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When can you discuss c-sections and can you have one for non-medical reasons?
So i had my 16 week midwife appointment today and i brought up the subject of having an elective c section and when i was able to book an appointment to see a consultant she said this wouldn't be further discussed until 36weeks. I think this is wrong however.
So here are some questions i have for mums who have had this done before or an opting for one now!
-What week did you have an appointment to discuss a c section?
-How easy was it to get one?
-Did it all go to plan?
-Can you get one on non medical grounds?
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I could be wrong but I don't think you can have one unless there's medical grounds it's major abdominal surgery and the recovery time is huge!! It's possible that if you go private you might be able to xx
In the UK (well through the NHS) generally, c-sections aren't performed through 'choice' or for non medical reasons.
This is due to the fact a c-section is a large surgical procedure with many risks and potentially post surgical complications for example bloods clots, surgical wound infection etc. It also reduces your mobility post birth, you have to refrain from driving and can cause difficulty breast feeding.
However, you also have the right to have it discussed. A consultant will see you (I'd assume before 36w?) and they will go through pros and cons with you. And they will refer you onto mental health teams to assess you (if your reason behind wanting it is anxiety related). It is possible to have a planned section by choice, it's just finding a consultant who will agree to perform it. It's a decision that can't be made lightly so I think they are being bit unrealistic asking you to wait til 36w for further discussion.
Good luck x
Millies mummy:I have been having a read online and you can actually have one without medical reasons but like you said its just about finding the right consultant. Yeah I thought 36 weeks was way to late because I have been reading that your c section will normally take place around 37+ weeks. I know for a fact all the meeting and paperwork will not be done in one week. I think they've told me a little bit of a lie so I cant opt for one because ofc a c section costs them a lot more than natural birth. I have an appointment on the 25th of this month for my 19 weeks scan,when I'm at the hospital then I'm going to ask them to book me in an appointment for a consultant because I don't feel comfortable waiting until 36 weeks I would like it all booked in and sorted before then. Do you think this would be unreasonable of me? this is all my first time so I'm worried because I don't know much
xx
What are your reasons for wanting a c-section over a natural deliver? Just curious not judging.
As a nurse, my experience is that although operations are planned weeks in advance, the final paperwork and consent forms are done the day of the theatre or day before. This is when they check you are well enough to proceed and anaesthetist is happy to go ahead as well as you and surgeon.
They don't make their decision based on costs they do it on what's best for you and baby. They have to look at the potential risks to you and your baby before, during and after the procedure.
It is possible to have it done and worst case if you can't get nhs to agree to it you can still opt to have it done privately.
I personally am due my 2nd baby in may and having a friend who had a c-section, planned for family history reasons, it's not a decision I would make through choice. Her recovery was much longer and she struggled far more in the begining than I did post natural labour. That being said I didn't have any reason to even consider a c-section so I can't and wouldn't judge why anyone would make the decision. My friends mum and sister both haemorrhaged during labour and the risks was my friend would experience the sister and. She had to fight to get consultant to agree to plan a section and she didn't get it agreed until 34ish weeks and was planned for 38w. So even with medical reasons the preferred choice is still natural.
I hope your midwife offers you the information and support you need! Having a baby should be an exciting time, you don't want to spend pregnancy worrying about the birth! Good luck xx
It's standard practice to be referred at 36 weeks
A change to the law a few years back now gives women the right to choose in the UK.
That said, expect to have to argue your case for wanting one. As others have said, a section is extensive surgery & can take you a good 3mths to recover from (twice as long as the usual 6wks from a vaginal delivery). The consultant will be pushing for the quicker, safer option of a vaginal birth unless you have an obvious medical reason for the section. Sections carry multiple risks with them - you can react to the anaesthetic, they can puncture the womb & potentially damage other organs, there is a risk of haemorrage & ing hysterectomy...the risks may be small BUT they still have to have you sign consent because they exist.
They won't usually discuss before the final trimester at 27wks & 36wks is the usual point they will start booking section dates from.
I think location may come into this a bit. I live in Scotland and currently pregnant with my second. At my first midwife appointment for my second pregnancy I brought up the topic of having an elective section as I had a very traumatic delivery with my first. I don't have any medical reasons for needing a section, yet my midwife has already referred me to see a consultant with the view to booking a date. Although I was told I had until 34 weeks if I hadn't made up my mind at the meeting with the consultant. There was absolutely no problem with my choice at all. However, I am not sure how my decision would have been viewed had this been my first pregnancy. I certainly got the impression since I'd tried a natural delivery already they understood my decision to have a section this time.
