Advice pls

[WiMoChi]

I had a terribly traumatic and hard time delivering my first child.

Now I'm terrified to give birth again.

The options team urged for a C Section but I've declined as I'd like to get home ASAP. Good idea? How long are you in for after a section?

Talk to me about second labours too please, tell me about the ones that are shorter :) 😂

[Junosmum]

My friends who have had planned sections have been in for between 24hrs and 3 days. The longer stats have been due to jaundiced babies though, which can happen with any birth.

[BaskingTrout]

I was in for 6 days after an EMCS, but I could have gone after 5 days. I would assume it would be more like 2 or 3 days after a planned section assuming all was well. Assuming you have a small child already, you may well get more rest in hospital than you would at home.

I think the (very) general experience is that consultants and midwives tend to favour vaginal births over ELCS, so if they have urged you to have an ELCS, then maybe they think that there are very good reasons why you should? Obviously it depends on what they have said to you, but if they have given you strong medical reasons why they think an ELCS would be better, then I would give strong consideration.

Did you actually have a section first time round?

[WiMoChi]

No a vaginal birth first time. It was very long and epidural didn't work and had to do several feral blood sampling which was frankly AWFUL. I hated it. I felt violated, out of control the lot. I know why they had to do it all and why it all happened and can rationalise it....

Apart from 19 minutes pushing which I loved it was horrid.

Then afterwards I had nothing but problems down there. There's no medical reason for me to have a CS. Just my own fears and anxieties. She was surprised that I didn't want a CS...

There's no reassurance that what happened last time won't happen again though is there. That's what panics me 🙄