Got my first appointment with consultant to discuss delivery tomorrow..

[ELCSPlease]

And I just wondered if anyone could tell me what to expect?

My last delivery ended with me needing stitches in theatre for a 3B tear, and a long recovery. Overall I've healed well but it's left me with anxiety for this next delivery and I'm 99% sure I'd like a section this time.

Will tomorrow just be for us to go over the risks involved and how the procedure would work? Give me a chance to ask any questions? I don't know if I should be going in armed with information in case I need to fight my corner.

I don't have any experience sorry, but I'm the same. I had a 3rd degree tear with my first and she was only 5lb so I'm worried about any future deliveries.

I know some people on mumsnet have a hard time getting a consultant to agree to a c section, but i had an appt post partum where my consultant seemed to say a 3rd degree tear was a fine reason to chose a c section and there wouldn't be any 'fight' against it. That being said, even without a reason, a woman can give birth however she chooses so even without the tear, if a woman wants a c section, a c section should be approved. If tomorrow's consultant won't agree to it, you can ask to be referred to another consultant who will.

Hi @ELCSPlease my situation wasn’t exactly like yours as my first delivery ended up with an emergency c section, but in my second pregnancy I was consultant led and at my first appointment they discussed the fact that because I’d only had 1 section, a vbac would be encouraged.

I however couldn’t think of anything worse than potentially risk the same thing happening again so I requested a c section. Thankfully she was fully on board and didn’t even attempt to talk me out of it.

I’m now on baby number 4 and what will be my fourth c section, although my third time, and this time I wasn’t given a choice to vbac, which I’m entirely happy with.

Good luck, and as a pp said, you do absolutely have the right to request a section so don’t feel pressured into a natural delivery.