To ask how many people have asked for a cesarean out of preference?

[VioletteValentia]

I did it. I’ve never met another person who has, or who has admitted to it. I have come across people who seem convinced that supporting maternal choice would lead to everyone asking for cesareans, which I think is bullshit. Not everyone wants one!

Did you do this? Would you? Would you be more likely to if you felt the option was equally acceptable?

I’m interested in how many women feel like I did.

I shouldn’t have to say this but...no “natural v cesarean” insulting please.

[Mammyloveswine]

I wasnt asked at all but i was terrified of the thought of a section as its major surgery!

As it happened i had a long but relatively straightforward vaginal birth with ds1, then a quick, "easy" water birth with ds2.

At the end of thr day i think "your body, your choice" and it sounds as though you had a very positive birth experience! I think as long as both options are researched and risks and benefits to both explained then it should be the mothets choice, absolutely.

[LardLizard]

Its really odd how people are heavily advised on the risks of cs Uluru not advised of the risks of Vb

[breastfeedingdrivingmecrazy]

Yes, I had one on maternal request for my first (only) baby. I would rather the known recovery of a c section rather than the unknown of a vaginal delivery. I was up and about faster than my friends who had natural births. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

[YorkieDorkie]

Having had an EMCS with DD1 - I'm doing literally everything I can do avoid another section with DC2 due in 3 weeks. But of course the little bugger is breech again.

[carryondoctor]

That's interesting, OP. I remember a horror story in the paper about a mother who lost her legs after a 6th c section and that did terrify me. It would definitely be an issue for me if I wanted more than 2.

(On the other hand, the thought of 6 kids terrifies me too!!)

[Snowmagedon]

I did natural birth the first time round, just pethidine and massage. It was fast, esp for first time labour and only few stitches. However I asked for epidural and mw kept putting me off, I was in too much pain.. So second time round I requested an elc and went into some depth as to why I wanted one. I met no resistance at all only wondeful support.

I was treated like a whole human being not just a vagina and a good pair of hips.
I was treated as someone who has autonomy over her own body which is how every single woman should be treated.

I did meet with head mw to go though my notes.. And sadly she only spoke to me like a pair of hips who did thier job well.
It was a degrading experience.
I had elc second time round.. The birth was far far easier... Afterwards was more difficult... But it was definalty the best option for me!! I cannot belive how we treat women in this day and age I really can't.

[pinkandstripey]

ELCS here, dc1 vb resulted in 3rd deg tear and 2 hours of surgery post birth. A year of consultants and physio - not a chance I was doing that again!!

We moved area half way through pregnancy, bucks hospital were definitely pushing for me to have vb again, I didn't resist because the chance of me giving birth there anyway were very small. Moved to Nottinghamshire, no resistance to request from hospital consultant - although a couple of community midwives I saw were a bit scathing!

[covetingthepreciousthings]

I had a long labour first time round which resulted in being rushed to surgery for a 3rd degree tear repair, the recovery was awful & i ended up with PND as a result.

Second time, I asked if I would be able to have an elective CS & it was pretty much shut down as a suggestion whenever I asked a midwife or consultant.
I was told the chance of tearing again was low & i should have another natural birth.

Unfortunately I ended up having a worse tear the second time round & was told after by the midwife "if you have another we'd definitely recommend a c section for you"

[MarthasGinYard]

Op I did

As much surgical intervention as possible felt 'natural' to me.

Certainly no problem telling people if they asked

Amazing birth

Great choice

[SnowiestMountain]

Yep, my first birth was horrendous, I honestly couldn't bear the though of going through it again. No medical reason but I asked for an ELCS with my second and was approved no problem, it was fabulous!

[VioletteValentia]

It felt natural to me too. You wouldn’t deal with any other medical issue “naturally” so why birth?

[MarthasGinYard]

Op

Strange isn't it

Not many of us around though.

[Snowmagedon]

BTW I too washed the on who got off lightly with the elc inspite of recovery issues.

Others in my nct group including one who was so exited to give birth naturally after a planned medical c sexton first time ended up in hospital for a week, catheter in.. She couldn't stop crying when talking about her birth.. Another literally nearly died, had random medial issues from birth and was in and out of hospital for a year. Another had to be cut again etc.

Our nct instructor who was pushing the old candles just had a fixed odd grin on her face listening to all this when she met us for coffee.

[Snowmagedon]

It felt very natural to me too but it's presented as the worst thing that can happen.

[AnxiousNewUser]

(Not suggesting that some women don't give birth to big babies with ease but it seems to be luck of the draw whether you're one of them or not on the day, and the track record of my maternal family line when it comes to childbirth isn't reassuring).

[VioletteValentia]

Yeah, I think it’s strange. It’s absolutely every woman’s choice but I can’t think of any procedure where you’re demonised for asking for pain relief/the modern technique.

