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?

As someone who had a c section 8 days ago after a failed induction I’d say it’s definitely not a painless recovery. The experience itself was painless but I’ve found the recovery very difficult particularly the first few days where I could barely move. I’m very fortunate my husband has been so hands on and I’ve felt like it’s only the last few days I’ve been able to start being a mum to my new born.

Next baby I’d opt for a vaginal birth unless they advise induction again in which case I would do c section as my induction experience was very long and tiring.

I had a section and the baby went straight into my arms and latched on straight away. It was an amazing experience and I’m sorry you didn’t get to experience that. To be honest I don’t think any north goes exactly to plan, someone will always miss out on some experience. It’s such a tiny part of the baby’s life and I think sometimes we give it too much importance.

There's some evidence for this yes.

The U.K. sits about 1/2 way down the table of European C section rates. At the top are mostly Eastern European countries, where I believe medicine is much more patriarchal and “ doctor knows best” ( I worked in a hospital in Romania for a few months). At the bottom are the Scandinavian countries and France. Speaking personally, the pain of my 1st vaginal delivery was shattering. The second was more manageable. I would do it again though as I’m wary of overmedicalising birth, and I think my kids may have had some advantage from a VB ( not to put too fine a point on it, a dose of maternal poo in the face has been shown to help populate the infant micro biome with beneficial bacteria). My pain threshold has definitely gone up since giving birth and yes I am proud I managed it. Obviously if the babies had been at risk I’d have agreed to a C section in a heartbeat.

Obviously not everyone can deliver vaginally and mother and baby safety must come first but there is increasing evidence as to the key role the transfer of microbiomes from mother to baby in vaginal delivery has in lots of lifelong health conditions. This doesn’t happen with a caesarean. Just one quote from one article in the screenshot attached amongst from lots of academic research on this. One example of research on mother - baby transfer of Microbiome

I had a vaginal birth for both and if it goes to plan, the recovery for me was very fast (especially for the second). First was not as simple - induced, epidural, stayed in pjs for days shocked at the whole thing etc. Second we were out for a walk (short walk i’ll add!) as a family on the second day back. I understood what a textbook birth really was.

C section is major surgery with Mums expected to care for a baby straight away! I’ve known Mums unable to pick up the baby for days, people having problens with the scar, can’t drive if you have older kids and limited or no support network. You would not be expected to look after a newborn and their siblings after any other major surgery.

So I suppose the ideal would be a vaginal birth but nothing ever really goes to plan and all that matters is a healthy baby and Mum.

^This is exactly how I feel about my vaginal birth. It is the most empowered I have ever felt; I genuinely look back at it as the best day of my life. I will forever be amazed at what a woman's body can do. But as pp has said, I wouldn't say this to others as I had a very straightforward delivery (very quick, only needed gas and air during the final pushes, no tears, no complications).

I know this is not the case for everyone, just as every C-section recovery is not as straightforward as you described.

I would absolutely choose to have another vaginal delivery, a C-section wouldn't even cross my mind unless medically necessary. But I think it's great women get to choose what they feel is best for them.

@Notellinganyone I had no idea and now I’m kicking myself!

I think it depends who you’ve met and what you’ve read in the run up to the birth. I was really scared of having a caesarean and keen to have a vaginal birth, because:

… My friend had a caesarean and wasn’t able to pick up her baby for the first couple of weeks.

…You have to pick a date in advance which by definition means the baby is forced out before it is ready. To me that seemed selfish. In vaginal birth it’s the baby that triggers the birth process when it’s ready.

…A lady at my local hospital died suddenly during a caesarean because the surgeon fucked up and it was in all the local papers, I didn’t fancy lying down for that surgeon.

…I met a few local women who had caesareans who subsequently had no feeling in their stomach area.

…I think it’s naive to take medication or have surgery and get all those chemicals and internal scar tissue sticking to your organs etc unless you absolutely have to. Internal scar tissue can be very painful and near impossible to fix.

…Vaginal birth gives the baby a load of micro flora or whatever the bacteria in the vagina is called and it’s supposed to be great for the baby’s immune system.

My baby was born fine without any drugs or intervention. But, I had a third degree tear that was very nearly fourth degree and now have stress incontinence - which, as I’ve had a cough for the last 7 weeks, is a real problem, I’m having to wear tena pads :( and feel lucky the surgeon at least sewed my anal passage back together properly. I do wonder if a C-section would have left me in a better state. Or perhaps I’d have got the dud surgeon and be dead. It’s all a roll of the dice eh.

😂🤷‍♀️

I had emergency abdominal surgery when I was 20 and the pain and recovery afterwards was horrific so it absolutely put me off ever having a c-section.

I had a VB as I wanted to and made it clear to DH and midwives that a c-section was only in an emergency. Women are designed to give birth vaginally so for me a c-section was only if something went wrong.

I absolutely do not judge other women for what they choose.

It’s not necessarily true that a VB carries less risk, some evidence this is not the case and the for first time low risk mothers, sections might be slightly safer.

also depends what “risk” you mean.

This always gets trotted out in the vaginal vs c sec debate. Yes, it is where they’re ‘supposed’ to come out of but mortality rates were also much higher for women and babies when this was the only option. These attitudes are inherently misogynistic and depressingly reflective of the way society views woman’s health.

