Elective Csection to avoid potential emergency one?

[MyDearSweetSummerChild]

I’ve been told this is a “first world problem” but please bear with me on this and I’ll try to keep it concise....

I’m currently 4 months pregnant with my second child. I have a high bmi but I am otherwise healthy.

Throughout my first pregnancy, I was adamant that I wanted a natural water birth, no drugs etc and wanted to avoid a section at all costs.
My son was not for budging and at 41 weeks he became completely stuck in my pelvis and also stuck under my ribs. (I have a very small frame versus my husbands gigantic one and baby took after his dad)

I met with the consultant who advised an elective csection the same day as “chances are, it would become an emergency csection”if I went into labour

Obviously my fear went from having a section to losing my child and so I had an elective section. Everything went well and I have a healthy son who was well over 11lbs!

I said to my midwife this time round that I wanted a section. She challenged this saying I was adamantly against one last time and it’s probably just my hormones?????
I explained that I’d realised my biggest fear isn’t a section. It’s an emergency section. It’s being put to sleep and waking up with a new baby. My midwife said that was “just silly” and is pushing for vbac.

I’m attending a clinic to try and encourage vbac but I really feel like I’ve made my decision...

Does the vbac pressure ever stop through pregnancy or will this go on til my second son is born?

Ignore the midwife and find a different one who isn't fundamentalist about how your baby arrives. The consultant has advised an elective C-section and any decent midwife should respect your decision.

Your midwife is talking rubbish.

As people have said, most emergency sections are under spinal/epidural NOT general anaesthetic.

Also, elective sections do not cost the NHS much more at all (it's £70/£80ish quid from what I remember), because once you take into account the costs of repairs/surgery following some vaginal births, counselling, physio, treatment for increased risk of incontinence etc, the costs are marginal. So the immediate cost of a section is more, but the long term costs are very similar.

Have whichever type of birth you'd prefer, and didth the awful midwife if you can.

Please consider submitting a complaint about this midwife. Other posters have explained all the things that are wrong with what she’s told you. It really isn’t on.

Also, this isn’t a ‘first world problem’ - how dare anyone dismiss your concerns in such a patronising way?

And finally, as the poster above has explained, it’s far from clear cut whether CSs do cost the health service more than VBs, once you take into account the cost of treating complications arising from VBs, and in fact the NHS litigation budget (around 2/3s of which is spent on settling obstetric claims, and around 70% of which arise from botched vaginal deliveries).

But even if they did cost the health service more, that’s not an appropriate point for your midwife to make to you. The woes of the health service are neither your fault nor yours to solve.

I had ems under spinal. Real emergency. Fetal distress. Heart rate. I don't have a clear memory of it. Hubby was terrified. My dad cried when he saw me the next day because I looked so awful.
Next baby was elective cs. It was lovely. So calm.
I had same issues as you. Consultant advised elective section with future children. I told midwife. Midwife challenged me. Even registrar at hospital parroted the party line of vbac. I then insisted on seeing my consultant who was the only person who attend appt with my previous notes. His response. "They're all being a bit overly optimistic about you having a successful vbac. Let's get you booked in"
If you've had a previous c-section you have the right to an elective with subsequent births. Dig in and get the birth you want. It will be worth it. Good luck.

Thank you all SO much for your responses, I’m sorry it’s taken so long to reply.

I really do appreciate all your advice and you’ve given me a lot of confidence to get the birth I want.

Thank you all so much!

A health care provider dismissing your (very reasonable) concerns as 'just silly' should be reported. That is unprofessional and inappropriate. You have every right to request a section.

Your midwife should be giving you impartial medical advice, not her opinion. A bad vaginal birth will cost the NHS SO MUCH more than an elective section. The financial fall out from a traumatic birth is exponential. You really need to report her.