Birth plans

SanFran07

Planned cesareans are not that unusual any more ....it gives some women a huge sense of control.. You have a time and a date !

Unfortunately getting that control means exposing herself and her baby to the risks that come along with this surgery. Hopefully she can find a supportive caregiver that will help her have the best birth for her.

Tracy

Sammag

SanFran07 wrote: »

Planned cesareans are not that unusual any more ....it gives some women a huge sense of control.. You have a time and a date !

Unfortunately getting that control means exposing herself and her baby to the risks that come along with this surgery. Hopefully she can find a supportive caregiver that will help her have the best birth for her.

Tracy

Time and date is only one tiny aspect for me, if even. There are a plethora of other reasons why I will chose a c-section over a vaginal birth. But that's a conversation for another thread.

VeryBerry

Sammag wrote: »

Time and date is only one tiny aspect for me, if even. There are a plethora of other reasons why I will chose a c-section over a vaginal birth. But that's a conversation for another thread.

And once everything is going well with the pregnancy, and you and baby are healthy and well, I'm sure you'd like, and expect, your choices and reasons to be respected by the healthcare professionals who are caring for you.

Equally, if someone else wants/doesn't want: an epidural; an episiotomy; pain medication; to be induced; to sit in the bath; to walk around; to have music; dim lights; candles or pop pourri or whatever, its their choice, and I think it should also be respected. Obviously once Mum and baby are healthy and ok.

axel rose

As far as I am aware, only myself and Grawns are the only ones here to admit that we had planned C- sections. Speaking for myself and myself only .......It was the best decision for me. I weighed up the pros and cons and felt that a C Section was the least traumatic for both me and my child. I was very lucky to have a consultant who would listen to me.
It is the last taboo of childbirth.

I find it really funny the way that some women turn childbirth into some kind of endurance competition.......You know the type-'You had gas and air with an 8 hour labour? I had a 20 hour labour, no pain relief, 3rd degree tear, little Johnny was 14lbs! It was FANTASTIC!'........Yea well my waters broke, went to the hospital had a **** load of drugs, then a C section. No labour, no contractions. It was FANTASTIC!'.

Hee hee. Each to their own I say. You make some good points veryberry.

SanFran07

axel rose wrote: »

Each to their own I say.

Exactly - and it's nobody's business but yours - there's no right or wrong way to give birth. The best birth is the one where you felt supported in your choices and were given all of the information so you could make the best decision for you.

I sometimes think it's easier to have a cesarean birth than to have a natural birth in Ireland - the odds are just stacked against first time mums....

VeryBerry

axel rose wrote: »

I find it really funny the way that some women turn childbirth into some kind of endurance competition.......You know the type-'You had gas and air with an 8 hour labour? I had a 20 hour labour, no pain relief, 3rd degree tear, little Johnny was 14lbs! It was FANTASTIC!'........Yea well my waters broke, went to the hospital had a **** load of drugs, then a C section. No labour, no contractions. It was FANTASTIC!'.

I know a few of them alright!

The no labour and no contractions sounds great! I'm just terrified of the epidural part of a C section! Most of my reasons for wanting to give birth as naturally as possible are totally selfish - I want to avoid an epidural!

I've had one before for a back operation, and I hated it. I hated having a catheter, I hated not being able to move, I hated being awake during the operation. The whole thing just freaked me out, and I had the worst headache and shakes afterwards. I'll do anything to avoid having another one - even if it means the marathon labour. Well...thats what I say now! When the big day comes and labour kicks in maybe I'll change my mind pretty quick

axel rose

VeryBerry wrote: »

I know a few of them alright!

The no labour and no contractions sounds great! I'm just terrified of the epidural part of a C section! Most of my reasons for wanting to give birth as naturally as possible are totally selfish - I want to avoid an epidural!

I've had one before for a back operation, and I hated it. I hated having a catheter, I hated not being able to move, I hated being awake during the operation. The whole thing just freaked me out, and I had the worst headache and shakes afterwards. I'll do anything to avoid having another one - even if it means the marathon labour. Well...thats what I say now! When the big day comes and labour kicks in maybe I'll change my mind pretty quick

veryberry you'll be grand! Theres loads of different types of drugs these days! Sure you can even top it up with a few street drugs if it need be!
Failing that you could just big up the whole labour thing (20hr labour......2 and a half stone baby......no drugs........silent labour....yada yada)

Quackles

Ah, epidurals aren't that bad.. The idea of the big needle is terrible, but once you're in that position, at least in my case, you don't even feel it. The worst part was having to lean forward over the bump and staying still through contractions. That said, I was happy to avoid it the second time around - I didn't like not being able to feel what I was doing.

embee

I'm a big sissy when it comes to pain, was so afraid I wouldn't be able to cope. I was afraid of everything - epidurals, episiotomies, natural birth, c-section....

but I managed a natural delivery with only some gas and air. You can be very pleasantly surprised at how well you do during labour. It certainly isn't the worst pain I've experienced - gallstones gets that dubious glory

Having a birth plan can not only outline preferences, but can also give your midwives and doctors a good idea of what it is you may be fearful or anxious about. Most women in Ireland go through the public system where they don't have continuity of care and don't see the same midwives and doctors at every ante-natal check up, so having a birth plan which details what you'd prefer (all going well) is in a lot of ways very sensible. It saves on you having to outline to yet another new face exactly what it is that you want, when it's all written in plain black and white.

templetonpeck

I have been thinking about this thread lots and doing a bit of reading

I think the only thing I might have a problem with is the episiotomy and if it has to be done, to do the slanted version.....sorry if that's tmi

The epidural, is so confusing, I want the pain relief, but I didn't realise there were so many complications afterwards. What if I can't get out of the bed, or lift the baby, how do you go to the loo.

I'm coming into 27 weeks now, so I presume they'll start talking to me about all of this stuff at the hospital appointments, or is it up to me to bring it up?

templetonpeck

Quackles wrote: »

I didn't like not being able to feel what I was doing.

that's another thing I don't like the thoughts of