Normal birth after c section??

[mookie]

I saw my consultant yesterday to discuss my last labour (emergency c-section), well he didn't discuss anything and it was a pointless appointment.

The consultant told me I was to have a normal birth as they don't like to do c-sections on ladies as large as myself (thanks!), what worried me is he said I only had a 40% chance of having a normal birth. I'm now really worried because the odds aren't great.

Has anyone had a normal birth after c section?
How did your scar feel during labour?

xx

 

[AugustMum]

What a moose.

I havent had a child after my csection so cant answer any of your questions but I can tell you that your consultants an idiot. Do you know the reasons behind your last emergancy section? Failure to dilate could make your chances a bit smaller of a normal birth but I cant see why he has only given you 40%? Surely he'd want you to go into labour thinking 'yes...I can do this!'

Silly man. Do you want to have a natural birth or were you planning on a planned section? I think you can also ask yo see a different consultant who'll actually give you support and help you get a natural birth.

 

[mookie]

Hi Melio

I went to hospital for a standard check as my waters went at 6am but hospital said by blood pressure was too high, midwives told me I was too stressed (the stupid thing is I've never been so calm). I was induced later that day as contractions hadn't started and I was overdue.

After a few hours, getting to 7cm dilated, lo's was having trouble with the contraction and his heart rate was dipping. Consultant did a test taking blood from lo's head while still inside me and said his oxygen levels were low
As the test wasn't explained before they did it, I had a panic attack and when they said they would test again in 15mins OH put his foot down and told them not to delay things and make a decision.

I hated the feeling of the c-section and I didn't heal well, I also think because of the section my milk struggled to come in and I couldn't breast feed as my body couldn't deal with everything at once.

I would prefer a normal birth but he hasn't given me much confidence that I can do it I'm also really worried about tearing as downstairs just doesn't seem big enough for a baby!

Why did you have yours? If you don't mind me asking xx

 

[Kay1987]

wow how awful of him to say that. i didnt know that they could refuse you a c-section after a previous one, i was under the impression it was your own choice! I will find out myself at 34 weeks if i can get one, im a bit worried now i have to say as i was actually hoping for another one.

Dont let him make you doubt your ability to give birth, theres nothing to say your labour wont go smoothly this time, he should have been more supportive. x

 

[AugustMum]

You can most deffinatly do it! And as it was purely because baby was distressed, it means your body is probably more than capable of having a normal birth. You just need to right people to support you. If you speak to your midwife about it she should be able to get some support behind it and get you in the right frame of mind to go natural

Mine was baby getting stuck and getting very distressed. I was 15 days overdue and went down to labour ward to get my waters broken as I was 2-3cm but once they broke my waters I went to 10cm in 2 hours and baby got lodged in basically, and after 2 hours of pushing her heart rate dramatically dropped and within a few minutes the room was full of people and I was on an oxygen mask being rushed into theater.

I dont remember the feeling of the section because they just gave me a spinal block I believe, and I was totally numb from the neck down (couldnt hold LO for a while), I was almost put under a general but they got the block in quite quickly.

Im having a water birth next time, Ive decided lol. Its going to be natural and they way the first was supposed to be. I think if you just research into things, 'prep' your body for labour i.e. get as fit as you can by doing walks, swimming ect, and closer to the time make sure baby is in the right position, then you can totally do it.

 

[mookie]

Thanks Kay. Thanks Melio

I thought it was your own choice but he didn't give me one. I assumed he would talk me through both and the ask me which I wanted to do. I've been told since the begining of my pregnancy that I'm high risk, so I though I would be given more care and support.

I think I'd like to give birth normally as I hate hospitals, so staying in hospital after the c-section was a nightmare and I didn't get any rest.

Thank god for PF and lovely ladies like you two otherwise I'd be completely alone!! xx

 

[Kay1987]

They certainly make you think you will have a choice anyway! Melio is right, get yourself as prepared mentally and physically as you can for the birth. All you can do is try and if it doesnt go to plan and u get another c-section, dont beat yourself up about it, its out of your hands! The good thing about PF is you can usually find at least one other person whos either been/going through the same thing! x

 

[BabysMomma]

I'm in situation of having had a c-section before and now consultant wants me to have a VBAC. I had an appointment and scan yesterday as my placenta is low and because my babi's head is beyond it, apparantley its ok to go ahead with VBAC.

