Elective C-Section (medical/non medical reasons)

[LittlePeaPod]

I understand this subject has been done before. I also know that ECS particularly as personal choice rather than as a medical need is an emotive subject and the debate about CS birth can be particularly contentious.

Considering 1 in 4 women in the UK experience a CS birth I have been disappointed to see how inadequate access to CS antenatal information is, so women can make a truly informed decision. Personally I think it's short-sighted to focus solely on VB and continually emphasise managing pain relief. The NHS is so focused on their target to reduce the 1 in 4 CS due to cost that they are neglecting their responsibilities to those women that choose or want a CS birth regardless of medical need.

I am currently 23+6 and I have chosen to opt for an ECS. There is no medical reason for a CS but this is a birth choice that I want. I understand that CS and VB both carry real but different risks but I believe these risks should be explained to women so we can make informed decisions about which birth risks we wish to take. Unfortunately this is not the case and the push for VB is so endemic in the NHS that women are not receiving the true facts on CS.

For those women like me that want an ECS birth. I just wanted you to know that due to the new NISA guidelines if you want/choose a CS the NHS now have to give you one. They will do everything they can to try and change your mind to the point of trying to scare you and make you feel guilty about your choice. But, regardless of medical need if you insist that a CS is the right choice for you the NHS have to honour your wishes and give you a CS. I am fortunate to have been able to privately pay for independent advice on VB and CS from three different very well respected professionals in the UK (two consultant obstetricians and one consultant in fetal medicine) and also received advice from a close family friend who is a consultant anaesthetist. I was shocked to hear how target driven VBs are in the NGS and how in fact this is what's driving the push for women been made to think they should have a VB and not the safety issue.

Ladies it is your choice how you have your babies and what you do with your body. If you want a CS you can have a CS regardless of medical need on the NHS. My DF and I have just spent a lot of money finding that out. I am 23+6 and the NHS have now confirmed I will be having an ECS and there is no medical or psychological need. I am having it because its my choice. I wanted to share this because prior to spending a fortune getting non biased information I was under the impression that I had to prove a VB was medically necessary, would psychologically affect me or that I had a fear of VB before a CS would be authorised by the NHS. Well that's not the case, its about personal choice. VB or CS you have a right to choose and the NHS have to honour your choice. It's just a shame and has royally pissed me the fuck off that if your choice is an ECS for non medical reasons the NHS are making it so difficult for you to opt for that choice in an informed way.

Congratulations LittlePea! I know we've had our disagreements on this thread but am really happy for you that it went smoothly and you feel it was the right decision. Hope you recover quickly and can enjoy getting on with the really important bit - being a Mum!

Thank you for all your kind messages.

Cann you can request an ELCS at any stage within your pregnancy however I am really unsure how to push for one at such a late stage. My advice is speaking to your consutant again and emphasing your concerns. Also try and get support for the CS from your GP and see if they are opening to writing to the consultant.

Rallytog thank you and we may not have always agreed but ultimately we all want/hope that every woman has a positive experience and most importantly delivers a healthy baby. I really appreciate your post. Thank you.

Great. Thank you for the best wishes.

Update -Day 2. I was surprised at how well controlled the pain was following delivery on NYE. I had a combination of the epidural and the spinal for delivery which I would highly recommend. I also agreed to having a pain relief pessary straight after the CS, again I would highly recommend this. DH was able to watch her been delivered, the consutant also agreed to allowing the cord to pulse so DD got the benefit of getting the extra blood. I was breast feeding as soon as I got into the recovery room. All in all it was a very calm, positive experience and I have been left with some great memories. I can't thank the teams (from hospital check in MWs, through to surgical team and post op / recovery / check out team) that looked after us enough. They were just amazing! The NHS at its best IMHO.

On day 2 (new year day) I still didn't feel much pain in the moring/mid afternoon and think this was down to the pessary. However, it did get more uncomfortable late afternoon into the evening as the pessary wore off. When I say uncomfortable I mean 1) you can still walk, go to the loo, pick up/put down/breast feed/FF with no problem. 2) it is uncomfortable getting out of bed and up from a seated position so you have to take it slow. 3) you do walk a lot slower. I was out of hospital and home by 8pm new years day. The car journey was a bit uncomfortable. In terms of pain relief as of day 2 post CS, I am managing on 2 paracetamols every 4 hours, limited to 4 times a day. I am also taking 1 ibuprofen (400mg) 3 times a day, limited to every 8 hours. It is uncomfortable but not the agonising pain that people described which means you need lots of help and cant look after your baby. I am very capable of looking after DD (feeding, changing, carrying, cuddling etc.). One recommendation for those having a CS, make sure you have a changing mat and feeding equipment downstairs and upstairs if possible. It's best avoiding stairs, although manageable, it is uncomfortable going up and down a lot.

