1. Anna in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 3 pregnancies: 1 vaginal birth, 2 miscarriages
2. I went into preterm labour at 28 weeks. I was transferred to a level 3 hospital. The new nurses did not read the files sent by the old nurses to know I'd already been given nitroglycerin to stop the contractions - so they gave me another dose and OD'ed me. I was dying. They were prepping the OR for an emergency C-Section to "save the baby" I heard the doctor say outside of my room. Miraculously, the labour stopped and he was born at 41 weeks and 3 days!
3. They discussed a cesarean with us during my labour. I wanted to avoid a cesarean if at all possible, but would agree to one if it became a true necessity for my child’s sake.
4. I didn't end up getting one, but in the future we will not trust that the nurses have read the chart. We will make certain that they do. We will ask: what are ALL the side effects so we know what to watch for; what are the usual doses; do you know about any previous medications I’ve been given?
5. N/A
6. To help prevent a c-section, EDUCATE YOURSELF! Read as many books as you can get your hands on about pregnancy, labour, and birth (The library is free!). Go to classes. Talk to other moms. Ask questions about everything, even if you think it won't apply to you. I NEVER would have thought I'd go into pre-term labour, or have to consider a c-section. I wanted an intervention free birth.
7. How to surely have a cesarean?
Don't trust your body.
Don't read a thing about childbirth.
Don't ask questions.
Skip childbirth classes (or only take ones offered by the hospital, which are really just "How to be a good patient that doesn't take up a lot of our time" classes.)
Don't voice your own opinions or wishes.
Get as many interventions, as soon as you can; induction, epidural, pitocin, artificial rupture of membranes, and stay in bed strapped to monitors instead of walking and trying different positions to help baby move down the birth canal. I am not saying that these are all bad. They all have their time and place, but I believe they are VASTLY overused and other options are often not considered beforehand.
8. As far as preventing the cesarean, my husband stood in the doorway and refused to let them take me until they declared me dead. "Nearly-dead" wasn't good enough for him if there was a chance I'd make it; since with my blood pressure deathly low, I would have certainly died had they cut into me. Next birth, I will hire a doula to help me avoid interventions.
9. Learn what you can from other people's birth stories. If they have a horror birth story, try to figure out why, and what you can do to not have that happen to you (if anything). It's tempting to tune out the bad stories, but you can learn from those as well as the good ones. If it is truly upsetting you, tell them so or change the topic.
10. To get a positive view of birth, Google "natural childbirth". There is an abundance of information. Talk to a doula or midwife.
11. N/A
12. N/A
13. What pregnancy was like for me: At 14 weeks pregnant, I was leaking amniotic fluid. My doctor told me that I would lose my baby and there was nothing she could do. I put myself on bedrest for a few weeks and baby was fine. The body can replace amniotic fluid, and a small tear can heal over. Rest, drink lots of water, and get ultrasounds done to measure the fluid levels. They can also do an "infusion" where they use a needle to insert some fluid back into the sac.
At 28 weeks, I went into preterm labour. I detailed that experience above (# 2 & 8).
At 30 weeks, I leaked more amniotic fluid. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days. I drank lots of water, had an IV to put more fluids into me, and had an ultrasound to measure the amniotic fluid levels - which were normal.
After I went into preterm labour, I was in and of the hospital with more labour for the remainder of my pregnancy. They ended up inducing me and he was born at 41 weeks and 3 days.
I tried to enjoy every day of my pregnancy since my husband was saying he may not want anymore after that. It helped a lot during the uncomfortable last days.
14. ASSERT YOURSELF! Make your wishes known, but be flexible. It may not be possible to have the exact birth you want, but if you don’t ask, then you almost definitely will not get the birth you want. Whether it’s something as small as asking for the lights to be turned down, or allowing labour to progress naturally for a certain amount of time before augmenting it. The on-call doctor was going to set me up on pitocin, he routinely does this to everyone! I told him I did not want it, and he agreed to wait 9 hours and see how my labour progressed, then decide whether I needed it. My son was born at 9 hours and 42 minutes and I never even had an IV put in.
Figure out what you want, and let your caretakers know, but also be open to changes to that. Discuss any procedures and learn of possible side effects and alternatives. (Better yet, research them beforehand if at all possible!)
Think about how important something is to you, and whether you’re willing to switch caregivers if you can’t get that. For me, next time (if there is one) I will have a doula, in addition to my mom and husband. If my hospital or doctor says only 2 people in the room, then I will go to a different place that allows 3 people. Also be aware that it may be difficult to switch if you’re late in pregnancy, although not impossible.
I’ve been hearing some women who think that having a cesarean will be easier. It won’t. It will not be painless or quick. You will have a longer recovery time. If you are properly educated and prepared for the birth and have a good support system, labour and birth need not necessarily be a scary prospect. The more you know about something, the less scary it will be.
Incontinence later in life is NOT linked to vaginal birth. There is some temporary incontinence right after the birth which goes away (If you’re concerned, do kegal exercises), but incontinence later in life is linked to old age, not whether a woman has had a vaginal birth. It occurs in women who’ve had cesareans, women who’ve had vaginal births, women who have not had any children, and in men!
