Cesarean section

VS2016

It seems like a lot of moms know ahead of time that they will have to have a c-section. I'm very curious about this because it has never been brought up to me.  For those willing to share, how did your doctor decide that was the right move for you?  Just very curious about this and I'm sure there are many different reasons so any information is appreciated   

JennyS86

I had a c-s 2 years ago due to prematurity and malpresentation.  Beforehand, I was told that the incision may have to be vertical rather than the typical lower transverse incision if the situation warrants.  The vertical incision (also known as a classical incision) may cause increased pain and healing time, but it didn't cause any issues for me.

This time around, I will be a repeat c-s because, according to studies, a classical incision on the uterus is more likely to rupture (10%!) than the lower transverse incision (1-2%).  I have no interest in a ruptured uterus, thank you very much!   Also, I will deliver at 37weeks in order to avoid laboring at all, and if I go into labor before my c-s date, I will be a "hurry-up c-s". (with my history of pre-term labor, you can see where the anxiety starts....).

Good Luck to you!  I hope you can labor and deliver vaginally, but if not, you will have the support of c-s mamas here!

araecasey

@JennyS86 Will they do a verticle incision again in the same place, or will they do a horizontal incision this time?

JennyS86

@ araecasey   I totally asked this question at my first MFM visit!  The answer at this point is most likely a lower transverse incision, but if there is a lot of scar tissue, they may have to cut vertically again.  Either way, it is a lower transverse incision on the skin 
I'm hoping to schedule my c-s with my OB this week, so I will then know which OB is doing the procedure and go over with him/her the plan.  We will find out in about 7weeks! (hopefully no earlier!  You know I would much rather have a 38-39 weeker for breastfeeding issues, but 37 is better than 36!)

Dasha420

I'm not sure how anything will be just yet because I'm under observation. I have a fibroid growing in the anterior wall of my uterus. Depending on the growth I may or may not be able to push the baby out naturally so we may have to opt for a c section as it can block the passage for the baby. I have an ultrasound on the 24th- fingers crossed. 

araecasey

I hope baby cooperates for you and stays in as long as possible! A friend from my J14 BMB is having a RCS because her first was a breech late term preemie. She's in prodromal labor right now, and her OB is making her stick it out until her cervix starts opening, I'm stunned!

7 weeks out, can you believe it? Can't wait to see the birth stories rolling in

JennyS86

as in June or July 2014?  I was in June 2014 month group...but delivered in March.  prayers for your friend. How far along is she now?

doozer1345

I had a C/S 3 years ago bc DD was breech. When we got to 36 weeks we knew she wasn't going to turn so we had to plan a day for our C/S. However, my water ended up breaking and she came 5 days before the scheduled C/S. I'm hoping for a VBAC this time.

laurenmdrn16

I am in the same boat as @jennys86 . I had an emergency CS 2.5 years ago and the scarring left my uterus pretty banged up. I had lots of complications after so I pretty much knew a VBAC was off the table. At my very first OB appointment, I laid it all out there and basically told my OB in no uncertain terms that there was no way I was going to attempt a VBAC so let's just plan for a RCS. My OB is also planning a transverse incision, but if things look too scared, she will do a vertical on my uterus itself. She is also going to do a tubal ligation and/or possible ooferectomy while in there. My mom just had her ovaries out and the pathology came back that she did have "suspicious growths" on both. She tested positive for cancer markers in her blood, but since getting the ovaries out, everything is coming back clear. I am on the fence about testing and I know one of my ovaries is wonky and has fibroids, but we shall see.

jhjelmberg

I had a c section three years ago with DS1 after being in labor for 22 hours and pushing for 4 hours, he just didn't fit out.  DS2 came 16 months later and the risk of uterine rupture was too high due to the closeness in age, so this time with DD we have no other option but to have a repeat c section.  Not very many doctors will try a VBA2C, especially within 3.5 years total.  Mine is scheduled for May 12 at 39 weeks. 

NB817

In 2010 I had a fibroid the size of a baby's head removed from ute which they had to do a c-section cut to get it out. Then in 2012 had DD via c-section because my OB said I could try for a normal delivery and the chances were 70% that we would both be fine doing that, but those odds weren't high enough for us so we scheduled it. Last April I had 26 fibroids removed from my ute that were blocking my tubes and that was another c-section cut sooo basically after cutting into my ute 3 times VBAC is not even a consideration for us. It's too dangerous to even attempt for me. 

proudparent2b

Same as PP above. If baby stays in breech, I may be required to get a CS.

araecasey

JennyS86 said:

as in June or July 2014?  I was in June 2014 month group...but delivered in March.  prayers for your friend. How far along is she now?

