Elective c-section for 2nd baby for health reasons....

[mumtojennifer]

After a traumatic and difficult 1st natural, but premature birth 3 years ago, extensive surgery to repair all damage, the post-natal depression that followed, and now suffering from 3 prolapsed discs in lower spine I am having an elective c-section with my 2nd baby which is booked for 38weeks (5 weeks to go if baby hangs on unlike DD1!).

Whilst I can rationalise the decision on every level I am struggling with the whole 'turn up on the day and Voila! A baby arrives'. I am really hoping that I go into labour at some level first, waters break or similar so that I will feel emotionally and physically ready for the baby to arrive.

No matter how bad it was first time round I still feel it was my body & baby that decided when to arrive and the labour that followed all built towards DD's eventual arrival. Just turning up on my booked day to participate in a medical procedure that will result in a baby just seems very odd.

It's not that I am not ready for baby to arrive, I am but I just can't bring the 2 things together in my head. Perhaps I am overthinking it all but it still feels very alien.

Are there any mums out there who did natural 1st time and section 2nd+ times? I only know people who have done elective or emergency sections of section 1st followed bvy natural subsequently.

Cheers

Hello!

Don't panic. It'll be good. I had an emergency C-section with dd1 and was advised subsequently by the surgeon who delivered her, to request an elective C-section for subsequent babies.

I followed her advice (not without a struggle, I may add, to get the Consultant to agree) and was then booked in for an Elective C-section for my second baby.

It did feel a bit funny at first, knowing that we were going to have our second baby on a selected day, but it went off beautifully. My Mum was able to come & stay beforehand to help with DD1 and then DH & I set off early in the morning the hospital as instructed. We took reading matter and I took puzzles to keep us busy in case we were delayed by emergencies taking precedence over us. However, that didn't happen. We were first on the list and by 9.30am we had DD2 . T'was totally and utterly fab, not having the worry or trauma of labour.

Please feel reassured that a C-section doesn't always have to spoil the pleasure of giving birth. For us it was far more straightforward than the previous labour which went on for ages and then ended up in the emergency C-section scenario anyway.

Good luck

mumtojennifer- I'm so glad you asked this question, I am in a similar position and was debating whether to start a thread... Don't wish to hijack yours but I'll be glad to read some of the responses!!

Hi - I havent had natural followed by elec cs. But DS had to be delivered via elec cs for health reasons.

I was dead set for natural labour - did 2 day hypnobirthing course, had a great midwife lined up. At 32 weeks, I was told that whilst it was in no way a fait accompli; but I should start thinking about CS as an option for method of delivery. I went through all the emotions you are describing, and had all the same thoughts/ feelings. By 35/36 weeks, I was told that elec cs was the best for me and my bub.

What helped me was focussing on the fact that this was the best both for myself and my bub. All the other stuff was irrelevant next to that.

The night before the section, my waters broke, so DS was coming at 37 weeks regardless of whether I had done elec cs at that point or not. The section itself was a lovely experience. My recovery was fantastic. No problems feeding/ bonding etc.

From a practical viewpoint, it does allow for some planning on existing childcare.

HTH, and enjoy! It is still childbirth and although I have no comparison to natural labour, I cannot imagine feeling more euphoric when I saw DS for the first time!

I had an elective after 2 not great deliveries. 3rd degree tear + associated complications put pay to a natural delivery for ds 3.

I knew it was the best thing for me. To put my body through another delivery may have made my problem much, much worse plus I had to think of the 2 other children I already had -how would my complications affect their life?

I rationalised it by this thinking and my heartbeat didn't even raise when they started to put the needle in. I do remember the consultant asking me if I knew what the operation was about and I said that I knew I would have a baby and I knew the method as to how he would be born but I didn't want to know any details. He chuckled and said fine. I still had the same rush of love I had for ds 2 -the really awful delivery which was great. I didn't have these feelings for ds 1 -natural birth - at all for quite some time and suffered with PND after his not great bith.

If I were to have dc 4 (which we think we would like) I wouldn't hesitate to have another cs.

Good luck! Focus on your dc, they'll be worth all this x

ah yes, no problems feeding also, your milk may come in a day later which is worth knowing before so you can be armed with it. Don't be afraid to ask for help too.

I had a similar situation to yours: an emergency cs following a long labour (so although it was a cs we didn't know the date beforehand), then an elective for second child. I know what you mean about it being weird to know the date in advance.

My advice is to make it as "special" as you can, with your choice of music playing on the CD system and your choice of who cuts the cord/announces the sex/first holds the baby. Also, I was definite I didn't want to know the sex in advance, because I felt this was the one element of surprise I could keep back.

One last thought: the date they give you is not set in stone. Mine nearly didn't happen on the day allocated to us because they ran out of slots - it was only because I went into labour naturally while waiting 12 hours that they did the cs that day. And you could go into labour naturally beforehand of course - so it's not completely guaranteed to be on that date.

I had an elec CS 2nd time after an emCS first time round.

I was terrified at the prospect of 'just turning up' for my 2nd, and found it really freaky knowing when my baby would be born. Thankfully my waters went the day before my planned section, and my DS arrived 12 hours before planned. I was so calm knowing 'I' had gone into labour so I know how you feel. But you will be fine, I promise whatever happens!!

I had a natural 1st, elective cs 2nd and i am booked in for another elective cs in april. The natural birth I had, for me, was a nightmare - i tore badly - spent ages in surgery afterwards and still have problems. When I was pregnant second time I was terrified of having another natural birth so even when I was booked in for a section and given a date I was really paranoid that I would go into labour before the date and not make it to hospital in time to have a section. So it is only with this 3rd pregnancy that I am feeling more relaxed and calm about the whole thing and have had time to think about it. I also find it a bit weird to know my dc3's birth date (if all goes to plan!). My 1st section did feel very clinical at first but as soon as I saw my dc2 I forgot everything and have never regretted it. It is a far fonder memory than that of my natural labour! I had no problems with bonding or feeding btw - in fact my milk took longer to come in after my 1st. Good luck and try not to worry. You will forget it all once the baby is here!

I had a natural birth 1s time round with a poorly premature baby (now a healthy 7 year old). The birth was traumatic and put me off for 7 years! My 2nd baby (now 11 weeks old)was breech and I an elective C-section, although originally planned hypnobirthing. It was a wondeful experience and I would do it again! The hospital staff were fantastic and made the birth a really special event. I had no problems feeding and did so in the recovery room.

I am having an elective c-section after 2 natural births (one horrific, the other fine, but with complications with retained placenta).....this time round I was prepared to go natural again, but seeing as placental problems seem to be presenting again (though there is no way of telling for sure until the actual birth, despite regular scanning)I have followed consultants advice to have the section, as it will be safer for me once the baby is out, JUST IN CASE they need to operate. To tell the truth, I probably wouldn't be able to concentrate on the birth for worrying about the possible complications afterwards, so for me it's the right decision - plus as an added bonus I can line the in-laws and my mother up in advance to help with the childcare!

Thanks for all the stories. It seems like health reasons/traumatic births are the push for an elective section 2nd/3rd+ time round.

My other concern is the recovery afterwards. having a toddler to run around after and a house to run fills me with dread re the time it could take for me to be 100% again but then I guess we all have this problem. Hubby is off work so hopefully I can just close my eyes to all his domestic failings and let him get on with it

My date is 'booked' and unlikely to change.....I live in Jersey, no NHS and they only do booked sections on a Thursday!

Good luck to all - thanks again!