WW J'16 Do? Ignoring Your OB's Advice

[14joa31]

Ladies - my OB finally got back to me re: Zika. She said that there are no Zika advisories in effect for next summer in MD. She also said that I should wait 18 months between C-sections before getting pregnant.

Now I know that's probably standard advice ... but I would rather ignore it! LOL! I had a C-section for DS and we started trying when he turned 1 ... didn't get pregnant until he was about 20 months old so it worked out but I don't want to wait 18 months. I am thinking of getting my IUD out and starting to try in November. Trying does not equal getting pregnant.

What would you do?

[Lollipop]

Sept 27, 2016 16:39:26 GMT -5 14joa31 said:

Ladies - my OB finally got back to me re: Zika. She said that there are no Zika advisories in effect for next summer in MD. She also said that I should wait 18 months between C-sections before getting pregnant.

Now I know that's probably standard advice ... but I would rather ignore it! LOL! I had a C-section for DS and we started trying when he turned 1 ... didn't get pregnant until he was about 20 months old so it worked out but I don't want to wait 18 months. I am thinking of getting my IUD out and starting to try in November. Trying does not equal getting pregnant.

What would you do?

I would lean towards doing as your doctor says, but I also think that 18 months may be a conservative time frame.

[lucanjo14]

18 months seems like a long time. I thought 1 year was the general recommendation following a csection.

[NellieOleson]

After my first c/s my OB told me to wait 12 months to get pregnant if I wanted to try for a VBAC - if I was planning a repeat c-section then she said I didn't have to wait that long. We waited a year, but I ended up having another c-section anyway due to other reasons.

After my second c/s she told me I should get pregnant sooner than later if we wanted a third, due to age and other medical issues.

So yeah, I'd probably ignore the 18 month advice if you want to get pregnant sooner than that.

[crimsonandclover]

So... I realize that I represent a very small minority, but I would still like to give my input.

I had a c/s with DD1 and was told to wait 2 years between births (so about 15 months before TTC). I kind of shrugged, looked up the risk statistics, and got pregnant after 10 months. I miscarried, and I honestly wonder if that saved my life. I ended up getting pregnant with DD2 when DD1 was about 14 months old and was due when DD1 was 22 months old, so still not quite following the guideline my OB gave me.
When I was about 34w pregnant, I started to get sharp pains along my scar. I figured it was the scar stretching and pretty much ignored it. It got progressively worse. When I hit 38w3d, I started having mild, fairly regular contractions, and as the day went on I got the stabbing pain with every contraction. Finally around 10 pm I made DH take me to L&D because it just did not feel normal. I ended up having a uterine dehiscence, which means that my uterus had started to rupture but DD2 wasn't yet outside of the uterus (which would then be a full rupture).

Long story short, I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't had the miscarriage and this had all happened 3 months closer to the previous c/s. Maybe nothing more than happened anyway.

Based on my personal experience of being on the wrong side of the statistics, I would always advise listening to your OB on this. The chance that you'll rupture is small, but if it happens, do you want to be going through all the what if's if you had waited a few months?

On the other hand, I totally get it. We didn't wait, and even trying for DD3 we didn't wait quite as long (that time he recommended waiting until 2 years after the 2nd c/s to TTC), although it ended up being that long because it took us a bit to get KU.

[Lsquared]

I'm a rule follower. I'm also a question asker. I would find out why she wants you to wait. Tell her your reasons for wanting to try sooner. Maybe she's just giving you the by the book response she gives everyone?

[14joa31]

crimsonandclover - I've been meaning to say "thank you" to you for several days now for sharing your story with me. I remembered that the last few weeks of your pregnancy were rough - but I didn't realize it was because of your history of C-sections. This was a good wake-up call for me: the risk of uterine rupture may be low - but it is still a VERY REAL RISK!

So in light of that, I will return to Plan A, I think, and just wait until next April to start trying. There may be more news on Zika that will either a) set my anxieties at rest or b) make me wait until the fall. Either way, I think waiting is the best course of action.

I have had two C-sections. I can still feel the scar sometimes when I cross my legs, or if I "overdo" physical exertion on a given day.

So will I be seeing all of you ladies on the Jan. 2018 BMB with me???

[chimomma19]

We were advised to wait a year for VBAC, and 8 months if I was open to a repeat C-section. We went through multiple losses and trouble getting pregnant, and here I am 8 months PP and pregnant. Your history does not dictate your future, let me tell you. I was shocked we got pregnant. I am sure my OB is going to give a stern talking to when I see her on Monday, but in all honestly I'm concerned that this is going to be a tough pregnancy.

BTW - 18 months seems super conservative to me. Just my non-medical opinion!

[14joa31]

chimomma19 - I am so stoked for Baby Reardon #2!! Y'all make such cute babies!!

[crimsonandclover]

14joa31, yeah, the reason I was in the hospital from 33w5d until delivery at 36w this time was because of a threatened rupture. I was having lots of BH ctx and they were starting to cause stabbing pains along my scar, so because of my history my OB sent me to the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy.

It is a low risk, but like you said, it's also real. My goal is not to scare anyone with my story, but I do want to raise awareness.