can i demand a CS for 2nd baby?

[mrsflux]

after my rubbish HV asking me if i was over the CS (6 months ago) i have decided i am well and truly not and that if we are going to have any other babies then i WILL NOT go through the same experience again.

is having had one CS already for poor positioning and failure to progress reason enough for them to let you have a CS?

a VBAC is a lovely idea but i'm pretty sure i'll end up with PND (i was very close to it last time) if i get a repeat performance and i can't risk that!

MrsFlux sorry if this is presumptions of me but before asking that question, you may want to explore the reasons why your baby was poorly positioned and the 'failure' to progress.

It sounds like there are a lot of unanswered questions in your mind. I had loads after a v traumatic birth with my dd1. I went on to have a completely different experience the second time round. The more I looked around and discovered some of the unasked questions the more I found out the more empowered I became.

Best of luck with your journey.

Yes I believe if you have had a previous section for whatever reason you can request a repeat section.

I had an Em CS for failure to progress.I'm now pregnant again and the midwife assumed I would be going for a Vbac.She said I can have a C section if I like but wasn't very encouraging.As it happens I am going for a Vbac but I'm not very confident it will happen!

At my birth de-brief I asked why about the failure to progress and the poor positioning.
Both were "just one of those things".
His position all through pregnancy was fine and I did loads of walking, gym ball, sleeping on left side, hands and knees etc. As far as I'm aware there's nothing that could have prevented either of these things that I hadn't tried already.

IME my hospital consultant was willing to go along with whatever I requested. Much more open-minded than I expected.

Don't "demand" one, though. Talk through your experience and explain you have decided it would be the best for you and your family.

"Just one of those things" doesn't sound like an informed, evidence based response to me. harrumph on your behalf.

I don't want to feel like I am dominating the convo here but I really really suggest you buy and read 'Ina May's Guide to Childbirth' It talks a lot about the physiology and psychology of the birthing process. It also illustrates why the medical model of giving birth (going to a hospital) can greatly influence the outcome of childbirth.

It may seem like doing things the wrong way round but this book helped me deconstruct the trauma of my first experience and empower me for the choices I made in the second one.

I had an emcs due to failure to progress and poor positioning with dd1. Was on teh verge of pnd until she was about 7mo. I was terrified at the thought of going through the same sort of thing again.

I told my MW that I wanted an elective c-sefction and why. She told me I might have to see a mw counsellor - but that never happened.

So - saw my consultant and I was very clear about what I wanted and why I wanted it - then ended up sobbing - and I think she saw that an elective was the best thing for me.

So my elective was agreed quite early on - though consents etc weren't taken until closer to the time.

I have been talking about my dd's birth just recently (she is 2.5, I have ptsd as a direct result of the birth). She wasn't technically failure to progress as I dilated to 10cm and pushed for 6hrs, she was too stuck to come through the birthing canal and couldn't be helped with a ventouse. I had an em cs.

I have been told that if I had another (can't face it) I would be allowed to opt for a cs. I was also told that the positioning was 'one of those things' and could not be explained. I was at home, in a pool, moving around, when she wasn't coming after a couple of hours tried every conceivable position to push and nada. She descended not a jot. I transferred in.

I don't think the unanswered questions will ever go away tbh. Nobody can tell me why she was stuck and I can't bear the idea of another pregnancy when it could happen again.

Sandwichmonkey, out of curiousity, did anyone suggest you get out the pool and get on all fours?

pushing for 6 hrs seems like it was labouring for nothing else than tiring the mother. surely something different could have been suggested earlier. I'm just wondering btw, not trying to jump to conclusions when I don't know all that happened.

I also had an emcs after dilating to almost the full amount (got to 8.5 cm at home on my own with LOTS of hard work and DP fretting in the next room after I ordered him out; and then got to "just a rim remaining" as they kept saying, in MWLU).

It was going into the pool (after arriving at the unit) that slowed everything down, and despite my coming out again and walking, rocking, all-foursing, etc for ages, it just wouldn't start up again I was so disappointed as when I'd arrived they had all been like "Ooh, you're really dilated, you'll have a baby soon!"

Eventually the baby was in some distress and I was too exhausted to push anyway, so I gratefully went along with emcs idea. I dread the same thing happening again though, and really want an elective CS this time because of the anxiety. It seems like a very common story, sadly.

You can request a cs after the first one. I did and received a 2nd with a from the registrar. But...should I have? Don't know now really...It was really painful afterwards in comparison to the first and the midwives then told me that this was to be expected for 2nd cs. Apparently there's no point in knowing this in advance...something to do with scar tissue and swelling / bruising? Both my cs's were elective and I wonder if I just got really lucky in terms of bruising etc the first time. My babies were humungous and required forceps even with the cs though.

Don't know if that's helpful or not really!

I am due to have a second CS in December. I agree with ButtercupWafflehead - the consultant was great, I talked through my reasons and he said OK. My face must have been , as he said to me, "I'm sorry, were you expecting a fight?"

I got out of the pool, got on all fours, lay down, stood up, rocking, dancing, walking up the stairs sideways, squatted, assisted squat, kneeling up, sitting on the toilet, sitting backwards on the toilet. There is not a position I didn't try. And I chose to try and push for 6hrs as I wanted to birth my baby naturally. I was well monitored and well cared for. 3 ventouse attempts and an attempt to push her back up and alter her position did not work. She was very, very stuck.

The thing is, when people say 'did you try this?' it reaffirms the fear I have that I didn't do enough or I failed or it's my fault.

No no, SandwichMonkey, no. It is not a "fault" thing at all or a question of "failure" on your part ... I'm sure you know that intellectually, but I suppose it doesn't stop you feeling that way

I wish I knew what to say to make you feel differently. Suppose I should count myself lucky not to be battling any guilt -- in my case the dominant issue is just basic anxiety about trying a VBAC lest it all go the same way. Would rather simply book the elective now. But then, in my case the emcs was itself a pretty positive experience after the decision was made, so I suppose that helps a lot.

SandwichMonkey, I had a similar thing happen - 2.5yrs ago I was in labour for days at home (latent phase, contractions every 10mins for 4 days!) and then went to hospital on the 5th day to find out I was 6cm dilated. After about another 12hrs in a birth pool I was 10cm, pushed to no avail, contractions slowed, had to have syntocinon to get them going, lay on a bed for 6hrs, pushed again to no avail - they then did emergency section and i had to have a general anaesthetic cos of a high epidural and I couldn't breathe. Hugely traumatic and felt like a failure for not pushing my son out. Thought it was cos he was very big 9lb 7oz but I only found this out at my consultant app last week (am due 2nd baby in 3wks) - my son's head was in a funny position, i.e. head up rather than chin on chest - if this is the case there is absolutely NO WAY the baby can descend and you will eventually just die if you don't have access to a c section! So you could push for 10hrs but if the baby's head is looking up it will not budge for love nor money - I suspect this is what also happened to you!! I can't believe I only found this out the other day. you can ask to go through your notes again and see if there is any inkling that that might have been the case with yours. Sounds like it to me and there is nothing you could have done so u should stop feeling failure, it was out of your hands!
I am trying for a vbac in 3wks and am very scared of the same thing happening again but i have spoken to a lot of people who have managed a vbac and said it was worth it and chances are if you have dilated you will achieve a vbac 2nd time round. We'll see!!
Sorry about huge post!