Elective c-sections.

bestpud

pigpen wrote: »

Come here.. they love doing them.. in fact they prefer to as they know when and where and how and can shuffle you a few hours if they like.. all these wanting normal deliveries are just messy unco-ordinated bed blockers.

You dont even want to know how horrific sections can get... I currently have a possible DVT.. in my arm (seeing doc tomorrow if I can fit it in between MW and dietician and school runs and getting DS3 back to school).. I didnt even know that was possible... hopefully though it is just an abcess from bacteria being shoved in with the canula.. and some kind of infection somewhere judging by my temp.. I was black from my boobs to half way down my thighs.. the MW on postnatal ward was horrified by the bruising.

The perforated bowel, total lack of muscle attachment and huge umbilical hernia have now been repaired temporarily. The tummy tuck to deal with the hideous apron of flesh will be dealt with accordingly in time and my peritoneum was so mangled it is long since gone. Not to mention the massive nerve damage to my cervix and abdomen and the vaginal prolapse (due to lack of muscle attachment. not tone!!) and the PTSD and the scar DD3 has running from above her ear to the top of her head... but apparently all that is meant to be absolved by the fact my daughter is alive... (that butcher is no longer employed.. anywhere!!)

Having experienced both.. Id go foof quilting every time.. no questions..

I would suggest you got a decent supportive midwife, a decent birthing
partner (maybe a doula alongside OH?) who could keep things calm and look at other options like hypnobirthing for example (not that I have any faith in such things but I am a first class cynic).. seriously.. subjecting yourself and your baby to a section is something I would advise against.

You dont get out of housework or school runs either... it is a myth!

You can request a second opinion, a change of consultant or go to another hospital if needs be.. there is always someone happy to slice and dice!

I wish you well whatever you decide.

Are all your health problems the result of that one c-section?

I ask as you've had a lot of children...

thatgirlsam

RenStar wrote: »

I have had two sections - one emergency after a long and difficult labour where my little girl & I almost died; later found out it I had eclempsia but they tried to cover it up cos they didn't pick it up sooner. The second was planned (10 months ago) and I told midwife and consultant from outset that I wouldn't even consider a vbac. It made me very unpopular with the midwives as I would not be persuaded otherwise. I can tell you that my planned section was far easier recovery wise and a great deal less traumatic than my emergency section. In fact, even with the emergency I recovered quickly, was in hospital 2 nights and felt physically able to go about normal life after 2 weeks. Yes, we have all heard of women who have 2 minute labours, sneeze and out pops the baby and they are out doing the weekly shop in tesco 10 mins later but they are not the norm!

The reality is that labour is painful, unpredictable and has way too many variables to know for sure. If a woman has had a traumatic vaginal birth previously, what's wrong with trying to seek an alternative? Yes, it's major surgery and there can be complications but we all know that aftercare is much better now than what it was, even compared to 4 years ago today (a very happy 4th birthday to my lovely daughter!)

My views on the matter might be be unpopular but I don't care - in my opinion sections are generally discouraged because they cost the NHS far too much money and mean the woman requires more hands on care, so they can't just be left to get in with it as nature intended bollox! Both my sisters have had natural births and both have not gone well. They were left traumatised, in pain and humiliated. One so much, she won't have any more children, the other only if she can have a section. She is fortunate enough to go private if necessary to guarantee it, and that to me speaks volumes.

For me and for many women I know who have had planned sections, the blunt truth is that it was easier, less painful and no where near as bad asmake out some people wish to . I'm all for sisterhood and all that but you don't get any awards for pushing out a 10lb baby over 3 days on GA only! I believe sections would be a LOT easier to come by if men gave birth or better yet, a pain and risk free alternative would have been invented by now (or most likely the human race will be extinct, one of the two!:D)

Thats a bit of a dangerous thing to say - It may have went well for you but I think this statement undermines the different experiences some women have had

valkirn

Dontknowanymore wrote: »

SO you know there is a strong possibility that intruments might have to be used to assist delivery, why don't you mentally prepare yourself for that rather than electing for major abdominal surgery?

I have had 2 EMERGENCY sections, it is horrible after, you can barely move, not allowed to leave hospital for a certain amount of time etc etc. I think maybe speaking to someone about the other births and coming to terms with them would be more beneficial than having a section.

Also surely before you fell pregnant this time you didn't know that you would be allowed a section, what are you going to do if they do in the end say no? not give birth?
Sorry I know that sounds a bit sarcastic but you need to be realistic here, instead of clinging on to the hope you will have a section, focus on preparing yourself for a birth where they have to use forceps and the like then anything less is a bonus.

Im sorry but thats twaddle and i guess it depends on the area you live in, ive had 3 emergency sections and 1 elective section and except for my first section (13 years ago) where i had to stay in 4 days, i have been asked with in the first 48 hours if i would like to go home (which is about the same for a first time normal birth mum).

Im not going to deny it hurts yes it does but then being sliced almost in half is going to hurt, but the quicker you can get up the quicker you start to heal. Also i made sure i was starting to get up as soon as i had the feeling back in my legs this helps the bowels go back to their normal positions so you are able to poop sooner and this is the only reason you are kept in if you havent weed or pooped after the op,

If you want a section raven then you will need to insist on it, or you could pull out all the stops and explain how terribly frightened you are of having another instrumental birth x

I have to say out of all my sections the planned one was the best it was so calm and everything was in place and ready i had music i wanted to listen to playing and it was the closest thing to a normal birth as i was going to get, i even got to see my daughter born (ok it was via the metal in the light but i saw her born)

missiemog

Ravenlady wrote: »

Has anyone managed to get an elective section citing previous difficult births as a reason?

