Genuine Question - Natural or C-Section & Why??

[manda83]

Thanks Vanessa I hope you get the birth you want too

[Deadly Nik]

even with my epi, i could still move!... not enough to walk, but i could change positions on the bed (hence why i delivered on hands and knees, was much more comfortable for me)... i think i had a really awesome Epi- it worked just enough to take the edge of my vag pain - i had pain in my hip instead ) ... i was up walking within the hr...

Goodluck TTC vibes to you Manda

[manda83]

Thanks Nik.. They kept topping mine up because of the threat of a c-section. I couldn't feel a thing. Which now I think may have been a good thing (with the forceps and episi!)

[Deadly Nik]

Originally Posted by manda83

Thanks Nik.. They kept topping mine up because of the threat of a c-section. I couldn't feel a thing. Which now I think may have been a good thing (with the forceps and episi!)

Bummer!... but probably good so that you didnt have to feel what they were doing at the business end! OUCH!

[KLB]

only had one - a posterior VB, so yes I really really really want to experience a "normal" drug free birth. Even though I only had a shot of pethidine, I still want to be able to do it... I was pretty let down to have pain relief, but I also wasnt educated enough about posterior labours/births...

Why do I want to do it differently next time? I was/still am very against drugs during labour, simply for the effect on my baby (for me personally, this in no influences my thoughts on other ppl's births). I was very grateful when my midwife said I'd timed the peth shot really well, it was wearing off when i started pushing, apparently this would have little effect on bubs. But I still feel like I failed bubs in accepting that shot, so next time I want to do it 100% drug free. Heres to hoping no more posterior births cos god it hurt!!!!

[Char]

What type of labour/delivery did you have?
DD1 spontaneous but very long prelabour pains (7-15min intervals for like 1.5days!!!!) and then very long active labour...tried gas, yuck, pethedine later....eventually fully dilated push for an hour...final internal oh no brow presentation (they poked her in her eye!!!!) time for emergency C-sec

DD2 successful VBAC (spontaneous labour, 8hrs total!!! pethedine and gas)

Was it what you planned? If not, why?
DD1 not really...I never expected prelabour like that, thought i'd avoid the drugs and definitely didn't think i'd be having an emergency C-sec. But I did labour quite actively which I felt I missed in my VBAC.

DD2 I guess the answer is kinda 'no' here too...if you really truly want to go for a VBAC and it be healing IMHO I feel you need to let go of all expectations and have very few plans....but yes, deep down its what I hoped for.
Also no because I really thought I'd be able to be more active...but monitoring is limiting and then my DD2 also got distressed any time I'd be in a more upright position so I was laying on my side most of time...and I thought I'd hate gas again but in fact loved it!?!?!

Did you/do you want to - do things differently in subsequent labours/deliveries? Why?

After DD1's birth I would say yes, I wanted to do things differently...I wanted to be more informed and enpowered...which I think I achieved.

But I also learnt the very important lesson that you have to equally trust your body, baby and the medical team....birth is a very complex thing and so many variations can occur. Expect nothing, just go with the flow!!!! And really every labour has its pros and cons...there I things I like and hate about both the births.

Why was a VBAC important to you?
Main reason I didn't want to have to be cut up again and go through a recovery process from C-section while also trying to be a mum to toddler and a newborn. But part of it was the desire to feel what its like to push bub out ...it was the part I feared the most ...you know tearing etc but yet I felt a bit cheated after DD1's birth to have gone through the whole process and NOT get to feel that moment. Which after experiencing it with DD2 I can say is truly amazing and beautiful and just undescribable !!!

[samiam]

What type of labour/delivery did you have?
I wanted a spontaneous labour but at nearly 2 weeks overdue I asked my midwife to sweep my membranes (I was having a planned homebirth and didn't want to end up having to be medically induced). Labour started 30 minutes later quite intensely. I had a drug free 8 hour labour, at home.

