birth difficulties?

Hi there,

Yes, I had a very difficult time giving birth to my son in 1994.

I was repeatedly induced for 54 hours, and I wasn't dilating. The pain was unbearable and it became obvious that my little baby boy was in distress. Eventually, they decided to deliver him by c-section. The doctors couldn't get the epidural in my spine, so they gave me a general anaesthetic.

They put the wrong kind of tube in my throat, and I had an asthma attack under the anaesthetic. The doctors had failed to read my notes and find out that I am asthmatic (very dangerous!) The baby was starved of oxygen for a time and I had to be recussitated.

I was only 21 at the time and very timid. I wish I had spoken up for myself more during that time. I desperately wanted to breastfeed my son but it wasn't encouraged.

My son is now 12 1/2 and the same height as me! He has special needs though, and in my heart I wonder if his traumatic birth contributed to that.

The scary thing is, I find that stories like mine are frighteningly common.

When I fell pregnant with my daughter 6 years later, I insisted on being transferred to the top maternity hospital in Manchester. There was no nonsense with them - I had another c-section, but it was routine and event-free. I even managed to breastfeed my daughter for over a year, it was wonderful!

I thank the Lord that he gave me these two wonderful, special little ones. I would have loved more kids, but I am so grateful to have one of each - a handsome, clever son and a wonderfully creative daughter!

God bless xxxxx

I am in eactly the same position. I have had 2 sections (it was the first that traumatised me) and I'm guessing that if it was up to the doctors they would limit how many children I could have. However, after much prayer my DH and I have decided to leave it up to God, and trust that He will not put my body through more than it can handle. Right now we are therefore fully open to children. Should God bless us with another one, I don't know if we would then do NFP at the most fertile times or really fully trust him. I refuse to second guess my future. In the present moment I feel convicted to trust God fully, so I do. I trust that by continuing to pray and be open to God's will everything will be ok.

One of the other threads discusses this more fully. I'll try to find it and post the link below.

annaapple said:

I am in eactly the same position. I have had 2 sections (it was the first that traumatised me) and I'm guessing that if it was up to the doctors they would limit how many children I could have. However, after much prayer my DH and I have decided to leave it up to God, and trust that He will not put my body through more than it can handle. Right now we are therefore fully open to children. Should God bless us with another one, I don't know if we would then do NFP at the most fertile times or really fully trust him. I refuse to second guess my future. In the present moment I feel convicted to trust God fully, so I do. I trust that by continuing to pray and be open to God's will everything will be ok.

One of the other threads discusses this more fully. I'll try to find it and post the link below.

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Thanks Anna!

There are many women I know who have had sucessful VBACs after two Cesareans. I also know many women who have had 5-6 c-sections. And I know several women who have some serious health issues which complicate pregnancy and birth who have over 6 children.

It's all a matter of your comfort level, really. As well as really doing a lot of research. A lot of limits on pregnant women and how many C-Sections they can have are just totally random, and not based in fact. There is a lot of bias against women who have had many babies in much of the OB community.