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 have had 3 vaginal births and 1 emergency C-section and I 1000% preferred vaginal delivery. My section was horrific as was the recovery and days stuck in hospital. If I had another baby I’d hate to have another C-section

This is an interesting thread for me. I'm pregnant and have terrible chronic pelvic pain, some serious pelvic floor dysfunction and associated musculo-skeletal problems as a result (diagnosed, being treated by NHS). Think lots of soft tissue in my pelvis permanently tightened and shortened. I'm also a 40+ mum.

My mum is built like me and each of her (vaginal) births were appalling, painful and wounded her terribly. My sister has had vaginal births and has a prolapsed bladder and other problems.

I want a C section as I think the chances of me giving birth without sustaining terrible damage is pretty slim.

In an ideal world I'd have a vaginal birth actually, it's what I wanted, I'd love to experience it. But I think it will make my current health problems much worse and interfere with my ability to care for the baby.

I've had two vaginal births and as many pps have said it's because the only option for c section where I gave birth was if it was an emergency.
I was prepped for a c section with my second baby as his heart rate was dropping but luckily I delivered him shortly after. My experience is that a c section is a last resort but I wouldn't judge any woman who chose a c section 🤷🏻‍♀️

2 C Sections.

Honestly because I’ve always been terrified of vaginal birth and friends who did it made it worse by talking about their own horrible experiences and birth injuries.

I know it’s natural and our bodies are built to do it, but I’m always in awe of women who have a vaginal birth, because I don’t think I could do it!

I don’t get why some people care so much about others choice of birth.

We have evolved to be bipedal, our hips are too narrow now and that contributes to labour being extraordinarily painful.

I am very petite.

I wanted to know when and how my babies would be born.

I wanted predictability and no pain.

Just a few of the multitude of reasons I opted for two elective sections.

My births were utterly chilled and I had two excellent recoveries. Didn’t even consider a ‘natural’ labour.

I didn’t want to be cut open and stitched back up. I didn’t want to be unable to drive or lift my baby. I wanted the most natural option available.

Want to say again that it's so great to see so many women speaking positively about their birthing experiences. I've only really ever heard the negatives so it really is wonderful.

A few points have cropped up in different comments. Not sure if anyone will read my updates but just in case, here goes:

1. A few people have said I sound judgy and barbed in my comments. I'm actually cringing. Absolutely was not my intention and sorry if I've caused any upset! Clearly need to work on my written communication style 🤦

1. In my initial post I said I wouldn't go into why I elected for a c section, mostly because I didn't want to bore anyone! I did update later and gave some context! I can see how asking for others' insight but not providing my own experience can be annoying.

1. I'm by no means trying to push ELCS on anyone or insinuate it's in any way better than a vaginal birth. Again, I'm clearly not doing very well with getting my points across. I just had a really good experience and I'm struck by how many people believe cesareans are always completely debilitating (though I know they can be for some).

1. There have been some amazing posts on here about why someone might choose a C-section over a VB. They're written far better than any of my comments so I won't attempt to reiterate!

1. I'm so sad to hear all the stories where things didn't go to plan. I really hope those posters have managed to heal and are enjoying their babies 🩷

Mumsnet was amazing for me when I was struggling with recurrent miscarriage. I actually think the things I learned here are what allowed me to finally have a successful pregnancy and a safe birth. I've now realised I'm much too much of a sensitive soul to start my own threads 😂 those slightly sharp comments are hurting my wee sensitive soul. I even nipped at poor DH asking me about DC's bath as I was so caught up in this thread! I'm going to move away from this thread and from Mumsnet for a wee while. It's about time I stopped wasting the very few precious hours I get for sleep, on here instead!

I always wanted a vaginal, it felt like that's how your body is designed to do it sp it's the safer, better way. I needed a c section. It took me over 18 months to recover to the point of being able to wear normal clothing that so much as touched the six inches of my abdomen. Scan and everything. I was in sheer agony.

I'll be hoping for a vaginal again but bloody terrified of anything going wrong like last time. I was in so much pain before the c section and vomiting then the hellish recovery. I can't bear to go through that again.

I recently had bowel surgery with two major incisions. I've made a good recovery but it's been a very tiring and often uncomfortable process. My lost core strength has given me backache. I've managed but it's been difficult. I wouldn't want to deal with all this and breast feeding and sleepless nights and having a baby to lug around.

I never had a choice. It was never discussed as an option 12 and 10 years ago when I had my dc. I am in the UK and gave birth in hospital. I had a big dc as well, I had regular growth scans as he was estimated and was nearly 10lb, and a c section was never discussed.