[user1471506568]

It didn't feel natural to me but as PP said most medical procedures don't feel natural. I don't see that as a bad thing. Nature is of course very clever but it is not fool proof and not always better than what medicine can achieve. Opting for the medical route is not interior

[SignoraStronza]

I did. I know one is 'supposed to' opt for vbac, but 5.5 years after my emcs, I was still traumatised about the idea of labour especially induced labour (Had dc1 abroad, no pain relief or 'bedside manner' whatsoever) that I asked for an elcs. What swung it was that one of the people I met during pregnancy was a consultant doctor, first child, elcs - no indications for it, she just felt it was safer. I've since met two other doctors who've opted for c-section over vaginal delivery for first (and subsequent) babies.

[LardLizard]

Converting that’s awful, did you end up wth a fourth degree the second time round ?

It’s all very well then guiding tou to have a Vb but it’s not there arse that’s gonna suffer isn’t he long run is it
So angry that happened you you twice

[Beetlejizz]

I think my POV is skewed as most of my friends had home births, birth centre births and very uncomplicated hospital deliveries. Myself and my one friend who had c-sections required a hell of a lot of resources between us.

I'm sure bear, but the most expensive births for the NHS are actually instrumentals and EMCS. Both of which are a consequence of attempted VB, and neither of which would happen if everyone had a pre-labour ELCS. Obviously that's never going to happen as there will always be women who want to birth vaginally, but if we had free access to ELCS, some of the women who would otherwise go on to have instrumentals and EMCS would choose ELCS and thus reduce costs in that respect.

There are also the practicalities: if more women have ELCS, which would happen if it were freely offered (and we were appropriately counselled about the risks of VB too) things would be easier to organise and staff. There would be more scope to schedule the births at the times that best suit the NHS in terms of costs and staffing. Not unlimited obv, but more than now.

[Ninoo25]

I had an EMCS with 1st baby and a planned one with 2nd baby.
I was so traumatised after having my first baby that there is a huge gap between my children as I was terrified at having to go through that again. A friend who had a CS told me that you were allowed to choose now so I felt safe to get pregnant 2nd time. When I went for appointments however they were very resistant to a ELCS despite me having health issues and an EMCS first time round and they tried to force me down the VBAC route. I was terrified that the same would happen as last time. 1st time round I had lots of little problems during end of pregnancy and delivery that snowballed into me needing a EMCS. With first baby when I was opened up they told me I had a small pelvis and if I had more children I would need a CS. When I told consultant this when I was pregnant with baby 2, they said it wasn’t in my notes and that I must have been mistaken and that I couldn’t have a CS, because their policy was for all mothers to try to VBAC after only 1 previous CS! They also said that having a small pelvis is very rare and they thought I was wrong. It took me going into an appointment at 35 weeks in tears. My Mum went with me and had a massive go at them and as no one messes with my Mum they agreed to it! When I was having 2nd CS low and behold I got told the same as first time around. My pelvis is very small and it would be dangerous to have a vaginal birth. The 2nd CS was far better and recovery time was better than with 1st due to not having gone through the massively long labour and complications that I had first time round.
I think it’s terrible that some trusts have a policy of VBAC that they force on you and others have a policy of choice as per the guidelines. IMO the NHS should be more joined up in their thinking and it should be based on research. Either it is a choice or not, it shouldn’t be dependent on where you live and whether you have a consultant or midwife with their own pushy views or not!
I felt I was very judged (by family, friends, even strangers!) first time round after EMCS, but weirdly not as much after my ELCS 2nd time round. Maybe it’s just because views had moved on in that time? Or maybe it’s because after what happened with my 1st pregnancy and EMCS that I couldn’t give 2 hoots 2nd time round!!

[roseannaleeXo]

I have had three c sections my second one was horrendous went into labour dilated and all fully ,baby got stuck ended up a emergency. as i didn't want to have another one so was trying my hardest for normal delivery c section first time scared the life out of me I really didn't want any wanted to have normal births didn't go to plan... never again. 3 rd one took forever. If I had s choice and no children no and no medical complications what I did, I would defo want to have natural births, c sections are a lot of hard work trying to recover after and look after kids as well is a nightmare especially when you tummy muscles weaken so much , I feel it takes ages to try and get your body back but three baby's down doubt that ever going to happen.

[MarthasGinYard]

'Even before I was pregnant I knew I wanted a cesarean. I didn’t like the possibilities of labour, that it could be fine or it could be awful and I couldn’t control it. The cesarean by contrast seemed straight forward, more controlled and I knew I had doctors there in case something went wrong (vs potentially going into labour at 1am on an understaffed ward). '


I relate totally

I'm quite a control freak in certain areas, my birth was no exception.

My DM...."Oh Martha, but it takes away all the surprise element, the going into labour part, the excitement "

My response
'Phew, thank the Lord for that'

Of course we knew what the sex was also, so thankfully no surprises there either.

MY perfect NATURAL birth

[HollyBayTree]

I did.

My first delivery resulted in an emergency CS, so I asked for the second to be a CS and was told it would happen automatically.

Hell would have frozen over before I attempted a vaginal delivery I'm afraid.

I had a far mor positive attitude, and quicker recovery than friends and acquaintances who had the traditional route.

[cindersrella]

I didn't ask for one, but I do know some one who is that frightened at the thought of giving birth she would want one.

Her fear has massively delayed her having a baby.

She has even said she wants to be a mom but the thought of giving birth naturally scares her that much she will only try for a baby if she can have a cesarean.

She is genuinely frightened