Justified Caesereans

[MamaSage]

How many of you that had emergency c/s actully feel that they were totally necessary? Do you think you could have birthed vaginally or were you happy with the decision the Ob made to perform surgery?

Personally, I feel if the hospital had not intervened throughout my labour I may have been fine. :yes: I think my ob jumped the gun a bit, but also as I had had so many interventions it slowed everything up and inhibited my body from doing it's thing.
What do you think?

[OM]

I just posted something similiar to this on another thread!:p

I too feel I may have been able to actually have a vaginal birth last time too. DH says I am thinking a bit silly.

Last time I was way overdue, 3 failed inductions and gestational diabetes so the hospital said they refused to let me go any further overdue. I feel I could have put my foot down and said no I will not have the c-section you cannot make me and waited a bit longer to see if I could have actually gone into labour at all!

Or perhaps they could have kept trying to induce!;)

[Pixie]

After much thought I think I had ittle choice I think most know my horrendous birth story...But we have a meeting coming up with the DR's soon to get some answers on many questions about the whole thing.

[lukaelmo]

I feel a bit "ripped off" at having had a c/s, however I am confident the team looking after me in the hospital did what they had to do to ensure the dude and I came out okay.

My emergency c/s was due to the dude's heart rate dropping during contractions, and seeing he was only a little baby, they decided to intervene. I went from zero to push in about 30 mins, and the midwife said if they had left me to my own devices, the dude would have been out in another 30 minutes.

After the surgery, the chief surgeon came up to me and explained that the dude was bigger than they had thought, and things were perhaps not quite so urgent as they had believed.

At the time though, they were making the decision to ensure the dude's survival, and that can't be wrong. So I am okay with what happened.

Better luck to me next time :laughing: .

[MummyCharmzy]

I had two emerg c-sects and both were very warranted. Firstly with my son I was not physically ready for labour being only 31 weeks and secondly with both of my children I was in no physical state to handle it, things were 'touch and go' as it was.

Definitely the right decision was made both times.

[sopolicha]

My first done at 34 weeks was definately needed. Without it my daughter and I would both be dead.

My second..........well, probably not needed.

My third.........same again, but with the umblical cord wrapped around her neck twice who knows?

[sugar n spice]

Mine was defintely needed. At the time would not have chosed one but i am so glad it had to be done. My dr had the theatre set up and on standby so she could wait and see how i was going but i was in that much pain and shels heart rate dramatically dropped, could have lost him if they didnt. This time round i will be able to elect a c - section due to my past problems

[becca74]

I think unnecessary in my cases....

Having read up on what experienced midwives would have done in my situations, I definately think that given the right support I would have had vb's instead of the 2 c/secs....

I also grilled my private midwife as to what she would have done with me had I been in the same situations that occured that caused me to end up with the c/secs, and she had alot of alternative ideas that have worked for her in the past....she has 15 years experience and has been with women who had the problems that I had that led to my c/secs, but these women birthed naturally.

I guess that is what p*sses me off the most, is that other women in supposedly worse situations than I've been in give birth naturally.

With my first, as he was posterior, she would have been doing all sorts of techniques with me even before full dilation to get him into position - she does this ALL the time with other mums with posterior bubs and they give birth just fine.....not to mention that had I hypothetically had her as my midwife for his birth, she would have taught me about Optimal foetal positioning, which might have moved him into anterior before labour anyway.....

With my 2nd, she would have lay me on my left side when I had the premature urge to push, to take the pressure off the cervix, and calmed me down. things went wrong in that particular labour because I developed a deep rage and anger towards the hospital staff, and I was experiencing the 'fight or flight' syndrome due to my increased adrenalin levels, as they were quite smug in front of me in their belief that I was going to fail, especially the ob that walked in on me naked in the birthing pool, having never met me let alone examined me before stating 'be prepared as it looks like you will need a c/sec!'......she also has taught me alot about the respect a woman needs in labour for her to remain in the 'zone', as FTP is most likely due to women being dragged out of the 'zone' to deal with hosp staff talking to them or intervening with their bodies. she has also taught me about how needing to push is like the need to :barf: ..... hold it back till you cant stop it any more......if only she'd been with me then.......but she is with me now, thank God!!!!!

