12-24 weeks pregnant (part 4)

Beckyy

I also agree, having seen friends have both emergency and planned due to previous c-sections, needing to have one is my fear! The pain and recovery time afterwards seems to last for so long.

zarf2007

euronorris wrote: »

It's my understanding that whilst a C-section is painless at the time, it is very painful afterwards, and for weeks at that. At least, that's what my friends and sisters tell me. So if it's pain she wants to avoid, a C-section may not be the best option anyway.


There are lots of pain relief options for natural labour. If your wife is concerned about the pain aspect, this is something she can discuss with her midwife. Probably best to let the medical professionals know asap, and ask lots of questions so she can make the most informed choice possible about what type of pain relief she would like.


I think they go over a lot of this during antenatal classes too (not having mine until 4th May, but I think that's one of the things they cover off).

While she is aware that the recovery time will be longer and is also painful, I think its the actual event that is frightening her, she is short and has a small frame so cannot imagine how a baby will come out of such a small area!! also medieval tools like forceps don't help!

she also has a needle phobia so you can imagine the idea of an epidural went down like a lead balloon....:)

of course we will discuss this with the midwife in the coming months.

pigpen

Having had both normal and sections.. I would go with a normal birth every single time!!

They do the spinal for a section anyway so that is the same as an epidural but through an extra layer of spinal column.. That being put in is absolutely awful.. by far the worst bit.. The pressure they use winds you.. and the 'cold spray' is nasty.. then they do a local anaesthetic which stings like nothing on earth then they do the spinal/epidural .. I had both with the last 2 sections and 3 canulas ... I then have constant daily pain from the sections.. it will be 16 years since the first one this year and it is disfiguring and constantly sore and painful.. normal childbirth is over in a few days maximum.. a bit of bruising and soreness for a few weeks or months is by far preferable to years of pain.

It isn't just the healing period afterwards.. there is a risk of massive internal damage and scar tissue. I have had a perforated bowel which nearly killed me and my daughter (she had CP as a result), ovarian cysts, damaged nerves, and horrendous UTI's. I actually feel utterly disfigured by it.. the scar is hideous and sore and the hanging flesh above it which makes my clothes ugly and me feel sick is impossible to do anything about.

I am every section horror story you ever want to hear and some you don't!

With the last one I was refused pain relief by the hospital the day after.. then they reported me to social services when I discharged myself because they hadn't done their job (and a couple of other reasons) I had pain relief at 6am and I left at 4pm having had nothing.. I could barely breathe let alone walk the pain was so bad, I was very determined I was leaving!!.. I'd go through a month of labour to not experience that again! .. I am taking my own medication in this time and will not be asking them for anything.. I will buy it online if I have to but they are not doing that to me again.


A section is not an 'easy option' nor should it be taken lightly.. the hospital would be wrong to just do it without just cause. The immediate and long term health risks are not worth it.

My daughter managed 2 perfectly healthy weight babies.. she is 5 ft1 and was 7-7.5 stone when she got pregnant .. overall stature is not an indicator of whether a baby can be born vaginally. My mothers friend had a 10lb 2oz baby and she was about 6 stone normally! She was utterly tiny! I'm 5 ft 2 (and a bit) 8 stone and had mine without too much hassle.


A section to save a life is fine.. but just on a whim, whether they pay for it or not, is not ok.. people just don't look at the risks or long term effects... I would never submit to one without absolute necessity.

zarf2007

pigpen wrote: »

Having had both normal and sections.. I would go with a normal birth every single time!!

They do the spinal for a section anyway so that is the same as an epidural but through an extra layer of spinal column.. That being put in is absolutely awful.. by far the worst bit.. The pressure they use winds you.. and the 'cold spray' is nasty.. then they do a local anaesthetic which stings like nothing on earth then they do the spinal/epidural .. I had both with the last 2 sections and 3 canulas ... I then have constant daily pain from the sections.. it will be 16 years since the first one this year and it is disfiguring and constantly sore and painful.. normal childbirth is over in a few days maximum.. a bit of bruising and soreness for a few weeks or months is by far preferable to years of pain.

It isn't just the healing period afterwards.. there is a risk of massive internal damage and scar tissue. I have had a perforated bowel which nearly killed me and my daughter (she had CP as a result), ovarian cysts, damaged nerves, and horrendous UTI's. I actually feel utterly disfigured by it.. the scar is hideous and sore and the hanging flesh above it which makes my clothes ugly and me feel sick is impossible to do anything about.

I am every section horror story you ever want to hear and some you don't!

With the last one I was refused pain relief by the hospital the day after.. then they reported me to social services when I discharged myself because they hadn't done their job (and a couple of other reasons) I had pain relief at 6am and I left at 4pm having had nothing.. I could barely breathe let alone walk the pain was so bad, I was very determined I was leaving!!.. I'd go through a month of labour to not experience that again! .. I am taking my own medication in this time and will not be asking them for anything.. I will buy it online if I have to but they are not doing that to me again.


A section is not an 'easy option' nor should it be taken lightly.. the hospital would be wrong to just do it without just cause. The immediate and long term health risks are not worth it.

