So today I was lucky enough....

Jennifer can I ask what things you would like to change? as never having had a section I would like to be informed as possible :)

I would have brought along my own private m/w so as to keep bubs in recovery with me. I would have waited to go into labour first or I would have waited until 40 weeks (not 39). In my case there would have been no immediate emergency.

I would have not scheduled an afternoon c/s (we got bumped back twice, which can happen at any time but is more likely if you're later). It would also have meant no need for baby to go to the nursery for the night because the spinal would have worn off. I'd have insisted on skin to skin and asked them to prepare better if the theatre was unexpectedly cold. I would have asked for obs on the baby to be done after asking me and as much as possible without taking baby away unless necessary (certainly wasn't in DD's case).

I would have checked about forceps, which were used with DD, and ensured only if absolutely necessary.

I will say however that my c/s was a positive experience overall, just that I would make it even better if I had the chance. Hoping not to need to bother though!

I hope I get it too.. The hospital is very pro skin to skin, but since I never asked these Q's last time, plus my babes were so premmie it obviously wasn't an option anyway, I honestly don't know what they do.. I'm torn between putting my foot down if I get told no, but maybe it will cause more stress? I don't want to get my hopes up for something that will never happen, but on the other hand it should happen IYKWIM.. I'm not making unreasonable requests. *sigh, I wish things were different and I could have a beautiful birth and not have to worry about someone else controlling my baby and I...

Jax that link was beautiful :) thanks for posting.

BAL, I think it's a similar thing with most labours, all you can do is ask for what you want, plan for it, hope for it, and then be prepared for the possibility that things might not go to plan. It's something that gets mentioned a bit in the VBAC threads - accepting that things happen which change the 'plan' sometimes - but you can still focus on what you want, ITMS.

I think you can put your foot down a little bit ;) - work out what matters most to you & fight for that.
I am thinking the separation is a big thing? you should be able to insist on some time with bub while you are getting stitched etc. I got to hold Bubble on my chest & it was an 'emergency' cs - they checked him over & plopped him on my chest. I think they can do a lot of the checks while bub is with you.
Hopefully your appt next week will all go brilliantly & it will be a non-issue, you won't have to push too hard at all.

:hug: Big hugs my gorgeous friend. If I could fight it for you, I would :ninja:

Fleur - Separation is my worst nightmare.. There is also a chance I'll have to go to Coronary Care after recovery like I did last time. That was awful.. I had seen Seth, but they wouldn't let me see Taite. I didn't see him til the day after his birth :( I mean hopefully there is a chance bub can come with me, but I just don't want to be 'allowed' to have bub in recovery then have to be separated. I want bub with me the whole time! I was in CC for 2 days last time, and in that time I couldn't see my babies unless someone took me down. Even then it was crap because I was on a time limit.. Once I got to the maternity ward I could just take myself to NICU to see them and stay as long as I wanted which was great.. (Well not great, but better than having to ask to see them)

Blessed at Last I hope you get to have the beautiful birth you want.
I had a huge motivation for a positive c section second time around due to my first one being under a general which I (and I believe my baby) found quite traumatic. (PS: they did use forceps to get my DD out but didn't use forceps for my DS)
I had the most amazing Ob second time around. He's one of the head ones at GCH but also works privately at Pin and I ended up having the ECS at Pin to ensure I had him (cause he couldn't guarantee that he was going to be doing my CS if it was in the public system).
When brock was born I wanted him put on my chest straight away in theatre in his naked gooey state. This was done. He didn't have to go to the paed table or be suctioned and the only time he was taken off me in theatre was when they slid me onto the other bed to be wheeled to recovery. He was given back to me again straight away in recovery and we had our first BF. He was also weighed and measured in recovery right next to me and was on my chest as we were wheeled to our room.
As for checking BSL's I did have gestational diabetes so he did need to get his heel *****ed to test bsl. But this was done in our room about an hour and a half after he was born and he was feeding at the time. (which has been proved to make it less traumatic).

If you want my Ob's details feel free to Pm me :)

All the best.

MamaSpice, I am so excited to read again how wonderful your c-section with "our" OB was and just wanted to thank you so much again for recommending him to me!! He has been sensational throughout this pregnancy, and like you, we have discussed a lovely positive experience for my c-section booked in 2 weeks time - skin-to-skin straight away, paed checks after I've had cuddles or maybe not even until up on the ward if all looking really good, BF in theatre if I want, etc. Can you remember if it was really cold in theatre at Pin? By the way, I mentioned your recommendation to OB and he sends his best regards!! :-)

Jax sweetheart, have you had any more luck with your Drs and middies etc, are they now relenting a little and seeing if they can make the whole c-section experience better for you and bubs? I feel awful that it's upsetting you so much, I know how hard you are trying to make peace with it all and be positive, and I also feel it's SO unfair that hospitals and OBs seem to have such different "policies" in relation to all of this, as evidenced by the multitude of different c-section birth stories on here. You are such a Supermumma that I know you will come through it all with grace and strength no matter what happens, but I am praying that it is not too difficult for you (and maybe even better than expected) after such a wonderful waterbirth last time. It must be hard not to compare. Hugs to you hun xx

Thanks heaps for this thread BAL, I really hope you get a lovely positive c-section too, and good luck to everyone with upcoming births!!

PS. Ladies, I have just re-read this and please forgive me if I come across as sounding smug about my planned c-section, I didn't mean to at all, I just wanted to support MamaSpice's experience that there are OB's out there willing to try to make c-sections as "natural" as possible, and I really hope that it might give others confidence to ask for the same things if they want. Of course, my c-section might all go pear-shaped and be nothing like my "planned" experience, but that's what birth is all about IMO!

