Trauma after EMCS 2+ years ago

[rescuemom82]

I am still struggling after my emCs 2 years ago....my daughter was head down at my final OB appointment, i went into labor that night with my water breaking at home.

i went to the birth center, was having irregular contractions. after 12 hours they gave me pitocin because i wasn't dilating normally at all. it took me 32 hours to go from 1 cm to 10 cm and that was with 12 hours of maximum pitocin.

i finally was pushing for about an hour and was whisked off to emergency surgery c section as her heart rate was irregular and becoming worrisome.

obviously I am so glad that we are here and that neither of us suffered anything serious...although i did have an infection from laboring too long.

we had to stay in hospital a week due to my complications and then she was very jaundiced and had to stay in NICU 2 days.

i found the whole thing frightening and disorienting. I was so exhausted that i fell asleep during the end of the c section. i hardly remember it at all and i hate that.

i want to have another baby but i have some worries.

that i will try a vBAC and fail.

that i have infertility from having a c section

that i will have the same terrible experience if I have to have a repeat c section

i felt like such a failure and it was a really bad start to motherhood. i don't remember anything and to top it off she was very very high needs and she slept maybe a total of 3 hours while we were in hospital and so my recovery was really rough.

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I too had worries about infertility after my first son was born. I do not think it's common to be unable to conceive after a c-section. I had no troubles conceiving my second

My second section was planned, and it was far and away more enjoyable than the first. The nurses talk to you, make you feel less nervous, the anesthetist has meds available if you feel overly anxious, nauseated, etc.

As for the vbac, I can't comment as I decided to avoid induction so we planned ds2's c-section at 41 weeks. In my opinion, I had my first emcs because I was induced and my body wasn't technically ready for birth ( also ds1 had a massive head that got stuck despite attempted forceps ). But many women have been able to give birth vaginally after a section. You will just be monitored more closely.

I hate that you feel like a failure, that's not a great feeling. You did what was medically necessary. I hope you can find peace with your future decisions

 

[amyleigh89]

Hi, I had a pretty shitty birth with DD and had councelling for PTSD afterwards, and still suffer with anxiety attacks.

I thought fertility might be affected... Because you just never know right? (In my mind anyway). I was pregnant on month 5 of not trying not preventing so defo no problems there.

The only thing I've noticed this time is there is a bit more discomfort when tummy is growing. I have put it down to sticky bits being pulled around.

With regards to my next birth I asked the same questions about vbac but very quickly decided an elective c section was my best bet. From what I have been told in the majority of cases an elective is a calm procedure with very few risks and I will need a bit of control this time around.

I hope your previous experience doesn't put you off completely. Xx