[fraidycat]

Hi. We are planning our 2nd child and I spoke to the doctor about some left over problems from naturally birthing DS. He had a BIG head and it was perfectly round and caused a fair bit of damage. I have still got to have more surgery to fix the problems. Dr has suggest that we have an elective caesarian next time because the odds are very much in favour of bub being bigger and the head being equal to or greater in diameter as the first. I want to know what your experiences of elective have been. What was your recovery time post caesar? What was the pain like (compared to natural birth)? I'm in brisbane with the closest hospital being redlands so what was your experience at that hospital? I am pretty scared about it but I seriously don't want to go through the issues I had with my son.

[howdo]

I didn't have an elective for #2, but after the damage wreaked by DD1 I wish I had. Her head was also very round - didn't mould at all and was in excess of 39cm.

All the best for your up coming surgeries, I hope it goes well.

[fozzer]

Hi op, how long did it take you to recover from your first birth?

Ive done natural labour first with DD1 no drugs and had a perfect recovery in shower straight away and did things as normal. i had no tears though. I was basically flat tummy within a week and apart from a stingy private parts when going to the toilet that was about it. I loved my first birth,

Second time DD2 ive had to go elective c/s on 2nd may 2012 due to bub being breech. Of course i was really dissapointed but opted against ECV and did the caesar.

Honestly vaginal is so much better particularly with recovery and especially as i also have a toddler to look after. I have help from DH and mum but its still harder. However, Its not really painful to be honest and the recovery is better than what i expected however doesn't compare it to the first labour but then my first labour was beautiful. But honestly the recovery with a csec is better than you think. They drug you up so to be honest you really don;t feel any pain the 5 days your in hospital. I was walking on the second day to have a shower with no pain, it was more fear than anything. Coming home now into my second week feels like a pulled muscle and i just take panadol, im walking around cooking and feel i could do much more but am trying to be careful as directed. But its not painful at all. The annoying part is i still have my tummy and look 4 mths preg where as first time i was flat within a week but im sure it will go down after the swelling.

In saying that if you had problems with first that are still there your thoughts maybe different. I would get a third trimester scan around 34 and 37 weeks measure BPD and HC on the scan and see where bubs is at, if its looking ok then go for vaginal, if its looking larger than norm then maybe go for csec.

Best of luck.

[wesse]

Not sure what your issues were with your first child but I had horrible tearing and etc etc post my first child. I waited 3 years before having my DD on recommendation to let everything heal and the OB told me to go for an elective caesar as I had a 40% chance of losing continence

I was unsure of the healing time post caesar etc but I must admit it was great. the recovery time was much less than with my first natural delivery! I was so relieved.

DS1 HC was 39cm, DD only 36cm so it could have been done but i didn't want to risk it. It wasn't worth the hassle of wearing Tena Lady's for the rest of my life

[Threenager]

I'd suggest talking with your doctor about the pro's and con's for you with the c/s, particularly with the damage you sustained last time, epesially considering its still an issue?
I had 4th degree tearing with my small baby as she was posterior and delivered via ventouse. I am having an elective c/s this time around due to risk of damaging old wounds. Bub could end up being anterior and birth goes fine. But also might not be, and my scar might re-tear, and I could end up with anal incontinence, which I managed to escape last time. My recovery was long and painful both physically and emotionally. I suffered pnd for quite some time afterwards as well.
I did however ask lots of questions and weigh up risks etc. both options frighten me, but we feel the c/s is best for me and our family, including our baby.

[Allymeg69]

Fraidycat, I didn't have what they truly call an elective c/s but in my mind it was that - from 34 weeks my OB had advised me that DS had a large head, and we worked on the assumption that I may need a C/S. She didn't give me head measurements again after that. I went into labour at 40+2, spent about 18 hours going nowhere (although neither of us was in any particular distress, DS was posterior though and it started getting a bit hard to take towards the end). OB eventually gave me the option of C/S which I gratefully accepted, and DS came out with a 38.5 cm head, perfectly round and OB said it hadn't even started to mould so he was not coming out any other way in any hurry!

As far as C/S recovery went, I found it fine, I had the advantage of being in hospital for a week as DS had a few issues warranting special care nursery for a couple of days then monitoring but I was on panadeine forte for 1 day after drip came out (12 hours post) then a bit of panadol, nurses raised their eyebrows when I declined pain relief. I took care at home but was out doing gentle walks with pram in week 3, and light housework. The main thing I noticed for the first week or so was it was a bit difficult to roll over in bed, you don't realise just how much your abdo muscles are engaged by doing that.

I'm a lazy b*%$# when it comes to exercise so I've never done anything targetting my tum and I don't really care that I'm still a bit pudgy (20 months later!). My scar is barely noticeable and I think my OB did a brilliant job - I believe there are different methods of closing a C/S incision in terms of the number of layers that are stitched which can make a difference, it might be worth talking to your OB about this.

Best of luck!