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.
Ingrid A., Central Valley, California. 2 children, pregnant with third. :) 2 c-sections so far.
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 NEVER thought I would be having a c-section in a million years, only when I was in the hospital with my first daughter after trying to induce me did I realize that was the possible outcome.
3. When did your practitioner bring up a discussion about cesarean? Before labor? During labor? Was it a surprise?
We basically only discussed a c-section after I was in the hospital for 3 days with them trying to induce me, they thought my first daughter was going to be very large (she was big enough, 8 pounds 7.6 ounces) and should be delivered as close to her due date as possible. I actually never went into labor, which was very odd considering I had pitocin and cervidil switching every 12 hours for 3 days. So it was very much a surprise.
4. If you had a cesarean, do you think you could have done anything to prevent it? We could have waited a little longer to see if my first daughter would have come on her own. But with my second daughter we waited until we were two weeks overdue with her before deciding to have another c-section, I never went into labor with her either, there were not any signs of labor either, no thinning of the cervix, no dilation, NO contractions at all either! My dates were absolutely correct too, by early ultrasound and keeping track of my periods.
5. If you had a cesarean, did you or your baby experience complications? If yes, which ones and how did you feel about this?
We didn't really have complications, both my girls were born extremely healthy, pink and crying! I experienced quite a bit of pain afterward, but nothing that I couldn't get through.
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?
Just be patient! Whether you're a stay at home mom or a working mom you'll likely be off the last few weeks before the baby comes, so just relax and take care of yourself, walk around, enjoy yourself, drink lots of water. You have to realize that with all this medical stuff surrounding our lives we have to be patient and remember that the baby will come when it's ready, not when you're ready. I think that's why most people have elective c-sections (that are not health/medical related) because they're doing it for convenience.
7. What is one sure way to have a cesarean?
Not listening to your body and what it's telling you! Being impatient and willing to have surgery when there is most likely no need.
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 tried to prevent it with my second daughter by waiting two week after I was due, and even though my doctor said that we could wait one more week, we discussed the medical possibilites, like the placenta not working as well since we were already overdue quite a bit, and the baby getting larger in the last week, so we had a c-section two weeks after her due date, and my second daughter was 9 pounds 0.7 ounces.
9. Advice for pregnant women in talking to those offering birth horror stories? Don't worry too much, there are plenty of people with problems, and EVERY SINGLE WOMAN is DIFFERENT! Most women think they're going to be just like their mom and sister when it comes to giving birth, and that is absolutely not true! We are all different and our mom could have had the worst labor in the world with little babies, and then her daughter could end up having a wonderful east labor with big babies. :)
10. Where did you get a positive view of birth? Where should others turn? Anything I read I go to the facts, not the rumors and stories. You can get positive stories from women with horrible experiences, and you can get negativity from women with good experiences. You can't be negative about stuff, things won't always go the way you like, there are always emergencies and we have to be prepared for them no matter what.
11. If you have had a VBAC, what resistance did you have? (If any.)
I would have liked to have a VBAC, and I had no resistance from my doctor, or my mom- who is a labor and delivery nurse.
12. What is the hardest part of having a VBAC?
Well, it wasn't successful for me, but the hardest part for most women is finding someone who is willing to do one, and one that is willing to give the women the real information. There is actually a very low risk of uterine rupture on healthy women with only one previous c-section, it may get a little higher if you've had two, but it's so very low still. Although, women don't need to be stupid either, if you've got a serious health condition that requires a c-section, don't try and VBAC when the health of you and your baby are in serious risk.
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.
My pregnancies are wonderful, besides bad heartburn, I try to enjoy them throughout. It's harder when you already have kids to focus on your pregnancy, but sometimes you just have to sit there and rub your belly and still be amazed that you're growing a little person inside you.
14. Anything else you’d like to add?
That's all. :)
By Ingrid Anderson (not verified) at Wed, 10/24/2007 - 4:06pm |
C-section Story
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.
Ingrid A., Central Valley, California. 2 children, pregnant with third. :) 2 c-sections so far.
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 NEVER thought I would be having a c-section in a million years, only when I was in the hospital with my first daughter after trying to induce me did I realize that was the possible outcome.
3. When did your practitioner bring up a discussion about cesarean? Before labor? During labor? Was it a surprise?
We basically only discussed a c-section after I was in the hospital for 3 days with them trying to induce me, they thought my first daughter was going to be very large (she was big enough, 8 pounds 7.6 ounces) and should be delivered as close to her due date as possible. I actually never went into labor, which was very odd considering I had pitocin and cervidil switching every 12 hours for 3 days. So it was very much a surprise.
4. If you had a cesarean, do you think you could have done anything to prevent it? We could have waited a little longer to see if my first daughter would have come on her own. But with my second daughter we waited until we were two weeks overdue with her before deciding to have another c-section, I never went into labor with her either, there were not any signs of labor either, no thinning of the cervix, no dilation, NO contractions at all either! My dates were absolutely correct too, by early ultrasound and keeping track of my periods.
5. If you had a cesarean, did you or your baby experience complications? If yes, which ones and how did you feel about this?
We didn't really have complications, both my girls were born extremely healthy, pink and crying! I experienced quite a bit of pain afterward, but nothing that I couldn't get through.
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?
Just be patient! Whether you're a stay at home mom or a working mom you'll likely be off the last few weeks before the baby comes, so just relax and take care of yourself, walk around, enjoy yourself, drink lots of water. You have to realize that with all this medical stuff surrounding our lives we have to be patient and remember that the baby will come when it's ready, not when you're ready. I think that's why most people have elective c-sections (that are not health/medical related) because they're doing it for convenience.
7. What is one sure way to have a cesarean?
Not listening to your body and what it's telling you! Being impatient and willing to have surgery when there is most likely no need.
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 tried to prevent it with my second daughter by waiting two week after I was due, and even though my doctor said that we could wait one more week, we discussed the medical possibilites, like the placenta not working as well since we were already overdue quite a bit, and the baby getting larger in the last week, so we had a c-section two weeks after her due date, and my second daughter was 9 pounds 0.7 ounces.
9. Advice for pregnant women in talking to those offering birth horror stories? Don't worry too much, there are plenty of people with problems, and EVERY SINGLE WOMAN is DIFFERENT! Most women think they're going to be just like their mom and sister when it comes to giving birth, and that is absolutely not true! We are all different and our mom could have had the worst labor in the world with little babies, and then her daughter could end up having a wonderful east labor with big babies. :)
10. Where did you get a positive view of birth? Where should others turn? Anything I read I go to the facts, not the rumors and stories. You can get positive stories from women with horrible experiences, and you can get negativity from women with good experiences. You can't be negative about stuff, things won't always go the way you like, there are always emergencies and we have to be prepared for them no matter what.
11. If you have had a VBAC, what resistance did you have? (If any.)
I would have liked to have a VBAC, and I had no resistance from my doctor, or my mom- who is a labor and delivery nurse.
12. What is the hardest part of having a VBAC?
Well, it wasn't successful for me, but the hardest part for most women is finding someone who is willing to do one, and one that is willing to give the women the real information. There is actually a very low risk of uterine rupture on healthy women with only one previous c-section, it may get a little higher if you've had two, but it's so very low still. Although, women don't need to be stupid either, if you've got a serious health condition that requires a c-section, don't try and VBAC when the health of you and your baby are in serious risk.
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.
My pregnancies are wonderful, besides bad heartburn, I try to enjoy them throughout. It's harder when you already have kids to focus on your pregnancy, but sometimes you just have to sit there and rub your belly and still be amazed that you're growing a little person inside you.
14. Anything else you’d like to add?
That's all. :)