Midwife appointment

[mummytummy]

Had my 26 wk MW app this afternoon....at 1hr and 10 mins late!!!

Everything is all fine, listened to the heart beat which was a big swooshing noise today at 138 beats a min.

I told her about the pain/discomfort I have been feeling on my previous c-section scar, she said if I feel that again and it last for more than half a day to contact the hospital .

I really want to try for a virginal birth this time, but if there is something wrong or some sort of weakness with the scar then I think I will have to opt for a c-section again......feeling like this I just don't know if trying for a virginal birth is worth the risk anymore? I soooo want to give birth myself, to say I pushed a baby out on my own, but I keep thinking if something were to go wrong....because i'm feeling this pain/discomfort now, I would never forgive myself, all to say I give birth on my own.......

Any advice from someone who has felt like this or been through this????

x

 

[IslandBreeze]

I'm due to have my second Caesar in October. Due to severe problems with my first pregnancy, I'll never be allowed a vaginal birth and in fact, have been advised that this (my second) should be my last pregnancy.

I honestly think the most important thing to remember here is that the outcome you want at the end of all this is a healthy you and healthy baby. Talk to the obstetrician and discuss that you'd like to try for a vaginal delivery and if they advise against it, get them to explain why they are against the idea so you understand and then either agree or continue to fight for the right to try. But don't lose sight of what you and the hospital are all striving for - a healthy mother and baby. Having a Caesar doesn't make you any less of a mum. I don't feel at all disappointed or a failure for having one - I did what was needed to get my baby safely into the world and I'm grateful to the docs who helped as he was very high risk and lucky to make it. He's now 2 and 4 months and gorgeous.

 

[bajoleth]

I have never had a c section so can't comment from experience, but I think Islandbreeze has given you some very good advice. Of course it is easy for me to say but all that matters is yours and the babys health at the end of the day. Speak to your midwife and consultant take on board what they have to say so that you can make an informed decision. Why did you have to have your 1st caesarean perhaps that will give you some idea as to whether a vaginal birth is suitable for you. I do hope you get your choice of delivery in the end

 

[mummytummy]

There is no problems with me being able to have a VBAC the last time I talked to the doctor, but since then, I have experienced some pain/aching on my c-section scar which I will tell the dr about at my app at the beginning of next month. I just feel that this has made me question my thoughts on vbac for myself ie what if my scar did rupture, what if i'm the person who is that small percentage. My c-section with my daughter was for fetal distress....as I remember I also dilated to about 5-7 cm but she wasn't coping well with the contractions as I was being induced and on the strongest amount of the drip per hour......

I have never felt disappointed as such, because I am lucky.....if I didn't have that kind of facility available to me both me and my baby could have died. I had a good recovery and was home after two nights in hospital, didn't need extra pain relief and was up and about the ward the following morning.

If they check my scar, not sure how they will, but I feel I have lost confidence in my body again, I was almost preparing myself for a vbac and gaining confidence in the ability I have to do it, but having that pain now and again has got me questioning this.

Like you said IB the best outcome is to have a safe and healthy mum and baby, and I will take the advice the consultant gives me, because that's the most important thing.

 

[IslandBreeze]

I think the other thing to remember is to have a flexible attitude to this. Whether you go in to the final weeks planning a VBAC or a Caesar, there can always be reasons at the final stage why docs have to change the plan, for yours or the baby's sake. I think it's best to think of birth plans as a set of preferences rather than something cast in stone to be stuck to rigidly.

I expect you'll feel better when you've chatted with the obstetrician - hopefully it will be someone you feel you can trust and share your fears with, that helps a lot. Have you still got the pain?

 

[mummytummy]

Well yesterday I felt like a stitch like pain but for only a short time in the evening, it's always over the left side of the scar. The left side is where I had a infection last time after the op.

I have wrote a vbac birth plan and included c-section parts, but it's all just wishes and not set in stone obviously......but wouldn't it be lovely if it was!

I have been really putting thought into what I would like in a planned c-section and it can absolutly a positive experience.

I'm sure the dr will be able to check the scar somehow.

 

[scooterchick]

Hey babe,

I can't help with your decision, I too am hoping for a vbac, midwife says yay, consultant says nay as my age and BMI are both going against me.

However I can tell you about my planned section last time. My baby was breech and my waters had all by disappeared but I didn't go into labour, so after monitoring me for a week they decided to section me at 36 weeks. It was all very calm, I was completely prepared and relaxed, the only thing that went wrong was that the spinal wouldn't work (they couldn't find my spine and I was 3st lighter then!!) so I had to have a general anasthetic.

I woke up in recovery about 40 mins after my baby was delivered, my husband was sitting beside me holding our son, who was perfect, he suffered no ill effects from the GA. I was groggy and out of it pretty much til the next morning and I had to rely on the midwifes to change and look after my baby, but the next day I felt great, sore but great. It didn't effect bonding, I breastfed for 8 weeks, 8 difficult weeks because my son was tongue tied, but that was nothing to do with the section.

All in all it was a positive experience and I'm still undecided whether to go straight for a section or have a trial of labour. If the decision was taken out my hands I would be quite happy knowing I were to have another section.

Hope this helps x

 

[mummytummy]

thanks Scooterchick!

I'm so undecided what to do!!!! I almost want the decision to be taken out of my hands in a way.
Like I said with my section, I was also groggy after because I hadn't slept for about 48 hrs and had been given drugs for the pain of the contractions that were induced....I did start on my own but they just weren't doing anything!!!

I'm thinking that I so want to do it on my own but for it then to end in a section for whatever reason I don't want to feel groggy because the time just kind of rolled in to one big hour last time. So would it be better to just have a section this time.....be fresh and awake and remember everything. Like I said my recovery was good and was up and about walking fine the following morning.
I breast feed for only four days as I wasn't producing enough milk and my little baba was so hungry that I decided to bottle feed, which was such a good decision because she was calmer and slept so much better!

I just don't want to ask myself after the section, what if I tried?

Sorry to keep moaning, but I feel this is such a huge decision I don't want to make the wrong one, but if there is something wrong or a weakness with my scar, I'm having a c-section, I will not risk a thing!
x

 

[scooterchick]

I understand your dilemma! I too am scared of going through labour only to end up with an emergency section anyway when I could have a nice relaxed planned one. However I could go into labour and have the perfect birth and not have to recover from major surgery. Unfortunately the chances are slightly against me of having a successful vbac, just under 50%. But who's to say if I keep myself fit, watch my weight gain and do the hypno birthing stuff it could very well work!

I'm going to suck it and see. I've to have a scan at 34 weeks to check the size of the baby and the fluid around it so after that I'll have a clearer idea of what might happen. And this baba might end up breech also!

Keep me posted! xx

 

[IslandBreeze]

I think that including the possibility of a Caesar in your birth plan makes a lot of sense. My first Caesar was technically an emergency C-section as I was bleeding heavily so baby had to be delivered prematurely but because I'd known for some months that a Caesar was going to be required it didn't come as a shock to me and didn't really feel like an emergency as I was already mentally prepared for it, it was just a change in timing. Whereas some friends who'd been expecting a vaginal delivery and had an emergency Caesar instead have been really upset by it - I think being prepared for the option makes all the difference. After all, babies are unpredictable!

 

[mummytummy]

I am really giving a caesar a lot of thought, so like yo say IB if it's my only choice or the end result I won't be left in a position of disappointment for my vbac.

I will have a good chat when I see the consultant, hopefully there is a way to check out this scar, see if it's a "bad" pain or a streaching of scar tissue pain. Then I will be in a better position to decide. My app is on 7th july so not long.
Thanks for the advice everyone! x