Induction

[RaeRaeMama]

Why is nobody talking about how medicalised the NHS has made birth?

I didn't know the shit storm I was walking into when I got pregnant with my first. I think a lot of the treatment of women is absolutely disgusting and I cannot understand why we are all letting it continue.

@MrsJuliaGulia

Ironically I had a fully medicalised birth but at my own request, elective c section. However I’d still argue that I had to lie through my teeth to get it. The fact is, most women don’t get a choice and aren’t made aware of the options. I’d probably have had a vaginal birth except I know that the anaesthetist would probably have been “busy” when I needed her so I’d have had to plough through with only light pain relief. Because who cares if women are in pain eh? They’ll cope. No way in hell was I going to risk it so I choose to go full medicalised. It was fantastic. It should be a choice for everyone. Not that I’m saying that it’s the right choice for everyone. But every women should be able to choose how they give birth and what pain relief they want without being fobbed off by what is still fundamentally a patriarchal institution.

@MrsJuliaGulia Did you go for an elective c section purely to avoid a potential situation during a vaginal birth where you wanted pain relief and couldn’t have it/it was delayed? Was it your first DC? We’re you not concerned about the definite pain and recovery from a major surgery vs the potential pain and recovery from a vaginal birth? I don’t mean to sound argumentative - I just have a lot of questions and don’t know how to word them any less intrusively 🙈 I’m genuinely interested in your thought process 😊

We also should be fully informed about the risks and potential complications.. do we all know how syntinocin (routinely given in induction and cesarean) acts in the body and affects mood (PND?), lactation, possible link to ADHD etc.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3947469/?fbclid=IwAR2JmxElCAYwD8ANUxArbhUUy4DEMTb3UcNylcyca7bs33qbyTz4oZA3Y_c

Hypnobirthing may be used by some women in various types of births.

It isn’t MEANT to be used. It’s not proscribed. That’s all I mean. It would have done me no good whatever - I tried it and did not get on with it.

@KM38
I had lots of reasons. Pain relief was a big one and not being in control of it, I would be very much subject to the luck of the draw on the day depending on whether an anaesthetist happened to be available.
As was the fact that I figured a vaginal birth was more likely to go wrong than an elective c section. I know every surgery has risks involved but I was happy to take the risk, whether it’s correct or not but that was my perception.
I certainly didn’t want to risk an emergency c section which might have been likely given that I have a tilted pelvis (found this out afterwards).
I also didn’t want to go overdue and have to be induced.
I just found the idea of vaginal childbirth a bit hellish (too much OBEM?) and didn’t fancy it at all.
I think every woman should be able to make that choice for herself. As such a woman who wants to give birth at home with zero pain relief.
But for most women, especially those who aren’t maybe as sharp elbowed as I am, the choice isn’t really offered.

@Myxisaprat

Hypnobirthing may be used by some women in various types of births.

It isn’t MEANT to be used. It’s not proscribed. That’s all I mean. It would have done me no good whatever - I tried it and did not get on with it.

I did a hynobirthing course - it did nothing for me at all, and some of the things the practitioner said were pretty dubious to be honest.

It would have been pretty unlikely to be able to make much use of hynobirthing techniques during a botched hypertonic induction/precipitate labour with cord compression. (In fact the most incompetent midwife kept asking me why I couldn't "do my breathing exercises". I was at that point having one constant contraction with no breaks in between, and experiencing involuntary pushing that they couldn't stop!)

[quote MrsJuliaGulia]@KM38
I had lots of reasons. Pain relief was a big one and not being in control of it, I would be very much subject to the luck of the draw on the day depending on whether an anaesthetist happened to be available.
As was the fact that I figured a vaginal birth was more likely to go wrong than an elective c section. I know every surgery has risks involved but I was happy to take the risk, whether it’s correct or not but that was my perception.
I certainly didn’t want to risk an emergency c section which might have been likely given that I have a tilted pelvis (found this out afterwards).
I also didn’t want to go overdue and have to be induced.
I just found the idea of vaginal childbirth a bit hellish (too much OBEM?) and didn’t fancy it at all.
I think every woman should be able to make that choice for herself. As such a woman who wants to give birth at home with zero pain relief.
But for most women, especially those who aren’t maybe as sharp elbowed as I am, the choice isn’t really offered.[/quote]
Thanks for replying @MrsJuliaGulia 😊 I absolutely agree with you - every woman should be able to make that choice for themselves 😊
Your choices are definitely not the same as what mine were for my own labour and delivery. I hoped for a vaginal birth with as few interventions and as little pain relief as possible (because my body doesn’t react well to pain relief - not because I was trying to be some kind of hero lol. I had abdominal surgery about 7 years ago and also opted for no pain relief after the anaesthetic due to the adverse effects I experience). I ended up being induced at 39+5 so did have hormone drip etc but was thankful to manage on gas and air despite a senior midwife trying to demand that I “must” have an epidural to be allowed to proceed (I was already part was through the induction process)!!
I really respect the fact that you made your choices and advocated for yourself. I think it’s something that more people need to feel confident doing! Some of the medical professionals can be extremely pushy!

And on a side note - OBEM should be banned 😅🤣 I’m just as bad for watching it but I think it should come with a warning that straight forward pregnancies and births don’t make good tv so they’ve picked and edited some highly dramatised cases 🙈

I'm feeling really sad about my prom and outcomes for baby tonight. Just wondering if anyone is awake for a handhold. 😪

@MouseyTheVampireSlayer

I'm feeling really sad about my prom and outcomes for baby tonight. Just wondering if anyone is awake for a handhold. 😪

Hi @MouseyTheVampireSlayer I have zero experience on any of this, but awake and happy to listen if you are still around and need someone to talk to

@NonnyMouse1337 thanks for responding. Baby woke up and I eventually went to sleep. Just had a really rubbish time ATM.