question for mum's who have previous c-section scar?

[Fly]

Mornin ladies...

Last few days i been gettin kinda scratchy stingy pains very low down on my left hand side... it almost feels like when you trap a pube in ya jeans zip lol but deeper down?

My mum said this morning that maybe its little one scratching on the inside of my scar which makes alot of sense.. just wonderin if anyone else who's had a pregnancy after a previous c-section can relate to this kinda pain?

It's not savage or anything just makes me go ooooooch n seems to coincide with when little one is having a wriggle

Thanks Sarah xxxx

 

[Bexie]

Ooh, I had a c-section with my first, I'm not as far gone as you and haven't felt anything like you have described. Don't like the sound of it though as it sounds uncomfotable

 

[Fly]

Well on chattin with a few other mummy friends who've got internal scarring we are all or have experienced similar kind of pains to what i'm gettin now, so i think that must be what it is.. i kinda forget that my scar isn't just the bit i can see but also layers inside lol. My friend recommended i wear my bump support belt (i'd stopped wearing it when it got really warm a few weeks back and it was rubbin on the outside of my scar) have just popped it on and already feel a little more supported and less scratchy n ouchy

Do you have a bump belt bexie? can defo recommend for when everything starts gettin a bit heavy as it really does seem to take the weight off ya scar a bit thanks for responding to my post hun love Sarah xxxx

 

[mandspice]

I didn't have a previous c-section but had previous keyhole surgery and got pains around my scars during pregnancy so I think there's definitely something in what you're saying! xx

 

[Bexie]

Do you have a bump belt bexie? can defo recommend for when everything starts gettin a bit heavy as it really does seem to take the weight off ya scar a bit thanks for responding to my post hun love Sarah xxxx

No I've not got one, to be honest I never heard of them before. I was expecting to get some form of discomfort though as it is only 18 months ago that my daughter was born.

 

[sam96031]

sorry to hi jack this thread but was going to post about past c sections.
i was wondering if those who have had c sections before and are pregnant have you decided what type of birth you are going to go for this time?
i didnt know i had a choice until last week i thought that it was expected of me to have a natural birth this time but apparently due to the risk of scar rupture i can elect for another c section.
as we dont know why my last baby was prem (emma was 10 weeks prem and i had to have a c section, there was no labour or signs) i was thinking of going for a natural birth but keeping in mind that you never know what might happen.
so was wondering what have you decided to do?

 

[mandspice]

I've just had a c-section and am not pregnant again but have already decided that I'll elect for one next time & my midwife also recommends that I do. I had a 20 hour labour followed by an emergency section as I wasn't progressing and Dexter was quite big so basically got a bit stuck! As 2nd babies are often bigger I've been advised that the same thing could happen again.....and I definitely don't want to go through that again...

However, there are some ladies on here who have had a vaginal birth after caesarean and as far as I know it's not generally a problem. May depend on how long ago your last section was too..? xx

 

[Bexie]

After having a c-section with my DD who was breech I have opted for a vaginal birth this time (hoping this will be possible). I know it might sound ridiculous to some people, but having had a c-section, I kind of feel like I missed out on the natural giving birth experience, that's not to say a c-section is a bad thing, it was what was right for us, but I'm really hoping this time I can give birth naturally.

I have been warned that as I've had a c-section previously they will be monitoring me a lot more closely. My consultant said I will be admitted into hospital when I am 4 cm dilated (not sure how many cm you are normally when your admitted), and I will be strapped up so won't be able to move around too much, this worries me slightly as I beleive that gravity will help things along, I'm gonna wait until closer to the time to speak to my consultant as being so inhibited does worry me. I do not want to be stuck lying down on a bed for however many hours. My mum is friends with a senior midwife who has said that I've been misinformed so perhaps it's not as bad as I've been anticipating.

There are pros and cons to both, having a c-section has it's conviniences regarding childcare for our DD, but the recovery wouldn't be as easy with a toddler who will still want cuddles and to be lifted up and so on, also not being able to drive for 4 - 6 weeks is a major drawback.

The list is endless, I think you just have to do what is right for you as a family.

 

[Fly]

Well I am opting for an active VBAC with minimum monitoring...

I'm afraid my consultant tried his hardest to get me to acknowledge the reasons for me requiring close monitoring but I basically told him to shove it up his butt

I'm pleased cos they absolutely won't give me any induction drugs whatsoever which is somewhat of a relief! But I know monitoring will hinder me and as its just precautionary and my scar is over 10 years old I have declined unless the midwives think its necessary...which we won't know til am actually in labour.

I've had the big old chat about there being a 40% chance of me needing blue light transfer out of the midwife unit to the hospital 10 miles away but I told the consultant that I'd rather run with the 60% chance of me not ever seeing him or that hospital whilst having my baby

Bexie I relate totally to what you have said about the feeling of missing out last time I've not experienced a contraction as my son was whipped out under general at 34 weeks cos i had Eclampsia

I'm totally fixated on VBAC and have had to get quite assertive with the consultant about wanting to give birth where I want to and not where his paranoia dictates I must to keep his mind from worrying and keep his staff from gettin stressed...