I will provide further updates as the week progresses. If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask.

I'm so glad things are going well peapod - it sounds like you had a really positive experience

writer thank you. We really have had a very positive experience. I am wanting to share this with other mums thinking of or having CS. It's daunting enough becoming a new parent without worrying about some of the scary stories out there. I hope people can see that CS can be positive experiences too. Even with my beliefs about birth choices I was worried about how I would cope post CS and I am fine...

One more thing. Try not to laugh too are or cough. That can be very very uncomfortable.

Laugh too much..... Not laugh too are!

Congrats LittlePea, that's great news!!
A lot of my friends have had similarly positive experiences with ELCS and i am VERY tempted i will admit. If my consultant sees no reason for me to have one though i will hope to go the vaginal route. I deeply respect your decision though and will not be a bit disappointed at all if it's a route i have to go down! (for eg if baby is breech, of if she feels the baby is too big, or my cervix is too tight etc..)
Wishing you a fabulous motherhood!

Congratulations Littlepeapod and I am really pleased you are doing so well.

I will be keen to hear when you are able to start driving again. I haven't looked I to my car insurance situation yet, as it's a company car and work don't know yet. However it is a pretty big concern for me, and a full 6 wks not driving would send me and the rest of the family insane!

Congratulations LittlePeaPod on your little one's safe arrival. Really pleased you had a positive birth and thanks too for the info on your experiences post CS (I have made a mental note to sort out a feeding table/mat both upstairs and down). It really is useful to hear a level-headed account of an ELCS, as you experienced it. All the best!

I'm seeing my Obstetrician in the morning so will talk further with her about the ELCS as we only briefly spoke of it at my last appointment. The recovery is definitely what I'm most worried about so your updates have made me feel so reassured - My main worry is that I won't even be able to pick up the baby and will be totally reliant on other people.

Congratulations LittlePeaPod. I think everyones experiences are different with CS and VB. I found my CS and recovery horrendous but I was comparing it to my straightforward VB's that were only a couple of hours long. Also I had to walk back and forth to NICU all the time to visit DS4 and take expressed milk which probably didn't help either.

Thanks for starting this thread and many congratulations on your new baby! I am 25 weeks and trying to decide on delivery method. I had a 3rd degree tear last time but consultants are trying to persuade me against having a section. I don't know what to do- I have read so many fors and againsts for people in my position. They won't let me book one until 35weeks and it's almost like they don't want to discuss it until then. I am getting the feeling that they've been told to get the numbers of sections down in the hospital, but what I really want is some impartial advice about it- I don't give a toss about their statistics! Really really hard to know what to do. Husband would like me to have a section as he feels that although I healed well the last time scar tissue is not the same as skin and if I tore again it might be even worse this time. I have to say I am also coming down on the section side but I am afraid of everything I've been told about the risks of this 'major abdominal surgery'. It sounds amazing to me that you're even able to walk now as I was under the impression that people who had sections were basically bed bound for a fortnight or more!

Thanks so much for the update PeaPod, and so glad to hear you're recovering well so far. I had an emcs almost 3 years ago, and I found the recovery fine too. Sure, I was sore and couldn't laugh/cough very well for a few days, but as long as I stayed on top of the pain relief I was fine. I think I was surprised by how quickly I would go downhill if I forgot my pain relief though, even after a week or two after surgery.

I've a quick question please; were you sick after the operation? As in, vomming your guts up? I'm really worried about this aspect this time, as I was chucking up for hours afterwards, but am hoping that was due to the emcs/hospital shepherd's pie I'd not long eaten, so I'd be ok this time?

Chica thank you for your post and I really hope you get the delivery you want. It really made a huge difference for DH and I.

MissMeddan I will keep updating the thread with my recovery progress. However if it helps, my SIL had a CS 10 weeks ago and her GP signed her off to drive after 2 and a half weeks. Her insurer accepted this and she was insured to drive from the date of the GP sign off letter. I am hoping I recover as well and get signed off to drive quickly. I will let you know though.

Swampus thank you for your post. I wanted to share my experience because I would have found a similar thread really helpful.

Writer I was breast feeding and holding DD in the recovery room. I was up, walking about and changing her within a few hours. Personally, it has not been as scary and painful as I thought it would be following all the things you hear and read.

Ellie thank you for your post and you are right every birth is different.