@Thereislightattheendofthetunnel that is a myth - pregnancy alone is a heavy toll on the pelvic floor, not just the event of birth. It’s not true at all that having a c-section means you won’t have any pelvic floor issues.

There was a time you couldn't just decide you were having a c section and they were only given if needed has this now changed?

Some of the vaginal birth numbers will be due to some women still having the idea that if they don't have a vaginal birth, they are somehow a failure. It's very sad, but there are women like that. Society also thinks that it's somehow a woman's duty to suffer the pain and dangers of vaginal childbirth, because it's always been done innit? That comes from misogyny.

Also, the NHS still isn't honest with women about the risks and dangers of vaginal birth, whereas they seem to go into great detail when it comes to caesarians (the stats of which I think are still based on emergency c-sections, rather than elective ones. It makes a big difference).

Perhaps if they would be transparent about that, more would have an elective caesarian, which just wouldn't do when it comes to their targets. I was surprised when I found out how high the percentage is for faecal incontinence. I suspect a lot don't know what a uterine or vaginal prolapse even is, or how bad tears can get.

Are elective c sections an actual thing? My DC is 10 so I'm a bit out of the loop, but back then it was only if medically necessary or if you had a very strong reason not to have a vaginal birth, such as past trauma. You couldn't just 'select' a c section unless you were going private.

Regarding long recovery times, after my emergency section I was encouraged to be up on my feet within 6 hours. DC was in special care for a week, so I was constantly walking back and forth from my ward to his. Maybe I'm misremembering - or just very fortunate - but I really don't remember the recovery being all that bad or long term, just being a bit sore and achy for the first few days.

Easier recovery and benefits to baby’s microbiome and gut flora that I think we only are starting to be aware of.

I’m all for whichever method a woman feels is best for her/the baby

for me, I much prefer having a vaginal birth (I have two dc) both times I was lucky enough to need no intervention, just gas and air, and after dc2 I left hospital 5 hours later back to my own bed. Recovery was straightforward.

obviously if this wasn’t my experience I would happily have a c-section if that’s what was needed medically, but at the end of the day why have surgery if it’s not necessary?

Of course they are. Wanting one is a valid reason. And the cost differential is negligible.

The 'natural is best' argument is a bad one, and not one you would see ANY man make if they needed to do something like amputate his finger or extract a tooth, or any other painful procedure.

Women are not perfectly design to give birth. With all the best preparations, tragedies still happen because it's a risky and dangerous time. When we evolved to walk upright as a species, it came at a cost.

I had 2 elective c sections.
but just so you know, each c section increases risks to mum and baby for subsequent pregnancies in a wag vaginal birth doesn’t.
placenta can attach to the scar which could cause postpartum bleeding that cannot be stopped (sadly women still die from this, even in the UK and US). Then there is higher risk of uterine rupture, etc.
if I knew that befitting I probably would have done second birth as vaginal

I wanted to know what would happen. I didn’t fancy the unpredictability of vaginal birth. I wanted a date, a time, and to feel no pain. My recoveries were excellent. Up and at it within a couple of hours. Minimal lochea. No ongoing pain. I was very fit and active before and during pregnancy though, which I really believe was key in my very smooth recoveries. I was out shopping and at a restaurant on day 3. I got doted on by the staff for having such a tiny baby, which was a lovely experience.

C sections are expensive vs vaginal delivery. I had one of my children abroad under private medical insurances. My package covered normal delivery which was £2,000. If I had c section it would have cost me the difference between a normal delivery and a c section. A c section was £4,000. I guess the NHs can’t afford every birth to be a c section.
there are also I understand benefits to the baby from passing through the birthing canal, as they are covered in bacteria which is good for them. not an expert in this, one but remember watching a program about it once.
I had an epidural with my first baby, so obviously couldn’t move about afterwards. With my 2nd, there was no time for pain relief, but I was up and about shortly after, Which was nice. I guess the recovery time is longer with a c section.

For me it’s the science. There is suppose to be benefits to the baby to be born in a typical way rather than the sun roof.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5648605/

For me a normal vaginal delivery trumps a c section. But if it’s a rough vaginal delivery I would opt for an c section.

I have had both. Would definitely have either again however would try for vaginal birth.

i can’t explain it but when I pushed my second baby out it was the most euphoric feeling. I was just amazed I did it. Incredible feeling. Empowering maybe.

No regrets about a c section and would happily have one again if needs be. Obviously it’s amazing when your baby is handed to you but the feeling was different. Can’t explain. Maybe it was the fact it was an emergency, it was my first and everything was a bit overwhelming. Maybe it would be different if it was planned.