Head spinning, from home birth to caesarean....advice\stories

[Firstimefreaked]

I've been measuring in the 95th percentile (fundal) and went in for my 37 week scan to be told she's small 5,06lb and breech they want to induce or caesarean this week! I'm leaning towards caesarean and have started steroids but I'm scared as its early. Just feeling so shocked!

I had an unsuccessful ECV, done by the UK's leading consultant in breech birth and it still failed. It was really unpleasant and I wouldn't bother again. It's your choice of course, though. Had a c section and it was absolutely fine, not scary when it came to it. When you're caught up in everything that's happening and excited to have your new baby out you won't start dwelling on immediate skin to skin or anything. I had all this planned but didn't even notice that they took DD off to weigh and cut the cord before I had her, it was all just a blur. Try not to worry, you'll be fine.

Just want to add my positive experience of cs. Had an emergency cs for my first then planned for my 2nd. Both were fine, the planned was a really positive experience and recovery was straightforward and relatively easy.

Another vote from me for ELCS. Very different circumstances but I was induced first time round and ended up with a difficult EMCS but have very recently just had an ELCS and the recovery and experience was just so different (well recovery is very early days but seems markedly easier so far). I could hardly walk to the end of the hospital corridor after the third night in hospital last time, this time I was home within 24 hours. Obviously needing pain relief but completely different level to last time. Also with a traumatic CS first time I can hardly recall the birth of my first but this time, apart from a minute where my blood pressure fell (really normal and recitified in what literally felt like seconds) i felt good throughout and calm.

Best of luck and it will all be worth it once you have your baby in your arms

I ha an emcs after a very long and failed induction. It was great actually, the last thing I wanted, but great. Ultimately I just wanted her out safely and her heartbeat had started ro dip.
Dh was there and watched her come it, he told me she was a girl and was able to cut the cord. He held her next to me whilst I was sewn up and we did skin to skin immediately in recovery and started breast feeding. I would opt for another next time.
My recovery has been fine, a bit sore but it didn't stop me looking after her.
Hope all goes well for you.

My DS was small for dates on the scans, and they recommended an ELCS rather than induction because my obstetrician said he didn't want to put such a small baby through the additional stress of an induced birth. (They did various Doppler scans on the cord in the run up to make sure the placenta was okay - I presume you've been offered this).

My ELCS was fine - very straightforward, I recovered very quickly. DS was indeed small - 5lb 8 at 41 weeks. He did find the breast immediately after my CS, but didn't feed brilliantly (heel prick tests of blood glucose) so he was tube fed formula for a week while I established breast feeding - bloody hard work, a more-or-less continuous cycle of me trying to feed him or pumping to get my milk supply going, but we did it in the end.

If they have any worries about placental function I'm amazed they're even suggesting an ecv to be honest - I'd definitely go for the CS in your situation.

I think it's more they don't know why she's small so their guessing. Thanks for telling me about your experiences it makes me feel a lot better and assertive X

Atleast I hadn't paid for the home birth kit yet so going out shopping today X so that's great.

Firstime - hope all goes well for you. So much is down to how HCP handle discussing this stuff, I find. I was lucky to have an immensely sane and sensible obstetrician. I remember him saying "okay, the scan suggest DS is small - it could be a problem with the placenta, it could be..." - looks at my diminutive stature - "that it runs in the family and he's just small. We'll monitor things which will give us plenty of time to act if we need to." (Just to give extra reassurance, I'm looking at my small DS who is now a strapping 9 year old!)

I was induced early because of worry that baby had stopped growing. At the time, I couldn't stop crying and I hated my bump as I thought my body had not worked properly in growing my baby. He was slightly small (but not clinically). But by 9 months he was heavier and taller than average and still is!

I know how you feel and how scary this is for you but this scary time will pass and you will have much more control once your baby is safely out. Best of luck

Thank you for posting - I've found all the replies useful as I'm in a similar situation and likely to have a planned Caesarean at 37 weeks for a small breech baby. They picked up mine was small at 32 weeks so I have had a bit more time to get used to the idea though - it was still a surprise though as at the 20 week scan it had been average sized (and head down).
When the consultant started talking about risks of respiratory difficulties at 37 weeks I was panicking a bit, but my midwife was very helpful and reassuring and explained that if the placenta may not be 100% it's safer to deliver them then than leave them inside at risk of potentially more serious complications. My first didn't have any size issues picked up before birth but didn't cope well with labour at 41 weeks (ended up with an emergency section for fetal distress) and was very small (2nd centile) so probably whatever is going on now was also a problem for him, luckily he was fine and now tall for his age, but maybe he was struggling a bit inside for whatever reason.
I am getting the impression that a planned section is a much better experience for most people than an emergency one so hopefully that will be the case for us both.
Although it is weird knowing in advance that it's going to happen - last time they didn't even get me to sign a consent form, it happened so quickly, so I didn't have time to worry about it!

I'm sorry you're going through this stress and uncertainty and I hope everything works out just fine.

I have not been in your position or given birth before, so this is purely my feelings-based opinion, but I would rather have a planned CS than an ECV and induction and have a reasonable chance of ending up with an EMCS anyway.

I hope you get a chance to ask more questions before you need to make a decision. Already being at 37 weeks is good news, though.

I'm having a planned CS myself, so I don't have a real attachment to the idea of avoiding one! My doctor said that she thinks people recover more easily from the planned ones, and stories on MN support that too.

At my hospital, they do skin to skin (almost) right away and if I'm feeling yucky from the drugs, DH will hold the baby.

I'm 35+3 and my baby is breech. I also have a massive fibroid ( size of a melon) growing alongside the baby. I'm going to the consultant on Monday to discuss my planned c section. Everyone keeps commenting on how small my bump is and I know I haven't really grown much since I last saw the consultant at 32 weeks. ( the baby has been measuring on the 50th percentile) so I'm fully expecting them to book me in early. ( due date is 31st August!) it's good to read these responses and I'm just wanting the baby out and to be ok to be honest.
My first labour was ok ( waterbirth gas and air ) what I wanted. But I had to have surgery to remove the torn placenta, lost lots of blood and had a 3rd degree tear. So although I could have a vaginal birth ( well before he turned back to breech) I'm going for a planned c section as I'm terrified of what could happen bleeding wise as if it's controlled planned and they are aware of my fibroid then hopefully everything will be ok.
It's a scary thought of having a baby early but babies are born early all the time.

Xxx hugs

I'm going to be a lone voice but I had a very very straightforward ecv followed by an induction.
I really did not want a c section.

I'm glad to hear all this and I'm glad @joinourclub that you had a good induction turn as I wouldn't want to anyone else to be put off as its a personal choice X I'm going in on Tuesday at 12pm so hopefully on this Thursday I'll be messaging how it went!

@beachbaby2017 I can ask all the questions I need on Monday as I have to go in for pre prep the day before and they said until they make the first cut I can opt out. It's just they had to start the prep immediately as it delays the c section if I wanted it.

I think I'm feeling better now and I spunkend a bundle and got nearly everything I need as the clothes I had are too big X but everyone has been so supportive X thank you mumsnetters it's maybe the best thing I've ever joined X

She turned!!! No c section X can't believe it , want to break my water on Monday tho X

Good luck! :)