By Anna (not verified) at Thu, 10/25/2007 - 12:12am |
1. Anna in Toronto,
1. Anna in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 3 pregnancies: 1 vaginal birth, 2 miscarriages
2. I went into preterm labour at 28 weeks. I was transferred to a level 3 hospital. The new nurses did not read the files sent by the old nurses to know I'd already been given nitroglycerin to stop the contractions - so they gave me another dose and OD'ed me. I was dying. They were prepping the OR for an emergency C-Section to "save the baby" I heard the doctor say outside of my room. Miraculously, the labour stopped and he was born at 41 weeks and 3 days!
3. They discussed a cesarean with us during my labour. I wanted to avoid a cesarean if at all possible, but would agree to one if it became a true necessity for my child’s sake.
4. I didn't end up getting one, but in the future we will not trust that the nurses have read the chart. We will make certain that they do. We will ask: what are ALL the side effects so we know what to watch for; what are the usual doses; do you know about any previous medications I’ve been given?
5. N/A
6. To help prevent a c-section, EDUCATE YOURSELF! Read as many books as you can get your hands on about pregnancy, labour, and birth (The library is free!). Go to classes. Talk to other moms. Ask questions about everything, even if you think it won't apply to you. I NEVER would have thought I'd go into pre-term labour, or have to consider a c-section. I wanted an intervention free birth.
7. How to surely have a cesarean?
Don't trust your body.
Don't read a thing about childbirth.
Don't ask questions.
Skip childbirth classes (or only take ones offered by the hospital, which are really just "How to be a good patient that doesn't take up a lot of our time" classes.)
Don't voice your own opinions or wishes.
Get as many interventions, as soon as you can; induction, epidural, pitocin, artificial rupture of membranes, and stay in bed strapped to monitors instead of walking and trying different positions to help baby move down the birth canal. I am not saying that these are all bad. They all have their time and place, but I believe they are VASTLY overused and other options are often not considered beforehand.
8. As far as preventing the cesarean, my husband stood in the doorway and refused to let them take me until they declared me dead. "Nearly-dead" wasn't good enough for him if there was a chance I'd make it; since with my blood pressure deathly low, I would have certainly died had they cut into me. Next birth, I will hire a doula to help me avoid interventions.
9. Learn what you can from other people's birth stories. If they have a horror birth story, try to figure out why, and what you can do to not have that happen to you (if anything). It's tempting to tune out the bad stories, but you can learn from those as well as the good ones. If it is truly upsetting you, tell them so or change the topic.
10. To get a positive view of birth, Google "natural childbirth". There is an abundance of information. Talk to a doula or midwife.
11. N/A
12. N/A
13. What pregnancy was like for me: At 14 weeks pregnant, I was leaking amniotic fluid. My doctor told me that I would lose my baby and there was nothing she could do. I put myself on bedrest for a few weeks and baby was fine. The body can replace amniotic fluid, and a small tear can heal over. Rest, drink lots of water, and get ultrasounds done to measure the fluid levels. They can also do an "infusion" where they use a needle to insert some fluid back into the sac.
At 28 weeks, I went into preterm labour. I detailed that experience above (# 2 & 8).
At 30 weeks, I leaked more amniotic fluid. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days. I drank lots of water, had an IV to put more fluids into me, and had an ultrasound to measure the amniotic fluid levels - which were normal.
After I went into preterm labour, I was in and of the hospital with more labour for the remainder of my pregnancy. They ended up inducing me and he was born at 41 weeks and 3 days.
I tried to enjoy every day of my pregnancy since my husband was saying he may not want anymore after that. It helped a lot during the uncomfortable last days.
14. ASSERT YOURSELF! Make your wishes known, but be flexible. It may not be possible to have the exact birth you want, but if you don’t ask, then you almost definitely will not get the birth you want. Whether it’s something as small as asking for the lights to be turned down, or allowing labour to progress naturally for a certain amount of time before augmenting it. The on-call doctor was going to set me up on pitocin, he routinely does this to everyone! I told him I did not want it, and he agreed to wait 9 hours and see how my labour progressed, then decide whether I needed it. My son was born at 9 hours and 42 minutes and I never even had an IV put in.
Figure out what you want, and let your caretakers know, but also be open to changes to that. Discuss any procedures and learn of possible side effects and alternatives. (Better yet, research them beforehand if at all possible!)
Think about how important something is to you, and whether you’re willing to switch caregivers if you can’t get that. For me, next time (if there is one) I will have a doula, in addition to my mom and husband. If my hospital or doctor says only 2 people in the room, then I will go to a different place that allows 3 people. Also be aware that it may be difficult to switch if you’re late in pregnancy, although not impossible.
I’ve been hearing some women who think that having a cesarean will be easier. It won’t. It will not be painless or quick. You will have a longer recovery time. If you are properly educated and prepared for the birth and have a good support system, labour and birth need not necessarily be a scary prospect. The more you know about something, the less scary it will be.
Incontinence later in life is NOT linked to vaginal birth. There is some temporary incontinence right after the birth which goes away (If you’re concerned, do kegal exercises), but incontinence later in life is linked to old age, not whether a woman has had a vaginal birth. It occurs in women who’ve had cesareans, women who’ve had vaginal births, women who have not had any children, and in men!