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Hi, I was wondering if anyone had asked for an elective c section and what are the additional costs involved. I had a bad vaginal birthing experience which I am still healing from and am looking at my options for baby no 2.
Would love to hear from other mums who have elected for a C Section and would you do it again over a vaginal birth ?
Thanks
Sharon
Sharon, I had an awful vaginal birth - it went for ages and left me with stitches and killer 'roids. I've also had a c-section and if I were to have another baby I would do everything I could to have a vaginal birth not a c-section.
Although the vaginal birth was painful I was able to discharge myself from hospital within 24 hours and then go home, look after my baby and house and get out and about.
With the c-section I stayed in hospital much longer and when I came home I wasn't capable of doing much that involved getting off the couch for ages. It was especially stressful for my toddler who really couldn't understand why I couldn't pick him up, sit him on my lap or have tickley time.
Sorry you had a bad experience fruitwood :( What happened? If you don't feel comfy discussing that's okay.
Have you checked out our de-breifing forum? It's great being able to get it all out.
Hi Sharon,
I did an elective c-sect with my daughter and I think it is actually alittle cheaper as it is not in out of hours as some emergency ceasers are, also you are not rushed in aspect of a quick get the baby out situation or the obst having appointment waiting. Would I do it again.......yes
Bec
Bec, I think she means the cost of an elective caesar vs a vaginal birth as her last birth was not an emergency caesar.
Take your time to make your decision, don't feel like you have to make it now. The more time you give yourself to discuss pros and cons, the more satisfying of an experience it will be either way.
There are plenty of articles on the main site, https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth but don't stop there - there are some great resources like birthrites who can help with trauma at birth.
oh sorry...mummy brain
plus you anaestists bills and paed bills
I didn't make my decision lightly it took about 10 weeks to nut it all out but it was the right decision for me and that pregnancy.
Bec
I had elective c sec & depending on size & other factors , Im open to either next time, I spent 32 weeks making my decision before I was booked in.... It wasnt til towards the end that size became an issue
I had a bad birth with DD and due to that I am having an elective c/s with OB advice aswell. So far as far as I know there will be no additional costs. I am in medibank private. I know that I have to pay for some of the aneathetists bill, but I did with DD as I had an epidural. The reason I am having one is that there is a 60% chance of permanent bowel damage if I went for a vaginal birth again. The OB left it up to me either way. I would suggest talking to your OB about it all, the worries about it and they are sure to give you all the information regarding whether you should have a c/s or not and then you should ring your health fund(if any) or hospital that you would plan to have your baby at and find out about out of pocket costs and the amount of time you have to pay them and if they expect anything in advance.
Hope that helps.
Love
hi, i have same question as you, i too had a horrable birth the DD that went for 11 hours and ended up with a c section, and now i have 9 weeks to go in this pregnance and i don't know if i should just have a elective c/s or try for a v/b that could end up in another c/s. I hust don't know what to do.
I thought once you had had a c-section that you can't have v-birth. Thats what i've heard from relatives who its happened too.
Lorin - it depends on why you had a c/sec in the 1st place.. As long as there is no medical reason why you should not try for a vaginal birth you can try to go for it after a c/s.. There are risks involved and these are discussed at length with your midwifes and OB.. My sil had a VBAC last year and she preferred it to the c/s.. the reason she had a c/s in the 1st place was bubs was beeech so not due to any other reason..
Fruitwood - i am not sure if you can ask for a c/s just because you had a bad experience..There may need to be a medical reason for it.. And each birth is different . I would discuss all options with your OB / Midwife team..
I dont think either is easy !
Parts have been taken from my article here: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/...h-organisation
:
These recommendations are taken from a report on Appropriate Technology for Birth published by the World Health Organization in April 1985 and are known as the ‘Fortelesa Declaration’.
The recommendations are based on the principle that each woman has a fundamental right to receive proper prenatal care; that the woman has a central role in all aspects of this care, including participation in the planning, carrying out, and evaluation of the care; and that social, emotional and psychological factors are decisive in the understanding and implementation of proper prenatal care. They are:
1. The whole community should be informed about the various procedures in birth care, to enable each woman to choose the type of birth care she prefers.
3. Information about birth practices in hospitals (rates of caesarean section etc.) should be given to the public served by the hospital.
4. There is no justification in any specific geographic region to have more than 10-15% caesarean section births.
5. There is no evidence that a caesarean section is required after a previous transverse low segment caesarean section birth. Vaginal deliveries after caesarean should normally be encouraged wherever emergency surgical capacity is available.
6. There is no evidence that routine fetal monitoring during labour has a positive effect on the outcome of pregnancy.
8. Pregnant women should not be put in a lithotomy position during labour or delivery. They should be encouraged to walk during labour and each woman must freely decide which position to adopt during delivery.
9. The systematic use of episiotomy is not justified.
10. Birth should not be induced for convenience, and the induction of labour should be reserved for specific medical indications. No geographic region should have rates of induced labour over 10%.
