Tough decision - Elective C or not ?

(KR) wrote in message . com...
The size of the baby as measured externally is just an estimate. To
me, I would rather be induced then opt for a c-section any day. A
c-section is major surgery. There is also the possibility that the
baby could come naturally in the next 4 weeks.

I will say, though, that it's not like you're necessarily choosing
induction vs. c-section; you're choosing (induction + chance of
post-labor-c-section) vs. elective c-section. I really, really
wanted a vaginal birth with my son, and hung in through lots of
hours of unproductive labor to try to have one. I have to admit,
though, that if I do it again I would waver on whether to just go
straight to the c-section, because a c-section after 36 hours of labor
REALLY sucks. You get the worst of both worlds that way, or
that's how it seemed to me. I guess you at least get the knowledge
that you did try, but I'm not sure that would be enough for me
when weighed against going into the surgery with no resources
after a useless labor.

Which is not to say that the OP's wife should opt for the section,
because the big baby thing is notoriously unreliable apparently.
However, if the provider is already talking c-section the
chances aren't bad that it's going to end up that way anyway after
the induction 'fails' (this does not sound like a let-nature-take-
its-course kind of doctor) and the risk of that happening should
be taken into account.

Beth
Sam 8/16/2002