My daughter managed 2 perfectly healthy weight babies.. she is 5 ft1 and was 7-7.5 stone when she got pregnant .. overall stature is not an indicator of whether a baby can be born vaginally. My mothers friend had a 10lb 2oz baby and she was about 6 stone normally! She was utterly tiny! I'm 5 ft 2 (and a bit) 8 stone and had mine without too much hassle.


A section to save a life is fine.. but just on a whim, whether they pay for it or not, is not ok.. people just don't look at the risks or long term effects... I would never submit to one without absolute necessity.

While I don't doubt your experience and the risks involved I'm sure that medical advances since your birth will have reduced quite a lot of that. Also I really think your's is in the minority as if all c-sections were like that I doubt flake's like posh beckham would dare have one.

I also think there would be a hell of a lot more people shouting about their c-section hell if it was the norm.

Like all birth experiences and especially c-sections it depends on the hospital facilities and the skill of the consultant doing the op. Some hospitals (like north middlesex) I wouldn't send cattle to to give birth but I really hope things have progressed at the more decent hospitals.

FreddieFrugal

There are additional risks for C-sections over vaginal birth for both mother and child. If you way up the pros and cons - vaginal birth trumps C-sections unless there is obviously a medical need for it.

That's why they don't do them as a standard option. It increases the risks so you need to have a really good reason for having one. (That doesn't mean that most don't go well. It's just you shouldn't take increased risks unless there's a medical need - I.e. The risks involved of not having one are greater)


Pros of vaginal birth include:

reduced risk of breathing problems for baby
Introduction of good bacteria from the mothers birth canal to the baby which helps their immune system
Faster recovery for the mother
More contact time with baby and sooner breast feeding



We were reading about water births today and OH is considering that as an option. It sounds good.

euronorris

Yeah, a C-section will still require a spinal injection. If your wife is afraid of needles, that may be a traumatising option for her.


I don't want to make out that c-section's are awful because in many cases they are not, and they do save lives. But they are not without pain, risks and complications. So, I just want your wife to be aware of all the facts, otherwise she'll get an awful shock if she ends up needing one for any reason.


There are other pain relief methods available for natural labour and birth as well. See here: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/pain-relief-labour.aspx So an epidural isn't the only option


Personally, I'm aiming for a water birth and hoping desparately to avoid a C-section. To get into my house, I HAVE to go upstairs and the thought of climbing them after a C-section fills me with dread!


I'm also hoping to avoid using any pain relief, but that's because strong painkillers always seem to make me vomit and I just don't want to add that to the birthing experience! lol A water birth is supposed to help quite a bit with the pain relief, so I've heard.


These are all hopes of course. The reality may turn out very differently, and I'll just have to go with the flow a bit at the time.


If your wife has a fear of needles, that is definitely worth discussing with the midwives etc so that they are aware and sensitive to it.

crazy-cat-lady_2

I always imagined I would prefer a section. I am a total wuss and have a very low pain tolerance. But now, faced with the possibility of needing one I don't want one. I'd rather go for a natural birth with gas and air and hopefully no epidural.

I know many friends and also my sister and step sister who have had sections with no problems. My sister was up and about in 2 days and out of hospital, with a quick recovery time and very little pain. This is 10 years ago. Step sister had twins last year the same way, quick recovery, no complications or bad pain. She said it was easily managed with pain killers. She took them every now and then, not as much as she was recommended. Same with friends.

As I think was said above. Everyone knows a few people with horror stories. I have friends who said they would have loved to have had a section after a natural birth was so bad for them, after rips, cutting, transfusions..etc.
But also had many friends who had natural births who went smoothly and quickly and they were out again within hours.

All you can do is hope your experience is simple and as painless as you can get.

becca0417

I won't go into detail but suffice to say I never want to repeat the experience of my 'planned' section & I would never willingly choose one. The thought of having another this time terrifies me.

As the midwife on the Portland programme said, no birth is without pain. It amazes me the amount of people who don't take that into consideration!

flutterbyuk25

Popping in from the Pregnancy thread just to let you all know that Aldi have a baby event again from 21st April in store. But at the moment you can buy some (though not all) of the items online in advance and get free delivery. The items won't be dispatched until 21st April. To cheer myself up this morning I bought a baby bouncer, plastic drawers, cot tidy and cellular blanket

pigpen

zarf2007 wrote: »

While I don't doubt your experience and the risks involved I'm sure that medical advances since your birth will have reduced quite a lot of that. .. given I have had 6 over the last 15 years.. nothing has changed in that time! the last one 2.5 years ago


Also I really think your's is in the minority as if all c-sections were like that I doubt flake's like posh beckham would dare have one.

Most people seem to have some long term effect.. they just don't mention it.. infection rates are massive, contamination from the bowel causing UTI's, it's all kept nice and quiet! I was talking to someone today about it and she had 2 and still feels like her scar is going to rip open if she sneezes! My cousin now has severe endometriosis and has annual surgery to deal with it.

I also think there would be a hell of a lot more people shouting about their c-section hell if it was the norm. But they don't.. you are told to shut up and be thankful your baby isn't dead!

Like all birth experiences and especially c-sections it depends on the hospital facilities and the skill of the consultant doing the op. Some hospitals (like north middlesex) I wouldn't send cattle to to give birth but I really hope things have progressed at the more decent hospitals.

You don't know who you're going to get.. 2 of my surgeons have since been struck off for medical negligence!