At the mercy of who you get...

Some of you may have heard me talk about a client of mine who was being booked in for a c/s at the RWH due to low lying placenta. It was quite low, it had moved up at 37 weeks but still not ideal. So she was booked in and went through the mental anguish and upset of not being able to have the birth she had planned. She'd had NO bleeding.

Anyways forward to yesterday. She sees an Ob on duty completely by chance (the dates were stuffed up or something but anyway, she got to see someone else) and he said, 'If you were my daughter I would not let her have a c/s. Your placenta is in a perfect position if there is a bleed, the head moving down will probably block the blood loss and a c/s would be more complicated having to cut through the placenta as quick as we can and get the baby out. You don't need one, I (as in he himself) will see you in a week and we can continue on care as normal.'

How f'd up is that? Completely at the mercy of who you see, women are. She's relieved of course... but it could have gone a completely different way and this woman would have had a much different path, and more challenging future births. See women don't know what to ask when they first get pregnant, so when they hit the end and get these challenges they take whatever as 'the word' but even doctors cant get their stories straight. Just goes to show you something when these professionals all have such different approaches, and that intervention isn't always the way birth has to go - you can get more opinions.

what a wonderful - if somewhat confusing outcome now - for your client Kel. it's so damn hard for the average person to know what to ask and you really do have to rely on the care providers - it's just unfortunate that so many OB's are so "surgery" oriented and don't have the best interests - both physical and psychological - of their clients at heart.

I'm sure she is feeling very relieved though Kel - I think it was *meant* to be for her to see that OB.

What a relief for her! I hope they stick to that and let her go through with a vaginal birth in the end.

Yep this is where it's so important to ask for another opinion.
Similar thing happened to a client of mine a few weeks ago - was told at 37w she would be having a c/s for a breech baby, no other alternatives offered. Went to her next antenatal appt at the hospital the following week, just happened to strike a different OB who is experienced with ECV and offered her the option - she went ahead and had the ECV and voila - head down baby and all systems go for a normal birth, c/s avoided. It's just luck of the draw :(

:rolleyes:like the doctor i saw at the hospital, who said it would be very hard for me to push out my BIG baby, just cause i am of small build... Well i did it with only gas and no tears!
They love to push their opinions

Thanks for sharing that Kelly...do you know if it makes a difference if the placenta is posterior or anterior? Mine's posterior...I see my ob next week to discuss again.

Do'nt forget that it's not just the Ob you get - if the midwife wants you to not give birth and your husband agrees then you don't get to give birth. No apologies, just a self-righteous smugness and a joy of telling you that "I knew you'd not do it."

Or maybe I was just crap at the whole birth thing and they did what they did for the best. I'm sick of having that argument with DH. Come on, Obs must know what they're doing and how do we know - yes, it is our body but we have no experience of this. We shouldn't keep second-guessing and pushing for what we want because it isn't good for us or the baby. Just accept it. Less mental trauma at any rate. Maybe I should just accept I can't give birth. It would stop me wanting another baby.

I am going through a midwife clinic at my local public hospital and i have a group of 8 midwifes, each visit i have seen a different one and each has a different opinion on my pregnancy. I am so glad that as this is my 3rd I ask a whole lot more questions, with my first i just went along with what they told me.

Laranna, my client is anterior. I don't understand what he meant that it was in an ideal position, but he said as the baby's head would move down, the placenta would 'move up' against the pressure...

Hi,

Well I read this post yesterday but I thought I would come back and post. What fantastic news for your client Kelly. The thing is it's about birth an amazing experience and milestone and one that wasn't going to go in the mums ideal way because of the drs information - and yet it comes as absolutely NO shock that this would happen.

:

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Laranna, my client is anterior. I don't understand what he meant that it was in an ideal position, but he said as the baby's head would move down, the placenta would 'move up' against the pressure...

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Thanks Kelly. My ob is concerned about the bleeding in labour when the placenta pulls away. The bottom half of the uterus doesn't contract as efficiently as the top half therefore more risk for heamorrhage.

I also think Rosehip Fairy has made a very valid point. I am sure most of us research before we choose our obs, so why second guess them and ourselves... I trust my ob but I'm still going to ask questions and do my research because I want to know why then that way I am making an informed and educated decision.

My placenta implanted where it implanted. That's something out of my control and I can't change it so I have to be prepared for the risks if I go into labour naturally as well as be prepared that I could very well face a C-section.

I'm a big believer in fate and all that and I am glad that Kelly's client is getting to have the birth she planned.