I was diagnosed with breast cancer during the pregnancy and had to have breast surgery. Now the OB is saying that because of stress, and due to my age and weight, he does not think I can have a vaginal delivery and wants to do a planned c-section. When he first told me, I said it sounded ok and I would think it over. After doing some research and thinking it over and talking to my husband, I realized that it would stress me out MORE to deal with a c-section recovery and radiation treatment (5 days a week) at the same time. I would like to try for a vaginal birth. Either way, I will not be allowed to breastfeed (maybe just colostrum) from the remaining breast, and have to start radiation a couple weeks after delivery. I told the OB I want to discuss vaginal birth instead and told him my concerns about the c-section. He was not pleased that I wasn't sold on the c-section. He told me to decide later, but the meeting left me feeling really uncomfortable. So, I started looking into private midwife delivery at a hospital and/or having a doula accompany me to the hospital where I have booked the OB. I'm more stressed about going to the hospital with a detached doctor and cold midwives (meeting the staff did not go well either) than about the delivery.
I've been hunting down options for both the cancer treatment and delivery in an attempt to find places/staff where I feel comfortable and it's very time consuming. I have only a few weeks left to go.
Has anyone been told they should have a c-section, and then went on to have a vaginal birth? Which option did you go with? Consultant or midwife? Are there any private wards and private midwives that are supportive of vaginal deliveries for women in their 40s? How does the NHS handle cases like mine? I'm new to the UK and paid for NHS coverage but definitely a fish out of water when it comes to the system here.
Looking up options online can be overwhelming. The debates of c-section vs vaginal get really heated! Often I end up just seeing horror stories from both sides and people being vicious to each other. Actual info and names of professionals and places is hard to glean from all of the ugliness :-(