July 14 Our littles are close in age! Stace is a day or two shy of 38 weeks. Her cervix is thinning, not dilating yet, but I think an unexpected vbac is a risk.... anyone know if there's a benefit to laboring before a rcs?? The nurses in our group are baffled. 

kbrands7

I'm in a similar situation to @doozer1345 . Last pregnancy, DS turned breech at 38 weeks (I have a mild bicornate uterus which makes breech presentation more likely). We scheduled a cs, then I went into labor before my scheduled cs. This time, I'll try to vbac if LO isn't breech. If he isn't head down by 36w, they'll schedule one for 39w; if I arrive for a scheduled cs and he has turned head down late, then I'll go home to wait for spontaneous labor. 

kbrands7

araecasey said:

JennyS86 said:

as in June or July 2014?  I was in June 2014 month group...but delivered in March.  prayers for your friend. How far along is she now?

July 14 Our littles are close in age! Stace is a day or two shy of 38 weeks. Her cervix is thinning, not dilating yet, but I think an unexpected vbac is a risk.... anyone know if there's a benefit to laboring before a rcs?? The nurses in our group are baffled. 

If her water breaks, then baby can still get exposure/benefit of vaginal flora. Other than that, I don't know if there are any benefits that would make it worth waiting--unless they're just trying to keep the baby in as long as possible.

MrsPrice519

With DS#1 I was in labor for 22 hours and pushed for about 5.  He never dropped below station 0 (I think! Can't remember exactly!). We tried everything to get him to drop down, but he couldn't.  So I ended up with a csection and it went very well!  In the OR, my dr told me that she stitched me up to try a vbac if I wanted to for next time, but she only gave me a 20% success rate because of how my hips are.  So I am having a rcs with DS#2 on 4/28 at 39 weeks.  The last couple of weeks I have been thinking about maybe trying for a vbac, but at the end of the day, my hubby and I both agree for the baby's and my sake it is safer to just do the csection.  

VS2016

Thanks everyone for sharing!  That answers a lot of my questions 

JessicaB0627

laurenmdrn16 said:

I am in the same boat as @jennys86 . I had an emergency CS 2.5 years ago and the scarring left my uterus pretty banged up. I had lots of complications after so I pretty much knew a VBAC was off the table. At my very first OB appointment, I laid it all out there and basically told my OB in no uncertain terms that there was no way I was going to attempt a VBAC so let's just plan for a RCS. My OB is also planning a transverse incision, but if things look too scared, she will do a vertical on my uterus itself. She is also going to do a tubal ligation and/or possible ooferectomy while in there. My mom just had her ovaries out and the pathology came back that she did have "suspicious growths" on both. She tested positive for cancer markers in her blood, but since getting the ovaries out, everything is coming back clear. I am on the fence about testing and I know one of my ovaries is wonky and has fibroids, but we shall see.

A little off topic, but my mom just went through the same thing! Her blood test came back positive for cancer markers but everything else has come back fine. Apparently there are a lot of factors that can affect the test. She does have some pretty big fibroids and they also found during surgery that she has a really severe case of endometriosis. I just wanted to say hugs! I know how scary that was for all of us a few months ago. 

JennyS86

laurenmdrn16  I'm sorry to hear what your mother is going through - ovaries are kinda scary, aren't they?!
I wanted to let you know that the arteries around the ovaries can become quite enlarged during pregnancy - which I've heard is a contraindication for oophorectomy during a c-s.  I don't want to scare you, but you deserve all of the info!  I am sure your OB is aware of this as well.

camillaandcarson

  
https://hdydi.com/2014/04/23/triplets-ivf-pprom-tac-surgery-bree-thought-provoking-moments/
https://hopefulmomma.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-trans-abdominal-cerclage-tac.html
https://10centandbeyond.blogspot.com/2008/09/abdominal-cerclage.html

katxattack1212

I had a csection Aug 2011, thanks to a very stubborn breech baby. For #2, I had a marginal placenta previa that was um...stubborn. It wasn't advised I attempt a VBAC, thus csection #2. Now... for #3, it's just a matter of I am not even going to try. Just hand me my csection date.
I have had both low transverse incisions, healed great and no problems. While I do know a couple VBA2C'S out there, I'm just not into the idea. 

mumbolino

araecasey said:

JennyS86 said:

as in June or July 2014?  I was in June 2014 month group...but delivered in March.  prayers for your friend. How far along is she now?

July 14 Our littles are close in age! Stace is a day or two shy of 38 weeks. Her cervix is thinning, not dilating yet, but I think an unexpected vbac is a risk.... anyone know if there's a benefit to laboring before a rcs?? The nurses in our group are baffled. 

@araecasey : I was told it can be very beneficial for mum and baby to labour despite csection ( was not an option for my case of plaventa previa - which has now resolved itself- but might be am option for others here). Surely your doc would know if that is an opportunity :-)

Kita175

Ten years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter I tried to have her vaginally but her heart rate kept dropping and that's when they decided to do an emergency c section, after that I was told by my obgyn that my next child will be a scheduled c section.

avidkeo

Kita175 said:

Ten years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter I tried to have her vaginally but her heart rate kept dropping and that's when they decided to do an emergency c section, after that I was told by my obgyn that my next child will be a scheduled c section.

