ladies with babies with heart problems

[babydust1990]

Were you allowed to labour on your own? Or we're you induced/sectioned? This goes for even ladies who's babies had minor problems. I've got a cardiac scan next week and there's a chance my bubs has a heart problem (most likely minor/fixable) but I'm so scared of c sections and the thought of being in hospital for my whole labour, I really wanted to labour at home and go as naturlal as possible...

 

[Adela Quested]

Just as a data point: Someone close to me had a baby with a severe (and fortunately extremely rare) heart defect. In order to give her child the best chance of survival, the baby needed to be born in a particular hospital at a time when the specialists were fresh, standing by and ready to go - it was vital that the baby wasn't born at, say, 3am when the surgeon might have to rush in without having slept well, for example. She was induced, but there was no talk of a c-section (and as I mentioned, this was for a very serious heart problem).

I am glad that your bubs is probably fine and I hope that if there is a problem, it's very minor. I couldn't say what your doctors will suggest re: induction or home birth, but given my friend's situation, I can't see why a c-section would be required for a relatively minor issue.

 

[going_crazy]

My LO wasn't actually diagnosed before birth, so I laboured at home until I was about 6cm then had her in the hospital.
I've since met other heart mums who were diagnosed antenatally and they have had natural births, although most of the labour time was spent in hospital to monitor bub's heartrate etc. Those who had babies with severe/complex/critical heart conditions were induced so that they could give birth at a time when surgeons etc were available.

I was told by my LO's cardiologist that having her naturally as opposed to a c-section was the best for her - and she is a complex case

Hope everything turns out well for you xxx

 

[starah]

I'm sorry I don't know the answer but I will ask when I go to the doctor next week. What is potentially wrong with your baby's heart? I go in to the genetics counselor in two weeks to see what's wrong with mine - so far irregular heartbeat and two points that are supposed to intersect aren't (or they just weren't able to see it) hopefully nothing or something minor, I too was curious as to how this would affect delivery.

 

[FunkyVine]

Kimberley was born with a major heart defect (AVSD). Just had surgery infact at 4 months old.
I was determined to have as natural birth as possible, and ended up with a short labour and just gas and air for pain relief. She was born in a birthing centre which encourages a lot of freedom, so we just had a hand held heart monitor. My advice is to see a good obstetrician who knows about the heart condition.

 

[going_crazy]

Kimberley was born with a major heart defect (AVSD). Just had surgery infact at 4 months old.
I was determined to have as natural birth as possible, and ended up with a short labour and just gas and air for pain relief. She was born in a birthing centre which encourages a lot of freedom, so we just had a hand held heart monitor. My advice is to see a good obstetrician who knows about the heart condition.

Hey!

How are you doing? How's Kimberley? xx

 

[FunkyVine]

she's doing great - putting on weight and making lots of noise!

 

[Aidedhoney]

Hello,

Alex my son has a chd and he was planned c section he was my second c section and that was the main reason for the c section if that makes sense.
They would have let me labour naturally but felt previous history warrented a c section x

Good luck