I thought, well ok...consultant knows best...that is until I looked at the risks involved and now I'm not so sure or think that I'm happy to have a VBAC. The decision is yours at the end of the day. They are supposed to take the time to discuss all possibilties of risk etc with a VBAC, mine didn't. Just assumed that because I'd expressed an interest in possibly having a VBAC that a leaflet on it was ok to hand me to read up on.

I'm stressing so much about this now that I'm going to have to ring MW and see if I can get a proper appointment to ask lots of questions. I don't want to scare you or force my opinion onto you but, as far as the research I've done myself, I can't actually see that the statistics for a successful VBAC have been researched in great detail or number in the UK. x

 

[mookie]

I'm in situation of having had a c-section before and now consultant wants me to have a VBAC. I had an appointment and scan yesterday as my placenta is low and because my babi's head is beyond it, apparantley its ok to go ahead with VBAC.

I thought, well ok...consultant knows best...that is until I looked at the risks involved and now I'm not so sure or think that I'm happy to have a VBAC. The decision is yours at the end of the day. They are supposed to take the time to discuss all possibilties of risk etc with a VBAC, mine didn't. Just assumed that because I'd expressed an interest in possibly having a VBAC that a leaflet on it was ok to hand me to read up on.

I'm stressing so much about this now that I'm going to have to ring MW and see if I can get a proper appointment to ask lots of questions. I don't want to scare you or force my opinion onto you but, as far as the research I've done myself, I can't actually see that the statistics for a successful VBAC have been researched in great detail or number in the UK. x

It's awful isn't it! I didn't get to express which I wanted to opt for because he just assumed that I'd be better having VBAC. I saw the head of midwives at my hospital last week and she was so much better and helpful! She explained that if I go for VBAC that they monitor you a lot more closely and I won't be in labour for hours as it can be very dangerous, apparently if I'm not progressing fast enough then they will take me for a c-section

I didn't even get a leaflet!! It was supposed to come with my letter but the hospital forgot to post it! Why did you need a c-section? I really wish the hospital had of explained things properly or given me some proper aftercare after my c-section, I found it very traumatic and was just expected to deal with it!

I hope your feeling a little better, have you booked an appointment with your midwife yet? x

 

[titch]

She explained that if I go for VBAC that they monitor you a lot more closely and I won't be in labour for hours as it can be very dangerous, apparently if I'm not progressing fast enough then they will take me for a c-section

there is actually very little evidence for this, I had a section and I want a VBAC inthe future, Im reading a book called silent knife and its absoutely amazing, just places all the evidence and research for you to see. For example, did you know that uterine rupture can happen to a first time mother who has never had a section? Im fact the statistics show that youre more likely to have a rupture as a first time mother being induced than a VBAC mother.

Also what actually happens when you have a rupture isnt nearly as dramatic as it sounds. Firstly, there is a small percentage of cases where it is very very dangerous for the baby and this is what you want to avoid. But the majority of cases, your labour will just stop, and you wont feel any pain, nor will the baby be aware of anything wrong.

Its possible for a woman to have a rupture and not know about it at all.

I have NO idea where your doctor got the 40% from. Risk of uterine rupture in VBAC is somewhere around 1% depending on what study you look at. I think its really unfair to tell you to have a VBAC and then tell you youre likely to fail. Whats the point in that. A womans confidence in herself is a huge factor in a successful birth, and hes just created a self fulfilling prophecy. Urgh, I could just strangle your consultant!! sorry Im on a rant!

 

[BabysMomma]

mookie, sorry for late response.

I had a hopsital check up at just over 37 weeks on a Friday and was booked in for a c-section on the Monday because my DS was breech and they mentioned something about there not being enough fluid. That was 14yrs ago now.

I'm also stressing cos they don't have my previous hospital records about it as the maternity hospital I attended closed down a matter of years ago! Thing is, the maternity hospital that closed down actually merged with the maternity hospital I'm attending now!

So I'm going into this as blind as the midwife and consultants themselves

I have a midwife appointment on 24th May and intend to write down on paper what I want to ask and my concerns as I'm not entirely comfortable with it all.

The next time you're at your midwife/hospital appointment I'd ask them for more info. x

Also, I was told the same as you, that I'd be monitored a lot more closely and they won't allow me to be in labour for hours as it can be very dangerous, and if I'm not progressing fast enough then they will take me for a c-section. I think they all tend to sing from a similar song sheet, but what experience or research has been done on VBAC remains to be seen. I feel like a human guinea pig tbh. x