Weebig I think the most important decision I made was not to listen to others about the horrible risks etc. I went with the choice my head/heart felt was right for me. I also accepted that as it was my choice I was responsible for whatever the outcome was. Personally and from what I am experiencing, I really can't see how anyone that has a CS is bed bound for 2 weeks unless it was a crash/EMCS. According to my consultant, Crash/EMCS are much more traumatic experiences on the body and can't be compared to ELCS. I really hope you get the birth choice that is right for you. IMHO it makes such a difference to your experience.

Slinky thank you and the coughing/laughing isn't good ha ha. With regards your question, no I wasn't sick and I didn't feel sick at all. I was given an anti acid tablet to pop under my tongue before surgery which is to help prevent sickness. The anaesthetist did tell me to tell him know as soon as possible if I felt sick. A drop in blood pressure can make you sick and as he said "its easier to prevent you been sick than to stop you once you start".

I will provide an update on Day 3 recovery tomorrow.

I am off to go and cuddle, feed and stare at our gorgeous first born DD. God I am so in love with her... Sickly sentence I know but can't help it.

This is an interesting read - and I lie on the other side of the fence. I will be induced at 38 weeks due to medical reasons and know that a cs is the likely (though not definite) outcome for me, which would upset and terrify me.

I want so much to experience natural childbirth and the idea of major surgery does not appeal. I have never had any form of surgery before and would rather avoid it if possible. However,I support women being allowed to make their own choice.

Little Pea Congratulations ....such wonderful happy news.
So lovely to see you still getting chance to post, It's a great thread.
Take care x

Thanks Little Pea. I had not heard that about EMCS before but it is one of my fears if I go for a vaginal birth (because this time I WILL be having major pain relief- I would hate it to end in an emergency section). At some point I will just have to decide and then stick to my decision. You are right- there is so much info about risks on both sides!

That's such a relief to hear you weren't sick, although I do realise we're all different. Fingers crossed I won't be either.

weebig, I was 12 days overdue and induced with ds. Waters broke, I got to 4cm dilated then the midwives did an internal exam and realised he was breech. I'd had three different mw's tell me he was "head down" that day, and ended up with an emcs. I really didn't want to run the risk of another, as found it all so stressful, hence my decision for an elcs. I don't know whether I'm pessimistic/cynical, but I just have a gut feeling that I wouldn't be able to deliver vaginally...and I can't trust midwives when they tell me baby is "head down" either!

VJONES I have a wide circle of friends, and I'm definitely in the minority in wanting to choose surgery over a vaginal delivery. Most say they'd be gutted not to be able/not to have delivered "naturally". But I guess it is personal choice and the world would be boring if we were all the same . I have never had a desire to push a melon out of a paper cut .

P.s jealous of newborn snuggles! I spent the evening ironing newborn clothes

Slinky - the idea of natural birth doesn't fill me with joy and excitement of course, but it's natural and we're built to do it so I want to at least experience bringing my own beautiful baby into this world myself.

I certainly see a place for cs especially in medical situations, of course. But I just can't see the sense of euphoria and achievement that would come from such a clinical situation.

Also, the thought of needing an epidural absolutely terrifies me :-S

VJones - I was I hospital last week being monitored because I'd fallen down some stairs and the women in the room next to me was in active labour. I have never heard anything so frightening in my life!!! I've seen women give birth on TV etc but hearing it for real, bloody hell, she sounded in absolute agony!! I have never heard such loud and piercing screams, lol It scared the hell out of me for the entire 4 hours I was there!! I was also watching a Documentary earlier today that featured childbirth and I just grimaced the whole way through and thought "thank god I haven't got to go through that...." I have since learnt that shows like One Born Every Minute and The Midwives don't show the half of it!

My friend gave birth 4 weeks ago and said that the women who are get ELCS are the lucky ones!!

Writer - on the other hand,I know lots of women who didn't scream during labour (my mum said it's a waste of energy and over dramatic). I also know women who have walked/squatted/bent over during labour in whatever way their bodies told them to, to cope with the pain. And that active approach is much better than the laying down women seem to feel forced into doing.

until it happens, I won't know how I will cope with it obviously but I certainly want the opportunity :-)

The first MN thread to leave me speechless.....

Wow :(

Hey Sticky - why the sad face?

Also... reminds me of the "should the UK & US become the same country" thread... such mindless medicalisation of birth suggests HELL YEAH!!

Well fingers crossed you will have a nice birth then VJ - like you said, lots of women do. I think your mum's comment was a bit harsh though....

I was offered the choice of attempting natural labour first with an epidural in place and moving onto EMCS if needed - or go straight for ELCS. Initially the plan was for me to attempt natural labour but now that my health has deteriorated my Obstetrician wants me to go straight for ELCS. At the end of the day your health is so important and there is no point worrying over something you may have no control over. I hope you get the birth you want but don't let yourself get too downhearted if things take another direction further down the line x