I won't be finding out until Friday on what the birthing plan is. That is if he doesn't come by then. (I'm hoping he does! ) They'll be checking approx. how big he is. They'll suggest a C-section at a certain weight to avoid certain risks and problems. So, at 36 weeks supposedly he was 8.5 lbs. So at the sonogram this week I'll be just over 39 weeks. I can't imagine him only gaining 1/2 - 1 lb in a few weeks, when the last estimate he gained 3.5 lbs in a few weeks. Anyway, I still don't know how I feel about a C-section, but for those ladies that have had one, could you fill me in, in what I can expect, good and bad? If you want you can forum mail me. Thanks so much!
Posted by jennbaby
Posted by Lee
No, I didn't have the traditional 'giving birth' experience, but I still gave birth to a gorgeous healthy baby and that is all that matters.
Lee, how beautifully said.![]()
That's all I am sure any of us wish for when it's our turn!
Thats all I wish for!!
Posted by jennbaby
Posted by Lee
No, I didn't have the traditional 'giving birth' experience, but I still gave birth to a gorgeous healthy baby and that is all that matters.
Lee, how beautifully said.![]()
That's all I am sure any of us wish for when it's our turn!
Thats all I wish for!!
Posted by JustJodi
right now I wouldnt care if they had to pull him out of my mouth..
Im sooooooooooooooooooooo hurting![]()
Posted by Tammy5/03
I can't resist even though I told myself I would not join in this post. I am not a mother so I won't pretend to tell any of you anything about your emotions related to a c-section or vaginal birth. Every hospital and/or physican can have different policies so that is why so many people have different experiences. I think every woman should educate herself about all possibilities but she should know that some things are not in her control. I have seen patients have their arms tied down, its not common but its done. The catheter is not optional-you must have it for surgery. However, most of the time you can have it after the spinal or epidural. I also don't think its that painful but if it matters to you, it doesn't hurt to ask. I know it interferes with bonding but I don't think mothers should hold their babies immediately or breastfeed immediately in the OR. They should be assessed first by the pediatricians and given back to the moms later. These babies often need a little extra help and that is the priority.
My personal and professional opinion is that all women with supposedly big babies should be allowed to labor, especially for the first baby. This is what we call an 'untested pelvis' I don't know what you can do until you do it. I delivered a 10lb, 14 oz baby and the mom was average size. Ultrasound in the 3rd trimester is not that reliable either. But if your labor does not progress appropriately-there are time limits- that is a reason for section. If the baby is truly too big, you won't go anywhere in labor. I don't believe in elective c-sections-don't have one if you don't need one. Most go very smoothly and have little complications. The recovery is usually not that bad. I am going to scare some of you now so I warn you in advance. Some women do have complications-infections, excessive bleeding, damage to the bladder or bowel, etc. Its also not the first c-section that is so bad, its the repeat c-sections that can be a disaster. You hope to avoid these disasters by preventing the first one. Some women have a lot of scar tissue so the repeat c-section can be very dangerous, even life-threatening. The risks go up with each additional c-section.
Personally, I hope to have a vaginal delivery but if I NEED a c-section it would be fine. I work in a very high-risk hospital, and I have seen so many bad outcomes that I can't even begin to worry about something as small as the mode of delivery. I mean no offense to Michele or anyone else who is disappointed in their birth experience. A normal delivery is an awe-inspiring thing, that's why I work in the field. But from my admittedly skewed perspective, its not everything.
Posted by michele31
I did TONS of reseach on with ICAN which is a c-section support/awareness organization before my surgery. MANY women had their arms routinely tied down. MANY women, including myself, were very upset over the need for a cathadore (sp?) and each women that I personally know that had a c-section needed more help afterwards as compared with women I know who had v-births. Of course, there are many women who have v-births that are difficult too.
Ok, let me point out your first mistake. I commend your efforts to do research, but you are doing them in the WRONG places. There are no fact to any of the info given on these websites. I could go on there and post that its 'more natural' to give birth while standing on your head. Would you believe that? You and these others make all these demands for your birth and have no idea even WHY you want things done this way. Secondly, what is the big deal about the catheter??? Do you think it will damage you for life?? What about when the scapel knicks your full bladder or your bladder ruptures in labor and you are peeing into a bag from your side for the rest of your life?? What about the fact that a distended bladder often impedes labor?? Often once the woman is catheterized, the pushing is easier, and the delivery gets a speed up. C-section moms are surgical patients, and they may need more help initally because of the pain, but Ill tell you point blank: A nice clean scalpel incision is much less painful and heals better than a nasty vaginal tear. There is no disputing this.
