Birth?

[Inky38]

Hello all. Yesterday we found out that our baby boy Jake, who I'm now 21 weeks pregnant on has FB. We want to go ahead with the pregnancy, but I'm already starting to wonder about the birth, as I already 7 children and have given birth naturally to them all. Jake will be our first child with SB and I wondered if women can still give birth the natural way or if you have to have a C-section?

Please can anyone give me advice on this, who has already gone through what I'm about to be introduced to in a few more months.

Thank you. xx :signs116:

[jveprek]

At first my specialist told me I needed a c-section. I was planning a home birth, already wasn't too thrilled about being at a specialist and needing a hospital birth, and was really sad about the c-section, mostly because I did not want to be stuck in the hospital when Madi was at another one having surgery. I wanted to be able to be with her. I talked to the neurosurgeon and he told me about the current research and gave me some to read. He said there was like a 0.5% difference in the function on one side from vaginal vs. c-section, so basically, there was not enough of a difference to say that one way was any better than the other way. He encouraced me to talk to my specialist about going ahead with a vaginal birth (he was also VERY pro breastfeeding and having me hold Madi after birth, so he told Madi's neonatologist to put her on my chest after birth and to let me breast-feed her after her first surgery, which ended up being 2 hours after her surgery). The specialist told me there was really no difference, but that the c-section is routine to cover their butts (he actually told me that!), and said he would support me with having a natural birth. Madi's fluid level was getting to be iffy, so they did do pitocin and induce me at 37 weeks, but I was able to go medication free and vaginally. I was discharged the next afternoon to go stay with Madi at the children's hospital. They even let me stay with her in the NICU the first night, which is not traditional, but I had refused all pain meds and was up walking around and using the bathroom by myself, so they weren't worried :).

[cadon's mum]

I also had a vaginal birth, i was given the option and as i had already had 3 natural births before, it seemed the obvious choice coupled with the fact that there was no way on this earth that i was going to be stuck in a bed when my baby was having his first surgery. I sought lots of opinions on c- section vs natural and each Dr said that they carry the same risks. I was due for induction at 38 weeks but Cadon had his own agenda and i went into labour at 37, i was able to hold him for about 15-20 minutes before he went down for surgery and was up and walking within the hour.

[Blakee]

The fetal medicine specialist said it was my choice as the risks were about the same for both, but that if I chose to have a C-section they wouldn't schedule it as it was better for the babys development to decide when to arrive. He also said that a natural birth would be better for my mobility.
Lucas decided to arrive at 37wks, 5 days, and I had a very speedy natural birth. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see/hold him until about 2.5 hours later as his sac ruptured during labour and it had to be cleaned and dressed. As I'd had a natural birth I was able to accompany Lucas to pre-op before his surgery and also when he was transferred from NICU to the Childrens ward/hospital.

[Jill]

We debated back and forth for the whole 4 months from diagnosis to birth. We ended up scheduling a c/s, but then I went into labour 3 days before the birth date. Even then I had such panic wondering what kind of birth to have. In the end, I had a c/s. Various reasons. It wasn't an easy decision and I still wonder. Kingsley's been through a lot this year, so part of me is glad I did.

C/s's are horrid compared to natural birth. Some people do just fine and recover so well. I thought it was dreadful compared to how great I felt after my two daughters births. I took longer to recover than Kingsley. :p It's not the end of the world, but it isn't something I would've ever chosen. It honestly took me a long time to come to terms with his birth.

[Dodger67]

Because everyone is so focussed on the baby, people tend to minimise/ignore the serious trauma the mother experiences with a C-section.
It's a major operation - taking a baby out of the mother through her abdominal wall is nothing like taking out a teeny little apendix!
The decision to do it should be carefully considered.
There really is no convincing evidence that it makes a significant difference to the baby.
There may of course be other factors involved that make a c-section the best option or even unavoidable.

[angel]

I was born in 1977 so no one had a clue i had SB until i was born. My mother did not have a c section and it did nto affect me in a negative way at all.
I had a c section with my son (i have SB so there was no way i could have him vaginally) and everyone told me that i got the easy way out. WHAT A BUNCH OF LIARS!!! It was horrible, my spinal fusion wasn't that bad. I envied people who could have the baby naturally because once the baby was out the worst was over, it didnt' take long to recover. With a C section that is totally not the case it took me a month to get my strength back. If you can go vaginally i don't think it would hurt the baby at all

Angel

[Amnada]

I had a c-section, but this was my second (my first misbehaved!) They offered me a vaginal birth but I declined.
Other than catching H1N1 when I had my c-section, I found the recovery was not that horrible. But everyone heals a little different.

Another mother I know (whos son has SB) was told she did not need a c-section and was refused (not sure I beleive in that, but sometimes docs like to make all the decisions).

I would be very surprised if your docs encouraged you to have a c-section unless they have specific concerns about Jake.

[janjanwhit]

I had a vaginal birth with my 2nd and a c section with Fergus who has sb. I felt that if there was any risk at all i would rather have a c section then at least i did everything i could to help Fergus. I was up walking within a few hours and pain free.My recovery was a lot faster and i had less pain and bleeding than my natural birth. i loved it so much i had another c section with my third child. Just goes to show that its different for everybody. Because you have had so many vaginal births I am guessing that baby 8 will be born quite easily. Have a big talk to your doctors and weigh up the pros and cons :)

[Inky38]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have had 9 vaginal births, as I have lost two of my sons and never had a C - Section. I asked the consultant on Thursday when we went to see him and he said that there is no reason why I shouldn't have a normal birth again. So that's another question answered. Thanks very much everyone for all your replies. xx