It's certainly NHS policy to allow a woman to have a section without a medical need. But like others are saying if this is your first they may try a bit harder to convince you to have a natural birth (offer counselling etc). And you may need to find a consultant willing to do the procedure. Just make sure at the end of the day you are 100% happy with your decision. It's you that has to go through childbirth and it's you who has to recover from it. Whatever method you opt for.
I had a c-section (albeit an emergency one - not elective!) and the recovery has been so difficult! As a result of my labour, I will now need to have a c-section if I had another baby - which has put me off and we've made the decision not to have a second.
It easy difficult not being able to get out during bed to comfort/change/pick up my baby, or be able to pick him up when he was crying, I couldn't get out of bed properly for weeks, or walk easily to get around... I still can't drive, and when my husband went back to work after paternity leave I panicked because I still wasnt able to single handedly look after my son and it resulted in my mum taking a week off from her job, unpaid, so that she could come and help me with lifting my baby, making sure I could get around to appointments etc. Then I got an infection in my c-section wound... which resulted in horrible antibiotics that made me feel rubbish, and mean that breastfeeding wasn't possible for that time (I was formula feeding anyway, but I'd have been upset if I was breastfeeding and had to stop for that reason!)
Obviously I don't know your reasons for wanting an elective c-section, but I would suggest you really consider the after effects and recovery time, as well as the actual labour. Given the choice, I wouldn't have had one and, as above, wouldn't want to have to go through it again so have decided to stop at 1 baby.
Good luck discussing your birth options - I hope you end up agreeing something your comfortable with x
I honestly believe a traumatic natural delivery can leave you with just as many problems. My daughter is 10months old now and I am still suffering side effects from her birth. Everyone has a different experience and it's a very individual decision, no one else's.
I've spoken to a lot of mums to get their opinions on sections as I want as much information as possible so I can make the right decision for me. One thing I would say is the girls who had a planned section had a much better experience than those who had an emergency. And from research I've been doing online this seems to be a similar trend. There will be mums who won't agree with this but a planned section seems to be less problematic.
There's no easy, painfree way of bringing a child into this world. I guess at the end of the day you just have to remember in the grand scheme of things it's one day. Who cares if you go natural or have a section. What matters is you have a healthy, happy baby at the end of it. Do what's right for you to help you get through that day.
Hi mommies,
I had natural with my little girl 9 months ago and i felt it was the best decision for me, my body and it gave my little girl enough time to grow in my tummy and come when she was ready.
I will not bash any mommy for doing a c-section as i take my had off to them as it is actually very traumatic and painful too you are brave mommies.
My recovery was about 2 months to be honest till i was completely healed as i tore a little and needed stitches which my lady bits was not prepared for.
a friend of mine was pregnant the exact same time as me and had her little one a month later via c-section (not by choice as it was her 4th child by c-section) had a very difficult time in recovering she was still complaining how sore and tender she was there until 3 month ago.
I had my normal house doctor delivery my little girl as i was adamant on having natural and he was supportive on my decision. My friends doctor is pro c-sections. she was my very first doctor i went to when confirming my pregnancy and when she mentioned to me that at around 38 or 39 week they will do a c-section i freaked out and changed doctors.
Maybe way up the options a little bit more you have plenty of time. give your precious little bundle a little bit more time to grow, develop properly and get nice and fat before bringing them into the world. 37 weeks is still a little early for them. i had my little girl at 37 weeks 6 days and she was a BIG baby but needed a little bit of oxygen at birth.
at the end of the day it is your decision and you will make the best choice for you and your baby.
Good Luck mommy to be!!!!
I can tell C-section is not something you discuss like this. It is done only if it’s very necessary to operate. It can leave you with certain side effects, in the end the priority is healthy mom and healthy baby. Good Luck!!
The elective c section is either if the baby is breach which at u will know by e6 weeks. They rarely turn after this hense why the wait till then OR if uve had a previous c section u can have one. If its ur first time then no they won't unless it's a breach baby in which case they give u the option of a c section or to try and turn the baby. Or medical reasons. Other than that u will only get a none medical one if ur paying private for it. So America as they pay an insurance. Or private health care over here in the UK xxx hope this helps xxx
I'm sorry but that just isn't true. You can have a section for maternal choice on the NHS. There are different pros and cons for vaginal delivery and for C-section. For a truly elective C-section (i.e. labour isn't anticipated, although can of course happen as babies will come on their own schedule) it tends to not be done before 39 weeks, except in the case of twins where it is generally 37 weeks.