Best chances for VBAC are those where monitoring and internal exams are kept to an absolute minimum (ref: Ina May Gaskin), where the mother can be supported to be active and really get into her birthing experience and where the mother feels totally comfortable in the birthing environment.

I'm afraid my entirely negative c-section experience has left me with a fear of large hospitals that results in me having panic attacks everytime i go near the things...

I've conceded to going up to the unit earlier in labour for monitoring with the midwives which am cool about longer i am there the more chance i can hop in the pool eh! buggered if they are gonna get this mad hippy strapped to a bed a second time.. NO WAY! i shall be making bids for escape on me space hopper you watch!

 

[Fly]

Sam for what its worth love...
My friend's daughter had her babies jsut over twelve months apart.. first was an emergency c-section.. second was a very very successful VBAC

Yeah they try n scare you with the old scar rupture bollocks but aslong as you can decline or they have a policy of not using chemical induction drugs then there is about a 1 in 300 chance of the rupture happening.. 0.2% or sommat...

I've got a friend who had c-section with first and who went on to have a further 4 trouble-free VBAC's.. she now preggers with number 5

So if you want to try a VBAC then do ya research and be informed of the actual risks which are minimal compared to the risks of having subsequent major surgery (i.e repeat section)

 

[sam96031]

thanks for the oppinions was great to hear what everyone is planning. i am all for a VBAC so thats what i am going to go for

 

[Lisamj]

I had a 'semi' emergency section: my waters went at 36 weeks and Sam was breech so I had no choice, but it wasn't a 'quick, get her into theatre' type of situation.

I had dreams of a natural, earth mother active and water birth (like alot of people!) I really don't like the thought of a closely monitored vbac next time round in all honesty - having to pretty much just lie there is my worse nightmare, so at the moment I would probably go down the c-section route.

However, if you've had one c-section, you can then go onto to have a vbac as many time as you want, but if you have a second c-section, apparently it's c-sections from there on, upto a maximum of four in total in this country.


I'm saying this from a relatively pleasant c-section experience, I think if it had been an emergency after a 24 hour labour or something, I might think differently.
Lisa x

 

[sam96031]

for those of you who are interested bexie sent me this websit and i found it really helpful http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/ ... es/view/61
thanks againg Bexie

 

[Beatlesfan]

Mornin ladies...

Last few days i been gettin kinda scratchy stingy pains very low down on my left hand side... it almost feels like when you trap a pube in ya jeans zip lol but deeper down?

My mum said this morning that maybe its little one scratching on the inside of my scar which makes alot of sense.. just wonderin if anyone else who's had a pregnancy after a previous c-section can relate to this kinda pain?

It's not savage or anything just makes me go ooooooch n seems to coincide with when little one is having a wriggle

Thanks Sarah xxxx

Deleted my original reply as I just re-read your post and realised you were asking women who are pregnant /were pregnant again (and had C-section previously) for their views - think I just saw the Mum, c-section words and replied. Sorry. I def. do get those feelings, but I am not pregnant! Sorry can't help more. x

 

[Strangeness]

Can't say I remember having the scratching

Just wanted to add though that I had a successful induced VBAC with my daughter just over 3 weeks ago and it was brilliant I had a previous c section for failure to progress past 4cm with my son and managed it this time! Advice for ladies who are aiming for VBAC this time is to remain totally open minded about the whole thing so you don't end up disappointed if it means having another c section. Be armed with all information about what you would prefer. I was very lucky to have had many consultants who were happy to go along as I wanted and were ready for me if I wanted to push the button and go to theatre but they totally stuck with my choices and we got there in the end Failure to progress doesn't mean you can't give birth naturally, I went from 4cm to 9cm in about 1 hour 30 mins this time so it can happen really fast! Just be prepared for some midwives to be very brunt about the fact they think it'll just end up as a csection again and ignore them. As long as you and baby are safe that is all that matters and they will monitor you throughout! I was hooked up to a machine for the babies heartrate but I could still stand up if I wanted too it was only when I had the drip to speed things up that I laid down but it was more comfortable for me anyway. Just go with the flow and hopefully all will go to plan Good luck girls!

 

[mayday]

I've been having a little read up on VBACs for my next time round (which won't be for a while - the idea of changing 2 lots of nappies...... ) It is generally considered that the potential complications of even an elective caesarean outweigh the benefits of a VBAC. I had a horrendous emergency section and have no desire to go through another one, (although I would rather have a planned one than the situation that arose with my last one.) I've found the following links useful, and in particular the RCOG link is about as fact-focussed and emotion-free as it is possible to get. I know it is beyond the means of a lot of people, but I will be having a private midwife for my next baby, who will act as a doula while I am in the hospital. I feel that if I had had one person following my progress thoughout a number of problems could have been avoided and shortened my labour and possibly (but we will never know) prevented me from needing the section. A private midwife costs about the same amount as a 2 week family holiday, that seems like a bargain to me.

Anyway, here are the links;

http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1913

http://www.vbac.org.uk/

http://www.vbac.com/index.html

 

[Fly]

Thanks for those links mayday - really informative xxx