I really wanted a vaginal birth with the twins and was on track until 34 weeks. Twin 2 (DD) was breech but Dr still considered vaginal birth possible but I developed pre-eclampsia and my blood pressure refused to be consistently controlled and he then stated that in his medical opinion a vaginal birth was no longer safe. I was admitted and booked for an elective. I went into labour a few days before my planned section so technically had an emergency.

I was up and about quite quickly but I would have still rather have had a vaginal birth because I was told not to lift anything heavier than the babies so I couldn't carry them in their car seats, double buggy was heavy so was told no pushing that for the first 10 days (nor the hoover but wasn't really upset about that!), couldn't drive and developed a slight infection but was enough for my GP not to clear me for driving until I was 6 weeks post birth which was really isolating as I couldn't use a bus with a twin pram and struggled to push it up the massive hill to the bus stop anyway.

So for me the section and the subsequent restrictions on movement and driving were an inconvenience and meant that I was more isolated for the first 6 weeks had I not had surgery.

I've had 2 children via natural delivery, and I'm pregnant with baby number 3, and I'm PRAYING for a vaginally birth again! In the UK, they won't offer a C Section unless it is medically necessary anyway.

A C Section is major abdominal surgery, and as with all surgery, it comes with risks. Plus, you are not allowed to drive for at least 4 weeks, which would really cause difficulty for me. Not to mention having to put your feet up more and not do too much around the house, I.e., heavy lifting etc.

Then there's the scar on your body. So why do it if you don't need to? Our bodies are amazing and we are designed to give birth, that's why we have wide hips and our babies skulls are flexible at birth 😆

Considering you wanted impartial opinions you are VERY defensive of your choice to have a C Section....

I had to have a c section as baby was 2 weeks overdue and was placed in such a way that I couldn't get an induction.

The section itself was fine if a little scary. Dh wouldn't come to the operating room with me. My mother also refused. I felt vey weak after the section.

I needed nurses to get me out of bed for a day or so. I had desperate wound pain and had to take suppositories. I coul only take a certain amount, so coming up to a dose I was in agony.

Came home after 5 days, could walk badly, couldnt pick anything off the floor, couldnt lift pots to cook dinner. This was for 2 weeks.

Wound started bleeding as there was haemotoma. Had to bathe wound twice a day for 6 weeks.

I did not choose a c section.

Are you based in the UK OP? I only ask because here in the UK our NHS is on its knees. A c section costs significantly more in staff time and money than a vaginal birth. So mothers are actively discouraged from having a c section for this reason and they are told that vaginal birth is the thing to go for because it’s natural and much healthier and makes breast feeding more likely blah blah.

I very nearly lost my first baby who I’d waited years for and ended up having to have IVF to conceive due to medical negligence and had to have an emergency C section. I came very close to losing him. As a result when I managed to get pregnant with my second baby I was adamant I wanted a planned c section because I was so scared of something going wrong again.

It was a completely different experience and I have no regrets but I was made to meet with a doctor who did their best to talk me out of it. I don’t care what anyone says I know damn well it’s because vaginal birth is a lot cheaper but I was left traumatised last time I gave birth and wanted it to be as controlled as possible.

Um... you asked for no judgement and then say it really doesnt matter how a baby is born but then in the next breath you say you simply cant understand why more women didnt choose the exact same delivery as you did.

LOL ok.

This. The only time I've heard of c sections used (in my friend/family group anyway) was because the baby was in trouble and it was a necessary decision at the last minute. Not being able to drive, lift things (including baby), hug my kids etc. during recovery are not things I'd choose unless the doctors advised it.

I'd never had as much as a filling so opting for a c section would have been something I wouldn't have contemplated.
I really valued my privacy at the time and didn't want a hospital stay. I wanted as much autonomy and control as possible. I didn't want to have to recover from anaesthetic. The thought of having a needle in my spine made me feel panicky. I had no way of knowing whether I would recover easily from a C-section. There seem to be far more unknowns with c sect than vaginal birth.

My first birth was a bit stressful but I made sure I was at home and better supported for my second and third births. Third birth was a very gentle labour and the only bit that was painful was the last 8 minutes..

Fwiw a lot of people are saying c sections aren’t offered in the UK unless it’s medically necessary - that’s not true. They might make it seem like that to encourage a certain outcome but the law leaves the choice open to the mother.

Anecdote, but I’m also currently pregnant myself and have been asked which choice id prefer, all options are open to me, and freely available on the NHS.

IMO you have been too quick to defend C Sections over vaginal births, you are most definitely not impartial. As you will see from the thread, many many women advocate for natural births, so I think YOU need to be a little open minded here! Just because you had a good experience it is not the case for everyone (as is evident in the comments)

So you had an elective C-section “for reasons you won’t go into” but expect everyone else to give details as to why they chose a different option?

I forgot to say my scar opened on day 2 or 3 and there was blood everywhere, my husband got booted off the ward as he'd made me laugh and that seemed to cause the problem. It was a horrible experience.

I couldn't lift my baby for days as a dodgy scar and a 10lb baby are a bad combination.

Vaginal birth because I had absolutely no reason whatsoever to suppose an elective caesarean would be better. Why would you want to consider it if you were young, fit, healthy, had no family history of traumatic births, conceived easily, never had a miscarriage, had no issues during pregnancy, no risk factors to consider other than the fact childbirth is never risk free? Why would I want to add abdominal surgery and guaranteed scar tissue into the mix? I would want a reason to opt for surgery and in my case can’t think of any reason whatsoever why I would want to consider it.