Irregular heartbeat is leaning me towards a section. Please come and discuss with me.

[TotallyAndUtterlyPaninied]

My baby has atrial ectopic beats and they are very, very regular. So I have to keep travelling across the country to get baby's heart scanned, etc.

I asked if I'd need a cesarean and they said if my hospital think it's going to be difficult to monitor baby's heartbeat, they won't risk a vaginal birth.

I had a horrible vaginal birth last time after induction and this time I wanted a home birth and to be in control and give birth how I wanted. But it's far more important to me that baby's born safely.

I'm quite scared of the idea of a c-section though. What are the logistics? How will I feel? Does baby get put on to you after birth or are you too busy being sewed up?

I have a toddler and DH will only have 2 weeks off.. so how will I lift things?

Will I bond with a baby I didn't give birth to? Are there any complicatios for the baby or for me?

What are my options?

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp. I'm nearly 30 weeks now by the way.

what are the implications, to the baby, of the heart beat problem? is the baby likely to become distressed during labour?

to be honest if they are only worried about not being able to monitor it i would still go ahead with a homebirth.

I'm not 100% sure but I do know that she could become distressed during labour. My hospital don't have the facilities or knowledge to work with an irregular heartbeat- where as the one on the other side of the country is the best. But I'm giving birth at my hospital.

It's baffled my head.

hmmm tough call then.
are you under a consultant at your local hospiutal? have you talked to him/her about whether or not they feel happy monitoring you?

could you have the baby at a different hospital with better equipment/more experienced staff? (you are free to choose where you have your baby remember, and that goes for which hospital you use as well)

i can't help with c-sections as never had one, but i know a few people who have and i am sure you will bond absolutely fine with your lovely baby once you meet him or her!

Impossible to know how it will be for you, but this is how it was for me:

What are the logistics?: In my case I was first induced and then taken down for an emergency section after ds's heartbeat went down. I was fully conscious, they discussed it with me first, the operating team were very friendly and made it a joyful occasion for me.

How will I feel? - I felt no pain and very little discomfort. A bit sore afterwards but less so than after bad vaginal birth (tear and episiotomy); I was able to get up and sit in a chair the next day, but had a catheter in for the first 24 hours (bliss, as I could drink as much as I wanted without having to hobble to the loo).

Does baby get put on to you after birth or are you too busy being sewed up?- they put ds on me while they were sewing up; I didn't have to do the sewing - or indeed pay any attention to it

I have a toddler and DH will only have 2 weeks off.. so how will I lift things?- try to think of ways of dealing with toddler without lifting; friend of mine had a bad back and could never lift her toddler; she just worked out ways to change him etc that did not involve lifting

Will I bond with a baby I didn't give birth to? - I did. In fact, I probably bonded better because not exhausted from giving birth. I never felt I didn't give birth- he came out of my womb, there was no doubt about it!

Are there any complicatios for the baby or for me?- none for me (had infected scars from the vaginal birth though, which were grim).

Totally - I had a planned section second time round and it was much more civilized than my emergency one. I was given the baby first while they sewed me up - apparently it takes longer to sew you up than get the baby out but it goes really quickly because your baby is there. Both babies came out screaming with apgars of 10, in recovery I BF no 2 skin to skin while I waited for the spinal to wear off - it was peaceful - just the 2 of us(first time around the epidural was a bit too strong so a MW had to hold dd1 to my breast for that first feed.)

I had my second section on a Fri and was out on Sun I think - so a minimal amount of DH's paternity leave was used up with me in hospital. DD1 was 2 at the time and I missed her so much but I don't think she was that phased. She certainly had no problems with the baby.

I had no problems BF (in fact I breast fed both for well over a year) and no problems bonding. I probably did a little too much after dd2 (hard not to when you have a toddler) but by the time DH went back to work I could cope by myself.

We knew that the second time round there was a chance I'd have a section so DH took over certain routines (like lifing DD1 into her cot) and he also had more responsibility at bedtimes to make it easier for her when I wasn't there.

There are plenty of complications for c-sections for the mother (which I won't list because I'm trying not to think about them) - it is painful, especially immediately afterwards. I can understand your reluctance because I am frankly not looking forward to a third section - I think the anticipation is the worst part of it all.

It is a difficult decision to make. It sounds likely that they will want to continuously monitor the baby which means you won't be able to have an active labour (hence my first section) so it is worth taking that into consideration when you make your decision - from what I've read there is a higher chance of an emergency section with a heavily medicalized birth.

Sorry not to be more helpful or even positive - it wasn't fun but I don't have nightmares about it either.

Hope your bubs continues to be okay.

I should say "possible complications" - I had none other than a mildly infected scar the first time round

I feel a little phobic about having a cesarean but as I say, I just want baby to get out safely so that's fine if that's what they need to do. I just don't want to be knocked out, and I want DH in the room with me as he is my rock.

Thanks for the experiences- I've read through them really carefully to try and visualise what it's going to be like.

Is it in a grotty theatre of a labour room?

Both were in theatres. I think you're only knocked out completely if there is a major problem. DH was present for both births - had to wear a fetching cap and gown.

Do they think it will resolve antenatally?

I don't know how different they are but DD had ventricular ectopic beats and was scanned every ten days. I managed to have her in a MLU and her birth was supposed to monitored by a paeditrician (although she didn't quite make it). She had an ECG afterwards and the problem had resolved itself.

I was also told that the problem was not that the baby would become necessarily distressed but rather than it would be difficult to assess whether it was 'normal' irregular or distressed. The MLU was in a mina hospital so I knew that if anyone was uncomfortable I would have a EMCS.

Sorry to hear DBaby is unwell, it must be very stressful for you

I had a CS due to medical complication with DD1 and had a lovely birth. Awake throughout, DH in the room and a lovely hospital team. Baby fine (at 36 weeks, given straight to me and breastfed)

2nd elective CS at 39 weeks, just the same . Also they dropped the curtain so i saw DD2 emerge and the anaesthatist took pictures

They will deal with all the other 'stuff' you may encounter (anti sickness pills if you are queasy, voltarol for any pain), so you can concentrate on you and your new baby

Fingers x'd all goes well for you all