Booked c-section but may have to give birth vaginally if go into labour naturally

[NotAgain77]

Hi - 38 weeks, I have a c-section booked for next week. I requested it at 10 weeks due to a previous traumatic birth where my son got stuck in the birth canal. This was agreed by the head consultant and head midwife as a borderline medical need/maternal request.

I have been 'counselled' today by a consultant about the possibility that I go into labour naturally and they are so busy with c-sections that I won't be able to have one. I understood this risk from the point of view of a fast progressing labour, but this isn't what the consultant covered, he essentially said as yours is maternal request and you've had a 'normal' delivery before you would be low priority for a c-section.

I am really upset and stressed by this. I was incredibly physically (3 episiotomies, damaged coccyx) and mentally impacted by my last labour and my son had head damage from being stuck. It took 4 years for us to agree as a family to having a second child and this was done after discussions about whether I would qualify for a c-section.

I am trying to find a way through this, so I have requested my c-section date be brought forward to 39 weeks, from 39+2 to try and avoid going into labour naturally. But I am not hopeful this can be accommodated as the consultant said he wanted to see how things went.

For context - I was made to have an emergency induction at 37 weeks last time, I had OC which they'd lost the blood test from 3 weeks earlier and my levels were dangerously high to baby, so the hospital wanted to deliver asap. I requested a c section then as baby's head was measuring large but it was declined, he then got stuck, and I almost ended up with an emergency c-section, but instead ended up with him being cut from my vagina. This baby's head is measuring larger.

I should also say I am not saying that I deserve priority over some one with medical need/ risk to baby/ mother, I am just trying to avoid more trauma and my baby getting stuck again. Any thoughts on anything else I can do? Or anything that may help me de-stress?

Thanks @SinkGirl.
I've had no luck getting a response from my midwife. In desperation I have reviewed the nice guidelines and I am disappointed that my reasons for requesting a c-section (traumatic previous labour) don't carry any relevance and are just seen as a maternal request.
I am terrified I am going to be forced to go through another vaginal delivery and that my baby will get stuck possibly with worse consequences than before. I haven't been offered any mental health support at all for this as until 2 weeks ago I was down as definately having a C-section delivery, it's only recently this is being unpicked and I am being quite persistently to prepare for a vaginal delivery as well.

What was your reason for having a c-section the second time around @Meredusoleil, if you don't mind me asking.

This is my worry - I'm waiting to see the consultant to discuss a c-section for this baby, as my previous labour was very fast and caused a lot of damage and I'm still suffering with incontinence issues. My worry is I labour so quickly that if I go into labour before c-section there probably won't be time for one. I really don't want my issues to get any worse. Hope you manage to get through to someone today.

Thanks for sharing @PeterPomegranate and I'm glad it worked out for you.

I honestly feel like I've been misled. By being told early on that my c-section would be recorded as medical need/maternal request but now it's been put down as maternal request only. In the later case given I am terrified of going through another vaginal delivery due to previous trauma, I believe I should have been offered some mental health support, but I wasn't. Reviewing the NICE guidelines and that I've been recorded as maternal request, makes it clear I will be the lowest priority case in the queue and so most likely not to get a c-section. Knowing the c-section lists are over subscribed has added to my anxiety and I'm having to deal with all of this right at the end of my pregnancy. I am angry that am honest conversation far earlier on in my pregnancy could have afforded me more choices, whereas now I am hitting a brick wall.

@TheWhalesOnTheBus hope you get the support you need. I don't know how things work in your trust but in mine they removed all paper notes, and are now all electronic. Thing is you're not given any access to the electronic notes so I cannot evidence any of the conversations I've had where I was told by a senior consultant and the head of midwives that my c-section would be recorded as medical/maternal.
My midwife acknowledges that they have taken away access to the notes - all I have is a list of appointments I have attended and a copy of my scans. My trust won't provide any copies unless I request them through a subject access request which takes days to be fulfilled and costs me £25.

I am told just be assured we have your notes.
If I were you I would try and make sure you have things in writing.

Thing is you're not given any access to the electronic notes so I cannot evidence any of the conversations I've had where I was told by a senior consultant and the head of midwives that my c-section would be recorded as medical/maternal.

That shouldn’t be the case. We are launching a digital system shortly but you will be able to access notes via app and website. Again I would raise this as a complaint. Most trusts use one of two or three systems and to my knowledge they all have the capability for service users to access them.

Can I ask which trust you’re under? I might be able to put you in touch with someone - feel free to PM me if you prefer

@NotAgain77

What was your reason for having a c-section the second time around *@Meredusoleil*, if you don't mind me asking.

No medical reason. Just based on previous trauma of a forced ELCS with Dd1 3 years beforehand.

Thanks @SinkGirl with ours it depends on if the person you see decides to publish anything - they don't and aren't expected to. I took part in the big review of maternity services back at the end of 2015 and I'd thought more transparency of notes and decisions was a recommendation from that. What I get now re notes is significantly degraded from what I got with DC1.

Thank you for your offer. I will PM you the trust.

Thanks @Meredusoleil from what I've read on the nice guidelines, previous c-section is a medical reason for a future section so yours may well have gone down as medical request. Sorry that you were forced into a C-section the first time around.

Complain about the notes. To PALS and head of midwifery. It’s unacceptable. This is not the purpose of digital notes. Mention the recent Ockenden report and the need for transparency and informed consent, including mode of birth (including maternal request caesarean, specifically listed here).