1st Trimester
al1stmom
member
Feel like I am being forced into a c section
al1stmom
member
I am one day over due and the doctor is estimating that the baby "might be" 8.8 pounds or something. She has scared me by listing all the possible risks from a natural birth and keeps bringing up a c section. At the same time , she hasn't given good input on what I should do. Instead she has listed all these risks and then looks dumbfounded when I go into how a c section sounds scary as another option. My husband isn't being supportive and is demanding I schedule a c section. I am scared. What are your thoughts? I am already 3 centimeters dilated and the baby is head down and to the side, by the way. I would like to see what happens naturally.
Re: Feel like I am being forced into a c section
Its YOUR body, YOUR baby, YOUR pregnancy. If she can't give you any valid reasons why you need c-section, you need to fight for what you want. Your husband should be supportive of your choices too.
I won't answer what you need to do, because I don't know your health or baby's health history. I don't know your circumstances.
Is your doctor is pushing c-section for her benefit or your/baby benefit. I will say, though If the reasons she gave you are medically reasonable reason and there is risk for you and/or baby then a c-section may be warranted. If there are no major medical issues that are risking you or your baby then I would not foresee the section necessary...again I don't know your situation.
I delivered 8lb 12oz baby with 15" circumference head. I labored 36 hours before delivering and 30 min away from a csection (I pushed for over 2 1/2 hours, I was exhausted and they said they were giving me 3 hours, as her HE started decelerating every contraction). I had a severe 3rd degree tear. My Ob/Gyn told me that I was 2 millimeters away from having to go to the OR for stitches.
Delivering baby is not fun, it is scary, but also in a way exciting as you are meeting your new little one - c-section or vaginal.
Despite how you deliver, modesty is not your #1 priority. ☺
The only "medical problems" the doctor gave me is that the baby is "maybe" 8.8 pounds and that I am one day over due. That is all. Otherwise everything else about me looks healthy and is progressing fine. The doctor is obviously trying to avoid lawsuits by listing the risks this early. She has me scared. My friends say I should just wait and definitely shouldn't schedule a c section.
Some OBs (like mine) prefer cesareans for a number of reasons. It's one of those things you typically research when you are looking for an OB (generally in the 1st trimester).
An 8.8 lb baby isn't huge and Ultrasound weight estimates are notoriously inaccurate at this gestational age, as they're based on mostly head circumference and femur length. My DS1 was estimated to be 10+ lbs, but came out 7lb15oz with a big head and long legs. Have a sit-down with your doctor and try to figure out why specifically she wants you to have a cesarean. It could be there are complicating factors with your anatomy (narrow pelvis, tilted uterus, etc) which could complicate a safe vaginal delivery. We're not going to be able to tell you that from here.
DS1 - 7/2011, DD 12/2012, DS2 - 4/2014, MMC - 12/2015
I won't post anymore questions on here. This is only my second question on here as I am trying this board out, and I am still learning the whole process. I goofed up with how I approached the modesty question, I will admit, and have already gotten beaten up over that from 99% of the people who responded. I get it.
But I thought I asked this question the right way. Yes, I asked it under the wrong topic accidentally, but have acknowledged that and won't do it again. Most of the responses above have been direct and polite, but a couple of people can't seem to get over my modesty goof up question and have continued to use a similar tone here that they did over under the other question. In a way, I understand, because everyone is trying to figure out if I am for real. But I wonder how long the condescending responses will go on for, even after I ask questions with the right tone, like with this one, and have admitted to my mistake of posting under the wrong topic twice.
I have a lot going on stressing me out right now on top of this delivery, and I don't expect everyone on here to know everything and to mother me, constantly watching what they say, but the answers I have received on this forum have only made me feel worse for the most part. I admit that with the modesty question I brought it on myself, but I get the point now and don't need to get beat up anymore for it. Most responses here under this question have been nice, but some make me wonder if the modesty question will ever be forgiven or forgotten.
Take care.
al1stmom said:
What risks did she list for a natural birth? You mentioned twice that your dr keeps listing risks of "natural birth" but what did she say was a risk? Having an 8 pound baby is not a large baby, (or a risk) and honestly I've never heard of a single guess on weight this close to birth that was close to the actual size. My sister was told she was having a 9+ lb baby and he was only 6 lbs 8 oz.
al1stmom said: If your only concerns right now are that your a day over due, which is completely normal and expected to have an 8 lbs baby, which is most likely not correct anyway, then it doesn't really make sense for your dr to push a c/s. She has to have some reason for it. But...
If your dr is only saying the baby is "too big", I'd ask her how an 8 lb baby is too big. And if they think you have other issues such as a narrow pelvis... even so in my bmb, there was a girl who delivered a 10 lb + oz baby vaginally and med free... then there was a girl who did have too narrow of a pelvis who tried to deliver vaginally but had to have a c/s. I think most people here have been as helpful as possible, but we don't know anything about your body, or health, and we don't know your dr. To me it sounds ridiculous that you say your pregnancy has been healthy and normal and your dr is pushing for a c/s for no reason other than the estimated 8 lb baby is too big. I think most of us would agree that it doesn't make much sense at all. The only thing you can do is take all the things everyone has brought up, and ask your dr more details about it. It is your birth, so you can tell your dr that without a medical concern you don't want to schedule a c/s.
Also, first impressions matter. So a first post accusing medical personnel of wanting an eyeful while you deliver a baby followed by a post accusing your doctor of suggesting a csection because they don't want to get sued (not because it's medically necessary), has flavored your responses, not the fact that you posted on the wrong board.
Sections are scary, they are surgery, but there are reasons why they don't like going over 40 weeks, the risk for complications, even in a perfectly healthy and normal pregnancy (which mine way) gets higher day by day.
That said my nephew was born a week late (like my daughter was) 7 weeks ago. He ended up being 10.6lbs. They had to do a section because he would not come out, but she did try natural first. He had no issues what so ever though.
Also Im popping over from 3rd trimester bc thats where this belongs.
Also when I pushed the over 8 lb baby out I was completly naked head to toe. And I pooped. And then I said to the nurse cleaning it up "thanks stranger" and she laughed and said "all in a days work". Then my husband caught the baby that came out of my vagina covered in all the fluids. Modesty was not a concern bc I literally was ltoo busy thinking another person just came out of my body.
Honestly, I'd say you need to find another practitioner, but it's a bit late for that. Definitely look for someone else if you have another baby though.
ETA: After reading through your other thread, I just wanted to add that it seems like you just aren't comfortable with your practitioners. If you've had concerns about labor and delivery throughout your pregnancy, you should be comfortable expressing those to your practioner and having them answered or explained. How often and for what reasons they suggest a c-section should have been asked a long time ago, and if you were dissatisfied with the response, you could have changed practioners then. It's important to me that my birth be low-intervention and the best experience possible (obviously, unless something goes wrong), and so I have chosen to deliver at a birth center with midwives. Unless I suddenly become high risk in the next few weeks or something goes wrong during the delivery (possible, of course, but unlikely), I will get that and there will only be my H and two midwives, both of whom I've had appointments with and met before, in the room.