[vimaino]

Some doubts ...

My husband and I are moving to NZ (Wellington) next year and we´re planning on having a baby (or two ... ).

The thing is that in my country (Brazil) you can choose between having a natural birth or a C-section and I´m completely into the C-section thing!

I need to know if it´s possible to CHOOSE to have a c-sec or if it´s only considered as an emergency procedure.

[jubjub]

Pretty much considered an emergency thing unless you have a very good reason. Your best bet is probably to get in touch with an obstetrician once you get here and discuss it.

There are a couple of old threads that will prob answer a lot of other questions for you.

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3136&highlight=pregnancy

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9491&highlight=pregnancy

I'm guessing you wont be into a homebirth, but just in case...

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10197&highlight=pregnancy

[Park City Partner]

Mmmmm, I think it might depend on your specialist. I had a planned c-section for medical reasons not an emergency one and I would have felt comfortable asking my specialist for one it it wasn't planned...personally I wouldn't have elected one but I would have felt comfortable asking...good luck.

[Tia Maria]

It would probably have a lot to do with why you would like a C-section, if you had a serious fear or concerns about natural childbirth then they would discuss it.

However, as someone who has had 3 C-sections for a variety of reasons, I'd like to add its not the easy, pain free option that some people think it is. So if your main issue is pain then a very good epidural may be a better choice.

My experience here in NZ has been that they really are willing to listen to you and I found both my midwife and consultant very supportive. :nice1

Cheers

Tia

[dharder]

Pretty much considered an emergency thing unless you have a very good reason.

I suppose it is not unlike the UK: everything that is decided in advance is called an elective c-section, even if it is for medical reasons. So if your baby is breech and you know beforehand that you will have to have a c-section, it enters the statistic as a planned or elective c-section. Only if it is decided right then and there in labour that you will need a c-section does it count as an emergency c-section.

Or in any case, that is how it was explained to me after I voiced surpsise at the classification of one of my c-sections.

So if you have good medical reasons, it should be possible to elect to have a c-section.

Daniela

[vimaino]

Thank u all for answering.

I´ve done a lot of research about natural birth and s-sections on my own, and i choose the c-sec not because of the pain, ´cause I know no pregnant woman gets away from pain.

I chose because my mom had 2 c-sec´s for lack of passage on the birth cannal, caused for lack of dilation. And, as far as I´ve been told, I might have the same condition, because of the terrible pain I´ve always felt during my periodes ...

I´m really not into pain. And I can't handle hours and hours on labour (my mood won´t let me). So, I´m really into the c-section option...


I don't think that would be enough to convince a OBGYN to run for a c-sec .... do you?

[migratory birds]

Dad's height and head size in relation to the mum's stature are more an indicator of risk of "failure to progress/dilate or descend" than the fact that your mum had 2 c-sections. A midwife (maybe docs can still do this) can measure what's called the "pelvic outlet" (shape and opening of the pelvis) to get an idea or how labour may progress if this is a concern for you.

Baby "large-for-gestational-age", far post-dates babies, and just big babies are at risk of being delivered cesarean but not always - I know of 12#/6kg babies making it thru the birth canal just fine.

Inability to move around in labour...because of being tethered to monitors for decreased heart tones in baby, after administration of an epidural or drip lines with pitocin to speed up labour; or foolish hospital policy limiting mobility...contribute to increased risk of cesareans.

Menstrual pain history is not directly related to a woman's experience in labour. And most moms will tell you they're not into pain either...but many who have moved thru a labour can also tell you how strengthening it was on an emotional and spiritual level - they found resources within themselves they never knew they had or, some, even experience a sense of bliss and transcendence during labour and birth.

As far as your mood not letting you handle hours and hours of labour, I can tell you that nearly every woman I've been with during the labour and births of their babies are short-tempered and snappy in ways they're not normally when it gets close to complete dilation...it's a stage of labour we in the profession of catching babies like to see and can chuckle about because we know she's getting closer!

The recovery period is far longer for cesarean than vaginal births and the risks of long-term consequences for you are greater. This trend of women being able to request cesareans without a "trial of labour", for fear of labour/pain or lack of trust in her own body is absurd, and one that I sense we will see more of.

I'm all for it being available when medically necessary for saving mom's or baby's life but completely opposed when it comes to the procedure being used for convenience for obstetrician or mother.

Consider trusting your body, talking about your fears or concerns with your midwife or doctor throughout your pregnancy, perhaps surprising yourself with an amazing vaginal birth and breaking the chain of daughters over the generations who have begun to tell themselves (even before labouring) that they cannot do it because their mothers and grandmothers had cesareans (grandma for failure to progress/dilate, mom because she thought she couldn't do it...).

As a woman whose baby I caught 9 years ago said in the latter weeks of her pregnancy, "How could a woman not want to be there when the universe is opening up for her baby to come through?"

