Qu for the c/s mummies!!

[Trillian]

I had no choice but to have a cs. I am very litte 4ft 8. My ob gyn basically put it like this. You will need cs. If waters break it is bye bye baby. Yes scared the cr@p out of me. I had scheduled cs and had spinal. Was awake the whole time. Got to hold DD while they stitched and cleaned me up. Got to breastfeed her in recovery. Loved every moment of her birth.
Was at first disappointed that I had to have cs. I also then was not able to breastfeed. Look at my DD now and have no sense of disappointment.
It was painful at first but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I was somewhat amazed. I remember it being painful when I first got out of bed but was surpirsed at how quick I recovered.
Yep I would do it all again if I was to be so lucky!!!!!

I hate to say it but you were lied to bigtime and he has basically coerced you into having a surgical birth for no medical reason at all. How do you think pigmy women give birth? That is so wrong it has made me really mad to read this.

Women of ANY height can give birth - mother nature knew what she was doing when she made vagina's so damn stretchy. My mother, who is 5ft 1 gave birth to my sister who was 10lb14oz, 60cm long with massive shoulders with not a single tear or stitch, flat on her back with no drugs.

Sorry for the big rant, its just that crap like this makes me really mad.

[jmmum]

Trillian,
In this case you are so very wrong. When I fisrt went to Ob Gyn I was very clear with him that I thought that because of my height that I would HAVE to have a CS. The midwife had told me that because I was under 5ft I had no option? This I believe is cr@p as did my ob. What is not Cr@p is that my pelvis was to small and my DD could not move down low enough for me to birth her naturally. The size of my pelvis has also to do with my height. My Ob Gyn did all the xrays, ultrasounds etc to be certain that this was they only option. Along with my hieght I have the bone structure of about a ten year old. So perhaps I should have explained it better. My Ob absolutely did not lie to me!!!!!!!!

[Salsa]

Hey Kim, Um just to get back on track....
Just thought I`d share abit more with you about my c.section.

It was 'elective', due to babies odd posistion. We knew weeks in advance thats how he was going to come into the world. I was crushed initially that I was not able to persue my idea of having a natural waterbirth, but accepted that my situation was a bit different and a C.section would be the best option. It was clear enough to me that it didnt matter, when DH said "100 yrs ago and I would probably loose at least one of you if not both...", that was all the perspective I needed. I was fortunate I guess that I then had time to ask some questions about c.sections and I got to have a look at the operating theatre in advance. I think if your having a looksie around the hospital, then you should ask if the theatre is available for a peek, JIC that scenorio arrives. It will only take a minute or less and they shouldnt object unless its being used. Its a fair enough request.
Anyway, the surgery does not take very long (it was all done in about 20mins), and I was given DS once they got him breathing etc. I couldnt sit up and hold him properly, but they placed him in my arms and he latched on for his first feed with no trouble. That was all within the half hr of being born.
I felt sad during the first night that I couldnt get up and pick him up when I wanted - that sucked actually. I would have to call the midwife, and wait for them to come in and give him to me. But by the next day I could get him.
I also had a shower the next morning and although had been expecting serious pain (cause everyone had said " ohh its painful!", it was not that bad at all. I went home after only 2 days and the over the counter pain killers werent even needed by then.
I did have to take it easy though, and I think for people with other kids already it must be tough.

One of the worse things about it really was other peoples atitudes (but wont go into that here).
Overall the whole experience for me was positive.
...but yes, I am still wanting to see about a vbac this time

[onlyone]

its no wonder people are so scared etc of a c-section
emergencies rough jobs pain etc and some comments in forums like this

Why is it that the pain and all the horror stories of a so called natural birth are always answered with you will forget it after the baby is born and comments like it is worth it etc and nothing bad is ever said again

I had an emergency first time and next time I am having an elective no guilt no horror stories and no feeling like second best

When we c-sections be accepted as "normal" please

[visitor1]

its no wonder people are so scared etc of a c-section
emergencies rough jobs pain etc and some comments in forums like this
When we c-sections be accepted as "normal" please

Wow...i dont see how anything bad has been said in this thread, and everyone has opinions on c/s. To me they are as normal as a VB....if you cant deliver that way, then your natural delvery option is a c/s. I am scared and hence why i posed the questions, ive had nothing but great responces and im greatful everyone has shared their stories, whether good or bad...nothing has been sugar coated.

[Mummatotwo!]

Ok, i am sorry, but i have to reply to this!

CS are absolutly NOT normal!!! They are an emergency procedure to help save the mother or the child.

For what ever reason, it may be to do with maternal mental health, i am not saying that ALL c sections are "wrong" if they are elective. But to class them as "normal" or wanting them to be normal is just crazy in my books. The normal way to give birth is vaginally, cs is a second OPTION.

[sirenz]

after 12 hours of labour i ended up with an emergency c/s due to fetal distress.

Almost 8 months later, I still find myself thinking about it all and wondering what would be if i didn't have to have the c/s. Would my son be born alive? would i have a better chance of being able to breastfeed? would i have bonded sooner with my son? all these things and many more enter my head almost every day.

the physical pain was nothing to me, but the emotional part is huge! I thought at the time of the c/s that i was handling it well, but now as i look back, i'm pretty sure i think of it every day, so i can't tell you how to get over the emotional side of it as i'm still going thru it, but the physical side, the pain didn't last that long for me at all, i was showering 7 hours after my c/s and the only reason i stayed in hospital for 5 days was because i was trying to establish breastfeeding.

I'm not really sure i want to go through all of that again, and I am seriously not considering another child at this stage because i would not want another c/s unless i was put asleep, and i don't want that at all.

one thing i can definately say is make sure you have a birth plan that includes what you want in the case of a c/s. I didn't include any of these details on my birthplan, and I didn't get to hold my son properly until the next day when i eventually stopped vomiting (the drugs made me sooo sick).