In my successful vbac, nobody ever interfered, and I remained in the 'zone' till I asked them to check me.....and then an hour later I gave birth, with the help of midwives who were encouraging and had faith in my ability to give birth.....I want to find them and :hugs: them!!!!

I know that if (God forbid!) I need another c/sec, I will totally trust my midwife's judgement, and I will know that it was necessary. In the past, I was 'failed' because I didnt fit in with the ob's text book standards. This time round I am relying on a guardian angel who has (a) given birth herself and (b) who has witnessed 100's of births on an intimate basis for the past 15 years (not just for the few minutes at a time that ob's experience births). I thank God for sending her into my life :smiliedance:

[Worm'sMum]

Mine was totally necessary...the Ob was actually the one who wanted to keep putting it off! But after 43 hours and only being dilated 4cm DD may not have survived if they'd waited...I have no problems with having had one either, and I'm very glad I did!:)

[Briannabear]

Look, I dont know to be honest. I think it was neccessary. Id been in labour for a very long time and bub was getting very stressed out. She was in breech position. (but afterwards I found out that it was the most ideal breech position to deliver vaginally - bum first).
The doctors really didnt give me a choice, and I didnt want my baby to get even more stressed so I went along with their decision.

[suemp]

my ob gave me the option, my midwife fully advised me to have c/section, and she was the one in the room with me the entire time. i am an aged care nurse, i know how to care for someone, i know nothing about delivering a baby so i felt fine leaving it in thier hands.

[SassyMummy]

I was a bit disheartened by the time I finally found out I'd have to have a c-section...so I didn't bother fighting back. I WANTED to...but I didn't think I had that option (now I realise that I COULD have and next time I WILL if I have to).

I think my doctors jumped the gun too. Bub was overdue, and after a few failed inductions, they said, "Well, tomorrow it'll be 2 weeks late so you've really got no other choice than to have a c-section." I cried because I didn't want to - partly because I didn't want to have an operation, and partly because I felt as if I had failed as a woman.

I think that, if they HAD just waited then I may have been able to give birth naturally. I am peeved that my body wasn't really given a chance to do what it had to...the doctors were just impatient and wanted to get it over and done with I think.

During my attempted inductions, I stayed at the hospital (4 nights) and my inductions kept getting pushed back because SO MANY women were coming in giving birth...and so I now think that I was given a c-section because I was just "in the way." If they gave me a c-section, they would be able to PREPARE for me as a patient, rather than just waiting until I pop.

Next time, I will DEMAND a vaginal birth. I will even attempt it against their advice if I must. If I go into labour (or even before) and things go wrong...then I guess I'll have a c-section...but I'm not going to have one as a precautionary measure. For my own personal peace of mind, I NEED to have a vaginal birth.

[SixtiesChild]

I had a placenta previa which means "Placenta First", so if I was to have had a vaginal birth the placenta would have been born before the baby and my dd #2would have been stillborn. I feel very fortunate and even blessed to be living in an era where the option of C-section is with us.:yelclap:

My dd #1 was c-section also because my labour had come to a halt after having an epidural.

[*butterflykisses*]

my first c/s was due to pre eclampsi and breech baby which i totally understood i just wish the dr had talked to me before making the decision for me

my second however they told me at 40 weeks exact that they wanted to do a c/s because my blood pressure had started to go up but i do feel that if i was given the chance to go a few more days or even if i had been induced just maybe i would of had the VBAC that i had planned

this bub of course will be a c/s and even though i know its going to be another c/s deep down im still hoping i get to experience a little bit of labour just this once

even though i know its not going to happen

hope you feel beter about the c/s exerience

love kylie-anne xox

[kadownie]

I'm sure my c-section was necessary, but I feel had I not interferred with birth in the first place it may have been avoided. I was induced at 38 weeks with twins- it was my decision, but if I was to face the same one again, I wouldn't have made the same decision. I'll never know if I had just let things be whether or not I would have needed the c-section. Though- at the time- it was obvious that I needed it.

