Hi, sorry for the late reply. I haven't been on here for a long time.

I was born with L-CDH in 1965. Like you, I only had the surgery to fix my hernia.

I am 5 feet 2 and when I got pregnant in 1994, my belly got big fast! When I was about 4 months pregnant someone asked me:"How long before you have to give birth?" That says enough, I think.

My body had a hard time being pregnant. My liver was unable to process both my "waste" and that of the foetus. Because of this I developed 2 skin conditions, after the first trimester. They itched like crazy, 24/7. I wish my family doctor had referred me to a dermatologist, perhaps they would have prescribed me medication more suited to my situation. The ones I did get helped marginally.

I had the same care as a non-CDH mom. I was one of the first women with CDH in The Netherlands to get pregnant, much less was known about risks it may involve. I would definitely advise to get more help from an obstetrician, just in case.

My placenta was placed in front of the birth canal, and it was blocked because of it. This was why I had to deliver trough a C-section. it has nothing to do with CDH whatsoever. It is a chance thing, because of where the placenta attaches itself.
I would say that acid reflux was a mild issue from about halfway through my pregnancy.

Our son was born healthy, which was a huge relief. In those days, there was no 20-week ultrasound, so it was pretty much a guessing game until he was born.

I know from other moms with CDH, that some were able to deliver the natural way. One had a surgical team on standby, just in case (she had bilateral CDH). She had 2 children and the surgical team was not needed in both cases.
I also know that other mothers were advised to deliver through C-section, because delivering the natural way might put too much of a strain on their diaphragm.

I would definitely advise delivering in the hospital. No one will be able to predict how your diaphragm will do when you deliver the natural way. Good luck!