While I always appreciate a medical point of view I don't feel it was fair at all to say my information or suggestions were false.
Your information was false, I merely pointed it out.
You can go on the ICAN site and speak to hundreds of womens who discuss these topics.
None of which have any idea what they are talking about, probably none of who are health care professionals. Even if they were, they would not be able to practice like this. They would be stripped of thier medical/nursing license and hospital privledges faster than a bat out of hell. And these are the same women who want home births with a lay midwife because they are 'natural'. Then I see them in my ER 30 minutes later carrying a dead baby while they are bleeding to death. Sad, but true.
I never pretend to be a doctor or nurse or even a healthcare professional but I can tell you that I had to REQUEST my arms not be tied down and at first the doctors and nurses did not like the idea at all. For me this was a huge problem. I couldn't stand the idea of being tied down. For some, it might not be a big deal at all.
If your behavior leading up to this point being that you were very upset about having a c-section led them to believe that you would endanger yourself, baby, or them, than I could see how they would automatically assumed that you would be tied down. If you were going under general anestesia, than this would not be an option, as you would have no control over your hands.
You can also read from hundred of womens that were told that they could never deliver vaginally a certain size baby only to have a VBAC with their next baby, that was even bigger than the first.
This is information that you must have pulled up from 20 years ago. It has been common practice in recent years that many women who have had sections in the past can deliver vaginally, depending on the circumstances and how the incision was made, not on what size the baby is. Sometimes this decision cant be made until the woman goes into labor. If the incision is lateral, a VBAC is possible. If its vertical like it was done 20 years ago, than its not usually possible. And oh yeah, the incision you see on your belly may not be the same direction as the incision on your uterus. That is the one that matters.
Again, I am sure there are exceptions but something to think about.
But I think it is important that patients have know that they can do research and then request what is best for them. Of course, as in ANY medical situation there are emergencies and other issues to deal with.
I agree, you should do research with RELIABLE sources. The sources you are using will tell you not to do this, do that , dont do this excetera. You and these others are presenting us as the enemy, and that we are out to ruin your birthing experience. You dont appreciate our technology, policies and procedures until your requests are leading to big trouble with the baby, and then demand all treatment to reverse all the complications that arouse from refusal of treatmen. You cant back out at the last minute and expect that we can 'fix' it all. Just talk for 5 minutes with my friends that work in neonatal ICU. They have shared thier stories with me about women who refused most treatment, and then had thier baby suffer permanantly for it.
And while I venture to say ALL women are happy and healthy to have a healthy baby having a disappointing birth experience is also something that is very common. It is even discussed in A girlfriend's guide to the first year of motherhood- which is NOT a medical book at all.
Non medical books that discuss womens feelings are one thing. Ones that try to present BS as facts are another.
There are tons of c-section support groups/sites to help women, who like me, feel incomplete. Now many women prefer c-sections and I know that but you might just want to consider another point of view on the subject. I am not alone in my feelings.
You are entitled to your feelings.
I also think hospital policy may be different. I actually had some male resident OB try to do a vaginal exam on me that morning. I told him that I only allow women OBs to exam me plus I didn't even know who the heck he was. When my doctor came in and he told her I wouldn't allow him to do the exam she said, 'But she is having a c-section in a few hours and we KNOW she is not in labor already. She doesn't need one' So even different doctors vary with their policies/procedures.
You misinterpreted the situation. This resident probably didnt know that you werent in labor. If he knew, he wouldnt have attempted to do a vaginal exam. Let me assure you, if you are delivering in a teaching hospital, you are waiving your right to not be seen by a resident, and if you were in fact in labor or the baby was in distress, the doctor that was there would have done it anyway. This has nothing to do with your doctor's policies/procedures. Hospital policy overrides a doctors preferences anyday.
And I didn't see my baby for several minutes because she was being examed behind me and I could hear her crying and people kept telling me how cute Molly was but I couldn't even see her. Now maybe in some places you see the baby earlier than I did, but this is what they did in my hospital.
This is in all hospitals. Our obligation is to make sure that the baby is breathing and circulating. The baby gets APGAR scores at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. This must be done. This takes priority over holding the baby. This would be done regardless of whether or not the baby was a c-section or vaginal delivery. If the baby needs oxygen or resucsitaion, it cant wait the few minutes that you need to bond with baby.
Sorry so long, but I am entitled to my rebuttle just as Michele is.
Posted by elle
I am so thankful they got him out however they had to ..And I'll do it again if needed.