[Mamaduke]

My first c/section was an emergency c/section. Jesse's heart rate dropped and although there was a 'wait & see' period, he wasn't handling the contractions very well and the decision was made to have a c/section.
I'm more than confident that the right decision was made and after the birth Jesse's poor little head (he only weighed 4lb 1oz) was so cone shaped, I shudder to think what the poor little boy was going through trying to get out.
I had an elective c/section with Lukey. I did ask the ob whether or not he felt that I could try to deliver vaginally. He did say that the decision was up to me but he would advise me to have another c/section. I'm glad I did & never do I regret the decision.
I'm reading that some members are getting advice from midwives after the fact that they could have avoided a c/section...well, we don't have the luxury of hindsight, and from what I've seen, midwives may think they're superheroes but they're not...and at the end of the day, if the sh*t hits the fan, it's the obstetrician who is called (& sued if something goes wrong) and the midwife takes a back seat.
I would much rather put the life of my unborn child and mine in the hands of an obstetrician...and let the midwives have their luxury of hindsight!

[becca74]

I'm reading that some members are getting advice from midwives after the fact that they could have avoided a c/section...well, we don't have the luxury of hindsight, and from what I've seen, midwives may think they're superheroes but they're not...and at the end of the day, if the sh*t hits the fan, it's the obstetrician who is called (& sued if something goes wrong) and the midwife takes a back seat.
I would much rather put the life of my unborn child and mine in the hands of an obstetrician...and let the midwives have their luxury of hindsight!

Midwives have been delivering babies since the dawn of time. Men have been delivering babies only during the last hundred or so years. Women have babies, so know what it feels like. Men never will have that experience. (I have said it before - I could watch a thousand people eat an apple, but unless I eat one myself, what the h*ll do I know about it?)

My midwife has had 15 years experience, with many many women showing 'symptoms' as I did during my labours that ended in c/sec and she has successfully guided these women to a natural VB. I trust her judgement, she is emotionally involved with me, and my care is her single concern, when she is with me 1:1. Not some OB whose main concern is NOT me, but his own litigation fear.

She will be with me 100% of the time, from beginning to end. My OB spoke to me for half a minute, having never met me before let alone examined me physically, and told us that we would need a c/section. I had laboured to 7-8 cms with no pain relief and was finding it easy. Lo and behold, he p*ssed me off so much after his 'cup half empty' comment, I demanded gas and air and immediately went into a deep rage. He made things go t*ts up.

My midwife will respect my birthing space, because she knows first hand what it means to be in a birthing space and the respect that is due it. My stupid OB had no respect, he saw me as a disease from which my baby had to be rescued.

It is so depressing that women submit to this mysoginistic ideal that our bodies are deformed and defective and that we need some knight in shining armour to rescue us from our poor inferior selves. This is an attitude that hasnt been lost since the witch hunts of old, and even recently with the sexual revolution.

Do you know that only a few decades ago most people believed that women were not capable of org*sm?? Well, that attitude is the one that we have to overcome when it comes to our birthing bodies.

We can give birth. We have been lied to, we dont trust ourselves, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I dont blame any woman here who is afraid to birth outside a hospital without the help of an ob, so please dont get me wrong. But I believe this is because for so many decades women have been brainwashed to believe that we must fear childbirth, and we must not trust our bodies because we have been created inferior (or evolved an inferior body, depending on beliefs). It will take time for us to reprogramme our beliefs about ourselves - so please believe me when I say I dont blame anyone for having genuine fears over a pending birth.

