"Too posh to push" ?

[jasper]

I know this is a clumsy phrase but at least we all know what it means.
Does anyone actually know of a woman ( themselves even) for whom this is/was the case?

As I feel kinda responsible for alot of this debate, here is an update, I saw my Consultant this morning who last week (week 37+3) gave me the choice of C section or "trial labour"(this is due to me having a near Placenta Previa, Bi Cornate uterus, Non engagement and being very anaemic).....after reading a posting from EVERYONE, I decided to ask for a C section.

HOWEVER today, he decided to take my options away from me, and has decided that he wants me to "trial labour" with an epidural from the very beginning so I am prepared for theatre incase of a haemorrhage. He admitted he wants to see how far I can dilate with a placenta so close to the OS site.

I am upset for the reasons that I was mentally and physically prepared both for a major operation and of course the chance to finally see my little one, and now I am playing the waiting game again not really knowing how my labour is going to be.

Birth plan was thrown away!

At the end of the day, all I want is for baby to born the safest way possible and I'm sure like all other Mummys we'd literally "lose a limb" for our Little Ones, but I do feel alittle like an experiment, and that my Consultant has only choosen this option due to the media hype in the past week.

I said I wouldn't say any more - so please, no more sneery comments about my supposed mental state as I found them very distressing - but I just wanted to offer this advice.

As someone who had a c-s for placenta praevia (complete in my case), consider asking your consultant what would happen if you did start to bleed. Mine (top woman in field) told me that she would instantly go for full general anaesthetic as it would be too scary for me and my blood pressure would drop which could be dangerous. I had to really fight for an epidural, and even then she said that at the first sign of haemorrhage it would have to be replaced by a general and my husband would have to leave before our baby was born. Also ask if you would be more like to haemorrhage in labour or during a c-s. It was very important for a. my husband to be with me and b. for me not to miss a second of my son's life, so I REALLY didn't want a general. If those factors are important to you too it may be better to go for the c-s from the start if it cuts the risk of getting a general anaesthetic. The risks for c-s birth (particularly today's scare stories) nearly all apply to emergency sections which usually follow problems in labour, NOT electives (and certainly not electives chosen where there is little or no underlying medical problem - no research on that anywhere). You will probably be fine whatever you choose to do, but I think it should be you choosing, not your consultant. And do check the stuff about the aneasthetic - it was important to me and as you probably know (!) I had a very good experience, didn't bleed too excessively and wasn't doped up at all so remember it all with crystal clarity. Good luck. All this uncertainty must be horrible for you.

Kicsr,I totally understand your last comments about feeling like an experiment - that's what I was thinking as I read your post. I don't think it's right that you were given options only to have them taken away at a later date when your medical condition has not altered. I get the impression that you are not altogether at ease with the 'agreed' course of action - maybe do some thinking to be sure that it is what's right for you. I may be over-reading between the lines, but what you say makes me wonder if you feel that your original decision was made primarily to avoid risk to your baby and you, and that now you feel your consultant is exposing you to more risk? Remember it's your body!

Kicsr,I totally understand your last comments about feeling like an experiment - that's what I was thinking as I read your post. I don't think it's right that you were given options only to have them taken away at a later date when your medical condition has not altered. I get the impression that you are not altogether at ease with the 'agreed' course of action - maybe do some thinking to be sure that it is what's right for you. I may be over-reading between the lines, but what you say makes me wonder if you feel that your original decision was made primarily to avoid risk to your baby and you, and that now you feel your consultant is exposing you to more risk? Remember it's your body!

Kicsr...maybe ask for a second opinion? Or see if you can talk to a midwife you have met and liked, even on the phone....it's definitely worth talking discussing again with someone else. Good luck.

Just want to wish you all the best kicsr, this must be a distressing situation. I think tiktok is right you need to ask for a second opinion and believe it or not I am agreeing with Wells here you need to know the facts and the risks involved in your particular case to be able to weigh up the pros and cons.

"The Observer" article yesterday has made me feel a bit anxious. I had an emergency cs two and half years ago under a general anaesthetic. The labour was progressing well but went wrong towards the final stage. We've been trying for number two for 7 months now. I can't accept that the op has left me unable to concieve but my husband is forty next week and we really want this second baby soon.I wish I'd never seen the article now as I feel it's just added to the tension of wondering if we'll have a second baby.

Pluto, I had an elective that went wrong afterwards, and like you, found the implications of the Observer-cited research worrying, especially as we are also trying without success for no 2. You might want to consider talking to your GP asap and getting the basic tests underway - I have found this process quite reassuring after putting it off for weeks and weeks, and my GP, without laughing off my worries, has been very forthright on the subject of small-scale studies and the way they are reported in the media. Also, see Mears' post below in this thread if you haven't already. I found that helpful too. Good luck!

I think your GP is absolutely right, Marina. I'm not trying for a baby at present but would certainly like another at some point in the next few years and I found the Observer article really worrying, given that my boys were delivered by emergency c/s. When I looked more closely I realised that it was quite a small study. It's such a hot topic in the media at the moment that reports are quite likely to scaremonger or at least conclude quite a lot from quite a little, if you get my drift.

kiscr,

If you read back my post a long way back you will see that was an option I suggested. Please be assured that he is not experimenting with you for the sake of it.
Your consultant will not have been swayed by media hype but by the fact he will not want to unecessarily scar your uterus, this being your first baby. That would have an impact on any future deliveries.

He must believe there is a very good chance you will have a vaginal delivery otherwise he would not plan this course of action.

My concern would be that he has not involved you in this decision. Did you frankly discuss your concerns? Have you spoken to your midwife?

