C-section

madison's_mum

Hi

I'm not pregnant and not looking for specific medical advice but was just wondering if you can demand a c-section? I had big problems giving birth to my DD and almost bled to death and was told by the registrar who patched me up never to atempt a natural birth again. However when i went over my notes last year with the new registrar at the hospital he said i could try for one (natural birth). After the problems last time if i do have another baby i would really want to go for a c-section though can i demand one?

Thanks

Kimie

I wouldn't demand one at first as I don't think it will get you anywhere going in all guns blazing - all the new registrar has said is that you *could* try for a natural birth. . I'd think about all the pro's and con's to you of having a c-section and then put together a case of why you think you should have an ELC.

kindofagilr

I'm pretty sure you can, I am part of the pregnancy thread, and a few of the ladies on there had electic c sections because or prior problems

jcr16

yes i'm sure you can. i've had 3 sections ( not through choice) and i've said next time i want natural. but consultant said at end of day what you choose to do is up to you we can't force you to have section ( as they recommend i do) but we can be honest with you as to your options and tell you which would be better for you.

so i don't see what it can't be the other way round. if you have a genuine reason and case for wanting to have baby by section i'm sure they will follow your wishes

milliebear00001

If your lst consultant told you in no uncertain terms not to have a natural birth next time, then it should definitely be in your notes. Is this the same hosp? I had my first child at a different hospital to my second and when it came for my second to be born, my new hosp did not have all my notes from the first. If I hadn't piped up about being told I couldn't have a vaginal delivery next time, they'd have been perfectly happy to let me have a VBAC. In fact, even when I told them, they were sceptical, and clearly thought I was just trying to get a section! They wrote to my first hosp and quickly changed their tune when they received a letter back saying I should def not be advised to try for a VBAC!

You have every right to request a section, and if you get an unsympathetic midwife/consultant, simply ask who at your hosp, is the most sympathetic to section requests and ask to go on their books. You WILL get a VBAC, but you might have to justify it in terms of your psychological well-being possibly being at risk if you are 'forced into' a vaginal delivery.

Good luck!

oystercatcher

You can't demand an unneccesary major operation on the NHS ! If you pay privately then you can have whatever you like ! If a C section is needed then of course they will do one, they can't however force you to have one if you don't want one. You can't force them to do one if you don't need one it's a huge waste of NHS resources !

However I'm pretty sure that if you spoke to a consultant and went through your notes then they would take your concerns into consideration and there is a very good chance they would allow you an elective CS !

From the sounds of what you have said you would be at risk of problems occuring again and it's very likely that they would prefer to perform a section. However without knowing exact history it is impossible to say for sure. It sounds to me from your first post that the second registrar is saying they would let you try for a natural birth if you wanted to. If you expressed a strong preference that you didn't want to, then many consultants would agree.

If this matter is really bothering you and affecting whether you try for a baby or not. Then it's probably worth asking to speak to your consultant rather than the registrar . He will be able to explain the risks and options available, and the registrars will have to follow his instructions so at least then you'd know where you stand. If you're not happy with the answer then you could always try a different consultant. The ones where I work have quite differing opinions regarding C.S versus natural birth !

Janepig

Long story (which I'll try to cut down :rolleyes:) but I had an emergency c-section after about 18 hours of labour with DD. Whilst being operated on (and admittedly off my face on pethedine, but I do remember this bit) the surgeon told me not to attempt a "normal" birth for subsequent pregnancies.

Cue baby number two, and when I saw the obstetrician at 20 weeks and explained what had previously been said, she totally pooh poohed me and wasn't having any of it. I was fairly insistent so she referred me to someone more senior than her (and I got the impression that anyone would have been more senior than her ) and after a bit of explaining from me, he was quite happy to book me in. He also told me that should I go into labour before the date I was given then I should go to hospital straight away and they'd operate immediately. But as DD was late I didn't think that would happen.

Fast forward to Christmas morning and DS decides he fancies a bit of Christmas dinner and starts attempting to put in an appearance five weeks early! So off to the hosp I go, with the consultant's words ringing in my ears, but first of all they tried to stop my contractions and gave me steriods for the baby's lungs, but then when that didn't work and I carried on contracting, the two doctors were like good cop/bad cop, with one urging me to attempt a normal delivery and the other one telling me to have a section if I wanted one. I was in bits and didn't know what to do, especially as the one trying to get me to have a normal delivery was saying I'd be home sooner if I did which was a big consideration.

Anyway, common sense prevailed and he was born half an hour into boxing day by C-section. And I wouldn't have gone home earlier if I'd had a normal delivery because hospital policy was that I had to stay in with the baby until he was 36 weeks (gestation) anyway. I was terribly upset that I'd been put through all that by the doctors. I'm just glad I'm not having any more kids!!

So what I'm trying to say in a longggg way is that you must put your foot down over this.

Jxx

sparkle83

A girl I work with told her midwife and consultant that she was really afraid of natural birth, and they agreed to give her caesareans with both her babies, so yes, there are ways

peachyprice

You can request a c-section if you've had a traumatic 1st birth, I did, and would again. My first birth of twins was very traumatic, I almost lost both babies. There was no way I was going through that again, even with one baby, the only way that could be guaranteed was an elective section. My consultant was fantastic and realised how distressed I was and was more than happy to oblige.

Certainly in your case I would discuss it with the consultant, not the registrar, you need to put you and your baby first.

Running_Horse

My wife couldn't have a natural birth for medical reasons, and had a letter from her consultant to say so. Despite this, you wouldn't believe the pressure she came under from the maternity unit to try pushing for a while, even though her condition is life threatening. I got the impression they are under political pressure to reduce the percentage of C-section births.

hevab

My first daughter was a breech baby so the most sensible thing to do was give me a c section. When i was pregnant with DD2 i really wanted to go for a natrual birth, the hospital where i was dont do anything for post c section women in the way of inducing labour, they dont even do a sweep!!! They let me go until the latest time to go in to labour, my waters broke the night before my c section was booked for! After 12 hours she wasnt coming the way they wanted her to i was taken for an emergancy c section.
Its funny how hospitals seem to have different practacies (sp?)