C section as elective… wrong choice?

[Dreamsi]

I’ve been put in for it but was told ‘it’s not necessary and to think about it.’ This has made me second guess myself. My circumstances are that I live an hour from hospital, I have no support for the birth and I am very emotionally fragile. I do have some support at home, cleaning, cooking etc. I felt more comfortable with a c section even though it still terrifies me. I’m really low and now confused after this comment. If anyone has elected this was it right for you?

My C-section wasn't elective - complications with pregnancy meant I couldn't have a vaginal delivery for DC3 after vaginal births for DC1 and 2, but it wasn't an emergency as planned a couple of days before. It was a very calm experience, and great to have a definite due date!
I was in hospital with pregnancy complications and nothing to do but Google possible complications of C-section and ended up an anxious mess, I worried that I was somehow disadvantaging DC3 and it was going to be a disaster. Excellent registrar kindly took the time to sit me down and assured me that although risks of some complications were higher for C-section s, other complications were higher risk for vaginal birth, that many of the risks in statistics come from emergency C-section s because they are emergency surgery performed when there are already issues, and said if given the choice on balance she would happily opt for a C-section.
She was quite right, all fine and there's no way you can tell which of my DC has which sort of birth!
Wishing you all the best with your birth and baby

Hi OP there are pros and cons.
Pros - safer for baby and you know when it happens and can plan accordingly. As other PP have said theirs was calm. Mine was not but maybe my circumstances were unusual.

Cons - It's major surgery so you do need to think about how you will be afterwards. Will you have anyone to help with the baby as you can be unable to pick things up, ie a baby, for quite a while. When you leave hospital you will need to have your baby in a car seat to show the nurses and are unlikely to be able to carry this yourself.

Recovery from vaginal birth is much quicker. I found the pain post C-section horrendous, I've never been in pain such as that, but I wasn't given any morphine.

Would a home birth not be an option for you? If you're worried about getting to the hospital in time by yourself.

I've had two wonderful vaginal births and despite a third degree tear with the first I have no long term affects.

It is possible to have a positive vaginal birth just like it's possible to have a positive c section.

Birth has so many unknowns however you do it. None of us can tell you what to do as we aren't you and it's not our bodies.

I had an emergency c section and I’m going for elective next time (even though not necessary)

I found the labour terrible and we had a lot of complications a bad ended up quite the emergency in the end - and I wish so much I knew to ask for a c section hours before !!

I really thought mine was great even though it was an emergency - I recovered quickly and have zero guilt or regret

• I would think an elective would be a much better experience

good luck x

ELCS last year.

Great experience from start to finish.

Congratulations and good luck OP.
Be organised beforehand though plenty of batch cooking etc!