Elective C-Section Due To Damaged Tailbone

[Mrs S]

Im going mad trying to decide whether to have a c-section because a natural birth may do more permanent damage to my tailbone which was damaged from my first labour, plus im not sure whether i can stand the pain of the contractions and then the bearing down when it comes to pushing on the tailbone.

To make matters worse i would more than likely have to be induced as im also on clexane injections to thin my blood as i had a blood clot years ago. The reason id have to be induced is i cant have an epidural or emergency c-section 6-24hrs after ive taken the clexane, depending on the anethitist, because i could hemorage to death.

So if i have to be induced it will more than likely be more painful and intense(and more painful on my tailbone) which means i might have to have an epidural and if that happens there is a high risk that I will have to have forceps which could do more damage to my already very damaged tailbone - which is apparently not repairable and i could end up having to have surgery or injections after the birth just to get rid of the tailbone pain.

Im 25 and dont want to have to put up with something like that for the rest of my life. The recovery with my first baby after having my tailbone damaged was probably nearly as bad as a c-section recovery anyway!

I really dont want to have c-section if i can help it but it looks like it might be my best option for the future.

Im really stressed out about what to do and im very interested to know if anyone has been in a similar situation and if they ended up having a c-section and what the outcome was.

Hope someone can shed some light on the subject for me.

Michelle

[Danielle]

Michelle,

Your situation sounds pretty tough, seems no matter which way you go there are things that could make into problems. I dont know if my situation is the same as yours, but I have chosen elective c section again for this pregnancy as my baby seems quiet on the larger size around 10 lbs already, my 1st was 10 lbs 2oz, And I have a sverely damaged hip as well from takin 2 falls on the same hip when I was around 25 weeks pregnant both within a week of each other. My OB reccomended elective C section as they are safer than emergency c sections, and he did not know the strain or impact labour and birth would have on my hip being such a tubby bubby. I am much the same I dont want another c section, they arent easy, the recovery is horrible, but all in all you know within yourself what would be safer for you and your baby. My OB was also worried about me being so small and with my bunged up hip and pelvis how I would go pushing such a big baby out, apparently a few labours fail to pregress from big babies, so I dunno. And as for being induced, if you dont think you could go through the pain with your tailbone Im not sure I would do it, but then again C section is really just as bad the day and weeks even months after! I hope you find a solution soon! Let us know what you decide what to do.

[Tobily]

I agree with Danielle in that you're definitely in a tough predicament...not knowing which way to jump because the consequences are all very uncertain. Tough call!

I just wanted to throw my experience with tailbone damage into the mix....I had a number of falls on my tailbone prior to having my first baby that resulted in injury and ongoing problems with it. Sometimes my whole lower back would seize to the point where I could barely walk.

The vaginal birth of my daughter basically fixed it and I swear to you I haven't had a problem with it since. When my DD was born she had a long, thin bruise down the length of her outer forearm - you can see it really clearly in pics of her when she was fresh out. A midwife made an offhand comment that "she must've clipped your tailbone on the way out" which I thought nothing of at the time. But three years later and having had no trouble with it since I'm convinced that whatever happened during her birth has actually fixed the problem.
So there you go, just another perspective

[Mrs S]

Thanks for your input ladies. I dont think it matters which way I go, im probably going to encounter issues somewhere along the line.
Im just thinking of my future, where as c-sections do heal even if they take a few months to get back to some normalness.

Tobily - When you had your daughter did you have to have any intervention at all to help you along as in forceps?

Danielle - You dont have to answer this if you find it too personal but before you had your c-section were you a very fit person that had done exercise for years beforehand? The reason I ask is I do a sport called physical culture and used to be a very fit person. Everyone that i know that does "physie" and has had a c-section said that the recovery has been fine for them and didnt take very long to heal. Im just wondering if a persons muscles have been fit in the past maybe they take quicker to get back to normal?? Who knows??

On a scale of 1-10 how bad would you have rated your c-section recovery?

[Danielle]

hey again Michelle

No, I was a full time worker throughout my whole pregnancy, found it hard to fit exercise in, I worked until I was 39 weeks with my 1st one. I was very fit though, never been overweight or had any issues with my health at all before the operation.

My c section with my 1st wasnt nice at all I had an epidural with spinal block combined, and they couldnt get the epidural to fully work I had to have it several times before it worked, then they said if it didnt work they would have to knock me out cause they couldnt give me anymore, maybe I was slightly overdosed who knows, but I was shaking like a leaf, especially while they were stitching me back up and felt terribly ill, couldn't breathe properly, and was passing out during the op cause my blood pressure went so low, and was breaking out in cold sweats. I thnk I am more scared of the operation itself than the recovery, the recovery is a step by step process for me. I am not sure how badly i would rate my c section recovery, but it took me 6 months before I could walk properly, and even then i was very tender when bending/standing/sitting/lifting etc, was about 12 months before I was healed enough to start escercising to loose my baby weight. I am having a c section again thursday, and I know if i can get through the operation I will recover - probably slowly as my body heals slowly with everything. But i have been eating terrific in the months leading up to the op, so lets hope that might have some sort of influence how I heal? I would much rather a vaginal birth, but having a previous c section and looking at having another big baby I am too much of a risk apparently, I dont know but its my last baby so I will have the op thursday and take things step by step, the operation being first, which scares the hell outta me but Im sure ill be fine. Oh and last time my scar was closed with the surgical glue too so I dunno if that could of had some affect on how i recovered either?

[Mrs S]

Well i wish you all the luck in the world and please let us know how you go! Have you made a birth plan like that other lady said to make sure you get looked after properly?