I had my vbac because I was surrounded by people who believed in my body's ability to give birth. There was never any doubt, and lo and behold I succeeded! This was with a group of Jamaican midwives in London. Jamaica has a VERY low c/sec rate, because their birth culture is so positive. I thank God that they were with me, my guardian angels :hugs:

A male OB failed me and I was given a c/sec after a successful vbac. WHY?? :banghead:

I do the math, and I know who I trust more......midwives :thumbsup:

[becca74]

at the end of the day, if the sh*t hits the fan, it's the obstetrician who is called (& sued if something goes wrong) and the midwife takes a back seat.
!

Not always true.

A couple of years back a woman took a community midwife with her to KEMH in Perth, to have a VBAC. The woman started to show signs of UR. The midwife tried to raise the alarm several times but the hospital staff ignored her. When they finally got round to checking on the woman, and they took her in for a c/sec, it was discovered that the midwife was correct, and the woman had actually ruptured nowhere near her c/sec scar (so the UR was disconnected to the previous c/sec).

The woman sued the midwife. The hospital, though they took flack, got away scot free.

That scares the sh*t out of me. You go to hospital because you think you are going to have help on hand the instant you need it, you try and do the right thing and be 'safe' - looks like that is a load of crock! The only person who cared was the midwife, and she then had to take the blame!

Hospitals are busy places. Midwives are with you 1:1.

I know what care I would prefer....

[WizzFizz]

I found that the midwives where I gave birth were a little rude to me as I was 19 when I had my first baby last year. I'd spent 2 days in labour after being induced, and they discouraged me from having gas, then pethadine (however I told them I bl**dy wanted it!!!) My OB came in when my contractions were 2 mins apart and I was 6cms, and even though he is about 60 something, he was the only person (apart from hubby) who could comfort and encourage me, and tell me I was doing well.
The midwives, I felt, were old fashioned. My daughter turned posterior in the end and on the 3rd day of my labour (and after getting to 9cm) I had to be taken in for a emergency c-section. My OB performed the operation and told me I was doing really well and kept my spirits up as I was terrified.
When I had my daughter, I felt like I was a burden to the midwives and in the end I was too scared to press my buzzer if I needed something. I had terrible breastfeeding problems, and because they were all so PRO-BREASTFEEDING, would not support my decision to bottlefeed, except for the young nurse who looked atfer me. They forgot to bring me my pain relief on many occassions. I felt they looked down on me for being a young mother.

My OB was the best and I thank him for his quick thinking that brought my girl safely into the world. Definetly has my trust.

[becca74]

I have to say, I am not a big fan of 'medwives' (ie, hospital midwives)......

My birthing beliefs have turned to wanting 1:1 care from someone who supports and believes in what I want from my birth, and who will not leave me or try to impose their own beliefs on me.

This is the belief I have been led to from personal experience. The medwife I had at Hornsby was atrocious!

[Kayteigh]

I have had a emergency c/s with my 1st child and it was totally necessary as my son Zach was 10 pound 3 (4616grm at 42 weeks) and my pelvis was too small for him to fit. With my second son I asked for a naturally birth but at 36 weeks was desided that I was to have another c/s and Dylan was 9 pound 13 (4450 at 39 and a half weeks) and Travis my 3rd boy 8 pound 3 (3700 at 38 weeks) was automatically a c-section and we thank our blessing for that as the cord was wrapped tightly around his neck 2 and half times.

Just think maybe if the hospital didnt intervened with me I could of lost all my kids and everyone is different, just do what you think the best thing is for the baby and everything else will come naturally

Katie

[natasha]

I chose to have my one and only child by C section. Just because I felt natural child birth just wasn't for me. I honestly didn't want anything coming out of me that way!!:p I'm so glad I did it aswel.
I know these days you have to put your foot down with some of these hospitals and ask questions otherwise you end up getting railroaded into stuff!!