Natural or C Section

[T4TROUBLE]

Hi,

Im a first time mum and am very new to this site (its confusing me this forum section cant find where i put my last post!) anyway.

I has DS almost 6mth ago i went through 40hrs of labour with 3hrs of pushing. DS was laying on my back to his face wasnt turned the right way to deliver with less pain his kept on coming down and hitting his head on my pelvic bone and then going back in he was doing this for about 3hrs (i was kneeling on the floor leaning over the bed) they then moved me onto the bed and bub finally started to come out, as a result of this he ahd a Haematoma (??) a blood filled bruise on his head he also came out not breathing and was having convoulsions the result of a very stressfull birth he was in special care and was glad to hear that all test were fine and hes perfectly normal.

So my scare is i am going to be trying again for no.2 very early in the new year and am worried if i should try to give birth natural or by C Section i was lucky once with DS finally being alright but might not be lucky second time round.
I said to DH that i was going to have a c section and then have sort of changed my mind after having a friend have one 3wks ago so i said again to DH maybe we see how things go with no.2 see if bub is laying in right direction and if not go a c section.

Im scared of what to do i worry that i wont be able to look after DS if i have a c section and im scared of what might happen if i go natural.

Had to get that out there. anyone else have a bad experience?

T4.

[the_queen]

I've got 2 kids. All I can say to you, is that both experiences were COMPLETELY different to each other. Just because you've had one stressful birth does NOT mean that the next one will be the same.

There's some great resources out there about Optimal Foetal Positioning, this will help you to get that bubba in the best position for birthing.

Oh, and welcome to Bubhub! :wave: If you click on your name, then select "find all posts by T4TROUBLE" then you will see all the posts you've written.

[alicesmum]

i agree with the queen. births are all independent events, completely different from one another. i wouldn't have believed this until i had my second. you wouldn't think that the same woman could have such different experiences from one to the next.

in my case, #1 was text book, no drugs, no stitches, but # 2 was posterior like your baby, and had meconium in the waters, and it was a much more stressful birth (made more stressful, i think, by the hospital policy requiring me to be monitored, wear a drip, and adhere to their birthing 'timeline') which required some stitches. go figure! but even #2 ended up being born eventually (with that same red bruise on his forehead as your baby and some respiratory distress, though not as bad by the sounds).

As queenie said, OFP would be something to look into next time (though it did little for my boy :laughing: ). You'll have to play it by ear i think and see how your next one goes. they can tell you in your final weeks what position bubs is in. if the head is in a good position, it almost always happens smoothly and without too much fuss, esp second time round. i was also terrified of having a c/s second time around because of having a toddler to care for. (i screamed at the dr "I don't want a ceasarean!!!!!!)

all the best! :xmas:

[T4TROUBLE]

Queen,

Thanks for that thing about clicking on my name that helps alot.

alicesmum,

They new my boy wasnt in the right postion for a few days i was doing every thing i could leaning over my ball sitting backwards on a chair but noooo he wasnt moving....lol they just told me it would be more painfull well the contractions were.
They did an ultrasound on his head and all these other tests to see if he had brain damage and we go back to the hospital for checkups to make sure hes doing the things he should at his age level (which he is).

T4.

[stellarella]

Hi, I had a posterior bub too....I had a 36 hour established labour and another day or so of early labour (or whatever its called). I pushed for 2 1/4 hours and finally my baby came out but I had a 2nd degree tear.

I know how scary it is to think about future labours...will it be the same?? I think it must be very frightening for you as your bub had complications whereas my bub was fighting fit with no problems whatsoever.

I am comforting myself with the though that most mums say subsequent labours are easier and never the same as the first labour..

I guess it depends how much you want a vaginal birth but I think honestly...there is a really good chance you wont have the same problems next time if you want to give a VB a go!!

[jess_live_die]

my girls pregnceys labour and birth were all very diferent. but my girls were naturel and no drugs :thumbsup:

[melissa.r]

I too had very different labours and births with my two children, both naturally but DD1 was induced. You need to remember that there are different ways of managing labour (ie how active you are during labour, whether your ob breaks your membranes, whether your ob puts up a drip to speed things up etc) all which can impact on how your baby makes its way down the birth canal and out. Sometimes labour can just go alittle off course. That doesn't mean that it will happen twice. I would recommend you do a lot of reading and talking to midwives/doulas who advocate natural birth. I can understand your concern about having a c/sec and having to look after your DS, that would be challenging but not impossible (depending on the support you have). You also need to consider the numerous risks involved in having a c/sec. I am sure you will make the right decision for you and your baby when the time comes. Good luck.

