38yrs - 3rd DC due - requesting sterilisation

[DefNotYummyMummy]

I have decided to go for an elective c-section for my 3rd and I have asked my consultant if she could do a sterilisation at the same time.

Am I nuts ?

I loathe being pregnant (severe m/s up to 20 weeks), and I breastfeed exclusively for a year (no bottles) and I really don't want to go through this again. I feel I have sacrificed myself enough and heaven forbid anything should happen to my family (or even my relationship) - I can't do this again.

I'll have 3 children under 4 ish which will be knackering in itself.

Some seem to think it isn't that reliable if done at c-section - but my consultant never told me this.

Has anyone had a similar experience ? I'm a little nervous, but I know I would be devastated if I found out I was pregnant again, and it would be far simpler to sort it out whilst they had me open.

Can't help as such; but it does sound practical to have it done the same time I guess of that's what you have decided to do.

Condoms not an option?

normally I think the medical advice is that it is better for the man to be sterilised than the woman because it is a much less invasive procedure for men, requiring only local anaesthetic but I suppose that if you were able to have it done at the same time as your section then that would not apply, as you would have all the usual post surgical infection risks anyway. Can you have it done under a spinal or epidural or would having the sterilisation done mean that you had to have a general anaesthetic? Personally, if it meant I had to have a GA, with the attendant risks of that, I would march my husband to get snipped instead and have my CS without a GA. If they really can do it at the same time as the CS with the spinal and with no additional risks then I suppose why not?
The only danger would be that you will change your mind and decide you want a fourth in a year or so. Only you know how likely that is. It sounds like you are pretty sure, and three children under 4 sounds like enough on any view!
I don't know any women who consider condoms to be a sufficiently reliable or convenient method of birth control over the long term in a permanent relationship!

haoshiji - we just can't be trusted with condoms. Silly I know - we should be more responsible ! A couple of drinks, kids finally asleep, I had just stopped breastfeeding after 14 months and hadn't even had a period yet...Happened with DC2 and DC3. Should have learnt from the first time. Thought 'we'll be OK !'

I did think about the pill etc, but would rather not have to bother with all that for years to come.

addie81 - They can do it at the same time as CS without GA - consultant said it would just take her 5 minutes to do.

I think I am going to go for it. Otherwise DH will be marching down to that clinic.

Thanks for your replies. It's interesting to see different viewpoints. I have three weeks.

I considered this, but decided against it because of the failure rate.

The failure rate is 0.5%, and that is higher if it is done just after a CS.

I was very sure that I didnt ever want to get pregnant again, so for me a 0.5% failure rate was too high.

Have you considered the Mirena coil - that has a 0.09% failure rate.

I did think about the coil, but I have had a few friends it didn't agree with. Also I am so sick of being poked and prodded I don't want to have something 'foreign' in my body. So that includes taking hormones too.

Irrational, I know.

My consultant has left me to think about it as she does stress it is irreversible.

I think I shall have to ask her about the statistics of success as I want it to be final. No surprises. as I said, I would be devastated if I was pregnant again and abortion would never be an option.

Thanks again for the info.

Go for it!

DH had the snip. We're still waiting for the all-clear, but man, we are so looking forward to spontaneous, worry-free sex again.

He had no problems at all whatsoever and it all works just fine.

I was offered this at my elcs 4 weeks ago (I am 41, have 3 children, and definitely don't want any more).

I eventually decided against for 2 reasons.

1. The failure rate was emphasised, by the consultant - if you do get pregnant because of failure then there is a high risk the pg will be ectopic.

2. I wanted the cs to be about the birth of our child, rather than anything else (I don't know if that makes sense!)

I am very glad in retrospect that I didn't have it done, because I didn't have a great c-section. I lost a lot of blood, the operation had to be done on a tilt because I kept passing out due to low bp, and my recovery has been very slow. I think if a sterilisation had been thrown into the mix it would all have been a bit too much.

Fortunately dh has said that he will have the snip - phew.