Should I push for ELCS - anxious!!

[kiwipops]

Hi all,

First pregnancy. I was told 2 weeks ago baby was breech (had a scan to confirm) and then booked for ELCS scheduled for next week.

I’ve had quite a stressful pregnancy (a lot of genetic issues etc) and my anxiety is through the roof. I was told I’d be scanned on the morning of the section to see if baby is still breech which hugely stressed me out because I didn’t like the idea of preparing for something and being told it wouldn’t happen at the last minute.

Because of my anxiety I decided to book a private scan this weekend and found out the baby has now turned head down.

I had set myself up to have the section and decided that due to my anxiety it was probably the best route for me (I’m aware of the risks and due to genetics issues it’s unlikely I’ll be having any more children). I went ahead with the private scan because I was finding it all too much constantly feeling my bump and panicking about the position.

Now I don’t know what to do next week. I’m assuming now baby is head down she’ll likely stay that way. When they scan me on the morning of the section I presume they’ll try to send me home if she has stayed head down. I feel far too anxious to go home just in case she did turn again (I know I’ll be constantly feeling my bump and panicking as I have been the past 2 weeks). I think the only other option would be induction but I’ve heard so many bad stories with inductions that it worries me so much.

Basically I just don’t know what to do if they try to send me home, do I try and push for the section? Go for an induction? Go home?? It’s all so confusing and I’m struggling a lot with anxiety around this situation.

Just looking for friendly advice or similar stories to help me.

Can you speak to your midwife in advance and explain the situation? It sounds rubbish to be on high alert wondering what's going to happen. Personally I think you should push for the section because it sounds like you will be miserable with worry otherwise and that isn't great for helping labour progress. I'd chat it through with your midwife.

@Noodella18 thanks, yes, I’m so worried with all of these options. I actually saw my MW at the beginning of the week and explained my anxieties. She was very lovely and told me to prepare for the section and the section only. That ultimately it will be my choice and that the consultants will try to scare me with the risks but I have already consented and there are no additional risks just because baby has now turned. She felt my bump and at the time said baby was breech and ‘it would be a miracle if she turned’ (obviously this has now changed!) I still just worry that they’ll try to force me down a certain route (going home or induction) and am worried about having to potentially argue if I wanted to continue with the section / have them out rightly refuse.

My MW is now on annual leave so I can’t speak to her again before next week unfortunately.

I’m probably being silly about all of this. It’s just that right now every option is making me so stressed :(

Honestly just take a deep breath and try to calm the nerves. If a csection is seriously what you want, then be prepared to fight for it if they try to say no. You have the right to birth vaginally or cesarean so they have to let you. You already know the risks and have consented, chances are you're over thinking it and if you want to continue with the plan of csection they will do.

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy. I had an Elcs due to a medical issue. Very relaxed and chilled. Great experience. The recovery is tricky but make sure you have a great support networkand it isn't too bad. Ultimately you could go in for a natural and have a section anyway. Perhaps thats the way to look at it :) good luck!

Just tell them on the day you still want to go ahead with the elcs. It's already booked so they should be fine to go ahead with it.

Thank you! I know deep down I need to stop overthinking it all, it’s just hard to get my head round it all!

@kiwipops I can sympathise so much with you, i could have written this post myself (apart from my baby is still breech as far as Im aware) but I have a section at the end of next week due to a breech baby and been told if by a miracle it's turned they will send me home and bring me in for an induction on my due date..Im stressing so much now about the position of baby because I have hyped myself up for a section and prepared for it. Im going to be so nervous when they can scan me, this will be the first time Im hoping to hear the word breech!

Fight for what you're happy with, its so stressful and I don't think you need the added the worry. How many weeks are you? Im 38+2 but was told at 37+4 its very unlikely baby will move now

@summerday99 oh I’m so sorry you’re in the same position! The stress and worry really is horrible.

I was told that if they’ve turned some consultants think you should go home and others would want you to stay in to be induced there and then in case the baby turns again. I think I just need to stand my ground when I’m there but it’s 100% easier said than done.

I just feel like they’re going to disallow the section when I’ve prepared myself for it and have so much anxiety about going home or being induced.

I’m 38+4 and was told at 36+2 (a scan) and again at 37 weeks by my midwife feeling, so she’s turned head down somewhere in the past week.

How are you feeling?

Fight for the c section, best decision I made but I had to push for it.

@kiwipops soo horrible, just added stress on top of an already stressful week preparing for the section, with extra stress of position on the day and whether its going to happen.

I think Id prefer to be induced on the day rather than go home as then what if it turns? Or just give me the section Ive signed and prepped for!
Its so horrible, i totally sympathise with you.

Ahh, cheeky baby turning late. Can you tell them you've had it confirmed its head down or but i think it will be best to still go in on your section date as it could always turn back or they may go ahead with it anyway if you push for it, but in situations like that I just crumble and can't stand my ground.