11. The routine administration of analgesic or anaesthetic drugs that are not specifically required to correct or prevent a complication in delivery should be avoided.
12. Artificial early rupture of the membranes, as a routine process, is not scientifically justified.
13. The healthy newborn must remain with the mother, wherever both their conditions permit it. No process of observation of the healthy newborn justifies a separation from the mother.
14. The immediate beginning of breastfeeding should be promoted, even before the mother leaves the delivery room.
15. Obstetric care services that have critical attitudes towards technology, and that have adopted an attitude of respect for the emotional, psychological and social aspects of birth should be identified. Such services should be encouraged and the processes that have led them to their position must be studied so that they can be used as models to foster similar attitudes in other centres and to influence obstetrical views nation wide.
16. Governments should consider developing regulations to permit the use of new birth technology only after adequate evaluation.
Hi thankyou all so much for your replies and advice. I am not pregnant with our second as yet but plan on TTC late this year or early next year. I am under the impression that if i elect to have a C Section then I need to go private for my delivery and will need to upgrade my health insurance prior to conceiving to include this as elective C Sections aren't available in most public hospitals unless they are medically necessary. I had a quick 6 hour labour and delivery after being induced but had a significantly large tear which still hasn't healed properly after 3 months. My sex life has gone out the window and it's really put a strain on my relationship with my husband. A family member who had an elective C Section in a private hospital 2 weeks after I gave birth has healed much much quicker and was allowed home sooner than I was. I had to actually fight to be discharged from hospital so hubby and I are thinking that we should consider our options a little more this time as with the first we used the local public system and just went with the flow which in the end didn't really give me the birthing experience that I would have liked to have had. Thanks again for your replies, I have lots to think about.
Sharon
Hi - I had a bad birth experience the first time that ended in an emergency CS and it was my decision to have an elective the second time. I saw my GP until about 32 weeks and he referred to an OB who did the operation. I don't have private insurance and just paid the two OB bills (got nearly all of this back as we were over the threshold) and had four night in hospital. Cait was almost 4 when Alex was born so I had no baby lifting, but I still vacced and mopped after a week or two. I was glad I chose the way I went the second time, but it was hard not knowing if you're going to end up the same if you go the normal birth. Good Luck !
Hi good luck with your decision when the time comes, I know that whatever you choose it will be the right thing for you. I would recommend doing lots of reading about your birth options. A bad experience the first time does not mean you will have a bad experience the next time. I had a difficult labour and birth the first time but my second birth was different and a better experience for me.
Bon
fruitwood I am going public & they continuously tell me that I can have an elective c/s if I want.... unfortunately I don't want it but they are constantly telling me it is an option for me.
Hi Fruitwood,
I had an elective c/s in a private hospital recently. I hadn't had any children previously so this was my only birth experience. I can tell you that the recovery went very well ... I was up and about the day after and felt much better after two weeks but I needed lots of help at home for the first little while.
Re private health insurance, everything except a few small out of pocket things was covered. I am not sure what the situation is with your health fund but I hope they can give you some advice on that.
As Bon pointed out, a bad experience for first time v/b doesn't mean you'll have a bad one the next time. My Mum is a prime example. I was her first child and my birth was quite traumatic for her but subsequent births were much better as she knew what to expect and had the confidence to ask for help in getting what she needed. I wish you luck with making your decision.
Cheers,
Mel
My DD #3 was a csec for oblique lie ( diagonal) and then I had a vbac 10 months ago. DS ( #4) had shoulder distocia, I had a 2nd degree tear ( from one hole to the other IYKWIM) and I would still go the vaginal way if I had #5, BUT i dont know medically what you have been through, and how "down there" is in relation to scar tissue etc. Have you had "down there" reviewed by anyone, coz we put up with a lot of crap that can be fixed.
I honestly suggest before TTC getting it checked out, you may just have some scar tissue that needs fixing, and then you might be all better. :hug:
Fruitwood - I agree with the others that said that your second vbirth experience doesn't necessarily have to be the same as your first. I had quite a large tear with my first and it took quite a few months to heal and feel normal again but with my second had no tearing and healed quite quickly.
Just to let you know my mum had me back in 1970 via c/s (after 3 days of labour!) and they made a huge vertical scar incision. In 1972 she was scheduled for another c/s for my brother but went into labour the day after seeing her OB and he came naturally. No scar ruptures and she said it was much easier.
I'm due for a c/s on Thursday because my baby's head may be too large for my pelvis (cephalopelvic disapportion). My health fund covers everything apart from any gap fees charged by anaesthetist and this is $300 in my case. Paedetrician's fees are only $90.00 Shop around and get a good health fund coverage first - the rest is up to you. Remember though that many OBs prefer c/s because they're in total control. I think mine was too quick to offer me one - I now wish I could be induced but its too late.