Material Request C-section

[Poppen243]

Hi!

I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant. I struggle with anxiety and have been researching birth options for a while now - the knowledge and information helps me to control the anxious feelings!

I'm definitely leaning more towards an elective section due to several reasons. It has taken me 10 years to even fall pregnant and I don't trust my body to bring my baby into this world safely. I'm 36 and overweight so the stats show I'm likely to be induced or end up with an emergency section. Additionally, my husband works on an oil rig so practically a section would make us both feel less anxious about him missing the birth. I realise that there are risks and that the best laid plans can go out of the window.

Now that I've made my decision I'm now worrying about asking my midwife for the section. Could I ask how you broached the topic and when the best time to ask would be? Is the midwife the best person to ask? I do have an appointment with a consultant in January but I have no idea what that's for. It's at the same time as my GD test so possibly that.

Appreciate your feedback!

P x

Sounds like you've thought it through and it's a good choice for you. I'd recommend speaking to the midwife as soon as possible and you'll need them to refer to a consultant for a birth choice appointment (based on nhs England). If they say no (unlikely) you can ask for a referral to another consultant to approve.

Birthrights is an excellent resource and there is also a Facebook group dedicated to supporting maternal choice sections.

I have had two elective sections and they were the right thing for me.

Good luck!

It's a piece of cake. Or should be.

Just say you want one and Reference NICE guidelines and ensure you have read up on pros and cons. I did and got close to zero pushback. I was surprised how easy it was.

Also Since it became VERY public the NHS maimed and killed a load of women and babies in Shropshire by forcing 'natural birth' on women, the nhs have started actually listening to women a tiny bit more.

Thank you both.

I know that I am making an informed choice. I think I'm just winding myself up about having the conversation! I'm seeing the midwife after Christmas so will bring it up then. ☺️

I mentioned it at every midwife appointment I had. I had a consultant appt just after my 20 week scan when the date was confirmed.

I'm 17 weeks but I've mentioned it at every midwife appointment I've had this far. I then got an appointment with a consultant and they spoke about the risks and gave me a leaflet but otherwise, not one single person batted an eye. Noone challenged me or questioned my reasons beyond my initial appointment.

It was very very stressfree and easy.

I’m in a similar position but I am 32 weeks and baby is measuring very big. I have a consultant appointment next week and I know they will recommend induction but unless they’re going to let me go to term and over, I would rather have a planned section than an early induction so I will see what the consultant says next week! X

I brought it up at every appointment from the booking one at 8 weeks. They kept pressuring me to change my mind but I stayed firm. I went to a "birth choices clinic" just to be able to say I'd jumped through all their hoops and was making an informed choice. They never said yes or no until my 36 week appointment where I basically broke down on my midwife and she got it sorted then and there. Basically my experience is that they hope you just stop bringing it up but if you persist they do sort it eventually.

My c section was great, by the way. My recovery was easier than most people I know who had a vaginal birth (obviously that's anecdotal but it is true for me). I've never had a single doubt that I made the right choice for me.

Different reasons, but it was totally fine. I asked at my booking appointment, the midwife said fine, and there and then booked my a pre-op call to decided a date.

I’ve had two sections now, and both have been fantastic experiences (and easy to arrange).