I had a c-section for the exact same reason and I'm having a VBAC. Granted that depends on your history but I believe 10 years ago the norm was "once a c-sect, always a c-sect" but typically the thinking has changed now to the reason why you had a c-sect in the first place. If it was "babys fault" - breach, bradicardia etc then as long as this one isn't doing the same thing then you 'should' be able to try VBAC (assuming you want to!)

Kita175

That's an option to consider thanks @avidkeo

Charla1224

I know it's still early but LO has been breech from the beginning. She has never flipped head down. I'm visiting a chiropractor next week and I've been googling and practicing various exercises said to encourage her to flip but I'm not too hopeful. My next appointment is at 35 weeks and if she hasn't flipped by then my OB and I will begin discussing the possibility of a CS. 

My goal is LO and I to leave the hospital healthy. I was born via CS and although it does take some thought adjusting I'm not really concerned about the procedure. But I did have a vaginal birth all played out in my mind. With delayed cord clamping, immediate skin to skin, immediate breastfeeding, delayed bating, all that crunchy stuff. Would all of that be off the table if I had a CS? I'm sure my doctor will discuss the details with me if that's the way we decide to head but I thought there might be some STMs out there who could help. 

After they deliver LO via CS what's next? Will she be taken from the room while I'm stitched up? Will she be given to DH until I'm in the recovery room?

sorry hope I'm not hijacking. Just don't want to create a SS thread when there's this convo already happening. 

kbrands7

@Charla1224 it depends on the hospital. Often, they won't practice delayed cord clamping because they want to get you closed back up asap. Some do assisted skin to skin in the OR, some don't. Mine doesn't When I had DS, I got to see him, then a nurse took him and DH to the recovery room so they could get stats and DH could do skin to skin with him while they closed me up. I got to hold him and bf in the recovery room. DS was wiped off some, but didn't get his first full bath until day 3.

JessicaB0627

Charla1224 said:

I know it's still early but LO has been breech from the beginning. She has never flipped head down. I'm visiting a chiropractor next week and I've been googling and practicing various exercises said to encourage her to flip but I'm not too hopeful. My next appointment is at 35 weeks and if she hasn't flipped by then my OB and I will begin discussing the possibility of a CS. 

My goal is LO and I to leave the hospital healthy. I was born via CS and although it does take some thought adjusting I'm not really concerned about the procedure. But I did have a vaginal birth all played out in my mind. With delayed cord clamping, immediate skin to skin, immediate breastfeeding, delayed bating, all that crunchy stuff. Would all of that be off the table if I had a CS? I'm sure my doctor will discuss the details with me if that's the way we decide to head but I thought there might be some STMs out there who could help. 

After they deliver LO via CS what's next? Will she be taken from the room while I'm stitched up? Will she be given to DH until I'm in the recovery room?

sorry hope I'm not hijacking. Just don't want to create a SS thread when there's this convo already happening. 

I took the breastfeeding class at the women's hospital this weekend and a lady there with a scheduled RCS was asking about skin to skin. The answer she got was that it mostly depends on your OB. If that's something your OB is comfortable with, then they'll make it happen. So maybe try asking him/her at your next appointment!

JennyS86

Charla1224 said:

My goal is LO and I to leave the hospital healthy. I was born via CS and although it does take some thought adjusting I'm not really concerned about the procedure. But I did have a vaginal birth all played out in my mind. With delayed cord clamping, immediate skin to skin, immediate breastfeeding, delayed bating, all that crunchy stuff. Would all of that be off the table if I had a CS? I'm sure my doctor will discuss the details with me if that's the way we decide to head but I thought there might be some STMs out there who could help. 

After they deliver LO via CS what's next? Will she be taken from the room while I'm stitched up? Will she be given to DH until I'm in the recovery room?

sorry hope I'm not hijacking. Just don't want to create a SS thread when there's this convo already happening. 

I would like to do all of the stuff you mentioned during my repeat c/s. I will ask my OB, and go from there.  I also know that I have to bring it up again on c/s day to make sure the nurses and doctors are on board.  I am also a reasonable person who knows that thing can change quickly!
You can certainly ask!  It is your body, your baby, and your delivery.

camillaandcarson

My hospital policy to to keep baby with mom for stats and then gives the baby to mom after c/s for skin to skin and starts nursing immediately in recovery. 

mumbolino

I think it's worth  checking! My OB was open to delayed cord clamping with csection. He said the baby wiukd have to be wrapped up  and might cool s littke as it takes up to 90 seconds till they get the placenta out. He was also willing to put it on my chest and have it checked out there providing bub would be doing ok. So I suppose that will depend on your doctor or you might even be able to switch doctors to find a more suitable one? It's also worth to look into   "gentle csection". 

mumbolino

I hate typing on my phone. Too tired to fix and edit.