Hi all, I'm new on here. I'm 29, T6 complete and 37 weeks pregnant with my first child. I have read lots of your posts about becoming parents with SCI, which have been both useful and entertaining. I would like to know more about birthing options and how many SCI women on here have had natural births, what their experiences were like, whether or not forceps were needed- what the hospital staff/midwives were like in terms of support. I had a clam cystoplasty not long post injury (1997) and it changed my life for the better, but after becoming pregnant I have been told this could prove a risk if I need an emergency c-section, as there could be damage to my bladder. I was advised that most women in my situation then opt for an elective c-section with a urologist present. I do not wish to pursue this route, as I been told there is 80% chance I could deliver naturally. My local hospital does not have a urologist on site and so in an emergency situation I could be opened up by whoever is on duty, but even if I was at a different hospital (which my obstetrician and I explored) the urologist may be in surgery or at home and may not be there until after the surgery. I was told even with an elective c-section that there is still risk to my bladder. This has all been a headache and so I am going with natural birth at my local hospital as planned from day one!!!
Has anyone else had any experiences like this and can offer any advice?
I am also on my 3rd set of antibiotics for the 3rd UTI in 5weeks and struggling with continence for the first time in years, but still battling the idea of having an indwelling fitted.

Get this baby out of me!!!!

I just delivered my beautiful baby boy 4 weeks ago and was planning to do it naturally. I was induced, contractions were 2 minutes apart and he turned breech and would not go back so an emergency C-section had to be done. I am not saying this to scare you (I am L3). I have a friend who just had her 3rd baby naturally and she is T4-5 and she did fine with all 3 of her kids. So...it can be done and quite normally.
However, I have had complication after complication since delivering and was even in the hospital for 8 days. My advice to you, is to make sure you are in a hospital that can handle any emergency efficiently. I was in the top baby hospital in Cincinatti and was under a high risk dr's care and I am SO glad I was. When things are not going as planned, you get panicky because it is all so unknown anyway and knowing that you are somewhere that knows what they are doing really helps your peace of mind.
Hope this helps in some way.

Hi thanks for this, I hope you and baby boy are doing well.

My wife is T12/L1. She wanted a home birth but agreed to using her home birth team in a hospital setting. It was all natural but once having delivered she had a sudden drop in blood pressure which caused some attention for a few minutes...then all was well and simple. She stayed 2 nights before discharge.

I naturally gave birth to my 8lb 4oz son...A C-section was a real probability, but after a speedy 3hr labour (the result of Pethidine I believe), he was pulled out with the help of forceps, & only because he decided to twist his head at the last minute.
Whilst I have no info regarding a clam cystoplasty & labour, re your UTI's .. if your bladder is enlarged, maybe it can't contract strongly enough to push out all the urine, hence the UTI's occurring.?
The best of luck.

Well I tried to do things the old fashioned way with my 1st daughter. After 29&1/2hrs of labor I was rushed into emergency C'section. I was pushing her into my pelvic bone & the poor thing even had a dent right at the hairline as a battle scar (the ridge was pushed back so her head is perfectly normal now). They said it was partly due to the odd way my pelvis tips due to the deformity/misalignment of my spine. So from then on they were planned C'sections. But every woman is different. I may be a "fertile Myrtle" but I'm no "large Marge" either so trying to push out 8lb+ kids probably was never in the cards for me.

Hopefully you will have had the baby by now. If not here are a few things Id suggest.
Dont let them make you lie down. Its the worst place to give birth and will probably kill your back. Try and get your partner to help you with upright positioins.
A c section should only be necessary as a last resort. Ive had 3 and have never been offered one.
A water pool can help you with back support.
I had my last one at home. I suspect the way you give birtd is more to do with your anatomy than with SCI unless you have a high lesion.
MAke sure they keep your bladder empty. They forgot to do this with my second one so I had to endure several extra hours of labour becasue of it.
Im also on endless antibiotics, as Im expecting my 4th in about a month now.

let us know how it works out, hopefully it will be a great experience for you.