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Caesarean sections - choice or not?

(54 Posts)
Rosina Thu 23-Aug-18 22:19:40

I have witnessed a very heated argument today about the latest news concerning Caesareans. Evidently there is a general feeling that women should be given the choice to have one if they wish, regardless of medical need. Both my Dils had to have Caesareans due to complications and health problems, but I would have thought that natural birth must so obviously be best for baby and mother, and that to put yourself and the child through a general anaesthetic or spinal numbing, and have surgery that is not necessary, is really the worst possible choice. surely it should be undertaken only when it is medically necessary, and not be a matter of personal choice. Also, how much strain would a huge increase in caesareans put on the NHS with doctors, theatre staff etc. This seems a worrying trend to encourage pregnant women to feel that they can make a choice without medical support for that choice.

NotSpaghetti Fri 31-Aug-18 08:06:20

I thought so Bathsheba - and went on to the older midwife’s website where there was a shocking report on the lack of dignity in childbirth in some countries. Thank goodness there are people like her championing a kinder way.
This is her blog regarding childbirth in India:
www.sheenabyrom.com/blog/the-contours-of-childbirth-in-india
for example.

downtoearth Fri 31-Aug-18 09:01:25

My first pregnancy caused concerns that my pelvis was too small to deliver,measurements and XRays prived this to be so.A change of consultant due to retirement at around 36 weeks,notes where not read properly,at 39 weeks an antenatal examination showed I was 1cm dilated,I obviously was sent home,not really understanding what would happen and waiting as told till pains where few minutes apart,this happened two days later,I went to hospital left in a side room in agony while hand over report was completed all alone and when nurse came in and told me to stop making a fuss,complained because I needed help to go the toilet,on examination she found I was 10cm waters hadnt broken and head not engaged,no one had read I was a recommended Trial labour of 6hours,result my daughter was born not breathing ,had to be rushed to special care,she had been severely starved of oxygen suffered extensive brain damage and died aged 7 weeks,it would have been her 40th birthday in two weeks,My second and third child where elective c sections due to this, second was breech and 3rd I had pre eclampsia,during that time under same consultant 3 women who lived a few houses away from me all suffered death of our babies under this consultant.During my antenatal 2nd and 3rd time more care was taken.

hugem

downtoearth Fri 31-Aug-18 09:03:00

blushsorry didnt realuse how long that was and no paragraphs