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?

While tears must be unlikely with a c-sec, pelvic floor issues and prolapses can be caused by pregnancy and menopause.

I didn't fancy being cut open to deliver a baby. I also refused an epidural because the idea of having a needle in my back.

Apart from DS1 when I collapsed after delivery and went into a short coma they were both easy but DD had to be threatened with a c section before she put a move on.

Given that both my births were extremely quick and easy (apparently due to the nature of my cervix), vaginal was a no brainer. Recovery was very short too. I loved both experiences of my births, the pain has been long forgotten.

But that's me. Surely, women are going to elect for whatever they are most comfortable and confident with. In my family, only a handful of women have given birth via C-section. It wasn't even on my radar as an option. I'm sure it would have been if there were risks involved, as I know I'd have done whatever I needed to do to deliver my child safely, balanced against the risks to myself.

When I worked as a district nurse I was often having to deal with infected C section incisions so that put me off having a C section, tbh.

@Lesina

i don’t think that will factor into too many women’s decision making tbh- thinking what else the surgeon could be doing 🙄

While vaginal births absolutely come with risks of complications that can be lasting, on average, the pain and distress with them is mostly pre delivery and the birth is a huge relief from the pain of labour, whereas you go into an elective C section right as rain and get the pain and physical limitations afterwards. You had a tremendous recovery but a friend of mine really struggled lifting her newborn and feeding him. Her incision was very sore and finding feeding positions that didn’t hurt was tricky and involved pillows and different holds etc. She found the first weeks much harder as a result. Quite a high number of friends who had C sections had post-operative infections and wounds re opening, I suspect poor post-natal care in the UK is a contributory factor. Women seem to be expected to carry on as if they haven’t had abdominal surgery and postoperative care is poor, we must all just be grateful to be alive and have a healthy baby.

For the above reasons my personal preference was for a vaginal delivery but I think women who want to have a C section to avoid potential birth injuries or for other reasons should be supported in that choice with full information as to relative risks.

I also had really nice, natural vaginal births. Pushing my babies out made me feel so strong so after the first I knew I wanted vaginal births going forward. They were such amazing experiences, I'm really glad I got to have them.

All my friends who had a CS were still in hospital 2 days after baby was born! I stayed one night with my first (standard practice 16 years ago at my hospital) and was home 5 hours after birth with my second. It may be different now.

I know. I'll be having one myself.

My comment was regarding a pp 'wondering' how many elective c-sections would happen if the woman had to pay for it.

Clearly not everyone agrees that it should be available due to maternal choice.

That's exactly how I felt - so empowered!

I've looked after many women with big, infected incisions and who struggled to look after their baby. Aside of that I've seen friend's wounds and had to help often in the early days as they struggled.

It's funny just how different people feel too with similar experiences.

I had a vaginal birth with DS, it wasn't a bad experience at all but I didn't feel strong or empowered. It was just a means to an end, like going to the dentist but with a nice outcome at the end of it in my son being born.

Does anyone know how much it would cost to have a c section private in the uk?

This is a really hard thread to read as someone who would have loved an easy (or even average) vaginal birth but who will most likely have to have a c section or a not straightforward vaginal birth.

I too, would have liked
To feel empowered
To use my yogic breathing
To dose my baby with microbiome
For my partner to be able to tell everyone how amazing I was
To be able to walk round the block with my baby
To be able to feed my baby optimally for him/her without worrying about pressure on my scar.

But it's not possible for everyone.

^^ what I mean is that noone can predict or guarantee a straightforward vaginal birth. If they could, it would be a much easier decision!

@botleybump

There are scientific benefits to a vaginal birth. The baby collects an entire gut bacteria profile from the vaginal canal.

I was told this was a good advantage too.

Mind you the pain of childbirth redefines pain in a way that is horrendous. A third child wasn't going to be on the cards but even if it had been, VB would have meant a big NO.

The post-birth long term damage is bloody awful too and mine is only at a low level.

I always find attitudes to women having birth choices pretty disturbing. Mumsnet isn’t TOO bad for it but go on any other social platform or media outlet and you see such outrage and venom for maternal request cesareans, for birth plans, for women having the option of home birth etc. People get that angry at the idea that women should have a say in what happens to their own body. It’s just downright sinister.

@Whataretheodds

Please don't worry - I still love my children, I breastfed and my husband still thinks I am amazing. And with some decent core physio, I am fine. I may even have a tummy tuck to get rid of the shelf.

Most importantly, my babies are healthy and happy. I haven't damaged them. This thread is a hard read for those of us who have less than ideal circumstances though! We are apparently biologically abnormal and failing in our primal duty, despite being the types of ladies who would have died in the years before medical advances.

@ChatBFP thank you. Jeez I hadn't even got to the shelf.

Indeed it is a "double or quits" situation. Do you " bank" the known risks of an ELCS or gamble on the chance of an uncomplicated VB ? It's a personal decision.

@Whataretheodds I know exactly what you mean. I remember before my first was born wondering what the point of a birth plan was at all when I had so little control over what would happen. For me, personally - I accept this is different for everyone - no birth was ever going to be empowering, because ultimately I had so little choice in what happened: it was entirely down to luck.

Well other than the “mircobiome”
Issue, you CAN have all those things. I’ve had 4 c sections and have always fed my babies in a good position, been walking within 6 hours and going on long walks within 3 days, and my DH defo told me I was amazing! You can do some yoga breathing if you like that type of thing at baby yoga after your LO is born .
oh - re: the micro biome thing, I’ve breastfed all my children till past age 2 and their immunity is honestly fantastic. Missing out on my vagina didn’t in any way hinder their immunity!

You had absolutely no pain after your c section?? I was in absolute agony for a week after both of mine. The pain was horrendous. I think that you have an overly rosy view. I think that you're 99% statistic is very much in your mind.

re what is happening in other countries, came across this by chance after reading some of this thread, apologies if it was already posted:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/16/puerto-rico-cesarean-sections-health-crisis

I had a straightforward vaginal birth. No issues since (no peeing when sneezing, etc). Whereas a colleague who had her baby the same year as mine complains that she does have the above issue. She said it feels like it's all about to fall out. I was really ignorantly thinking that pelvic floor issues are caused by the pushing a baby out!

Edit - forgot the relevant information that said colleague had a c-section!