1. Please give me your full name, how you want to be identified (full name, first name only, anon, etc.), your general location, number of children, number of cesareans, number of VBACs, anything else pertinent to your story.
2. Did (do) you ever believe that you might have a cesarean? When did you first think that a cesarean was a possibility for your birth?
I asked my OBGYN what the odds were that I may have to have a cesarean b/c I had several fibroids inside my uterus which were a concern to the pregnancy. The OBGYN gave me 30% odds
3. When did your practitioner bring up a discussion about cesarean? Before labor? During labor? Was it a surprise?
OBGYN recommended cesarean during labor. I already had the epidural which had slowed the labor to a crawl. OBGYN indicated the slow-down was part of his reasoning for the recommendation.
4. If you had a cesarean, do you think you could have done anything to prevent it?
In retrospect, I probably should not have gotten the epidural but the labor was pretty intense. Not sure I could have handled the labor without some kind of pain management.
5. If you had a cesarean, did you or your baby experience complications? If yes, which ones and how did you feel about this?
No complications. My middle toe on each foot was numb for months and of course, I still do not have feeling around my abdomonal scar.
6. If you had one good piece of advice for pregnant women or women considering having a baby, what would it be when it comes to cesarean prevention?
A friend went in for an induction and did not realize that if the induction doesn't bring on the labor, then the next step is a cesarean. This is something I did not realize either so if you really want to avoid a cesarean, hold off on the induction. If the idea of getting an epidural is not appealing and you are concerned that would lead to a cesarean, I would recommend hiring a doula. I ran into a doula after I had my baby and she felt that most women with a doula were able to get through labor without drugs.
7. What is one sure way to have a cesarean?
Ask for it?
8. Did you try to prevent a cesarean? If so, how? (Did you switch doctors or midwives? Did you pay out of pocket for a homebirth? Did you stay home longer than you normally would have? Hire a doula? Stuff like that...)
I did not have a doula but I had planned on an RN friend to be with me. My husband however did not call her until we had been at the hospital for quite sometime. In retrospect, I probably should have gotten her there earlier.
9. Advice for pregnant women in talking to those offering birth horror stories?
All pregnancies are different...
10. Where did you get a positive view of birth? Where should others turn?
doula friends
11. If you have had a VBAC, what resistance did you have? (If any.)
N/A
12. What is the hardest part of having a VBAC?
N/A
13. What was pregnancy like for you? What advice do you have in general for pregnant women? Feel free to add stories or quotes here.
I think it is tougher on you when you are pregnant in your late 30s early 40s. My feet and legs hurt constantly from the 3rd month until the end. Ugh! I tired easily so I wasn't able to get things done around the house like I wanted.
14. Anything else you’d like to add?
Please send these questions with answers to me at: robin at robineliseweiss dot com
By robin@birthacti... at 10/17/2007 - 11:10am | robin@birthactivist.com's blog
By Michelle Allen (not verified) at Wed, 10/24/2007 - 8:51am |
response to questions
1. Please give me your full name, how you want to be identified (full name, first name only, anon, etc.), your general location, number of children, number of cesareans, number of VBACs, anything else pertinent to your story.
Michelle, Michelle, Tallahassee, FL, 1 child, 1 cesarean, 0 VBACS.
2. Did (do) you ever believe that you might have a cesarean? When did you first think that a cesarean was a possibility for your birth?
I asked my OBGYN what the odds were that I may have to have a cesarean b/c I had several fibroids inside my uterus which were a concern to the pregnancy. The OBGYN gave me 30% odds
3. When did your practitioner bring up a discussion about cesarean? Before labor? During labor? Was it a surprise?
OBGYN recommended cesarean during labor. I already had the epidural which had slowed the labor to a crawl. OBGYN indicated the slow-down was part of his reasoning for the recommendation.
4. If you had a cesarean, do you think you could have done anything to prevent it?
In retrospect, I probably should not have gotten the epidural but the labor was pretty intense. Not sure I could have handled the labor without some kind of pain management.
5. If you had a cesarean, did you or your baby experience complications? If yes, which ones and how did you feel about this?
No complications. My middle toe on each foot was numb for months and of course, I still do not have feeling around my abdomonal scar.
6. If you had one good piece of advice for pregnant women or women considering having a baby, what would it be when it comes to cesarean prevention?
A friend went in for an induction and did not realize that if the induction doesn't bring on the labor, then the next step is a cesarean. This is something I did not realize either so if you really want to avoid a cesarean, hold off on the induction. If the idea of getting an epidural is not appealing and you are concerned that would lead to a cesarean, I would recommend hiring a doula. I ran into a doula after I had my baby and she felt that most women with a doula were able to get through labor without drugs.
7. What is one sure way to have a cesarean?
Ask for it?
8. Did you try to prevent a cesarean? If so, how? (Did you switch doctors or midwives? Did you pay out of pocket for a homebirth? Did you stay home longer than you normally would have? Hire a doula? Stuff like that...)
I did not have a doula but I had planned on an RN friend to be with me. My husband however did not call her until we had been at the hospital for quite sometime. In retrospect, I probably should have gotten her there earlier.
9. Advice for pregnant women in talking to those offering birth horror stories?
All pregnancies are different...
10. Where did you get a positive view of birth? Where should others turn?
doula friends
11. If you have had a VBAC, what resistance did you have? (If any.)
N/A
12. What is the hardest part of having a VBAC?
N/A
13. What was pregnancy like for you? What advice do you have in general for pregnant women? Feel free to add stories or quotes here.
I think it is tougher on you when you are pregnant in your late 30s early 40s. My feet and legs hurt constantly from the 3rd month until the end. Ugh! I tired easily so I wasn't able to get things done around the house like I wanted.
14. Anything else you’d like to add?
Please send these questions with answers to me at: robin at robineliseweiss dot com
By robin@birthacti... at 10/17/2007 - 11:10am | robin@birthactivist.com's blog