Natural birth scaredy cat.

[sabbatica]

Hi all.

Advice and positive stories would be welcome. I'm 23 weeks pregnant with my second baby, the first being 15 months old.

My first birth was tough, for me. I was found to have pre-eclampsia at 38 weeks and induced with prostin. Having endured 12 hours of very violent contractions every 40 seconds the baby and I were in distress and I was given an emergency c-section.

I left the ward and went home a day later as I wanted to get back to familiarity, but ended up pushing myself too hard post surgery like most of us tend to do!

I've been offed a section this time around and am really tempted to go for that option as it saved the day for me last time, was quick and the pain was manageable. I remember labour as being agony in comparison and I'm frightened of being left in pain again for so long before action is taken.

I think I want people to reassure me that if it all goes down the pan, an epidural will make the labour bearable. Diamorphine did nothing for my pain levels, it just allowed me to feel the contractions from a step away ( think you'll know what I mean if you've had it).

Can I just leave the baby inside this time until he's ready for uni?

Hi I'm not sure I be able to help much I've only been thru 1 pregnancy but I had a really rough time like you.
Had to be induced at 41+12 had 3 prostins and water broken 30+ hrs of labour then an blockage with epidural which made the pain actually worse than the contraction pain. Ended being a vontouse delivery, they cut me inside and out and I had a second degree tear. Had to be catheterized to be stitched up because the cut was so bad and ended up with a severe infection that caused the stitches to open up.
Not planning another bundle of joy at the moment but in saying all that it hasn't put me off. Every pregnancy and birth is different. So maybe you could consider and elective csection and ask if you can change your mind all being well. Dont know how far pregnant you have to be to book one but it may ease your mind for now.

ooh, there was an awful article in the Guardian last year- followed online by loads of comments from people who'd been through it of their experiences of being induced, the consensus was to never, ever allow yourself to be induced, to insist on an elective c-section if a natural birth wasn't an option.
Now i know may women have had different experiences of being induced and not all as horrific but it convinced me to be bloody certain that i'd never be induced. NB my first was natural, planned homebirth. Next will be elective c section due to age.
sorry that hasn't reasurred you has it?
What about saying no to induction but also prepare for natural birth. I learnt relaxation techniques and whilst it was still bloody painful I felt in control and able to cope throughout. I had no drugs at all- not even gas and air or TENS. Some people swear by hypnobirthing- its a great way to prepare yourself mentally - though wasn't around for me 20 years ago!
If the natural birth isn't possible then be open to having planned c-section.

I'm so similar to you!! My DD is just 16 months, and I'm 26 weeks with twins.

First time round my waters broke, at 40+2, and I never went into labour, so I was induced after 30 hours, with prostin, which made me contract but not progress, and then syntocinon drip. I had an epidural, which they struggled to get in, but was wonderful when it was working. I could feel all the contractions, but was still in control enough to be able to walk around to the loo (obviously I was being monitored so wasn't freely mobile, as I'm sure you weren't). They let the epidural wear off, and I ended up feeling everything, but that's not the point- I didn't know to ask them to keep topping it up. I had a third degree tear in the end, so spent over an hour in theatre.

I'm also very scared about labour. I think if I don't go into labour naturally, wild horses couldn't make me be induced again, I'm too scared (ha! clearly a fib, if I needed to be and a CS wasn't forthcoming I'd have to but you know what I mean...). I think I'd go for an elective CS. I can have one, I think, as it's twins and I have this previous third degree tear.

However, I think I will do hypnobirthing or something. I have heard such positive things about it, and I do think a good VB has a great recovery, whereas CS always has a risk. There's a thread on here somewhere about second births after third degree tears (I know yours was a second, but it was a bad one) and there are some amazing, positive stories.

But I'm scared like you, the memries of the pain of last time are a bit too clear!!!

Hiya, I'm in the same situation as you now, had a horrific first birth after being induced and ended up with an emcs. Now pregnant with my 2nd and have requested no induction as this is what I am most scared of (and consultant has written this on my notes in big letters) I am planning a vbac as long as everything is OK with me and baby, but I have agreed that if anything happens that will make me be induced (going overdue, high bp, etc) I will go straight to,an elective cs.

So I suppose its possible to have the best of both worlds and I have to Say I feel a lot more relaxed about the birth. I'm also going to try out tens and maybe some hypnobirthing techniques this time around which I didn't do last time.

I was induced. It was fine! Controlled, relaxed, the epidural was awesome and would have no hesitations doing it again and, 6 weeks after the event, all healed and all ok.

Pottering Did they give you the epidural when they started the syntoxin drip (i.e. induction and epidural at the same time)?

Apparently the outcomes tend to be better when they do that, but it's not usual in the UK, or so I believe.

There was about 30 mins difference because the anesthetist was in theatre but 30 mins is nothing in the scheme of things. It was their aim to have them both as close together as possible - DS was back to back too so don't know whether that influenced it being given quicker?

I was induced with both of mine as they were 2 weeks overdue. Both times it took 4 days to get my labour started and it was a case of if we can't break your waters this time then you'll have a c-section.
My first was a horrific birth, she too was back to back, and required every kind of intervention and pain relief apart from c-section.
My 2nd however shot out after only an hour and half of labour, and only gas and air as pain relief.
So please try not to let a first experience put you off! 3rd is due in 14 weeks and I'm hoping it just drops out while I'm walking along....!!!!