C-section or induction? Help please

[GrapefruitTsunami]

Hi,

I met with the consultant for the first time yesterday and she has offered me the choice of an elective c-section or an induction. Whichever I choose will take place at 39 weeks. I need help with this decision and would love to hear people's experiences of ELCS and inductions.

ELCS: What's the recovery and scarring like? Inductions: Do they tend to go on for days and end with instrumental births or EMCS? What else should I be thinking about wrt this decision?

Some context: I'm over 40 and in good health generally. I have had a previous "natural birth" that started spontaneously and was pretty straightforward with no complications but it was many years ago (I was in my 20s!) and I sadly lost the baby to Group B Strep a few weeks later. This time I will have to be on antibiotics for at least 6 hours to protect the baby and obviously am more anxious to ensure baby's health after that experience.

I'm only 20 weeks atm so still some time to think about this. WWYD?

@PerspicaciousGreen
I wish I'd read this before mine! Some excellent advice. I just felt out of control the whole time

[quote Namechangecosguilty]@PerspicaciousGreen
I wish I'd read this before mine! Some excellent advice. I just felt out of control the whole time[/quote]
Honestly, I practically stalk looking for induction threads just so I can say that! There's a lot of scaremongering about how long it can take and how bad the pain can be - mine was effective and reached the same max pain level as my spontaneous second labour. I had paracetamol, a birth ball, a cold flannel for DH to mop my sweaty brow, and gas and air near the end. Only difference between induction and spontaneous labour for me was length, but second babies are usually quicker anyway and my induction was not excessively long. I don't think people need to be as scared of trying induction as they often are.

However, you don't actually sign your whole life and labour away once you turn up to your induction appointment. Moving along the induction pathway does actually require your ongoing consent. If it's not working, you don't have to carry on, and I think a lot of problems are caused with the sheer length of inductions which are not working effectively. If you're in vague but not progressing labour for days and days, you're going to be absolutely shattered when it's time to push. No wonder there are so many assisted births at the end of drawn out inductions. Sometimes they just don't work very well. Just because you're having some contractions doesn't mean the induction is being effective, and you don't get a medal for having a vaginal birth.

This pregnancy and my second I have been cared for by a very good consultant who treats me like a capable human being. Many do not, unfortunately. But actually, consenting to "an induction" means consenting to a large number of separate medical events - and you don't have to consent to them all if you don't want to. It's best to get The Plan in writing with your consultant's name at the bottom of it, though, so that everyone on induction day understands it's a pre-approved thing as "stopping" an induction without completing all the steps will probably not be usual for them, and you don't want to have to wait for the hospital hierarchy to heave itself into action.

I am pro-induction, but very anti "this baby must comes out of this vagina and that is the only acceptable outcome, no matter what it takes".

Personally I would go CS over induction for sure.

I have had one induction, which ended in emcs, and one planned CS.

My recovery from CS has been good. You have to remember that you have had pretty major surgery so take the painkillers, follow the instructions re not overdoing it. Don't be tempted to think of I feel fine and start hefting washing about or something.

It is pretty awful straight afterwards when they get you up and going but that bit gets easier quickly.

Good luck!

After a horrendous induction and an ELCS second time I'd say ELCS every time but it is a very personal decision. Good luck whatever you choose x

Have no experience of either. So sorry for your previous experience 😢 I have had a lifelong fear of giving birth so I have campaigned from day 1 to get a section. I’m finally speaking to my consultant next week and my midwife has assured me that he will agree to it due to how anxious I am. I’ve done research all my life into all the pros and cons and personally for me I feel a section is the right choice. A lot of the risks you might have seen to do with a section are actually the risks of all sections and not just electives. Therefore women in life threatening situations have been rushed for emergency c sections and obviously not had as good of an outcome as an every day elective section but the risks don’t ever seem to split the two. From what I have found the safest option is elective c section, followed by a natural delivery and then emergency c section

Sarah I'm pleased you have been offered a CS :)

A thing to remember with electives just as a fyi not to put you off.

If there are emcs you can get bumped from that day.

I waited all day but there were emergencies and in the end I went home, they did it the next day.

Be prepared for a wait. Take magazines etc. God I'm old. A phone and charger with batteries. Christ. Might as well say don't forget your Walkman!