Hi, I missed the last thread, but was a frequent poster before that.
I am Jess, mom to 3 girls, all born by c-sec.
My first was the result of being very young, and deciding that I and the doctors knew better than my mother (a very crunchy natural birther of 5). At 41 weeks, and after over a week of predromal labor, I agreed to an induction. Which led to the usual cascade of interventions. After 40 hours of hard labor, I tearfully agreed to the c-sec whith the complete agreement that I could have a VBAC with my next. My c-sec experience was not great. I had been awake for 3 days and was finally in no pain and had to fight to stay awake the entire time. I vagely remember her being born and shown to me, and I quickly fell asleep (still not sure if they gave me anything, but strongly suspect it). I slept for 8 hours and everyone saw and held my baby before me. It took me 3 days to get out of bed and I was in the hospital for 5. We also had a very bad ped who was not supportive of breastfeeding at all. He forced me into supplementing at 8 weeks (said he would put her in the hospital and have a CPS investigation started) because she was gaining slow. I really struggled for 3 more months, but was fully formula feeding by 6 months - when the ped said, "Well, she must just grow slowly".
My next preg was 5 years later. When I was 3 months preg, our hospital decided not to allow VBACs anymore. I REALLY struggled with the desicion. We could travel 2 hours in opposite direction to the bigger city hospital and possibly have a chance at a VBAC, or stay with the OB, who I really like and connect with (he was fightingg to change the policy, and had a very high sucess rate for VBACs) and are wonderfull small hospital. I decided to stay, but was still thinking about birthing in the bigger city. The baby had a single umbilical artery and spot on her heart, which were both markers for Down's. I also developed Pre-e (I still think these were all related). I was put on bed rest at 30 weeks, and delivered at 38 weeks. The birth was relaxed and I chatted with dh and the dr the whole time. Dh went will the baby while the dr finished (he lowered the screen so he could see me while we talked.)We did not tell anyone we had the baby until after I had held her and was ready to introduce her to our families. (I was out of recovery within an hour and back in my room, where dh had been cuddling the babe.) I nursed her almost immediatly and continued until she was 15 months and I was 5 months preg with #3. My recovery was fairly easy. I was out of the hospital in 3 days and healed quickly.
I really did not think I would get preg again quite so soon, but I found out I was preg with #3 on #2's first birthday. I shortly debated trying to find someplace to VBA2C, but dh was/is really against homebirth and midwives, and I ws not mentally prepared to fight at that point. I have a mostly uneventfull preganacy, except for breech presentation from 20 weeks on. My BP started to rise towards the end of the preg and the dr was worried about pre-e again. My oldest was scheduled for bladder surgery and the doc did not want me traveling the over 2 hours away at 37 weeks, unless I was prepared to deliver at the not calm birth, not breastfeeding friendly hospital where we were headed. I reluctantly agreed to the c-sec at 36 weeks. I would never do this again. I had the steriod shots earlier and she was still no where ready to be born. The birth was actually great. I had everything in my birth plan done like I wanted it, and we even video taped the whole thing. The baby came out gasping for breath and had apgars of 5 and 4. She was immediatly taken (dh went with her) and put in an oxygen tent. Her heart rate was really high and she was taking 3 times the normal breaths per minute. She had a scalp IV started and about a million interventions done (x-rays, MRI, ect). She had swallowed al lot of hair and still had lots of fliud in her lungs, so they could not inflate properly. They removed the air from her stomach and deep suctioned her more, and she finally stablized. This was 4 hours after birth. They were talking about life flighting her to the big city hospital we were trying to avoid, but she started to recover. I was in my room now, but dh was going between my room and the baby, and was a mess. We had a wonderfull FP doctor and she stayed there the whole time this was happening and came and talked to me in recovery and brought me pictures (I had only seen her for about 5 seconds). 10 hours after birth, I got to hold her. She was off oxygen, but still on a pulse ox and IV. She was not interested in nursing untill she was just over 12 hours old, but cought on quickly nad has not stopped since. She did not have any feedings or pacifiers that whole time, which I was so greatful for (or a bath
). She did not leave my or dh's arms for the rest of the stay. We left the hospital at 50 hours after the c-sec and never looked back. My recovery was really fast. I actaully did a 10K walk at 6 weeks PP (and finished in just over 3 hours - including the stopping to nurse)
Well, if you have read my novel, thanks!
We are not done having babies, and I am really torn on what to do. DH will not even consider a homebirth. My last 2 c-sec were not bad, but I would still like a vaginal birth. I am searching right now for someone that would possible take me on as a potential client, so that when I get preg (about 3 years), I have it all figured out.
I have a really good "natural" c-sec birth plan if anyone needs to look at one. I know I looked at a lot when I was making mine.
ETA: I just had to add that the timing of me finding this is just right. Today is the first aniversary of Lillian's due date.
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