Straw Poll - What would you do? I'm addled (long)

[Salleroo]

I've debated for a few days re whether this is worth posting about. I'm just looking for some opinions really. If your interested read on, there will be multiple choice at the end

History
DD1 is 17mths. Pregnancy was fab, went 12 days overdue. I'm 5'4, she was 9lb13. Anyway, went to a natural birthing centre, all going fine with gas and air, then contractions stopped, while midwife was calling hosp to set up drip, I had a fit and fell of the birthing stool. It was treated as an Eclamptic fit, I had NO pre-eclamptic symptoms at all apart from swollen feet.

I remember nothing till hours later. DH told they would save me and dd was not a priority, we both came through safe and well. Forceps with emergency epi. 2 days in ICU, 4 in hosp.

Was treated for an eclamptic fit and told next time I would be monitored v carefully.

Today
7 mths pregnant. First consultant, didn't bother to see me, saw registrar, who in a nutshell said, 'you did it before you can do it naturally again, we'll cut your scar and give you an epidural for the blood pressure. Will write on notes you are anxious and would like to discuss CS. Come back and see us at 36 and 40 weeks when we'll discuss induction'.

Went to get second opinion - long boring story including complaints to trust but ended up getting three more.
First guy doesnt reckon I had eclampsia at all but cant be sure without seeing my notes (which I am still waiting to have a copy of).
Senior obstetrition (sp?) in middle tells me it could have been worse I could have had HELLP and not to worry.
Second guy thinks yes maybe eclampsia, but should be no reason to have a normal birth or they can induce.

I was committed to a CS but hated the thought of a scar. After reading Elective CS stories here was quite happy with my decision.

I have told consultant that under no circumstances am I being induced. It is either natural all the way (unless intervention is necessary obviously) or an Elective CS. He tells me they are a leading hosp and to them emergency and elective are one and the same. Does he think I came down in the last shower?

After a big baby and the forceps I am wide open anyway (TMI I know) so reckon the baby will pop right out. I dont feel at all gutted, or long for a full natural birth and the thought of having the epi scar cut just drains me.

I eventually got some better monitoring and test my own pee for protien regularly and my blood pressure daily as well as 2 weekly antenatal visits.

I have never seen the same midwife twice in either of my pregnancies, so going into labour with a stranger is a tad offputting.

I vacillate daily as to what to do but am currently going to give natural labour a bash. It's easy to talk me into things so I do wonder if I have agreed to this out of stupidity and the fact that we both came through the first time safe and well. It's most probable that I will not have another fit and I'm at the stage where I feel that something I was initially told was v serious really wasnt. I often wonder at the midwife. I dont blame her, I really dont as she knows what she is doing. But when I said I wanted to push she was unrelenting, it was just push, push, push, push. I always thought they would get you to hold back a couple of urges and then give one big one, if for nothing else then to conserve the mothers energy and keep the blood pressure down. I was doing some serious hyperventilating. Or is that just the movies? Please dont say, why didnt you do it yourself. You know what it's like, you dont know where you are when in the throes of labour.

So, multiple choice
A. Listen to your consultants, they are the experts.
B. Just have an elective CS
C. I had forceps first time too and no 2 slipped out.
D. Inductions aren't that bad
E. Have a natural birth but with an epidural in case of tearing/cutting.
F. I had eclampsia first time and normal birth afterwards

Thanks for reading

Hmmm, that's a difficult one. I'm sorry I know nothing about pre-eclampsia but it sounds like the health proffesionals aren't handling you very well, you have every right to be worried after your first experience.

Two things I can comment on... In my first labour I went into labour naturally then my contractions stopped half way through, was given a drip which started them again then DD was born by ventouse after episiostomy-I had already signed the forms for an emergency CS but she came out just in time (8lb4 btw), second time I was induced at 40+14 and gave birth to a 10lb6 DS about 1 hr 50 mins later. Even though he was HUGE it was alot easier giving birth to my son (even though I wouldn't say he exactly 'slipped' out!!) I had no stitches and can honestly say, for me, having experienced non induced and induced contractions there was absolutely no difference. I had such a positive birth experience the second time round (apart from the 14 days overdue thing!) I felt so much more in control and aware of things. I think the general rule is that once you have given birth before (even if it didn't go too smoothly) your body will cope alot better next time.

Obviously the pre-eclamptic fit adds another dimension to it, so you really have to go with your gut feeling, if that's a CS then don't feel pressured into doing anything else.

