How was your ELCS?

[booklover164]

I have had two emcs and I'm due early next year. Consultants are happy to support me to have a vbac but I'm not sure.

I've always wanted a vaginal birth and the c sections had a detrimental effect on my mental health and confidence. However, I am aware that the risks are greater third time round and wonder if the nature of an elective might change my perceptions this time round.

Any thoughts would be gratefully received. Thank you.

I’ve had 3 electives. All my births, so I don’t know anything else.

They were all very relaxed. The last one, one of the staff was sat in a corner with a magazine until she was needed!

They were straightforward, I was chatting away with the staff. I was “alone” for my last one, as dh was at home with the other two, and that was fine as well, I had a midwife sat at my head with my phone at the ready to take pictures and she was telling me exactly what was going on.

Theres such a difference from an emergency section.

Amazing.

Genuinely.

I’d been in for five days with failed induction by that point and knew that the one thing I DIDN’T want was a crash section, which seemed likely if I’d pushed on.

It was calm and relaxed (despite being literally as everywhere was closing for unknown of covid) and my baby was breastfeeding on top of me as we were wheeled out.

Everyone on these threads always says their elcs was lovely, calm, etc.

mine wasn’t. The emcs was far better in fact as although it was a panic it was quick, and the recovery was far easier. All it takes is a wound infection and it can leave you struggling for months.

bottom line is a straightforward VBAC will be better than a complicated ELCS, and vice versa, and you don’t know which you’ll have.

have you seen a VBAC nurse/been to VBAC clinic? They will talk things through, your reasons for EmCs, the chances of a straightforward VBAC, for your particular circumstance.

people here can tell you how wonderful elcs is, it’s still major surgery with the associated risks.

talk to your HCP’s.

Also amazing! So calm, no pain or panic, and DD born about 90 mins after we got to hospital. Recovery was fine too - a week of taking it really easy, then a few more weeks of being careful.

Friends who had a really straightforward vaginal birth had easier recoveries, but most people I know had some sort of complication and my recovery was easier than theirs.

Im pregnant again and will 100% be having another section. Lovely experience.

I had a calm and exciting experience, like packing to go on holiday and travelling to the airport. Recovery was quick too.

I wish I could say mine was lovely and calm but it wasn’t. It was shit and I hated it. Had a crap vaginal birth first time round too so figure I’m just not very good at giving birth!

My EMCS was fine, very relaxed.

My ELCS had a few complications due to her position - they struggled to get her out so she needed the first stage of resuscitation and I had a bleed. The staff were very calming, joking with me about being awkward and very reassuring throughout. Once into recovery it was no different to my first.

Both entirely positive experiences, and I have zero regrets that I haven't had a natural birth. I have a few friends who had hairy experiences.