Im ok apart from the worry, very nervous about the section, i even tried the ECV but obvs that failed 🙈 id be shocked if it turned on its own but its definitely not impossible. Ready to meet baby now xx

@Whysolong7 I just need to get the confidence to do that! If you don’t mind me asking, was your situation similar (scan before section)?

@summerday99 that’s exactly the same as me! I think going home is out of the question for me because of the worry and how I’ll be constantly feeling my bump and questioning things which will just be too much stress. Plus seeing as a consultant said she thinks it’s safer not to go home it also puts me off doing that.

I just worry with induction it could end up with complications anyway and means I should’ve just pushed for the section.

I was going to tell them but decided against it because I’d rather go on the day and have another scan just to double check and then see what they say.

Sorry to hear the ECV failed! These things are never straightforward, are they! I’ll let you know what ends up happening in my case to help give you some insight as you’re in the same boat!

Just decline the scan. Say the stress is to much and you’d just like to go ahead with the section.

They will try and talk you into having a scan as they don’t like surprises when they go in. That’s fine, “let”‘yourself be talked in to the scan on the proviso they section you regardless.

I'm not sure declining the scan would work. My baby was breech and the consultant scanned herself to check position before performing the c section and to plan the procedure, I guess so they know what to expect when making incisions etc.
I totally relate to the anxiety of what if I get sent home because I had the same worries and didn't prep myself for a vaginal birth at all once I knew he was breech.
My planned section was straight forward and "easy" and everything went smoothly but honestly the 2 nights I then had to spend in hospital were hellish. Constantly disturbed by someone doing your observations, another baby crying, visitors, staff pulling back your curtains to "let the air circulate" when you're trying to establish feeding, ringing your buzzer (and other people ringing theirs) at all times because you can't get out of bed to get your baby from the crib. I was put on a c section ward so everyone is in the same boat and they rarely grant you a private room as you are seen as more at risk of complications and also they say if you drop your buzzer in a private room there's no one to shout to and you can't get up. I also still have a lot of abdominal scarring where the layers they cut through has like fused together and caused hard tissue to form under my skin and it pulls and can be uncomfortable - I can't wear normal knickers anymore, full briefs all the way and it's been 2 years now. Just thought I'd explain my experience a bit because if you were to have a straight forward vaginal birth you could be home the same day and getting about would be somewhat easier so it's all swings and roundabouts and whatever happens you will smash it.

If you're sure about the ELCS, stick to your guns. You've built yourself up for it. A vaginal birth can result in one anyway. I was induced and had a lot of complications, needed intervention and recovery was terrible. That doesn't happen to everyone.

What maplee said about being in hospital afterwards, I found that to be the case with my vaginal birth.
You could have a straight forward vaginal birth. Everyone's recovery is different and every situation is different. If you know the ELCS is what you want, push for it.

@kiwipops thats it, inductions are likely to end up with complications anyway. Stick to your guns and i will keep everything crossed for you.

Ah please do, mine is on Friday so a little while left but would love to hear how you get on so i can prepare for both scenarios :) xx

Oh no, hope you get it all sorted. Im a very anxious person and have a similar situation with my low placenta where I’ve been scanned a lot throughout pregnancy. I have always known I’d want a c-section anyway due to an extreme fear of birth that I’ve had all my life. When I first found out my placenta was too low for a natural birth I thought ‘great’ 😊😂 but had already requested an elective section anyway. I didn’t really get anywhere with this request until 30 weeks, where I got to speak to a consultant on the phone who was well aware of the NICE guidelines and said it wasn’t her job to say no to me having a section if that’s what I was sure I wanted. She did try to scare me with the risks, you’ve probably already been given them though if yours is booked. I’m having to be scanned right up to 36 weeks and the same as you I don’t want it to get to then to be told no actually you’re not having a section in 2/3 weeks time, instead you’ll go naturally. Luckily they have respected my wishes for a section due to anxiety (and nothing to do with the placenta) and will be booking it in next week! I would definitely request it if that’s how you imagined yourself giving birth. If you have any hassle with them, quote the NICE guidelines and have a look at the information on the maternal request c-section page on birth rights. The majority of hospitals these days seem to be like mine and can probably tell if they come across someone who’s done their research and is certain! I played up the anxiety (which was all true really) and said I was waking up during the night panicking about when I was getting to speak to the consultant, I was bursting into tears to my partner because I was so worried I wouldn’t get one approved in time and it was just making me anxious all day long basically! Since someone’s told me ‘yes’ I have majorly chilled out! Still a bit petrified of the actual section but as it gets closer I’m just going to try and turn that fear into excitement over seeing my baby. Good luck, hope you get it x

Thanks so much everyone!

It’s true, there are risks whether you give birth vaginally or via section but they definitely like to shout louder about the section risks.

I could be overthinking things and actually when I go they may present the options and be open to me deciding (which is what I’m hoping!) but I think we all know what things can be like in these situations.

It’s useful to hear stories of recovery from a section too! I’m lucky that my partner will be home with me for quite a while afterwards so I’ll have a lot of support which should hopefully help.

I’ll try my hardest to stick to my guns and will try to update on here too x