For thOse who had a CS or Other birth interventio

[Kes]

Helena Handbasket - ooh that is interesting! I thought I just had a mad NCT teacher - I may quiz some medical student friends about that then!

Yak I really like that analogy - I'm now imagining my friends who had "great birth experiences" somersaulting round their bumps into the pool, while me and the other CS ladies do massive belly flops - loosing our maternity tankinis as we hit the water! Now THAT should be in the Olympics!

K

[gwod]

Fuschia Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Gwod, I think women who have given birth are

> reluctant to share it with others who are pregnant

> for the first time as it sounds so scary! But i

> think talking about it afterwards is very

> valuable, however it's gone.

So true, the reason I only attended antenatal classes for my first pregnancy (despite wanting to go for a refresher) was becase I felt my previous experience did not fit with the NCT's expectation of me (or maybe just my own expectations of myself) and might give other mothers a bit of a wobble...but it would have been great at that point to speak to people who had had a variety of experiences - this of course is where the forum is so good.

Regarding the high diving analogy. CS sometimes feels like you took a look over the edge, reversed back dowm the ladder and slid into the pool at the steps!

[ClareC]

Totally agree! You have to play it down for fear of petrifying mums to be. I always knew it would be painful but the actual experience was nothing like I expected at all!! My reaction was not as I would anticipate either..... One of the biggest issues I have this time round is not being able to control what happens and being entirely at the mercy of others!

The odd part is that although the pain was far worse than I ever imagined, it was manageable (with no drugs ha ha ha cos that's what I thought I wanted) all the time I thought things were progressing! It was only when I knew it was for nothing that it became unmanageable and I asked for the dreaded epidural..... Which I have to say was amazing :-)

[susyp]

I also had a c section and it was very scary (and I've had 3 ops subsequently with general and they weren't nearly as scary!!). I've expressed my views on the NCT elsewhere and this is not the place to do it again. But it sounds like there is a big variation in the information given and the Dulwich classes are good (wish I had gone to them - mine was in Ealing where my husband (tobe at the time) lived). At my class we were all "hooked up" amd "medicalised" like would happen in a c section and basically told that it wasn;t a good outcome. When of course it is a medical emergency and not through choice.

Saying that were I to have a second child I would have a c section no question at all as I think a planned c section sounds brilliant! You would end up less tired and you can have an entire day with Dad there rather than being left to fend for yourself. Was a huge problem for me as I was in intensive care as I had an infection and hardly got any help with my baby. And my husband couldn't stay.

I liked this post as I think it has an excellent sentiment - rather than it being a bad thing to have a csection - it's just one of those many things you have to put up with as part of having children!

suspyx