To ask for your planned caesarean & post-caesarean experiences?

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Posting here for traffic!

I'm considering a planned caesarean for my first child, despite feeling quite a bit of pressure to give birth naturally from friends and, well, most people actually . . . (except for my DH who is fantastic and would support me whichever route I choose).

But I have not made a cast-iron decision yet, because although I've read the official information on the advantages and disadvantages of a CS I don't know anybody in RL who did it this way - and I would really love to hear first-hand from those who have.

Please could you tell me your stories about your planned caesarean and how you found life after, if you don't mind sharing? I'm hoping you can counterbalance some of the horror stories I've been told!

Was it a positive experience (if planned - I understand that emergency sections will obviously be very different)?
Was it traumatic to not be able to hold your baby straight away?
Was it overwhelmingly difficult to look after the baby afterwards?
Do you think it caused any long-term difficulties for you (physically) in your day-to-day life - even years after the birth?

Yes of course vaginal births can have consequences I'm not saying that. Mine didn't however.

The risk is small yes, but when it happens the consequences are great.
And shouldn't be brushed under the carpet.
I am answering the ops question honestly. Did it have long term consequences, yes, it did.

Head that's fair enough but you phrased it as if it were just cesareans that had that risk.

The risk of that happening is greater with sections. And each section increases that risk further. Once you have had one section, you are more likely to have another.

Of course not everyone is interested in having a subsequent child.
One of the reasons for trying to get women to try for a VBAC and to lower the initial section rate was that the complications from multiple csections are greater.

Why does having a c-section make a subsequent baby more at risk of dying?

I had a planned c section - we did try an induction first, but nothing happened after 18 hours! - and it was a very easy and virtually pain free recovery. But you will need extra support for the first few days when you can't lift anything (I told DP I wasn't allowed to change a nappy. He fell for that for about a week!).

I was out walking around shopping a week later (health visitor unimpressed but I was too bored to stay at home!).

Would do it again like a shot if we had a second. Good luck with whatever you choose.

One of the reasons for trying to get women to try for a VBAC and to lower the initial section rate was that the complications you've got a greater risk of uterine rupture with VBAC.

I hated mine. It was not what I wanted at all but because of a complication they needed to get her out at 34 weeks.

The spinal didn't work well and feeling was coming back while they were stitching me up. I got the shakes very badly, which was horrible. Something made me vom repeatedly in recovery - not fun with an abdomen full of stitches. I reacted badly to something and was feverish for several hours after. The clexane injections are bastard stingy things. I now suspect I have adhesions - I get a painful pulling sensation when I ovulate now.

On the positive side, I healed well and was driving after 11 days.

writer You are more likely to experience placental problems. Placenta attaching to the wrong part of the uterus as in placenta Previa, or over the scar, and placental detachment in pregnancy.
Sometimes placentas attach too well and can't be removed so you end up with a hysterectomy.
I'm not against csections, just putting accross it's not the benign, easy risk free option that it's sometimes Made out to be.