Just curious - would they allow me to elect for a caesarean next time?

[Ghost]

I'm currently nearly 3 weeks pp so I'm not planning on having any more children yet. However I still feel really shook up over the birth of my little one and its scared me so much I've told my partner I'd be more inclined to adopt rather than have any more children naturally. But I adored being pregnant and I long to feel that feeling again.(just not yet.)

When I had my boy I ended up going overdue , then got rushed into hospital at five days overdue as my blood pressure went up(and I have a family history of preeclampsia). I ended up being induced three times using the pessaries (24 hr one and two six). I had contractions with the second pessary but they stopped and faded until the second when I got a sweep at the same time. My contractions lasted all day getting more and more painful until 3am. Every time I used the toilet for a wee I would stand up from the toilet and get a contraction where I'd have to get to the sink to throw up because it hurt so bad. It was agony and the woman next to me kept screaming her head off whilst I just tried to deep breathe it out. I had pethadine which helped me sleep breifly but did nothing for the pain just spaced me out. By four I had anther check and was 4 cms so went to labour room. Baby was back to back hence why I was in so much pain and the gas and air wasn't doing anything to help. I was recommended an epidural which I chose . Thankfully the pain went away but I ended up being in labour sixteen hours, they had to break my waters and put a catheter up me which didn't fill for ages so they couldn't give me the medicine to make me more dilated for ages. When I was fully dilated they said he was facing sideways so he had to have forceps to turn him. Obviously they gave me a episiotomy for the forceps. Apparantly my blood pressure went up and i was in and out it as i was so exhausted, thedoctors were panicking and room filled up with nine people .Thankfully it only took five minutes of pushing and two deep breaths before he was out. But I lost quite a lot of blood during the process and tore a three degree tear. They put him on me but I couldn't stop shaking and when they started stitching me I felt every needle even though they injected numbing stuff and I'd still had the epidural so they had to take me into theatre for two hours and give me a stronger spinal epidural where I finally slept. The next day I had to have a blood transfusion of four pints and it took ages for them to be able to check whether my blood level was then fine as all my veins weren't letting blood out. After they tried the artery in my wrists and feet and wrist they finally got it in the middle of my hand but I had nine punctures in one day where they couldn't find it . Not one part of my body didnt hurt.

To top it off - I know its early days - but my pelvic floor seems to have givenup , and every time I cough or sneeze I wee a little and if I need to have a bowel movement I can no longer wait , I have to get to a toilet or i won't be able to stop myself and I'm scared this may be a permenant thing. Especially as I was referred at te hospital to the physio for the tear.

I know caesarean is a massive thing and I didn't have it that bad but I am absolutely terrified of ever having a baby naturally again. Is there no way a doctor would allow me to opt for a caesarean when I get pregnant in a few years

 

[Eleanor ace]

I had a 3rd/4th degree tear with DS. I was under consultant care for my 2nd LO and given the choice of a caesarean or to attempt a vaginal delivery. I would imagine that the 3rd degree tear you sustained would be enough to get them to agree to a c-section but if not then explaining that you find your labour traumatic would almost certainly be enough to get them to agree to a c-section. x

 

[tinkerbelle93]

It's difficult to be sure when you're in the UK. Since 2011 the NHS guidelines state that any woman can ask for C-section, even if they don't medically need it, and, if after detailed discussion on the risks and why vaginal birth is better etc., they still want one then they can be offered one. However, I've heard mixed things from different people. Some people seem to have no trouble getting offered one whereas others have been refused by their consultant or really had to put up a bit of a fight to get one. From your birth story though I think you do have very good grounds to elect for a C-section so I would say you'd have a good chance. xx

 

[AimeeM]

You are allowed to have a c-section if you really wish. They don't like you to know this though.

 

[sopho30]

Like the others have said i think it should defo be ok for u after what you experienced..I had a failed induction and 12 hrs in labour and ended with emergency c section. I am now preg with 2nd and thinking of asking for c section as im so scared same will happen again..I remember thinking i was dying.... like you i lost so much blood it was so scary.....x

 

[Viola Payne]

I'm so sorry you went through that. I won't go on about my feelings towards hospitals and how they treat women in labour.

I think if you put in writing that you want a c-section because you dont want to take on the risks of vaginal delivery (dont specify which risks) theyd be very likely to give you a c-section as theyd want to avoid exposure to liability and youd have documentary evidence of your attempt to aboid possible future harm. I work in the legal field and it seems to me that many decisions in hospitals are based on medico legal issues.

As for the pee, for me that went back to normal. Your vagina will never be the same but it will be 100x better than it is now in 6 months or so.

You said you know you didn't have it that bad but to me it sounds like you did. I hope you're okay.