Childbirth Poll

[Hope]

Hi All,
I wondered if i could have your input on this poll?
Im 17 weeks pregnant with my first child and am trying to get as much info on childbirth and EDS as possible, for myself and other women in the same situation.
Previous posts have helped a lot, thanks, but its difficult to work out how many women had which complications. And women who did not have problems may not have seen a reason to post and will therefore be under-represented.
If you have already voted on the EDS website please dont vote again as i will be correlating the two polls in the future.
Also, if you have already voted or do not have children but have a friend or family member whose birth experiences you know about (but they do not use this website) please let me know and i will add their details to the final count.
Many thanks in advance!
Nadine
(HEDS, POTS, unresponsive to LA)
NB. I have put 'EDS' complications to simplify matters. The poll makes no distinctions between HEDS and BJHS, so please vote whichever you have been diagnosed with. Thanks!

[elliewelly]

In brief: unpleasant pregnancy with HMS and other complications, but normal 24 hour labour with no problems. Still suffering after-effects of pregnancy 2 years on, but very mildly.

[Retro]

First time I had a long (27 hours) but natural birth, baby was almost delivered using Ventouse but decided to appear just in time. I had a small tear which they decided didn't need stitched. 6lb 5oz boy.

Second time I had a much shorter (6 hours) labour, natural birth with only Entonox (gas and air) for pain relief. No tears. 8lb 2oz boy.

Lindsey

[bobbles]

I didn't know that I had HMS when I was having my daughter, and had HMS related symptoms.....

Waters broke a couple of weeks early, labour only lasted 4 hrs, felt every stitch of my pereneal repair as the anaesthetic didn't work.

To be honest, it made for quite a hard time, as I was 1cm dilated when I was examined, and then everything kicked in and the midwife refused to believe I was in labour, she was quite horrible and very belittling and told me that I didn't know what pain was - it was horrible really, it's only when another midwife took over 3 hrs later and I kicked up such a huge fuss, that she examined me and told me I was fully dilated and could push whenever I was ready.

Then when I was stitched, another midwife came to oversee my repair and because I kept wincing and ouching, despite them keep giving me more and more anaesthetic, she eventually started to lose her patience with me, and went "here, you've no doubt been using this already" and shoved the gas an air in my face, and the other midwife stepped in, and said "she's just given birth without an ounce of pain relief, she doesn't need that now, does she?" and took it back again.

All in all though - I loved giving birth, it was fab....

...the fact that you are aware of your condition and the possible implications that it could have on your birth experience, should stand you in good stead.

Sharon xx

[BendyLady]

Lots of pelvic pain during pregnancy. Waters broke (well trickled really) and 34 weeks and I had to be induced. Really scary as I had just had 2 scans 2 weeks apart to judge how long I could be left for natural delivery. It was pretty much assumed that I would have a C section as I had my hip replacement 16 months previously and I have a very wonky pelvis. Of cause its late at night my consultant wasn't on, midwives saying "tut tut no birth plan!!" me saying " excuse me not sure I'm supposed to go into labour".

Result natural delivery in about 15 mins no pain relief but 45 mins of sewing up as I tore badly. When I asked how many stiches the Dr said she had lost count!

Son born heathy and screaming 5lb2oz didn't have to go into special bady care - result.

BendyLady

[Retro]

Forgot mine were both 10 days early....suppose that means I did sort of have mild hms complications

Lindsey

[Hope]

Thanks for all the info!
Combined with the EDS Supprt Group poll we have had 40 votes so far.
As I said before if you know your mothers/sisters/aunts/daughters experience of childbirth please post it and it will be added into the final total.
Thanks again!

[tireesix]

First baby - slight SPD, awful back problems, back to back baby, assisted brth (ventouse) and induction at 40 weeks because they thought I was 42, 2nd degree tear with infections for the following 6 months, poor healing and severe pain in area.

Second baby - SPD, back problems, back to back baby but home water birth with gas and air. Transferred afterwoulds due to yet another tear which occasionally cracks open still nearly 2 years later. Baby born at term + 18 days. Also suffered PPH whih was treated immediately at home and the treatment worked (just an injection in the leg.

Breastfeeding - severe cracks and reoccuring thrush. Am starting to wonder whether the cracks might have been due to poor skin quality because baby was always latched on properly.

Apart from being hypermobile causing some problems (apparently, a couple of small bones around my pelvis/back area kept going out of place) the pregnancies and births where kinda successful (well, I have 2 healthy kids now).

[Mari]

Two births - tore badly each time and took ages to heal, 2nd pregnancy didn't feel I had the muscle power for the final pushes and had prolapses which got worse afterwards.
Wish I'd had a Caesarian.
Pregnancies - increased pain,especially in neck, big sacroiliac problems during 2nd pregnancy, needed crutches to walk.

Mari xx

[janey]

As a midwife I would just like to say that, to date, there have been no studies that show that having a caesarean section reduces the risk of uterine prolapse. I would always urge any woman to fully discuss her birth options with a medical professional particularly as caesareans do carry greater risk factors for all women.

[Mari]

I was advised by my midwife and one consultant to have a natural birth and by another consultant to have a Caesarian.

I can't help feeling that, even if research hasn't been done or doesn't back it up, my pushing with all my might didn't help my situation, given that my ligaments were already compromised by my having EDS and by the already present uterine prolapse. My prolapse(s) were much worse afterwards.

Of course this is just my experience and my opinion, and as always people must consult their own doctors for advice.

Mari x

[janey]

Mari, please don't think that my post was a personal attack, that was not my intention at all and I apologise if I offended you. I am quite aware that no study will ever mention HMS/EDS and so that means that information for pregnant women with this condition is even more scant. However, I am concerned professionally about the rise in the c/s rate nationally and because it is so commonplace now it is easy to forget that it is still major abdominal surgery and the risks that are involved should always be discussed as part of a woman's decision making when planning their birth.
It's never an easy decision I know, but I just wanted to reiterate the importance of making an informed decision.
Apologies again if I offended you.
Best wishes
Jane

[tireesix]

There is someone on midwiferyuk (the yahoo group) who seems to know some stuff about sections and EDS. I will have rummage around and see if I can find her emails otherwise I shall just ask on the forum.

[tireesix]

I found an email that says that there was a paper (relatively old) that states that sections do have better outcomes...... However, and I agree with her, she also says that without any other indicators, she doesn't feel that that is enough.

I do not like the normalisation of sections but at the same time I beleive in the womans right to have positive birth, even if that means she has a section (I am so torn on this one).

I have always thought that it is best to give it a go naturally, if it isn't working for you then I reckon you should be able to opt for the section.

Funnily enough, the whole conversation started up because I was asking about the incidence of PPH in mothers with EDS 3 and whether active was better than natural and vice versa for the management of the third stage in EDS 3 women.

[flo]

Hi
Not sure if I have completed poll accurately... I had a ventouse, so that didn't feel too natural! (although I have ticked the natural birth box as I suspect you are interested in the difference betwen vaginal and c/section)

I was not diagnosed at the time, but needed assistance as had large baby (10lb 1oz) who I could not push out on my own, unfortunately.

Had cut which took forever to heal so I count that as complications. Pregnancy generally made my pains worse, but only suffered mildly, compared to others here. Pelvic floor never recovered to former glory, though .

Good luck!
Flo