Why vaginal birth?

[SantaSusan]

Inspired by another thread. I'm really interested to understand the reasons for most women opting for a vaginal birth.

Disclaimer: I really, really want this thread to be a nice discussion to share views. I'd hate for this to descend into a judgy or unkind thread! Obviously, however anyone chooses to give birth is their choice alone. And as long as your precious little bundle arrives safely at the end, then who cares how they got there!?

I ended up with an elective. I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd have anything but a vaginal birth. However, for reasons I won't go into, it was decided during my pregnancy that a c section would probably be the best option for me. Everyone I spoke to absolutely loved their c section experience, and 99% of the comments online were so positive, so I wasn't worried about it at all once it was decided upon.

I had absolutely no pain during my c section or during recovery. I breastfed right away. I was up and about pretty much immediately. This seems to be the experience of most women who've had elcs. I would have an elective section again and again. If I'm lucky enough to have another baby, it'll be another section.

As such, I often wonder why more women don't choose to have their babies this way. It's so common in other countries. I think there's a lot of misinformation around c sections. The risks are also lumped in with those of emergency c sections, so electives are often painted to be riskler than they actually are.

You often hear people saying it's major abdominal surgery' in quite a judgemental way, which of course it is. But as far as surgical procedures go, it's generally very straightforward and in most cases, is easy to recover from.

I also repeatedly hear that vaginal is best as it's the most natural. But just because something is the 'natural' way to do something, doesn't necessarily mean it's the best. There's lots of things we do now with technology and with medicine that isn't the 'natural' way, and nobody bats an eyelid.

I can't quite put my finger on why I was so opposed to c sections previously. It's like it was subconsciously ingrained in me for no reason other than popular rhetoric. Which is why I'd be interested to hear why others decided a vaginal birth was best for them? Or why others knew they wanted an elcs? Has your subsequent birthing experience changed your minds at all?

I had a VB because I wanted as little intervention as possible and wanted to give birth at home. I was able to move around during the birth, have my comfortable bed and privacy and drive to the shop the next day. Thankfully, it went to plan.

To add I wouldn't want a c section. Always wanted to experience the natural way and glad I experienced it with no pain meds.

Congratulations! @ActDottie

Statistically your baby is more likely to be separated from you after a csection and you are less likely to be fully mobile. I also felt like ActDottie, my DS spent his early life in the Dr's care instead of mine, then my DH's care when he was discharged because I was very poorly myself. It took weeks to feel like a mother.

It's great that you didn't experience either of these things. It's your body, your choice, but in an uncomplicated pregnancy it is safer to deliver vaginally, you can't pretend otherwise.

Oh I've thought of another key reason I wouldn't want a section- I wanted optimal cord clamping, waiting until the cord turned white before cutting it. I also kept my placenta post third birth and 'planted' it in the garden afterwards! Gave it back to Mothet Earth.

I had a vaginal birth first time round because the birth was really straightforward and I trusted my body to do the right thing, which it did.

The second time, I had a breech baby, but the hospital doctor told me that it was safer, statistically, to have the baby manually turned than to have a caesarean. So I followed that advice.

In fact, I didn't feel right after the manual intervention, had a weirdly long labour (days, compared to hours the first time) and DS2 was born with the cord wrapped round his tummy and neck. So, although everything turned out fine, I'm not convinced I had the right advice.

It's just where a baby would come out without any intervention.

Good for you. That means that you preserved your pelvic floor. Mine is in tatters. Given the option I would have chosen a C section but as I was fit and healthy my offspring wrecked my chassis. Hey ho, you live and learn

Vaginal delivery is better for the baby, if possible.

For me the very best option is a vaginal delivery with an epidural. I can't fathom why women are guilted into the pain of childbirth in 2024. I understand that many women want to experience childbirth in its entirety and love it (my mum claims all EIGHT of hers were magical!), but I've had so many friends feel pressured that they need to do it all naturally. Hypnobirthing, water birth, etc. Works well for some, but half the women I know ended up screaming for an epidural half way through anyway.

I have a theory that we would approach things differently if men gave birth.

I had three vaginal births because it's the way nature intended and what my pregnant body was designed to do. It simply wouldn't have occurred to me do entertain the idea of surgical intervention unless is was medically necessary. I was also very keen to experience that primal experience of pushing a child out. There's nothing like it, I felt invincible! For me, the birthing experience was incredibly significant on an emotional level. I can't imagine that having a child surgically extracted from me would have been comparable (still wonderful, of course, but not the same.)

I have to say for me the births of both my babies were quick, easy, and really not that painful. I know other women who have had terrible experiences with vaginal births involving lengthy labours and excruciating pain, plus tearing and long recoveries. I equally have multiple friends for whom CS recovery was excruciating and they couldnt care for their babies following the op for a few days or weeks. The fact is everyone's bodies are different and their experiences are therefore different.

