elective c-section .. where to go?

[ranirani]

It's my first pregnancy, and I have a very LOW pain threshold. I have always been terrified of labour pain, whatever anyone may say. It actually put me off of getting pregnant in the first place. Now I am 34 y.o. so not a spring chicken which makes it more difficult. I'd rather opt for a c-section, but I am not sure I can get it just by talking to my midwife. Does anyone know how much would it cost if to do it privately and which hospitals provide this kind of service???? Please help!!

Do you live in London ranirani?

Just for info, I have an incredibly low pain threshold and had an emergency c-section and the pain following the c section was immense. Far worse than contractions (obv don't know about the pushing bits!) and agony for a good few days, I mean, you can't stand up for a good 24hrs or even move to change your own sanitary towel so it's not a pain free option AT ALL.

If you're in London look at the Portland or the private wings of NHS hospitals, believe it costs around 10k+. You may be able to get one on the NHS if you have a genuine fear of childbirth. Good luck!

Bollocks you can't. I was running round the recovery ward two hours after an emergency section

Okay, pain threshold - do you have period pains - contractions are very like them and the hospitals have some excellent drugs. You can be completely oblivious to sensation though it's not a good idea because it does increase your risk of a cs. Mind you if that is what you are going for anyway.

Do you plan to just have one child though? If you do plan more bear in mind that repeat cs's are much more risky and after two your chances of ectopic pregnancy are massively increased, oh and you might die during surgery but hey, childbirth is risky whichever way you play it.

BUPA hospitals do CSs from about £4K I believe. However before you go off looking for one, I'd ask to see a consultant at your local NHS hospital as well as the midwife and just tell them you are flipping terrified and talk about it. Perhaps hypnosis would help you? Or having a definite plan as to what to do and when - I know I feel better about the prospect of pain knowing that: (a) it will end and (b) you can take action to do something to reduce that pain.

At the end of the day - in NHS hospitals, you wouldn't be encouraged to labour for more than 12 hours anyway - I've had stomach bugs that lasted longer than that so I know I can do 12 hours of pain, esp. if I know that I can pull the plug at any time and be wheeled down the the big white room with the bright lights and the good drugs

Ranirani They are around £4k!

The best way of getting one on the NHS is to ensure that you are completely up to speed, well researched and well-informed about the pros and cons of a vaginal birth.

It is only when you have the information that you can rebuff any reason for refusal iyswim!

How far into your pregnancy are you?

Starlight x

ranirani--you sound like every woman pregnant with their first baby. Actually you sound like I did. When I was pregnant with ds1 I wanted a C-section more than anything, and the irony is that I ended up having a totally natural birth. The pendulum swings both ways I guess.

There are a lot of things you can do to help with the pain on contractions. I personally recommend hypnobirthing. But there are many other medical and natural pain relievers out there.

At the end of the day, if you have no other medical issues a vaginal delivery is best for you and the baby.

If you have a low pain threshold then please think very carefull about a section. I am now 6 days post op and do have some very sharp pains when moving.

I had an elec. CS and it was pure genius!!

I was up and about a couple of hours afterwards and I couldn't fault one thing about it.

I went to The Portland, and everything, from start to finish, was just fab.

FWIW, I think most places do frown on the elec. bit of it... The Portland was def. the most open, IYSWIM,

Outside of London (assuming you are in the UK) I am not sure how many places offer it... Would need to be a city, I'd say, because the insurance costs are higher.

But, when the chips are down, you need to plan for the birth you want. An Elec. CS was right for me, and I was immensely happy with it, but I wouldn't say it's right for everyone.

Sorry, just wanted to add: I've assumed that, to get an elec. CS you need to go Private.

I think that, without medical need, this is what you will need to do.

The Portland will cost around £8K all in.

But, it's bloody fabulous and I couldn't have asked for a better start to motherhood. The midwives were all fantastic.

4K is manageable. I do live in London, so will check that one out, thanks!!after c-section you still can take pain killers, can't you? I've heard so many good things about c-section though. My periods were really painful, sometimes had to take up to 8 nurofens and it would not go.

Don't you think 35 y.o. is too old for the first childbirh naturally?

Ye, after C section, you will take painkillers for about a week, but this doesn't affect BF, if that's what you want to do.

I've personally never heard of anyone having a bad experience of an elec. CS and I'd certainly recommend it...

does epidurial actually work at all? I have heard some terrible stories that if you are way into the labour sometimes it is too late to get one. is it true? what about water birth? is it less painful????

I'm 36....

yeah, I am sure planned c-section an especially privately would be a totally different story to an emergency. you know howit is , NHS...

are expecting youcannotbeserious ??

Ranirani How far gone are you?

Please don't worry about it. If a c/section is what you truly want then there will be plenty of people on MN that can advise and coach you through it!

However, from some of your questions I don't think you really know enough about vaginal birthing yet to be making an informed decision. There are many many many reasons NOT to have a c/section if you can have a vaginal birth.

Make sure you know these too, so you don't have problems later, and so you have no regrets!

Both my sections were done by NHS and were fantastic and yes the pain killers do take the edge of the pain and help recovery.

you will laugh at me, but i am only in 5 weeks!!! I have had thispanic fear of childbirth all my life though, do not know why! Thats why I though : I need to gt reday well in advance!!

Hi sophiewd , how did you get c-section on NHS? was it planned?

My DS is 5 weeks old.

ranirani-instead of investigating C-sections right away you need positive feedback on vaginal births.

I've had two natural births and would do it over and over if my house was big enough.

A few book recommendations from me are:

"Birthing from Within"--Pam England
"Spiritual Midwifery"--Ina May Gaskin
"Adventures in Natural Childbirth"- Janet Schwegel

Okay the pain relief side. If you have an elective CS (whether privately or NHS you will get:

(1) An epidural which will numb you from the boobs downwards. If it's elective you don't get to go into labour first so you don't even get a contraction.
(2) A suppository painkiller called Voltral up yer bum which will stop any residual soreness in that area for about 24 hours.
(3) The epidural is left in for at least twelve hours unless you request it be removed (I did) so you can continue having that form of pain relief (it's mostly opiate based btw).
(4) Diclofenac or similar in pill form four times a day for a week. You can also have extra paracetamol - but you prob won't need it.

You will however have the following discomforts:

(1) Bloody great itchy scar with nasty itchy plaster across your front
(2) Pubic hair regrowth from hell
(3) A catheter which will bruise your urethra and make weeing feel pretty uncomfy for a while - not to mention the fact you'll have to do it to order before they'll remove it.
(4) The perennial dismay of those around you who will claim you are 'too posh to push' etc.

ranirani: You do need to get ready in advance, but you also have time!

I would make your starting point by finding out as much as you can about the c/section procedure. Look it up, read about it, but more importantly get a video or two to show the operation. I think there are a few YouTube films too!

ranirani

The recovery from my cs was quicker and easier than from my first vaginal delivery.

My last delivery was an NHS elective CS.

You can take painkillers after a c-section, morphine, it's fab! Can't believe you were all up after a couple of hours... I was numb until a good 10 hours after! Had to be lifted into a wheelchair. Anyway, it's by the by, c-sections are of course painful as is labour it's a lesser of two evils thing.

I would certainly speak to your NHS consultant and see if you can get it on them though.