Bantam Thank you for your lovely post, not smug at all :) I am glad people have positive c section stories, we all want our stories to be positive and your OB sounds wonderful. I have had some luck in the skin to skin after bubs has been born and have been promised that suction will not happen unless absolutely necessary, which of course I have no issue with at all. The biggest problem I am finding is that being in the public system I see a different ob every week that I go in, so it will depend on the day what OB I end up with and how compromising they are. Like all births, as you said planning is fantastic, but reality can be different. I just think the more educated we are and the more insistent we are on what we want the more likely the system will change. Thank you again for your lovely words xxx and good luck to everyone for a happy and healthy birth.

Hey bantem, i only just saw your reply. I'm so glad that you're happy with J. And all the best for your birth in 2 weeks! How exciting :) I look forward to hearing all about it!

Hi, I just thought I would update since I have seen the OB. As I knew we would be c section all the way. Bad news is: She also wants to deliver between 35 and 37wks because she doesn’t want me labouring on a classical scar due to risk of rupture. I am upset that I will have to be separated from my baby but that is something I’ll have to come to terms with. I will get a cuddle while they stitch me up, then bub will go off to special care and I’ll go to recovery then coronary care :( She softened that news by saying we should be home for xmas if we do it a week before around the 16th I’ll be 37wks. I have asked my friend to provide some donor milk in case for some reason I can’t get my milk to Bub. So not what I wanted but I think leaving it til after xmas in her eyes is too risky. (Plus she might be away over xmas??) I'm trying really hard to just take it 1 day at a time though and not stress over it. It's not like I wont hold Bub at all, and the next day when I am (hopefully) out of coronary care I can go down to special care and still should be able to get lots of skin to skin cuddles. It'll just be for that 1st night :(

BAL is the risk if you go into labour at all or labouring through? I guess you need to balance that risk alongside the risks of early delivery. Have you asked your ob to show you what those are? To make a decision you're happy with I think she really needs to give you as much info as possible. There was a thread around here with stats and risks of rupture with a classical scar and while they're higher than lower transverse there're not astronomical. If you weren't going to continue through a full labour I would imagine that's even lower risk. And that would be if you go into labour before 38 weeks anyway, which I imagine you'd be acutely aware of given your situation and history. Plus I guess you'll be monitored with the stitch.

I think you need to make her make you comfortable, ITMS. :hug: It's really important for you to have some control in your birthing experience here, I can see how much it means to you. If you do go past 37 weeks, which still gives you more than a week until Xmas so no holiday fears, have you asked the hospital whether hiring your own IM might allow you to have baby with you for at least the period you're in recovery for? Just throwing out ideas, feel free to tell me where to go!

Jennifer13 - To be honest I'm not sure if the risk of rupture with labour itself or labouring through, but I am 99% sure it's labouring at all because I do know that it is extremely hard to find an OB to support a VBAC after classical cut and sections are done early to prevent labour occuring. (BTW, it was me that started the thread about classical cut sections ;) ) Also there is the further risk of tearing through my cervix with the stitch which is what happened last time, so i would have to have that out at 37wks anyway.. The major thing for me is, although the plan isn't what i wanted, it's a plan. If I was to refuse a scheduled c section and just wait for labour then it would turn into an emergency c section which in my eyes would be worse and I'd have less control over that ITMS?? Plus I live an hour away from the hospital, so it's not like I'm there in 10 mins if I get contractions, I would be worried and stressed which would make it worse.

This pregnancy is another experiment. We don't even know how far I'll get, not only because of previous history, but because of my cardiac condition. I mean, it's also a risk that I might get to 32wks and my heart may be not coping so that could be another reason for pre term delivery. So I think at least this way, there is a plan. I am more scared of an emergency c section than I am a planned one.

I will however ask about the independent midwife though. That sounds like a great suggestion and I might be able to keep baby closer for longer. If however the baby has to go to SCN it wont matter whether I have a midwife or not. Thanks for your suggestions :) Keep throwing ideas out there, but at the moment it's probably the best option for my situation.

Totally get the emergency c/s vs scheduled from how it affects you. I was more thinking of what you could do to keep baby in for as long as possible to avoid the SCN. Best case would be waiting, no labour and in for your c/s when bub is cooked enough to stay with you. Understand with the heart complications how tricky that is.

I guess with waiting until the normal 39wks for a scheduled c section there is a risk I would go into labour. More so with my history. Also I wouldn't like to be in a situation where I had someone caring for me that didn't know me or my history which could happen, as I assume the OB will be away at some point over xmas and I do think this *could* have had a tiny sway in the "do it before xmas" speech..

BAL It makes it so hard when there are so many things to consider. You have educated yourself and I think that is so important, you can go in and make the best decision for the both of you armed with the facts. Good luck with what ever you plan to do, you will make the right choice. I do think planning a c section is nicer then ending up with an emergency one, much less stress and time to nut out ideas.

Thanks Jax.. Fingers crossed I have a healthy baby home for xmas :)

I just wanted to thank everyone here, for listening and offering support and information. My baby boy Hamish was born on the 30th via C section and it was as wonderful as you can get. He was very quickly checked over and then passed to me in all his gooie goodness and placed under a warmed blanket. Very little stress and lots of skin to skin and could have been fed if he needed. He never left our side, Dh carried him to recovery as I had to change beds and he was back with me for his first feed. The staff were lovely and listened to all our requests when we asked. The only thing we didn't get was delay cord clamping. Good luck BAL xxx

Jax that sounds just gorgeous. Congratulations! :)