So, second pregnancy and I'm booked in for an elcs at month end (will be 39+1). If I start labour sooner, though, I'll probably try for a VBAC. This has been discussed w/consultant (weeks ago) and various factors taken into account, incl previous emcs-after-long-labour experience; everyone seems happy with the plan as far as it goes.
Today I had a quick follow-up appt with the consultant I saw before. Clinic v busy, ended up waiting over an hour beyond appt time, then had to see another doc as mine was busy doing something else.
He was perfectly OK until ... well, as thread title, basically. I had read about "natural" CS on a thread here. Also read articles in Guardian and Times about it. Thought it sounded appealing. Asked consultant whether it was something I ought to discuss with my midwife, or could he maybe advise about whether it was likely to be something I could try for at our local hospital?
He hadn't heard of it, so he had a skeptical reaction & then went onto Google and looked at the Times article, skimming bits of it v quickly while at the same time telling me various reasons why it wasn't a good idea. I tried to make it clear that I wasn't trying to push for anything unrealistic, just kind of sounding out whether this approach was a familiar one amongst the team of people likely to be doing my surgery. Asked if it was possible the other consultant (the one I had seen before) might have heard of it. He said he would ask her, but still felt need to tell me that "birth isn't romantic". I said politely that I wasn't getting swept up in romantic ideas, and wasn't really fussed about aspects like lighting or music, but liked the sound of some things like the slower delivery, or the immediate skin-to-skin instead of taking the baby away first.
So off he went, came back with the other consultant. I somehow got the feeling right away that he'd quietly implied I was Being Awkward. She said she did know all about "natural" CS but that it was really not realistic, and not actually "natural" at all (I know that, it's obviously journalistic shorthand, it's surgery ffs, I'm not an idiot) and that if I was expecting the baby to crawl up my body to the breast on its own, it wouldn't happen (I had never mentioned or thought of such a thing). Also impressed upon me that the people who write these articles aren't doctors (again, I realize that, but there is an actual doctor (Nick Fisk at Queen Charlotte's) involved here and he's been doing these procedures for a few years now, so obviously not everyone thinks it is just silliness).
There followed a stressful conversation in which my specific wishes & reasons for them were picked apart in more detail than I'd prepared for at this meeting; many supposed misconceptions on my part were patronisingly overturned; and I was basically spoken to with the kind of weary patience that normally indicates the person is barely managing not to roll their eyes extravagantly at your outrageous, silly ideas. I was also asked if I really wanted my naked breasts exposed to the entire theatre team throughout the procedure, as they'd need to be if I want immediate skin-to-skin. Said that would be OK if necessary. Was told "It's quite a lot of people, you know, quite a different atmosphere to a small labour room" (yes ffs, I KNOW! I had a cs last time!).
Upshot: it sounds like I will be able to have skin-to-skin with DD immediately as long as she is breathing OK and stuff; so that is a small victory, I guess. But I also get the distinct feeling that simply for raising the issue, I've been branded a "difficult" patient (notes were made), which seems really unfair given that I didn't remotely go in with fixed ideas or demands -- I am not like that, not at all. I mean, last time around I didn't even make an effing birth plan.
Sorry so long, just needed to rant a bit as I had been feeling very positive and confident about the prospective elcs, but am now associating it with feelings of difficulty and potential awkwardness/struggle and being judged by the very people who may actually be performing the surgery. It's making me feel kind of sad.