Did you have a c-section? What were the reasons?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have given anything -- except my left leg -- for a c-section.

I'm 43 years old, had a large-ish non-descending baby in too much fluid. After almost 29 hours of labor -- including 4.25 hours of pushing -- my baby's heart rate dipped, and still no c-section. Somehow, I got him out with one or two more pushes after I heard the trouble on the monitor.

I go to a large practice in Virginia, and I had an OB on call in DC because we thought we would need to deliver there at one point.

NONE of these doctors were willing to entertain the thought of a c-section, and in fact all have expressed that they are under significant industry pressure to get c- rates down. So I find it hard to believe that women are truly being bullied into c's for the convenience or lucre of doctors.

I ended up with femoral nerve damage in my left leg, leaving me unable to walk unassisted (for 2-6-12 months??) or to carry my baby safely. due to prolonged pushing in the lithotomy position.

The condition is considered a "relic" of an earlier era -- the era before c-sections.

I would look into whether you have a malpractice claim. Were you a midwife patient, by any chance? They would generally rather see patients bleed out and bury newborn infants than resort to 20th (never mind 21st) century medical interventions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I would look into whether you have a malpractice claim. Were you a midwife patient, by any chance? They would generally rather see patients bleed out and bury newborn infants than resort to 20th (never mind 21st) century medical interventions.

This is the most ignorant thing I've read on DCUM this morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone upthread posted about the alternative to c-section, and some may be interested in my story:

I was induced at 37 weeks for HBP, went from 1-10 in 2 hours with killer back spasms, got an epidural and then they discovered he was LOP. The epidural worked great, I couldn't feel a thing, or push effectively. I pushed for 3 hours, the attending offered a c-section at that point, saying that most women are finished at that point and cannot push much more. I begged for some more time and DS was born 2 hours later after more pushing. He was blue, floppy and not breathing. The attending laid him on my chest, calmly reached forward and pressed the NICU button on the wall, and the NICU team was there within seconds. They intubated and revived him, after a few minutes.

He's fine now, but has asthma and a near-constant cough/cold, possibly unrelated. Should I have gone for the c-section? I don't know, but I do wonder sometimes if it would have been better for him.

Selfish. Absolutely, totally selfish. Congratulations.

+1. Of course her son would have been better off with a c section at the time the doctors suggested it. No question about it.

I congratulate you on your ability to make after-the-fact medical decisions for other people based on stuff you read on an anonymous internet message board.

[Anonymous]

No, I deliberately chose not to have a midwife or doula, because I did not want that kind of counterpressure. (No offense to them; I just didn't think it would work for me. And my sister did almost die in a midwife's care at home, before having an emergency c-section.)

[Anonymous]

Nerve damage lady here.

Re malpractice claim, I'm just not sure I see it. They followed industry practice. And I see very tenuous causation; not proximate or but-for cause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nerve damage lady here.

Re malpractice claim, I'm just not sure I see it. They followed industry practice. And I see very tenuous causation; not proximate or but-for cause.

Industry practice isn't always the same thing as community standard of care.

Did you ask them directly for a section?

[Anonymous]

No, I didn't ask directly. Instead, I kept saying "At what point would you call it and move to a c-section? 24 hours from start? 2 hours of pushing? Is it ever too late in the delivery to move to c and pull the baby back out of the birth canal?"

I never did get satisfactory answers to any of that, but I'm not sure how a non-medical lady in the throes of pushing is supposed to be able to make an informed decision and request.

That said, Virginia is all about contributory negligence, which is another reason not to throw good money after bad on a lawsuit. Esp if I DO walk again someday.

[Anonymous]

How do they determine/define community standard of care?

If it's literally based on the demographic community where it happened. I think I'm REALLY out of luck, because everybody here wants unmedicated vaginal delivery at any cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nerve damage lady here.

Re malpractice claim, I'm just not sure I see it. They followed industry practice. And I see very tenuous causation; not proximate or but-for cause.

The truth is that extended pushing, which is what is going to be promoted now to reduce c sections, is going to cause a lot of onjuries that will in many cases not show up until years later, like pelvic floor damage and nerve damage.

[Anonymous]

+1 makes sense to me.

I wonder if I could become some sort of advocate in this arena? I just do NOT want this to happen to more women. It's awful, and it puts so much pressure on your partner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do they determine/define community standard of care?

If it's literally based on the demographic community where it happened. I think I'm REALLY out of luck, because everybody here wants unmedicated vaginal delivery at any cost.

Talk to a lawyer. That is not what community standard of care means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nerve damage lady here.

Re malpractice claim, I'm just not sure I see it. They followed industry practice. And I see very tenuous causation; not proximate or but-for cause.

The truth is that extended pushing, which is what is going to be promoted now to reduce c sections, is going to cause a lot of onjuries that will in many cases not show up until years later, like pelvic floor damage and nerve damage.

Then doctors are really going to have to have difficult discussions with older and unhealthy mothers about what to do when push comes to shove (no pun intended). A 43 year old (first time? You might have children already) mother, even in perfect health, might have a different time pushing. Same with poorly positioned babies.

And just because doctors that you met and worked with didn't bully you into a section doesn't mean that other women don't get that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I didn't ask directly. Instead, I kept saying "At what point would you call it and move to a c-section? 24 hours from start? 2 hours of pushing? Is it ever too late in the delivery to move to c and pull the baby back out of the birth canal?"

I never did get satisfactory answers to any of that, but I'm not sure how a non-medical lady in the throes of pushing is supposed to be able to make an informed decision and request.

That said, Virginia is all about contributory negligence, which is another reason not to throw good money after bad on a lawsuit. Esp if I DO walk again someday.

Malpractice and straight injury negligence don't necessarily work the same way.

I really urge you to speak to someone if you truly are still not walking. That's not normal, and would have been alleviated by the doctor doing what the vast majority of doctors would have done in a second. You being in the throes of labor and pain is precisely why the doctor should have done what was right. I'm so sorry for your trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nerve damage lady here.

Re malpractice claim, I'm just not sure I see it. They followed industry practice. And I see very tenuous causation; not proximate or but-for cause.

The truth is that extended pushing, which is what is going to be promoted now to reduce c sections, is going to cause a lot of onjuries that will in many cases not show up until years later, like pelvic floor damage and nerve damage.

Remember that c-sections are not without risks, too. Some of the risks are serious (blood clots, heavy bleeding, adhesions, infection, etc).

I think that you need to go into birth with an open mind, research all of your options before you get to the hospital.

[Anonymous]

I've heard the same thing, that there is a increase in birth injuries we didn't use to see as often, because of pressure to keep csection rates down.