[lilpearl]

My first birth was 44 hour labour, full dilation, high head, emergency c-section.

Second birth was 17 hours (I'm including pre-labour), once I got to the birth centre, she was born within 5 hours, in the water, no problems.

Each birth is a completely individual event, and the way a babies head is tilted in one birth is simply a chance thing....it's very unlikely that the same thing will happen again.

[fai firinne]

Hi Tfor Trouble,
Take heart, like the others have said, the chances of your next babe being in a difficult position are slim, whereas with a c/s you know for sure that there are greater risks to you and the baby. Your newborn baby having convulsions would be very scary so I understand your concern. 2nd labours are often quicker and easier than first labours. Although it was a challenging first labour, it sounds like you did a fantastic job. If you can do that, you can do the next labour! You might be suprised by how much easier and straightforward it is - (I hope so), especially if you choose caregivers who will respect your birthing body and wisdom and give you privacy, freedom of mobility and support. Try the Optimal Foetal Postioning (PM if you'd like a free handout on that - can email it to you) in the third trimester. If you finish up your pregnancy with an anterior baby, you're all set for a straightforward delivery. Even if the baby isn't ideally anterior, doesn't matter - you have a powerful birthing body and you can be assured that choosing a vaginal birth holds many advantages for your baby over c/s.
I hope all goes wonderfully well for you. You might consider hiring a doula (I know, I'm biased because I am one) but the extra support and information about your options can just help you feel so much more confident and relaxed. Go well!

[becca74]

As the girls have said, every birth is different....

My first was posterior, and I got wheeled in after 2 hrs 45 mins pushing for a c/sec, he was 8lb 6oz. My 2nd was a month early, a vbac, and he was 6lb 7oz, and he came out very quickly, despite having the cord round his neck (which probably would have made it quicker had the cord not been there) - 16 mins/5 pushes he was out. I didnt even feel him crown.

My 3rd and 4th babies though, I had identical labours, both were anterior, and I got a persistant cervical lip. I had radically different outcomes because of the different care providers I chose for each birth, my 3rd ended in another c/sec (9lb 5oz), I was diagnosed with CPD, whilst my 4th was birthed vaginally, and he was bigger (9lb 8oz) - so obviously the CPD was a false diagnosis!

If you want more info, check out the links in my sig, and also I welcome you over to www.birthrites.org (http://www.birthrites.org) (Birthrites: Healing after Caesarean), where there is great info on vbac.

Also, do a back search through previous threads in the VBAC section, and there is a wealth of information, links to research, vbac birth stories etc, to help you to make a well-informed decision when the time comes for you to make choices for you next babba.

[melannh]

I had a c-section, that was not planned. I was unsure all during my pregnancy what i wanted, as there were possible complications with my cervix, but i opted to try for natural. After being induced and getting over my phobia of needles for the epidural - it turned pear shape. The epidural was organised, and after 4 agonising attempts with the needle/catheta etc.... (PAIN!), i thought i was ready for the birth. NOT TO BE..... I had what is called a 'window' as Ellery was not in the right position and was head butting my pelvis. VERY PAINFUL even with the epidural.... I was more upset that I had put myself through that (due to my extreme phobia of needles) and then having to have a general caesar due to the baby (and mum) being in extreme distress. I have not had a natural birth, so I cannot compare.... But for me - caesar's are my only option if there is to be another addition to the family.... I was just trying to be positive after the procedure (and I had the added problem of being paralysed due to the epidural)... but I didn't find it too distressing myself. I just worked with the situation I had handed to me, and I have a lovely, healthy baby girl now... GOOD LUCK...

[flib]

My first birth was a 36 hour ordeal with a posterior bub who got stuck and distressed and I ended up with a c_section. I've since had 2 VBACs both without any stitches. My 3rd baby was out within 4.5 hours of labour starting - I almost didn't get to the hospital. Both my VBACs were drug free, painful but easy.

Every birth is different. You might miss out on a great experience by not trying. Google optimal foetal positioning. This really helped me.