[tigerlily]

I'd just like to second the idea of the epidural. It was lovely. I watched comedy shows on TV while I was in labour. I think it kept me really relaxed so my body could do the work. But to each her own!

[Tia Maria]

I have recovered well from all my C-sections but I would still say a natural birth is preferable as the first few weeks with a new baby is very tiring and to have to recover from a major operation also adds extra stress, particularly if you don't have much family around to support you.

I've had friends who have had good and bad experiences from natural births and C-sections, (and by natural I mean the full range from no pain relief to full epidural), and I can say there are three things that make a big difference to the overall experience, which lets face it, is never going to be fun!

1) Being informed, so for instance, you adopt the correct posture while pregnant so that the baby gets into a good position, or when after 3 hours of labour someone ask 'do you want pethidine?', you know what it is, what it does and whether you want it.

2) Expect the unexpected. Women are often encouraged to write a birth plan but things rarely go that way. My first started off a home birth with birthing pool etc, but ended up as a C-section under full anathestic. A friend of mine was to have a planned C-section but went into labour very early and gave birth having only taken an aspirin for pain relief!

3) Have a midwife and consultant you trust. One of the good things about the NZ system is you can speak to different midwives until you find one you get on with. In your case you want to find one who is sympathetic to your concerns about repeating your mum's experiences. So find someone who not only listens to you but also gives you the support and guidance you need to make the right choices for you and your baby.

Its very easy to get focused on the 'birth part', but it really is such a short part, its the following 18 years you really need to worry about! :laugh

Cheers

Tia

[ellenmelon]

we in the profession of catching babies


hehe midwife lingo at its best :D

[vimaino]

Migratory birds ...

I know there are lots of other factors that increase the possibility of a c-section better that just my mom's experience. But I really think that I should be responsible for what´s gonna happen to my body ... in this case, I mean I should be able to choose either a c-sec or a natural birth.

I´m not afraid of the pain, 'cause I know the c-section recovery is not easy and takes much longer than the natural birth recovery. What concerns me the most is going all the way trough a natural birth and finding out the need of an episiotomy ... which I'm really against.

Plus, I really care about how long it should take till a doctor decides that it's time to run a c-section. How long does a woman has to yell, and suffer till one decides that the baby is not gonna come on a vaginal birth.

Menstrual pain is common in most woman. But my pain really makes me loose my day. I stay in bed most of the time with a hot water bag up on my belly. No less that twice a day. And about the mood .... I'm aaaalways short-tempered and snappy so, in cases of pain (an talk about pain), I can be a real "pain in the *ss"

About the c-section again, I'm all for it being available when decided by the one carring an extra person!

[Familyofmonkeys]

Plus, I really care about how long it should take till a doctor decides that it's time to run a c-section. How long does a woman has to yell, and suffer till one decides that the baby is not gonna come on a vaginal birth.



If you are having a trial labour, chances are you would have an epidural....so it is very unlikely that you would be yelling or suffering. Your progress would be monitored closely as well as the state of the baby.

Also, in your mothers day it was quite likely that the position she was in for birth was not 'optimum' for fitting baby through her pelvis. My tiny mother had serious problems having both me and my sister due to small pelvis. So what did the Dr do....put her on her back with legs in stirrups and used forceps! It is now well research fact that the pelvic outlet is much wider if you are upright or leaning forward (midwives know this and encourage you to move around)...therefore much less pain and baby comes out easier. Also baby doesn't have to go though a sort of 'u-bend' if you are not on your back. There is also recent reseach to suggest that small natural tears can often heal much better than episiotomies...just make sure your care giver is not sicssor happy. You don't have to have an episiotomy...it is also your choice!

I am also tiny but have managed to have 3 babies naturally (despite mothers problems)....they can check out size if your pelvis very easily...in plenty of time before you are due to give birth. If they find your pelvis is unusually small, then c-section likely. If pelvis not small, but you are concerned, there is plentry of time to discuss labour options/positions etc.

As for pain...your body releases lots of endorphins (happy hormones) during labour which help to reduce pain, which does not happen during menstruation. It can affect your mood it ways you might not expect :) .

[Debbie P.]

I've just been told that I'm highly likely to have to have a c section due to baby being both large for dates (due to gestational diabetes) and breech position... and I'm really depressed about not being able to have the water birth I wanted. I realise that I might not have been able to stand the full labour without an epidural, but I wanted to at least give it a go, as I couldn't think of a more peaceful way for my baby to enter the world.

Of course I'll do whatever the health professionals think is best, but I have heard that there are far higher postnatal complication rates with c sections than vaginal labour.

Oh well, I guess we ladies can't always get what we want! All I'm saying is that if you are lucky enough to have a healthy pregnancy, think REALLY carefully about your options. I would have loved to have had the choice.

On a more practical note, if you decide that you'd definitely rather go for the elective caesarean, I would think that if you went private, you could probably choose, whether in NZ or elsewhere.