Hope everything goes smoothly for you this time, whatever you decide

Salleroo A, F, D & C (well ventouse)!!
I developed pre-eclampsia at 38 +2 with dd1.
Induction, failed ventouse CS, 10 day hospital stay dosed up tp my eyes on BP drugs etc.

With DD2 carefull monitoring, natural start to labour at 40+5, drip to speed things up when they slowed down, otherwise natural delivery (with small tear). Home same day

It was my understanding that they should be able to tell from the placenta post birth if it was eclampsia so I would have thought they would be sure that was what it was the first time. If there are no signs of pre-eclampsia in this pregnancy & you are being closely monitored then there should be little risk in giving natural labour a go. If your cinsultants say go for it then I would, natural is so so so much better & easier to recover from than a CS.

With respect to eclampsia / pre-eclampsia this is an excellent site www.preeclampsia.org
but do take care its US Based and they have quite a more interventionist approach, weekly appointments scans mad on bedrest etc.

I think its important to establish what actually happened last time as best you can. Is it possible you has pre-eclampsia and they missed it leading to eclampsia?? They don't keep you in icu for two days for nothing. Was there proteinurea?

The general rule is the later the onset and the milder the disease control the recurrence i.e. late onset mild PE less likely to return but its a pesky disease that can be very difficult to predict.

I had pre eclampsia and delivered by induction with forceps at 35 weeks last time round and this time (currently 29 weeks) I'm being seen every 2 weeks with 4 weekly growth scans. everything is normal so far but I had some indicators (uterine artery resistance at scan) that indicated things may go pear shaped.

I would prefer not be induced but will do what I'm told to keep me and baba healthy have read too many stories of things going wrong not to

Sorry for the long post!

I aslo have a home bp monitor and check daily and am angling to urine test strips better safe than sorry!

MPC, no symptoms at all till it all went tits up, so to speak.

Have had 2 uterine artery resistance scans, first showed risk of eclampsia, second was fine.

Have the urine test strips and the BP monitor and am being seen every 2 weeks also.

IWNH, the team at the hospital said it was eclampsia, dont know what they did with the placenta, I wasnt aware I'd been pregnant when I cam round!

Thanks for now, I'll give the natural method a shot I think and yes, am quite happy for whatever intervention may become necessary to deliver a healthy baby. Would be kind of gutted to have an Em CS after all this though.

TG, thanks for the positive story.

Apologies for abbreviating all of your names

I'm about to have my second elective C-Section and have had no problems with the scar etc. If you decide to go down the Section route then bear in mind some experiences are good so don't worry! Good luck!

Good luck Hopefully all the monitoring and worrying is for naught and you'll have a nice fast tear free labour

I'd go for the section - and would have to say stay away from from induction at every poss!

I was induced with my first and it was horrible - i know everyones experience is difference but it was sore and ended up with "labour pains" from the tablets without being in labour!! ended up with an emergency section.

I am booked in for an elective section on the 15th May and i'm really looking forward to it - it has taken a lot of the stess and uncertainty away.

Def stay away from induction - mine was horrible and the contractions stopped just at the point of pushing. Cue mad dash for spinal and forceps delivery with baby's heart rate dropping fast. I've never heard a bad report of an elective cs (not suggesting there aren't any - just not so common)

Natural is best obviously in terms of recovery etc

I would suggest that it's extremely unusual to not know that you have PE until you're in labour. I can only think that they had not been checking every possible way, because your bp was OK. This time you are urine testing, bp testing etc. etc... I would surmise that next time you would have some warning.

I too have been booked in for a CS since the beginning of this pg., but now, at 29 weeks, and no signs of PE I'm thinking I'd like to try a natural delivery again. But given that my experience of induction was so horrific (no details nec. I think)... I too will be going straight from "natural" to CS if necessary. Absolutely no way I'm having another induction, with or without an epidural.

No idea if that helps, just wanted you know know you're not the only one having a hard time sorting the wood from the trees....
I think we have to accept that as the weeks go by we can change our minds, things can change dramatically and that it remains our labour/baby/delivery and they have to respect that, as long as there isn't a medical imperative, but in this situation I can't think of one.
I cannot honestly imagine any hospital Making you have an induction when you'd rather have a CS when you're in the middle of it all........

Good luck I'd be itnerested to hear your outcome.