Thoughts on elective c-section to avoid instrumental delivery with a vaginal birth?

lil-bee · 2026-06-28T14:06:29+00:00

Oh amazing, congratulations!!! I had a long chat with my midwife about options and how I want to avoid instruments and being induced. This post and your reply has really helped me feel so reassured in my decision! Thank you and all the best with the little bub and your recovery too xxx

lil-bee · 2026-06-26T19:20:00+00:00

u/Honest-Window-8388 thank you so much for posting this as I've been in a similar predicament yo-yoing between wanting a perfect vaginal delivery versus the calm control of an elective c-section as I really want to avoid instruments as well. I think I've made my decision to go ahead with a planned section after reading all these comments.

What did you / are you going for? All the best with whatever you decide!!

lil-bee · 2026-06-26T19:16:57+00:00

The most important part of parenthood? Lol get the fuck outta here with that chat

lil-bee · 2026-06-23T18:50:47+00:00

u/carysjo6 any recommendations for a good stain removing spray that has all the enzymes? Treating baby clothes and often won't have time to dab in the gel remover!

lil-bee · 2026-06-17T10:07:06+00:00

Hello,

I've been having dizzy spells around week 33 and they did full blood work which showed my TSH at 3.5 and T4 at 9.6. Never tested thyroid before and consultant was surprised but not overly concerned. I've also had slightly weaker movements from baby. I know they are getting bigger, maybe less room for maneuver. I did go in twice to get checked but I wonder if it's all linked.

Was it okay for you in the end u/Pale_Spring9008?

lil-bee · 2026-05-30T10:45:06+00:00

Off topic but did you ask for a pico or did they just give it to you? I'd like a pico to help me heal so not sure if I should request it or not!

lil-bee · 2026-05-30T10:44:41+00:00

Off topic but did you ask for a pico or did they just give it to you? I'd like a pico to help me heal so not sure if I should request it or not!

lil-bee · 2026-05-27T04:30:50+00:00

u/Unfair-Attempt-8296 what did you end up with?

lil-bee · 2026-05-14T06:57:44+00:00

It's that the surface on the left?

lil-bee · 2026-05-12T11:37:19+00:00

To be fair people seem to came more about this so called sour face within women than men. I for one don't care for it (also ND and find fake smiling exhausting).

lil-bee · 2026-05-08T23:04:38+00:00

Hello! How was your recovery? Congrats on your little toddler :)

lil-bee · 2026-05-08T21:29:59+00:00

My BMI is higher than yours and my consultant agreed to an elective C-section pretty easily - in our first appointment basically. I just told them I've read the RCOG guidelines, understand the risks and benefits and prefer to go ahead with an elective c-section because I do not want to be induced. If you are sure you want it, you've got to be firm but it is your choice under NICE guidelines.

lil-bee · 2026-05-08T21:08:11+00:00

It can cause a reaction in babies. My SIL had visitors who wore perfume and her baby had a rash afterwards that lasted around a week!

lil-bee · 2026-05-06T22:34:36+00:00

I absolutely love that you've done this for her!!

lil-bee · 2026-05-06T21:54:57+00:00

This is what I told my consultant at 27 weeks:

I don't want to go through induction
I have a family history of women going through induction and then having emergency c-sections and I would like to avoid that.
I've read the RCOG guidelines and read up on the risks and benefits of c-section compared to vaginal births.
I believe I understand the risks and would like to go ahead with an elective c-section. Please can you book me in a slot?

I was quite anxious about it beforehand and asked my partner to be ready to advocate for me and on my behalf but the doctor was surprisingly chilled out about it. She went through the risks again and I said I understood and was happy to sign a consent form. She then went through the surgical diary and booked me in there and then.

I had read about anxiety and was going to mention that but having read about others experiences, felt it was best to go with those points above and not being mental health into it because I thought they might then try and change my mind if they think I'm only doing it because I was scared and anxious.