I'm of a family of women who have good childbearing hips and generally positive birth experiences so would never have wanted a CS as I did trust my body to do its job and know the medical literature shows that babies born via vaginal deliveries are generally better off e.g. stronger immune systems from the exposure to the flora of the birth canal. That said if I was a small woman with a narrow pelvis and large husband I'd definitely consider an elcs - all but one of my friends in this position have had a c or even t section. I think you just have to decide with your doctor/midwife what's right for you and your baby.

I'm sad for you PP that your choice was driven by anxiety but glad you had a great experience in the end.

I had four positive home births that would never have been an option with a C Section. I can honestly say they were extremely empowering experiences for me and I was so proud of how my body just kind of took charge. Being at home I could relax with each baby immediately. I also breast fed each from the start.

I know many women don't have such positive experiences but for me an elective c section would have handed the situation to medical staff and I would have missed out on something very primal. Obviously if at any point there looked to be a problem I'd have taken the appropriate advice.

I’ve had one of each and my vagina birth felt more ‘complete’ in that the experience felt like it had a beginning, a middle and an end. It felt more real and easy to understand.

But I bonded with my c section baby more quickly, which I’d expected to be the other way round.

Also, I don't know if anyone else felt this way but I didn't want a man delivering my children unless necessary. I found my VBs so empowering, I was a 'gender' confused teen but pregnancy and birth made me so proud to be female. Luckily my surgical team were all female but I wouldn't be happy to have a room full of men deliver my child if I could deliver them myself.

I really didn’t want a CS and I was lucky to have three VB’s. I was very fortunate, I didn’t need pain relief for any of them and had wonderful straight forward births that were just three hours long. I don’t know why but each time I had no pain until I was 7 cms dialated. I could feel the contractions but they didn’t hurt at all. By the third birth the whole birth was pretty much pain free, I remember having the hospital radio on and listening to the music just before I was ready to push. Three pushes later my DC was born.

I chose electives for mine. I wanted to avoid the long-term complications that are very common with vaginal births. I don't think any of my friends had uncomplicated vaginal births. The stories are horrific and some still suffer 15 years later, yet everyone just shrugs and says "Oh well, these things happen" as if that's just how it goes when you're a woman. No, thank you. I wanted better than that for myself. I couldn't care less about what is "natural" and what isn't. I have no regrets.

I had a vaginal birth despite the fact I knew he was going to be big (and he was biggish at 9lb 7!) because I had 6 cycles of IVF to get him, with immune therapy and all the countless tests that come with it and so the idea of then having more surgery and being tampered with more than I already had been repulsed me. I wanted one thing, in relation to pregnancy and birth, that was entirely natural! Of course, if I had needed one then that would have been fine, but in my mind the I deserved the gods to give me that one thing!

Unless I or my baby were in danger I would go for a VB because:

I'd rather not have weeks and weeks off driving (I have other kids to take to clubs, shopping to get, a mum to visit, church to attend, etc and don't fancy being dependent on someone else).
I HATE being looked after. I don't want someone else doing all the lifting and carrying while I have my arse glued to the sofa.
It would be painful
I don't fancy a shelf stomach or a massive scar

All this unless it is absolutely vital. If it is, no problem with having one.

Also you mention in your OP that lots of other countries have much higher c section rates- they also have higher infant/maternal mortality rates e.g. the US.

I think there are lightyears between elective and emergency caesareans. Most elective, I think, are fairly positive experienced. Did I read somewhere that most female doctors would choose an EC?
(both of mine were vaginal but I probably should have had an EC with my 2nd).

C sections can put the baby at risk of chest infection due to vaginal canal squeezing mucus out of lungs. My poor niece was on IV antibiotics for this reason!

Also there were studies about the bacteria babies get whilst coming out the vagina helping their digestive system but can't remember the info about that...

I enjoyed my vaginal births but would have been fine with c section though

NICE disagree with you about attempted VB being safer on a population level.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng192/chapter/Recommendations#benefits-and-risks-of-caesarean-and-vaginal-birth

Rather, there are risks and benefits to both choices and it will depend on the woman's own views about which set of risks are more acceptable.

Babies are supposed to be born vaginally, that's how the body works. Look into gut flora etc.
I've had both and much preferred vb.

If safe to do so a vaginal delivery is better for babies due to the vaginal microbiome- long term health benefits.
plus recovery is quicker for mum and you can drive.

This. Summed it up for me too. DD2 was a planned home birth and it was amazing. At a population level- not individual anecdotes, positive as they can be thankfully - mothers recover faster from a straightforward vaginal birth. Obviously many vaginal births are difficult and some are traumatic.
I'm interested to see where the microbiome research goes over the next few years too.

It sounds really preachy and I don’t mean it to be at all, but I didn’t need a C Section for any reason, and I don’t think the NHS has the resources for people like me to have one. I’d much rather my “space” went to someone who needed one, or had a very strong preference. I’m not sure if that logic even works but in my pregnant brain it did!
Also, for reasons I can’t put my finger on, the thought of surgery terrified me in a way giving birth didn’t.