All 3 have been instrumental births (humming jaws theme tune)

I just don't want to do it again, im point blankly refusing to give birth and if another salad tong comes near me they will be wearing it, internally.

My Midwife has already told me an elective is not an option. :mad:

i guess it depends where you are in the country.

i'm in scotland and asked the midwife if electives was possible and was told no. however when pregnant with ds1 found out i had the group b strep infection. i point blank refused to push my baby out through that (what a start to life!) and asked for an elective (giving my reasoning) and was given one.

for ds2 i was just so exhausted at my last appointment i just asked if i could have one - i was massive and am only 5ft on a good day with heels - and consultant agreed.

just ask for a consultant appointment. explain your feelings and how mentally scarred and stressed you are from the last three and want this one to be different. they do take everything into consideration. it's not just being too posh to push syndrome.

xx

missiemog

bre16 wrote: »

I'm sorry I had to laugh at this 'im point blankly refusing to give birth' sorry to tell you this but if the baby decides he/she is coming I don't think you have a lot of choice lol.
On a serious note I can understand forceps aren't nice but at least once its done its done. With a c section you will be in pain for a long time and have you thought about how you are going to manage with three children & a baby when you aren't able to lift anything for 6 weeks?

everyone is different (i'm assuming your statement is from personal experience), however not everyone is in pain for a long time. i was up and about half an hour after being back in the ward with no pain whatsoever. the pain is more if you don't move around early on. and you can manage quite well with other children and can lift things (as long as it's not furniture!). i walked a mile or so and back to the shops, i drove - all before 6 weeks. this '6 week' rule seems to be from the 50s.

thatgirlsam

valkirn wrote: »

Im sorry but thats twaddle and i guess it depends on the area you live in, ive had 3 emergency sections and 1 elective section and except for my first section (13 years ago) where i had to stay in 4 days, i have been asked with in the first 48 hours if i would like to go home (which is about the same for a first time normal birth mum).

Im not going to deny it hurts yes it does but then being sliced almost in half is going to hurt, but the quicker you can get up the quicker you start to heal. Also i made sure i was starting to get up as soon as i had the feeling back in my legs this helps the bowels go back to their normal positions so you are able to poop sooner and this is the only reason you are kept in if you havent weed or pooped after the op,


If you want a section raven then you will need to insist on it, or you could pull out all the stops and explain how terribly frightened you are of having another instrumental birth x

Yes it is possible to be home 48 hours after the op but that is considerably longer than the 6 hour discharge you could have after a normal delivery

It is major surgery so there will not be many doctors or midwives happy to discharge you the day after section - You could leave obviously, its not a prison, but it would be against medical advice

thatgirlsam

missiemog wrote: »

everyone is different (i'm assuming your statement is from personal experience), however not everyone is in pain for a long time. i was up and about half an hour after being back in the ward with no pain whatsoever. the pain is more if you don't move around early on. and you can manage quite well with other children and can lift things (as long as it's not furniture!). i walked a mile or so and back to the shops, i drove - all before 6 weeks. this '6 week' rule seems to be from the 50s.

You couldnt have been up half an hour after the operation though?! :eek:

Moving around is encouraged but not for the first 4 hours

valkirn

thatgirlsam wrote: »

Yes it is possible to be home 48 hours after the op but that is considerably longer than the 6 hour discharge you could have after a normal delivery

It is major surgery so there will not be many doctors or midwives happy to discharge you the day after section - You could leave obviously, its not a prison, but it would be against medical advice

I have been asked the day after having surgery if i wanted to go home i was up and about, had had my shower and had been to the toilet... my motivation for getting up my baby was in scbu and i refused pont blank to let a midwife or doctor tell me i had to stay in bed.

At the end of the day im certainly not going to advocate anyone going against their doc or midwife but i was desperate to make sure my baby was ok and alive but no one could be spared to take me to scbu.

missiemog

thatgirlsam wrote: »

You couldnt have been up half an hour after the operation though?! :eek:

Moving around is encouraged but not for the first 4 hours

not, not after the op - still numb! but once back in the ward.

again, it's all personal experience. my room was like an oven - noone around to open the window at the opposite end of the room, so i got up, dragged the IV pole behind me and opened it.

from my hospital, if you want to get up and feel ready and able to do so, then they encourage you to move around.

thatgirlsam

valkirn wrote: »

I have been asked the day after having surgery if i wanted to go home i was up and about, had had my shower and had been to the toilet... my motivation for getting up my baby was in scbu and i refused pont blank to let a midwife or doctor tell me i had to stay in bed.

At the end of the day im certainly not going to advocate anyone going against their doc or midwife but i was desperate to make sure my baby was ok and alive but no one could be spared to take me to scbu.

Oh yes, I totally agree that its best to get moving as soon as you can and obviously you would have wanted to go to scbu - bit harsh that nobody could take you in a wheelchair!

And harsh that they asked you if you wanted to go home with a baby in special care! We keep ladies on the ward for 10 days if they have a baby in nicu, if they want to stay that long that is

I have to say and I am not saying its anything to do with you but its usually the smokers who leap out of bed and out the door - We have had ladies begging us to take them outside on their beds for a fag