Hi

I developed cholestasis in week 37 but in the begining didn't know what it was. Probably had the itching for a few days but just thought it might go away and then had my OB appointment so thought I'd say it then. Minute I mentioned the itching to my OB out came the pad and he sent me off for a blood test. The moment the results came back he was on the phone getting me back in straight away to discuss what we would do. His advice was better out than in for bub. While he gave me something to take to relieve the itching it was just not good for the baby to potentially be getting the increased salt in the blood travelling over the placenta. At this stage I was 37 + 6. (DS was IVF baby so we knew dates were exact).

Bub hadn't engaged yet and my cervix was still long and closed (I think this was the terms they used) so his recommendation was CS. He said he could induce but that he didn't believe I would end up delivering naturally. While I had always wanted to try natural delivery I didn't think it was really about me any more and what I wanted and more about what was best for bub so agreed to CS and had my darling DS at 38 weeks.

I won't lie and say that I haven't any regrets about not being able to at least try to give birth naturally as I have. And I think that, on top of the fact that he was an IVF bub probably played a part in how I dealt with problems we had establishing breast feeding but I still believe that it was the right thing to do. My recovery from the CS was perfect (in fact I said if this is major surgery bring it on!).

My advice for what its worth is you have gone through almost 9 months to get to where you are today and how you give birth to your darling baby is only one tiny part of the amzing journey of motherhood that you are about to embarke on. How our babies come into this world doesn't make us a better or a worse mother than the next person. Do what is right for your little one whatever that may be. Hope it all works out well for you.

Xx