Am musing about C Sections v natural births...

[Haylstones]

This is entirely hypothetical as I am not pregnant and have no immediate intentionsof having another child but hear me out...

Dd was born by ventouse afer a long drawn out labour. She was OP and it bloody hurt. She weighed 7lb 2oz.

4 years later I had ds- again it was a long drawn out labour, he was OP, brow presentation and was DTA (which I think means deep transverse arrest). He got stuck during pushing and had to be pushed back for an emergency C section. He weighed 9lb 8oz, which I assumed meant the delivery was more difficult as he seemed to be in a similar position to dd. Maybe if he'd been smaller I'd have managed without intervention?

I have been mulling this over for a very long time. It seems to me that my body is incapable of having a 'natural' birth as both babies were so similar.

I think the bottom line is that I would consider the delivery as part of our decision making about having no.3. I know the answer will probably be that there is every chance I will have an easy birth with no complications but I suppose what I am looking for is some input as to why/how it happened the way it did and the likelihood of it happening again...probably impossible! Could no.3 be totally different to the first two?!

Am i likely to be offered an elective CS? Would it be foolish to take this option when I could have a non-intervention birth?

Any advice, suggestions would be so so so much appreciated [smile[

It's a tricky one!

You have delivered vaginally once, so should be able to do so again.

I wonder if there is something about the shape of your pelvis that means you end up with OP babies.

I think the doctors would discuss a trial of labour with you, with a low threshold for CS if you got stuck. Best to avoid surgery if poss.

However, you had difficult labours and I would think in view of that, if you wanted CS it would be supported.

Just marking thread - was about to post similar.
I am 13 weeks today, and am pretty sure I want a cs. Traumatic experience with dd (age 3). Pre-eclampsia at 41 weeks, induced, epidural, baby in distress, ventouse with 'threat' of cs if I did not push hard enough, episiotomy that still hurts, plus big bleed. Poor dh thought I was dead or dying. The staff were horrid (have moved since, thankfully) and did not tell us what was happening. They asked dh if he thought a cs would be best at one point

Elective cs sounds so much more appealing at the moment.

Most hospitals will offer the choice of an elective cs to women who have had one before. So it will probably be up to you.

There is no right or wrong answer and it really depends on your own experience, weighed up against all the research you can do. How did you find recovery from the cs last time? How did it compare with recovery from the vaginal birth?

It's certanly not foolish to choose an elective: there are arguments both ways. Yes, you could have an easy intervention-free natural birth with your third, but then again it could end up as an emergency cs, which has worse recovery statistics than electives.

Good luck! (With getting pregnant, as well as your eventual decision!)

Thanks for the responses. I'm not even considering pregnancy atm and maybe never will, it's more of a niggling anxiety of what-if that I have.

I was very lucky in that I recovered well from both births- episiotomy stitches healed quickly (never had any discomfort at all) and I had pretty avergae recovery from th C Section. The only downside of the CS was that I hadn't even consideredit as a possbility after a reasonably straightforward first delivery; I was a bit shellshocked by that but I assume that an elective wouldn't be so traumatic...

I think there's a little unreasonable part of me that's thinkingif I did have another baby I could 'test' myself to have a 'normal' birth.

Not unreasonable at all

I'm in similar position having had a very long labour with ventouse and blood transfusion for 1st baby, c-section for 2nd (not wanted, but also not emergency). Desperately want a vbac for (not yet conceived) 3rd, predominantly for feelings of inadequacy after 2nd birth, but also all the crap of post-partum healing and lack of regained stomach muscles. Neither births left me in tip top shape but I personally wouldn't go for an elective c...

btw, 'normal' birth is the ones we've both had - some do get the easier, less intrusive options, but ours were still, unfortunately, very normal

I am in the same quandary. I have had one ventouse with horrible episiotomy. The baby was stuck and facing left rather than up or down. Then DD2 was also totally stuck due to face presentation (I think) and I had an emcs, involving major blood loss. I am 16 weeks preg with #3. I am seeing a consultant soon, but my preference is for an elective cs.
In response to your OP, I think you would most likely be offered an elective CS if you want one. I personally don't think this would be a foolish option, but if you found recovery from a CS difficult, then that might influence your choice. If you have a strong desire for a natural birth, then it is probably worth persuing. You would be referred to a consultant who might be able to tell you if you are likely to have the same problem again.
Perhaps discussing this is a part of deciding whether to have another baby or not?

Yes, I suspect me reopening this can of worms is my way of trying to decide if we should stick with 2 or go for another one (ds is nearly 2 and I'd dealt with the pangs of guilt/shock long ago). I like the idea of 3 but suspect the reality would be very different!

AS it happens, I've just started a 3 year course so it wouldn't be happening any time soon

Thanks for all the support.

It's taken us 7 years to decide to have #3! The traumatic birth was nearly enough to put us off.

I found this website, it's American but there is a support group here in the UK, a person based in Birmingham.
It gave me hope that maybe one day, if I am ever lucky enough to have another child, that I could do it!

It would be great to see the ICAN group increase their numbers here in the UK and would certainly help more women who feel confused/bullied/disempowered to make a more informed decision.

I had a traumtic forceps delivery 16 months ago in theatre - DD was stuck firm in OT position facing my hip and going nowhere after hours of pushing.

I've chosen an elective with #2 due in June.

I've ongoing bladder problems from the rotational forceps so for me its about not risking further damage to my bladder and pelvic floor (I know c-sections can do damage to these but its less common with an elective than if I tear or need forceps again). I am also very keen to avoid bowels problems which I don't have at present.

I have buried my desire for a happy waterbirth - I did all I could last time for a vaginal birth with minimum intervention/drugs. Ended up with lifelong damage to me and thankfully a healthy baby who had been oxygen deprived at the end. This time I am choosing an elective as I feel for me the risks are lower of worsening existing damage.

lovethesea...i also had rotational forceps, i didnt realise how dangerous it can be did u??
they thought they had broken my dd nose and her face was a mess of scratches, blood shot eyes etc, and that was a 'good' rotational forceps, i also had 3 degree epsiotomy, which as u all no goes straight tho to bum,
this took at least 6 months to heal i re-tore etc all in all recovery was a million times worse than labour pains!!
i have been refered to a consultant midwife to discuss c-sect iam only 10 wks so early days, i too was going to see what general opinion was on this, my inital thought is no as i wont be able to do much for my dd (3) and baby but what if it happends again, it will def be a huge regret if it does!!