Oh gosh watch out I'm on my soap box again! I feel the need to campaign for the rights of us mums here as we have been left in some cases with the bare bones of a health service and need to actively ask for some.
I had an quote Elective/ emergency c section. Which was as far from the birth that I wanted as possible. I had to be wary of which battles I had to pick to get it!
I was only diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 36 weeks, when it was already to late to put me onto insulin, all we could do was be monitored. On the NHS website it specifies that if I have a bmi of 30 and my closet relatives have any diabetes then I should be offered a glucose intolerance test at 24 to 28 weeks this did not happen. Apparently the goalposts had shifted somewhat, as my consultant explained that my mum would have had to be type 1 and I would now have had to have a bmi of 35. I didn't argue with him on this point, even though I was told that he was one of the persons on that committee who had made these changes which lead to my very late diagnosis, as he could have been against the changes.
So here I was with a macrasomic baby due to my diabetes not being managed, and the very real threat of a baby 12lbs if I went full term. So I was booked in to be induced for one round, and if that didn't progress then a c section. This was agreed by the consultant and I.
I was induced on the Wednesday and came out on the Friday, the prostins were supposed to be administered six hours apart, but due to registrar off sick was left with an 18 hour gap, due to no fault of my own. I was then offered another course of prostins, fearing another three day stint to get going and an ever increasing sized large baby. I reminded them of my notes and what my consultant had agreed with me. He found it most reasonable that me at only five foot tall with a 10 lb plus baby and risk of shoulder dystocia should probably have a c section anyway. Thursday night I was moved from that ward to another still having contractions.
Monday. Booked in for a c section. The last thing I really wanted but I'd rather that than her getting stuck and having complications. The anesthetist and surgical team couldn't have been nicer. All went well and my little one was born without a hitch, I was laid up for a few hours then made to get up and move around, I was glad to have a was, and was told " not to over do it" because I'd just had "major surgery" as the midwife past me some oramorphe.
But! Oh boy, after getting up to breast feed my daughter all night, major surgery, no rest.
" We'll just get your discharge tablets ready then ok ! " " get your baby ready for the paediatrician ( guess who had to push the crib down the corridor ). I went and got showered later. I was shattered major surgery, no sleep and little one was permanently on my breast. I'd just showered in a lot of pain and wanted to lay down for 30 winks, " would you like to try breast feeding in the chair, " could I just rest a bit? I explained lack of sleep blah blah, and I got a huffy reply " were just trying to help you that's all " the Gp came round later, she's asked me if I was still bleeding I said yes very large clots, but I still got the ok to go home, told to buy paracetamol, taught how to inject myself with anti clotting agents and sent on my merry way. I was in tears I honestly didn't. Know how I was going to walk out of the ward. Let alone to the car park, by this time I was exhausted and in tears, I said I couldn't make it and explained that the anesthetist said that most women stay about three days I was told aver sharp No! They aggrieved to let me stay, but I was made to feel so uneasy that I picked a time when I felt a little less pain asked to be discharged and left. Women if you need to stay in Stay strong! If you need home visits after they won't offer them Ask, the same goes for the health visitors. And I hope that the next time some health official goes sarcastically " oh an elective c section. That they should ask why, instead of just assuming.
