HB07. Pity the fool who says you’re too posh to push: why it’s completely reasonable to request an elective c-section for your first (or subsequent) baby.

This episode is all about requesting an elective c-section, even if it’s not officially recommended by your medical team. I talk to Louise, who - for a variety of reasons - decided a planned caesarean would be the best choice for her. We talk about how you come to that decision, arming yourself with information (an obstetrician dad is useful, but not essential), who to talk to (yep, I’m going to bang on about consultant midwives again) and how you might still get a bit of a negative reaction from people who should mind their own business (but things are changing!).*Trigger warning* Louise had a couple of miscarriages before her daughter Bonnie was born, and these are discussed briefly on the podcast. Do contact The Miscarriage Association if you need any support around this.  Things you might find interesting: You can read up on c-sections on NICE and RCOG.Choice in childbirth does not always have to revolve around all the “natural things” obviously i.e. vaginal birth, home births, avoiding intervention etc. Choice is whatever's important to you. I really recommend Milli Hill’s Give Birth Like a Feminist to inspire you to make the right choice for YOU, whatever that might be. I wrongly quote The Positive Birth Book on the show (another fabulous book); I should be quoting GBLAF!If you want to arm yourself with knowledge, some useful resources are: NICE, RCOG, Royal College of Midwives, Association for Improvement in Maternity Services, Dr Sara Wickham. But do remember, research and guidance is never perfect or 100% reliable. And it doesn’t always take into account YOUR circumstances, so you should always feel you can deviate from the “accepted” path if that’s what works for you.Do chat through any concerns you might have about your labour with your midwife or consultant obstetrician. If you feel you need more answers or a specialised plan then it's worth seeking out your hospital's Consultant Midwife. If you don’t know who they are then contact me with the name of your hospital and I’ll find out! Ulcerative colitis is thought to be an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation of the large intestine and rectum; it’s associated with frequent diarrhoea and abdominal pain. You can read more about it here and its impact on pregnancy / birth here.Find me on the web, on Instagram, on Facebook or contact me at [email protected]. Special thanks to Tom Herbert aka electrobeard for the music.