Wells - the anaesthetic debate really comes into play when it is a major praevia with the placenta lying anteriorly at the front of the uterus. A general anaesthetic is recommended then because the surgeon has to cut through the placenta to reach the baby which can reult in a massive haemorrhage. Although you had major praevia it your placenta would probably have been lying more to the back of the uterus and out of the way of the incision otherwise the consultant would not have agreed to a spinal.

kiscr - your situation is different. With an epidural on board it will not be a problem to top it up for C/S if required. Has your consultant mentioned examining you in theatre once you are dilated at all? IME at our hospital women with your problem are usually examined in theatre to see if the placenta can be felt through the cervix at the beginning of labour. If it is felt they have a C/S. If it is not then they are returned to the delivery room to labour. I have seen this on a number of occasions and the placenta has been found to be totally out of the way.

Remember your consultant also wants your baby born in the safest possible way and that is why he has chosen this route. Please please be reassured no consultant would deliberately take risks at this stage because of any media hype.

Try to get yourself psyched up with opimism - your baby will be here very soon. I feel sorry that your last few weeks have been clouded for you. Best wishes - mears

Mears

I appreciate the time you took to write your reply, thankyou.

I have now spoken to my community midwife, and am comfortable with the options I have and the decisions that may need to be made on my behalf.

Of course their advice mirrored yours.

Many thanks for your support.

I just want to cuddle this little one...anyday now....:-)

KICSR

Hope all goes well for you and you get a big cuddle soon

I am only new to mumsnet and have found it interesting reading these posts. I had to have an emergency caeserean - I had gone to the hospital for a scan and an hour later I am having an emergency caeserean. My baby had stopped growing and then when monitoring the heart beat - the machine lost the heart beat at one stage. I did not want a caeserean and definitely did not want an epidural. In fact my daughter had a serious heart defect and the specialist felt a natural delivery would be better ( at 24 wks pregnant this was) When it came to 38 weeks - the decision was taken out of my hand. My baby had to be born!!!!

Suprisingly - never having even been in hospital let alone having major surgery I recovered fine. I was up and about the next day. I was unable to have the surgical stockings they put on you so I needed to move to prevent blood clots so I needed to move about. The only time I had some pain relief was in the evening as it helped me sleep. In fact, I got annoyed at continually being offered pain relief. I was tender but I think being aware of my stoach being tender helped me not over do it. I was able to lift my baby in and out of her incubator in special care. My baby was in special care so they kept me in for five days before I finally convinced them to let me go home.

Had I the choice - no I would not have elected for a caesarean but for my daughter's sake I had one. And yes - it does feel like someone doing the washing up in your stomach and it is bizarre talking to people while someone is rummaging around in your stomach.

Next time - I would like a natural delivery but if I can't I am not going to beat myself up about it.

HI eidsvold and wellcome to mumsnet. I hope you like it and stick around
Glad your birth story had a happy ending.

Thought I'd "re-vive" this thread... did anyone read anymore info on Claudia Schiffer's baby? Apparantly she had a caesarean... I know nothing more... is it a case of too posh to push????

It gets worse. Apparantly she was advised to have a cesarian after an injury to her foot!!! I've thought about it and thought about it and I still can't figure out WHY?

Mind you, a friend of mine was advised to have a cesarian after she was bitten by a mouse.

I read that too...tee hee.

You'd have thought that the last thing a supermodel wants is a c section scar.

I read in one of the papers today - I think it was th Mail - that she had been advised to have a c-section because of the injury to her foot. A fireplace fell on it back in November and because she was pg, docs couldn't give her strong painkillers. Also it had failed to heal. Not sure if any of these pieces of information were supposed to be related.

So.... if her foot wasn't healing well, why on earth would she want to have surgery? Surely you'd be worried about your body's ability to heal itself? Or maybe she thought an unhealed wound on her stomach would be less of a problem that an unhealed wound on her perineum?

Sorry - these comments are all based on an article which was probably bad journalism but it did raise those questions in my head!

A fireplace fell on her foot?!?!?!

Of course if you have a sore foot the next thing you need is major abdominal surgery! Oh and a new baby to look after!

Batters - couldn't agree with you more. IMO the most important thing is that BOTH baby AND mother arrive at the other end safe and sound. There are far worse things that can happen to you than a c section - and they make six weeks worth of a sore tummy look like a walk in the park. But they're not the sort of thing that gets mentioned at ante-natal classes where all too often the mantra is that a "vaginal birth is everything". Well in some cases it isn't.

I also believe every woman should have the choice but I'm not convinced that the reason given to us is a sound reason to choose a c-section.

Immobility isn't a good thing post-surgery and can lead to increased risks of DVT/clotting. Not sure how much she'll be moving around on that foot.

I'd like to point out that Claudia Schiffer isn't the kind of model who'd be bothered by a 3om c-section scar - after all, unless you are completely naked, with a Brazilian bikini wax, how could anyone see it? As it is, she'll be able to wear tiny string bikinis with no scar showing. I could, if I wanted to frighten the horses! Also, I have said this before, but I too was out of bed the next day (had my c-section at 6pm, was in my own room by 11pm and up the next morning for a wash. Home four days later (could have gone much earlier but had a private room with unlimited visiting so made the most of it) and felt totally normal two weeks later. It never stopped me driving, going up stairs, picking up ds, breastfeeding ds, etc etc etc. I have friends who had natural deliveries who took longer to recover physically. I strongly suspect that CS just fancied a section because she didn't want to go through labour, and, particularly as she was paying for it, I can't see that anyone has any grounds to criticise her for that. She's the most intensely dull person I have ever met, BTW, but far from stupid, so I expect she made an informed choice.

I think the fact that she felt obliged to issue a statement at all to defend her choice indicates how got-at women who have c-sections feel!