I have had a rough run this pregnancy, now I am close to giving birth the anxiety & nightmares etc, are really not helping! I have had extreme anxiety throughout. Options are to have the baby at my local hospital either by going into labour naturally or by Tuesday having AROM & seeing what happens, the only method of pain relief would be morphine. They are not offering an epidural unless I'm in active labour & 4cm dilated. OR go to the closest major hospital & getting an epidural & then having AROM. the doctor at the major hospital realises I'm anxious & have fast & scary labours so he is happy to do whatever it takes to get me through it. This is my 5th baby, I have 3 live children, the last birth was only 1hr 50mins, very fast, painful & scary. I feel like saying to my local doctor, just to do a C-Section because then my baby will be here in 30mins!! But no, he says there is no clinical reason to do a C-Section or set up an epidural at the beginning of labour, even though he knows how scared & anxious I am, surely the local hospital can change rules on a patient by patient basis, so I don't have to go elsewhere!! What would you do????
Hugs.
I hope you are able to find what suits you best. What are your DH/ DP thoughts?
When I had my last bub we were givent the option of 2 hospitals, one with a level 3 neonatal nursery, one with a level 2. I had a prem last baby but my Ob was so convinced I wouldn't have any trouble with this pregnancy. Haha I started Pre-labour at 27 weeks. Because I had already picked the level 3 hospital I had no problems with them treating me and we managed to get to 38+1 weeks. It did take a bit longer to drive there but worked out better in the end.

As far as a clinical reason for c-section, maternal anxiety is a reason. But c-section does have its own risks to the baby's health.
You said this is your 5th baby, with 3 live children. May I ask if your 4th is you angel? It would explain a lot of your anxiety. (although I understand birth can be scary anyway)

I used to be against having epidural in labour (for me anyway) but my last 2 births I considered it because of my own fear. If you believe you need the epidural to help lower your anxiety then by all means go for it! Go to the hospital you feel will support YOUR birth choices the best!