So I haven't been here much. I've come to terms with my cm and am fine. I know my good days and my bad days. I know how to work with them. That was all fine. I had a system! It worked! It was wonderful!
Now... I'm pregnant. 8wks to be sure.
I have been told that I cannot have a natural child birth. That I have to have a c-section! I'm so scared of surgery of any kind. I don't even like fillings put in my teeth because I don't like the gas mask. I have done nothing but cry all day.
Tell me that there are other women with cm1 that have had c-sections and turned out fine!!
There are definitely women with Chiari who had babies and are fine. And millions of women have had c-sections and are fine. Your fears are MUCH greater than how it will be, I promise.
I know it is hard to hear you have to face surgery, but try to relax and enjoy your pregnancy. That is great news, good luck and keep us updated!
Congrats on the baby! I had two babies (before I knew about my chiari) and had to have c-sections for other reasons and it went fine! It really wasnt that painful at least not for me. I think it helps when you see your baby! I didn’t care about my pain I just wanted my baby which took my mind off myself! So try and look at it that way! I promise you’ll be so happy and excited and filled with emotions that hopefully you won’t notice your own pain!
Yea... this is my 5th. I really had my heart set on a natural child birth. We couldn't do the home birth because of the cm, but we figured we could kick some butts at the hospital to keep nurses off me. LOL! But now.... being cut open... in my stomach...OOOOh it just rakes on my nerves!!
The question I have is do you get the spinal block or epidural with chiari or do they give you general?
The concern with having CM and having a baby is mostly the pushing, from what I've read. You know how when we strain (laugh, cry, cough, poop, whatever) we get a headache? Well that's because we're pushing cerebro-spinal fluid around in an unnatural and sometimes dangerous way. Don't give up! There are things you can do to have the best experience possible. You're not chained to one doctor for your pregnancy, just like you weren't for your CM diagnosis. Shop around. Find a doctor who is willing to work with you. Also, look into Hypnobirthing and other forms of relaxation. You know how they make you hold your breath and count to ten when pushing after you reach 10 cm? That's called "purple pushing" or "valsalva pushing" and that might be bad in your case. There are classes out there that teach "breathing down" your baby. No stressful pushing, no popped blood vessels in your face! When you hit 10 cm, you don't push right away. You wait until your body is ready to push. Even then you don't PUSH push - you breath while your uterus does the pushing. (If you can get ahold of it - the Doula! movie has an excellent example of a woman relaxing and letting her body work for her!) That could be an option for you!
Also (sorry, I'm full of ideas!) if your doctors insist on a cesarean birth, ask if they'd be willing to let you go into labor first and then come in for your cesarean, instead of planning a date. That way you know you and baby are ready for birth. Talk to your doctor about a great new technique called a "natural" or family-centered cesarean. Here's a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5RIcaK98Yg
Phew! Sorry about that. I have been a doula for several years, a childbirth educator and lactation educator for a couple of years and I have a lot of knowledge packed into this cranium! I really am rooting for you!
I will have to look into that... My labor goes super duper fast so allowing me to go into labor first may not be a good idea. From the time I start active labor to birth it takes 30-45min. I can barley get to the hospital on time before little one comes popping out! LOL
I think the planned c-section is best for me. I can't not push... when that time comes I don't think I'm going to be able to NOT bare down and push!
But I think getting my two doctors heads together is best.. that way they can both keep an eye on baby and I!
Hello there, I was pregnant and had a fairly long cm…although I didn’t know I had it. I was able to successfully give birth vaginally. I did get an epidural so that may have been what helped in retrospect. I don’t recall having ANY CM issues while delivering…no worries you will do great! And btw…CONGRATS!
My wife and I had a baby before finding out she had CM... she had the symptoms but we didn't want to do any tests while pregnant. So going into labor... we had no idea that this was a medical condition, just that getting up quickly made her dizzy... and other things that i'm sure you can think of :p.
Our plan was natural and actually without meds... we labored at home in the bathtub for a few hours on our own with our Doula (Doulas are AWESOME by the way!) We went to the hospital when we were 2 mins apart, and then found out she was fully dialated... but the baby was breach. :S
they had her preppin' for surgery and I had my son in my arms within 30 minutes. She had an epidural and didn't feel a thing, it also didn't cause any issues. It was a terrifying and exciting experience all at the same time lol... but looking back we were well taken care of and had nothing to worry about.
Just wanted to tell you that we didnt even know that I had chiari when and I had TWO c sections 15 months apart from each other! I was so terrified the first time that they seriously drugged me, but the second time around was no big deal. In this case it is much worse if you get yourself worked up over it, but you will see that everything will be ok! I also had major problems during both pregnancies, my first I got extreme toxemia, and the second I had a pulmonary embolism (clot that blocks the main artery between your heart and lungs) I had to take blood thinner shots 2 times a day that left huge bruises all over and felt like a thousand bees stinging all at once, BUT even with that both times I turned out fine. They were also worried bc I got pregnant 6 mo after my first c section and they worry about uterine rupture, and usually it takes 2 years for the uterus to become as strong as it was before surgery, but with close watch everything turned out more than okay! I hope this helps, and I hope you have the best pregnancy a woman can have.
I also wanted to say that I know how devestating it is to not have a natural birth if that is what you want, it took me up until recently to finally be okay with it, my first is now 4 and my other is almost 3, I found out I had to be induced ( my pregnancy was a fertility one to begin with) bc of the toxemia was getting dangerous, I was in labor for 14 hrs and I cried my eyes out when they said I had to get and epidural bc my blood pressure was 200/162, and on top of that my sons heart kept stopping, I went in for an emergency c section, and the sadness and grief I felt was prob the same feeling I would have if my son had not survived, of course I was so in love with him that helped me but part of me died, then with my second son, bc of the possibility of uterine rupture and having to be on the blood thinner shots (if I went into labor they would not be able to do an epi bc it COULD cause permanent paralysis) we chose to go with a c section again, now I wish I would have tried for a natural birth and I will never get to experience natural child birth bc we are done having kids. It may take some time comming to terms with it but I promise that over time it gets better and just being able to be a mom to your little miracle in itself will help you heal!
