Planned section or induction

[SomewhereOverTheRainbow36]

Hi lovely ladies.
I am due my first baby in December after 12 miscarriages. I have APS and currently on heparin and aspirin.
This pregnancy has been tough and I’ve been admitted overnight for monitoring of heavy bleeding a couple of times. The last few weeks have been good though, and the haematologist is hoping I’ll get to 37-39 weeks!!
I have been given the option of a planned section or induction. I’m not really sure what to choose, the consultant has said a section is safer for the baby but a good induction is better for me. I’ve looked at so many stats and the odds don’t look good for a “good” induction, 68% of APS pregnancies are planned section, so that seems the more common option. DH has said it’s up to me, he won’t even give me an opinion but he is worried about my recovery and how I’d cope with the operation.
DH works at home, he will have 2 weeks pat leave and 2 weeks holiday, my mum and sister are also fairly local (and neither work) and DHs sister has offered to stay with us for 6 weeks if I need help. It is likely the baby will be bottle fed due to my medication. I’m leaning towards a section but wondered if anyone has any opinions? One thing (other than the recovery) that puts me off is SIL had an emergency section 18 years ago and can’t feel her stomach anymore. (I appreciate this is quite rare and probably more common in an emergency situation where they just need to get the baby out).

Go for the c-section 100%. Planned c-sections are very different to emergency ones. Yes, it’s a big operation but one that the doctors are doing all day every day and it is so safe and well done these days. Plus it’s safer for the baby! Also, if you go in at 37 weeks I think your chances of a “good” induction are even worse as your body is unlikely to be ready. I think most “good” inductions happen post due date.

I tried an induction at 41+6 weeks, it ended up as an emergency c-section and wish I had gone straight for the c-section. It was not nearly as scary as it was in my head! And recovery was fine, tough for the first two weeks but then I could manage by myself easily. No problems with the scar.

It did take about 6 months for any abdominal strength to come back, when I first went to the gym at 3 months postpartum I was horrified at how weak I was but now at 18 months after, I feel good. (Not as strong as before due to lack of time to exercise but that’s expected 😂)

The downsides to the c-section are mostly around having more children. They like you to wait a year before getting pregnant again, and for some people having more than 3 c-sections is very dangerous due to risk of scar rupture. But for this baby it sounds like C-section is the best option, especially with the bleeding you are having.

@SomewhereOverTheRainbow36 did the aspirin and heparin cause the heavy bleeding?

@Moriquendi I feel that this is where I am, I like the certainty of a planned section and worried about how induction will go if we aren’t ready. It is very unlikely we will have further children, it has been a difficult pregnancy following a lot of miscarriages and 3 failed rounds of IVF. I am just grateful to be nearly in the third trimester and considering birth options and I don’t think I could go through it all again.

@LavenderInTheField no the bleeding wasn’t caused by the thinners but they certainly didn’t help! The haematologist doesn’t know what caused the bleeding, I had 8 scans in the first 12 weeks and no one could see a cause, I was losing up to a pint at a time, it was literally pouring out, on 2 occasions my cervix had opened partially and we were told to expect the worst so no idea how this baby has stuck!

@SomewhereOverTheRainbow36 Glad it all turned out for the best. From what I understand about C-section the main thing for recovery is to get up and about as early as possible but listening to your body. So even if it's just walking a couple steps each day and building up. The second thing is not to lift anything heavier than the baby, so make sure your support people are always around to do the heavy lifting and work while you recover. It is major abdominal surgery but similarly with vaginal birth mums can get tears etc and also takes a while for all there to recover. I personally would go with whichever method the doctors said will be best for the baby in the current situation, so especially as you have seen APS mums tend to have c-section, maybe question your consultant as to why that is ,and ask how it applies to your case.