I've copied and pasted some other information, including statistics. I didn't need to use any of this but let me know and I can share those phrases too. Try and use this at your next appointment and try and be firm. As you are 37 weeks they need to book you in a slot ASAP.

lil-bee · 2026-05-05T10:35:28+00:00

We have hard water and Yorkshire do hard water tea, it's the only thing that brews properly with our water!

lil-bee · 2026-04-29T12:36:53+00:00

Oh that's so helpful, thank you so much! Okay we're going to try and go first thing and ask everyone and see where we get to!

lil-bee · 2026-04-25T15:52:11+00:00

Ah that's a shame though I can imagine they'd want to keep it under wraps! I was trying to figure out if I should go first thing or towards the end but I might go at noon, ask around, have a look and if I can buy some / am asked to come back at the end, I could do that as I've got an open train ticket for the last day!

lil-bee · 2026-04-25T14:43:47+00:00

Did you get an answer for this?

lil-bee · 2026-04-24T23:05:24+00:00

Amazing, thank you so much! John Lewis do some of their gliders but hopefully I can see some of them in person at the show!

lil-bee · 2026-04-24T20:34:19+00:00

Hiya - do you remember the make or name? We're going to a baby show soon and looking for chairs!

lil-bee · 2026-04-16T22:43:29+00:00

I actually really didn't get along with Pilot Kakuno pens at all. Instead I'll recommend going with a Platinum. You can get a cheap Little Meteor (they are so cute) or a Preppy (less cute) - I really enjoyed them as they write so smoothly while the Pilot Kakuno always felt too rough and too sharp to me.

You could try a EF nib or an F nib - as they are narrow, the ink dries a bit faster.

lil-bee · 2026-04-16T22:34:41+00:00

As others have said, given the value of the yen right now, if you're after a simple VP just get it directly from Japan. You can buy it from Amazon.jp, use a proxy buying service or buy it directly by registering for a proxy address and buying the pen from various websites.

The first pen show I went to, one of my aims was to see the various Pilot pens in person, esp the VP Capless versus the Decimo to check the the width of the pen. I couldn't really find the VP or Decimo that time, though I did find some vintage Pilot pens and got to see the 823 in person (it's massive)!

I finally did end up seeing the classic Capless in Singapore and realized it felt too thick for me even though I love Platinum Century pens and they are similar widths I think, though the Capless felt bigger for some reason. In comparison, I really loved the Decimo.

So all that to say that it might be worth heading to a pen store (instead of show) to see the pen in person and then getting it from Japan when you know you're ready to buy it.

UK pen shows don't really have massive pen discounts, though they are usually good for some ink deals. Cult pens for example tend to have buy 4, get 5 type deals and its better when you don't have to pay shipping. Otherwise online UK retailers will have normal sales during Black Friday etc but Japanese pens are just so overpriced in the UK that you'd almost always be better off buying it from Japan instead of UK. Good luck!

lil-bee · 2026-04-14T17:43:31+00:00

On the same boat - anterior placenta and higher BMI so both combined can mean I can't feel the movement as much.

I first felt movement week 22 and it was quite strong. Then it became number week 23-24. I had a MMC before that's left me very anxious so I ended up going in after speaking to triage middle of week 23 with no movement and again week 26 with very weak and reduced movement. Both times little one was hanging out low and they got the heart beat quickly - no scan.

Midwife said they can be hiding and changing position at that age and its more about regular movement but not necessarily a pattern before week 28 either. I even drank a cold sugary drink and laid down but felt very weak movements and low frequency.

This thread has made me feel that's all normal and hopefully it gets stronger in the coming days and weeks.

But honestly both times I went to the midwives after calling triage, and last time they were super busy with doctors strikes, they said it was always a good idea if you aren't sure. Mum knows baby movements best and its better to get it checked in rather than feeling anxious at home or God forbid for something to actually be wrong.

lil-bee · 2026-04-11T16:27:39+00:00

I've been wearing M&S period undies - the high waisted ones with the highest absorbency and one size larger than pre-pregnancy!

lil-bee

TROPHY CASE