnant, I'm in a similar boat, minus the PGP. I've had the most horrendous cough/sinus bug which has been 8+ weeks, a round of antibiotics and nothing is shifting it. That combined with the fact I've got HG and still being sick everyday has meant I can barely feel my pelvic floor anymore, it feels heavy and I live in incontinence pads because when I cough I wee freely. I also have bad piles which never really went after I gave birth to DD 2.5 years ago but with all of the above they're next level now and so painful! nothing seems to help them.

I too am worried about a natural birth, despite having a really good first birth with DD, I feel all these issues I already have spell disaster for recovery from a vaginal birth. I will watch this thread with interest.

@Lid88 I'm so sorry it's so bad for you, this second pregnancy has nearly finished me off. I have a midwife appointment tomorrow I think I am going to ask to see a consultant ASAP, I really do not think I can give birth in the state I am currently in. Only thing for me is shifting the cough before a section - I cannot imagine the level of pain it would be coughing how I have been and having had major abdominal surgery.
The piles I swear to god are upsetting me more than my inconitence. I really hope yours improves x

What did you decide? In a similar boat here and feeling so anxious about labour and so fed up of piles