Was it what you planned? If not, why?
In all ways except having my membranes swept. My labour was empowering and I really enjoyed it. I felt connected to myself and my body and I had so much trust in myself. After J was born I didn't feel at all like I'd just had a baby!

Did you/do you want to - do things differently in subsequent labours/deliveries? Why?
I would like to experience spontaneous labour next time...but having said that, going that far overdue was really hard. I wouldn't change a thing about my labour or birth and hope the next one is as wonderful.

[TimeTraveller]

Hey due date buddy!!!

i CHOSE a drug free vaginal birth for DD1

but DD chose to be a busy body, waving her head around in my cervix trying to come out eyes first so what i GOT

after a spontaneous, drug free 35hour labour........was an emergency C/S

DD is a busy body to this day. I would like to try for a VBAC for #2......

i never felt pressured or forced or co-erced or uneducated - i was fully informed of what i was going into and the middies and doctors (reg thru to consultant) gave DD EVERY opportunity to come out of her own accord thru my vagina..... but my DD had other ideas....

[Jezzie]

I had a drug free 6hr VB - which I was very proud about, but I do wish some things were different....

I was booked in for induction at 41+5wks - this is what I asked for coz I was ready for her to come out!! But I went into spontaneous labour first, 2days before the induction date

Went into hospital about 1hr after contrax started - this is something I would like to change next time. I should've stayed at home longer - that was in my very rough plan (that was only in my head...i never wrote a birth plan). I think I went into hosp coz we thought things were happening quickly (contrax being 4min apart).....

When I got into hosp, they put me on ctg monitor - I think because I had bleeding at 32weeks and they wanted to check DD was ok - but I hated being strapped to the bed on the monitor! I would've liked that to be different......and they broke my waters too, which I have no idea why they did that!! DD was born about 2hrs after they broke my waters - no intervention, just 2nd degree tear

So I would've liked to be more informed I think.....about why I was actually on the ctg the whole time, and about why they broke my waters. And I also wish I'd responded more to help!! I had awful back pain the whole labour and I refused a heat pack! Later on, I wished I'd had one! But I am glad I refused the gas and pethidine and epidural.......it actually seemd like the middies were really pushing for me to have something, but I kept saying NO. (but when I did get to the point where I said "give me an epidural!" - it was too late. I was fully dilated and ready to push)

I think it's prob best to try and keep an open mind about your labour/birth experience - coz it seems that quite often, things dont turn out how you exactly want. I didnt get any pressure to have a VB or not, but in the back of my mind I really wanted to avoid a c/s - I just didnt like the idea of being cut open and the long recovery time

Sorry to rant on!

[Effie]

I had an elective c/s for personal reasons with my one and only DD...

I originally made the choice based on what I felt I could cope with emotionally, and with the support of my OB and GP was booked in at 16 wks. Even though it was my first (and only) pregnancy, I didnt feel things were quite 'right' from about 20 wks on.

It turned out that I was right and during DD's birth I also had a large cyst removed from my ovary which turned out to be the cause of most of my pain. During her birth I lost an ovary and tube due to the cyst.

I always planned on having an elective c/s, when I got the support of my OB it made me feel relieved and I made sure I thoroughly looked into what would happen, what the recovery was like and prepared myself for it in the same way somebody having a v/b would.

For me the recovery from the c/s was fantastic, probably because I had no more pain or discomfort from the cyst. I was ready to come home within 3 days, but stayed longer because DD had lost more than 10% of her bodyweight. I didnt have issues b/f'ing her due to the c/s, her agpars were 9 and 10, and had I gone for a v/b I would have put both myself and her at risk due to the cyst.

I know its not for everyone but I am very much for people listening to their 'inner voice' and doing what feels right for them... I didnt get pressured to change my mind, and as it turned out I did what was best both for me and DD.

I cant comment on VBAC or repeat c/s because DD will be my only child.