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• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 23 >> Even though she admits that seeking out information about birth and labour can be scary or embarrassing, she'd rather prepare herself as much as she c

Had lengthy labour with 1st child after being induced, taken for emergency CS after baby's heart beat dropped. Explored options early in 2nd pregnancy, decided on VBAC. 2nd child born after 10 hours, painful labour but great sense of achievement.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 23 >> In her experience, midwives will often gloss over the risks to reassure women.

Had lengthy labour with 1st child after being induced, taken for emergency CS after baby's heart beat dropped. Explored options early in 2nd pregnancy, decided on VBAC. 2nd child born after 10 hours, painful labour but great sense of achievement.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 16 >> Finding out about the risks can be scary, but she thinks it's better to know than not know. Computers can make information more easily accessible.

Had emergency CS after 18 hours of labour due to 1st baby's large size and awkward position. Recovery was difficult, felt low and exhausted for one month. Same problems of size and position with 2nd pregnancy, advised to have planned CS. Planned CS was much better experience.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 40 and over >> Interview 08 >> She felt empowered by the information she got from taking part in the DiAMOND trial but at the same time did not want to burden other mothers with the

Keen on unassisted birth with 1st child. Slow to go into labour and dilate. Had epidural and then CS 2 days after waters broke. Felt cheated at first but adjusted with time. Had planned CS with 2nd child to avoid previous ordeal.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 16 >> After she had booked her caesarean, she received a leaflet describing the pros and cons. It would have been good to have the information before meetin

Had emergency CS after 18 hours of labour due to 1st baby's large size and awkward position. Recovery was difficult, felt low and exhausted for one month. Same problems of size and position with 2nd pregnancy, advised to have planned CS. Planned CS was much better experience.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 40 and over >> Interview 05 >> She felt that the risk information she received from NHS doctors was one-sided. She sought out a private consultant and thinks he has provided her wit

Had a very traumatic 1st birth, long labour, CS was offered only after baby went into distress. Felt excluded from decisions and treated unsympathetically. Felt pushed into VBAC with 2nd birth. Chose to go private instead and had planned CS.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 09 >> She thinks giving women balanced information about all possible risks might conflict with giving them reassurance and encouragement about their birth

Pregnant with twins, had CS when she did not dilate beyond 9cm. Felt happy with her care and recovered well but disliked need for support after the operation. Keen to have vaginal birth with 2nd child. Went two weeks overdue, then delivered very quickly after being induced.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 09 >> She thinks giving women balanced information about all possible risks might conflict with giving them reassurance and encouragement about their birth

Pregnant with twins, had CS when she did not dilate beyond 9cm. Felt happy with her care and recovered well but disliked need for support after the operation. Keen to have vaginal birth with 2nd child. Went two weeks overdue, then delivered very quickly after being induced.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 23 >> She thinks midwives don't encourage discussion about complications because they don't want to worry women. It is useful to have a decision aid that pr

Had lengthy labour with 1st child after being induced, taken for emergency CS after baby's heart beat dropped. Explored options early in 2nd pregnancy, decided on VBAC. 2nd child born after 10 hours, painful labour but great sense of achievement.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 23 >> She thinks TV programmes will often give you a more personal perspective but might not be as informative because they talk about what happened to just

Had lengthy labour with 1st child after being induced, taken for emergency CS after baby's heart beat dropped. Explored options early in 2nd pregnancy, decided on VBAC. 2nd child born after 10 hours, painful labour but great sense of achievement.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 40 and over >> Interview 05 >> Her previous birth was so traumatic that she feels very anxious about vaginal delivery. She thinks a repeat caesarean is safer for the baby and will p

Had a very traumatic 1st birth, long labour, CS was offered only after baby went into distress. Felt excluded from decisions and treated unsympathetically. Felt pushed into VBAC with 2nd birth. Chose to go private instead and had planned CS.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 27 >> She had not been aware that she could choose to have a caesarean instead of a trial of labour. Using a decision aid gave her more balanced information

1st child was breech, had planned caesarean. Struggled to breastfeed and felt low for long after. Wanted planned CS with 2nd child, but felt pushed into VBAC by clinicians. Went into labour early and had emergency CS at 38 weeks, found experience worse than previous.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 36-39 >> Interview 12 >> Her midwife was very supportive of her decision to attempt vaginal birth even though her consultant advised her against VBAC. Played by an actor.

Keen on vaginal birth with 1st child, felt she lost control at hospital, had various interventions and emergency CS. Decided to have VBAC with 2nd child against consultant's advice, but supported by doula and midwife. Very pleased with unassisted birth.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 36-39 >> Interview 12 >> She had considered a home birth, but her husband wanted her to have the baby in hospital, because he was concerned about the risk. Played by an actor.

Keen on vaginal birth with 1st child, felt she lost control at hospital, had various interventions and emergency CS. Decided to have VBAC with 2nd child against consultant's advice, but supported by doula and midwife. Very pleased with unassisted birth.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 27 >> Health professionals should inform women that there is a decision to be made and provide them with the necessary information.

1st child was breech, had planned caesarean. Struggled to breastfeed and felt low for long after. Wanted planned CS with 2nd child, but felt pushed into VBAC by clinicians. Went into labour early and had emergency CS at 38 weeks, found experience worse than previous.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 30 and under >> Interview 23 >> She thinks it's important to be confronted with the facts, even if they can be scary.

Had lengthy labour with 1st child after being induced, taken for emergency CS after baby's heart beat dropped. Explored options early in 2nd pregnancy, decided on VBAC. 2nd child born after 10 hours, painful labour but great sense of achievement.

• Pregnancy & children >> Making decisions about birth after caesarean >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 09 >> She understands that health professionals have to inform women about all the risks but thinks they could do more to encourage women that VBAC is possi

Pregnant with twins, had CS when she did not dilate beyond 9cm. Felt happy with her care and recovered well but disliked need for support after the operation. Keen to have vaginal birth with 2nd child. Went two weeks overdue, then delivered very quickly after being induced.