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Nubs's query

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nubs
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#1 Unread post by nubs » Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:17 pm

Hi ya
As you probably know I am 18 weeks pregnant and in my previous pregnancy I ended up having a emergency c-section. So with this pregnancy I am under the consultant, whom I am seeing on the 13th Nov, so at the moment I am thinking do I have an elective c-section or VBAC. I am swaying towards the c-section tbh, but I was wondering if I explained what happened in the previous birth you may be able to gove advise as to why it happened as I have never been told. I went into hospital to be induced thinking I was 10 days overdue, and when I was examined they decided that I didn't need inducing as I had started on my own, I went to the delivery room where they broke my waters bringing on strong contractions and severe back pain as Jack was back to back, opted for an epidural, after 9 hours of being here I was 10 cms dilated adn wanted to push which I attempted for an hour and a half when I was told I needed a c-section as there was no way this baby was coming out. Anyway Jack was born healthy and whilst in recovery the midwife came back out and asked if I smoked and I said no and why and she said that the placenta was so decayed and by her reckoning Jack was at least 4 weeks late, when I queried this with the doctor there was no record of this. Why would I need a c-section at 10 cm dilated - was it because Jack was back to back and couldn't turn, that he was so late? ( I always felt like I was further on than I was told!) or because of me. I am really worrying about the consultants appointment as I sound so thick going there not knowing the reason I had the c-section.
Kris, Jack & Sam
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#2 Unread post by Bruch70 » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:35 am

Hi,
Well, obviously i can only respond with the information you have given me as i don't have your notes to hand, so i would firstly suggest you contact the hospital and ask for a copy- they will charge you for this unfortuantely and they're not necessarily speedy either so the quicker you ask, the quicker you'll get them, hopefully before this baby arrives :)

I have neverknown or heard of anyone having the skill to date a placenta by it's condition!!! I would take that with a pinch of salt and honestly, placentas are on the whole very capable and able to do their job, even with some degeneration. Difficult i know, but i wouldn't ponder on that one too much.

With regards to your labour experience, being induced at 10 days isn't unusual practice but it is normal for pregancy to continue until 42 weeks- not that relevant to what your asking me, but important to know!

I think you are right about the positioning ofbaby- i have been at many labours (usually first babies) where they stay back to back- this can cause them to extend their head rather than tucking them in nicely, means a bigger, uneven area of head pushing on the cervix and can cause erratic contractions which may not progress you very far- of course there are women who have back to back babies (often labelled OP- stands for occiput {the bone at the back of baby's head} posterior) and straightforward normal births.

You haven't said if he was particularly big (although this doesn't always mean it's a problem) but you will find lts of stories of women who were told their babies would never be born normally who then go on to have wonderful VBACs so i would not let this deter you at all.

Please don't think you are thick, this is sadly a common response from women when they have been through a complex or tricky birth and maybe things weren't explaned properly.

I know there are no certainties but the chances are you could have a normal birth with this baby- i would recommend doing some research and reading so you can make your own decision and think about the pros and cons of VBAC vs Elective caesarean from all sides, that is you (of course!), baby and the effects on your family, recovery wise.

I wish i could give you a straightforward answer but i think probably if you and your baby are healthy and everything else goes well, there is no reason to think you couldn't have this baby normally. Without seeing the actual relevant medical records, i can't make a proper assessment but i would have a think about time limits as they do change from hospital to hospital and i have know some who will wait a lot longer in the pushing or second stage of labour than others if baby's heartrate is happy.

There is a lot of pressure on consultants to encourage women to have a VBAC now and some hospitals actually have a VBAC midwife or clinic so this is worth asking about, then you can perhaps ask someone to go through your notes. If this isn't available, i would get to the clinic a little early and when you book in, ask specifically to see the consultant (it may mean a longer wait) and then ask them to go through your labour notes with you and explain it. Remember, you are there to be looked after and the consultant/midwife whoever it is, are employed to provide a service to you so feel entitled to ask for these things- knowledge is power!

Also have a look at:-
www.vbac.co.uk
www.aims.org.uk
www.vbac.org.uk
www.caesarean.org.uk
www.nct.org.uk

Hope this helps you make a decision you feel is right and comfortable for you. But if not, and you need more information, please feel free to let me know.

Warm wishes,
Vicky

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...just wanted to add!

#3 Unread post by Bruch70 » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:50 am

sorry just wanted to add that breaking waters on an already back to back baby may encourage them to remain in that position. When the waters are present, it can make it easier for them to turn, although there are no guarantees with this. Obviously in your case, you attended with the view to being induced and as you had already dilated someway (or else they couldn't have broken your waters), breaking waters is the often the next option they try in hospitals to get labour underway more powerfully. Then if this doesn't work, they will put up a hormone drip called syntocinon which is artificial oxytocin (labour hormone). Any of these measure can make things more intense for the women and therefore, more likely to ask for pain relief.

I know epidurals are fantastic relief from back pain in these labours and i have transferred women in for just this reason, certainly not anti epidural or anti anything but it is useful to be aware that the effect of epidurals can cause your pelvic floor muscles to relax and therefore, not be so effective when it comes to pushing sometimes (of course not always- there are never any 'always' when it comes to birth!) then if you couple this with a baby who is in a tricky position and a hospital where the policy is to offer interventions after a certain time period, this could lead to a caesarean birth. And of course if there was any concern for the baby's heartrate, this would shorten the time span the Drs felt comfortable with.

This is my most educated 'guess' of why this happened to you but i think the fact that you got to 10 cms last time is very encouraging. Sorry, i just wanted elaborate as (it is a bit late and past my best!) i wanted to answer you more specifically and hope this makes some sense of it all for you!

I'm always here if you want more information though!

Warm wishes,
Vicky

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#4 Unread post by nubs » Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:18 am

thanks Vicky - Jack was 8lb 8oz, I will look at the links and research more, Southend have requested my notes (or so they said they would) from Northern Ireland. My friend and I were comparing scan pictures the other day and I said to her that I was dated around the same amount of weeks as her with Jacks first scan and when we looked at Jacks scan he looked more like this bubbas scan at 11+1 - so I still think there was incorrect dating of Jack who went from being due on the 5th July - 29th July and was actually born on 8th August thanks for your help it was great to have your advise and facts - now to make the big decision
Kris, Jack & Sam
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#5 Unread post by nubs » Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:18 am

thanks Vicky - Jack was 8lb 8oz, I will look at the links and research more, Southend have requested my notes (or so they said they would) from Northern Ireland. My friend and I were comparing scan pictures the other day and I said to her that I was dated around the same amount of weeks as her with Jacks first scan and when we looked at Jacks scan he looked more like this bubbas scan at 11+1 - so I still think there was incorrect dating of Jack who went from being due on the 5th July - 29th July and was actually born on 8th August thanks for your help it was great to have your advise and facts - now to make the big decision
Kris, Jack & Sam
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#6 Unread post by artyfartymack » Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:51 am

Nubs, you sould like your in the same position as me. Tom was born 7 weeks early and to this day I have absolutly no idea why. it makes choosing to have another one quite difficult as we dont really want to risk antoher Premmie. If I knew why it happened and the risks of it happening again I'd be so much happier. It seems to me that Hospitals just want to get the baby out and you home and have no real care to inform you about the actual birth.
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#7 Unread post by Bruch70 » Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:59 am

Ha, i think we 'crossed in the post!'

I have answered you a bit more fully in the vbac v elective section response! Sorry about that, think Louise beat me to it!! :lol:

Vicky


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