To ask why having an elective C-Section is so frowned upon?

[Rosesandbutterflys]

I am (hopefully) having an elective C-Section soon. First baby, don't want anymore children after.

I've always had a fear of child birth, which over the past 5 years has been compounded by a lot of people around me having children and the vast majority of these (though I appreciate I'm probably unlucky here) have been pretty traumatic births that have ended in severe tears, forceps and a lot of the time, an emergency section anyway. Granted their experiences have mostly been better on their second birth/ child.

Nothing and I truly mean nothing about natural childbirth/ labour appeals to me. Not the hours of pain, pushing, potential rips/ tears, forcep intervention, epidural (yes I appreciate I'd have one of these for a section), damage of my pelvic floor and the panic and stress of potentially having to be rushed to theatre because it just wasn't going to happen naturally and the baby is in distress or whatever.

Now don't get me wrong, nothing about a c-section appeals to me either, it's absolutely no walk in the park and I'm dreading it, but it has to come out some way and I am a person that likes to plan things and to somewhat be in control/ aware of the plan. I have also had abdominal surgery before (though not as severe as a C-section) and I know recovery is likely to be painful and slower than if I were to have a natural birth. But for me, this is the preferred/ lesser of the 2 evils option.

I have also spent hours pouring over research as to the benefits of a vaginal birth over a c-section and last night came across a NICE/ NHS study/ research that found that actually, for a planned/ elective c-section, the risk to the mother of a c-section compared to a vaginal birth is pretty much the same. It states that the risk of the baby ending up in NICU with a C-section is 13.9% compared to a vaginal birth which is 6.3%, so double the risk, BUT it says the research does not take into account the fact that most c-sections undertaken are for medical reasons and therefore the likelihood of the baby needing NICU attention after it's born is increased anyway.

It then went on to say that the risks of an unplanned, emergency C-Section are a lot higher than a natural birth/ elective/ planned C-Section. So I guess if each woman was guaranteed to have a straightforward, natural birth, then great, but a lot of women do end up needing an emergency c-section so, technically they are more at risk than someone who has chosen an elective.

This now seems like I am bashing natural delivery and I'm not at all I totally admire and respect women that chose that route, I only wish I were that brave.

However, the responses I have had from people my whole pregnancy when I have admitted I am opting for an elective C-section have been ridiculous. Not one person has responded positively, all I've had is 'Oh, really? Are you sure??' and 'Oh, why on earth would you elect to have that?' etc etc. Or just a stony faced, tight smile and 'oh right' making it clear they disapprove but not actually coming out and saying it.

I got told last night that the reason I'm getting these reactions is because a C-section is 'taking the easy way out '😕

If that's the case, why on earth wouldn't you? Why is it that it seems the prerequisite to being a good mother is seemingly having to martyr yourself all the time?

So many of my friends that have had children and also the women in my NCT class who are preparing for their births have all expressed dismay/ distress at having to have any pain relief, they all want it to be as natural as possible and I know my friends that haven't had 'textbook' births still harbour 'guilt' and sadness to this day. Why? If you need gas and air or an epidural, so what? What exactly am I missing? If they ended/end up with forceps or an emergency section, it's not their fault, it's just one of those things. Surely modern medicine has provided these things to make childbirth safer?

Anyway, gone off on a tangent now but if you disapprove of someone having an elective c-section, could you tell me why?

i LOVED my c section. I really struggled with a long drawn out induction and the worst contractions. The c section was calm, music playing, great staff. The recovery was easy. The only part I struggled with was the recovery IN hospital was my husband not being allowed in to help.

I don't understand why anyone would choose major abdominal surgery over a few hours of discomfort

A few hours of discomfort 😂

When I told someone I was having an ELCS after a traumatic EMCS with DC1, she told me she would pray for me to have a natural birth 🙄Thankfully I think attitudes are changing on this. I do think a straightforward natural birth with no complications is ideal all things being equal but it doesn't work out that way for so many people and so women should be allowed to make their own choices and not be vilified. I gave natural birth my best shot, it didn't work out and I opted for ELCS second time. Me and the DC are both healthy - result!

Seriously though, why shouldn’t we be able to choose when it comes to birth and our body? When you think about it, it’s pretty horrendous. If men gave birth. Honestly. Money would be thrown at the NHS.

*I am not against any woman who decides to go for an elective C section

Actually, 24 hours after a straightforward section is standard in our maternity hospital. Three of us in antenatal group had sections: two emergency and one elective. We were all out within 24-36 hours. There's a real push now to get you mobile and up and about early. I was on my feet and shuffling about after around six hours when the catheter came out. Very glad as I hated being in hospital and wanted to be home! The women staying in longer either had complications, needed stronger pain relief, or had babies who needed extra care.

Really?
My NCT group was pretty evenly split across Chelsea and Westminster, St George’s and St Thomas’s hospitals for births, and all the c-section mums were home within 24-48 hours
There was only 1 who stayed in longer but her baby was in NICU, rather than her needing to be in

and my incisions were nowhere near 12 inches! That sounds like butchery, not a c-section!
and to be clear, I was driving after 2 weeks (and things were pretty healed by then) and exercising by 5.5-6 weeks

Reasons include but are not limited to: stupidity, inaccurate belief that elective sections cost the NHS more, the natural fallacy, pervasive NCB ideology and assumption that fewer interventions is better, failure to comprehend that other women's experiences of and perceptions about vaginal birth might be completely different to theirs.

I also had no painkillers after the initial long-lasting injection they give you after the section except paracetamol and diclefenac, which I was left to self-administer. I think some women in the ward were staying in because they needed oramorph or similar, but if your pain was fine and everything else was okay they were happy to see the back of you!

So just like vaginal births, section experiences can be very varied!

I guess electives are done privately so you have to have the money to do this. This option is not available to all so you will get negative comments.

Don't tell people you are planning to bottle feed either. You won't get the supportive reactions you are hoping for.

@Thursday37 your experience is very similar to mine - and I was similarly an old bat! My labour started naturally, and was pretty text book in how it progressed. Used gas and air, TENS machine, hypnobirthing breathing/visualisations, and pool. Overall found pain manageable. I did have a tear but was astounded to be completely pain free after the birth. I mean not a single niggle, absolutely no pain whatsoever. Kept waiting for it to hit me, but nothing. I realise not everyone has that experience but I think it's important people talk about positive as well as negative birth experiences.

Having said that I don't look down on C Sections at all, I was quite prepared that I might need one.

I highly recommend the book 'practical ways to make your birth better' by Siobhan Miller. Really increased my confidence.

Good luck with everything. x

Sorry this is not a typical experience

well I don't know, but it was very similar to mine.

I've had 2 c sections, I recovered incredibly quickly from both, the second one in particular was a dream (it was planned). In both cases I was out of hospital in 24 hours and feeling totally fine after a few days.

whereas friends have had much, much longer recoveries from vaginal births.

I don't pretend to have statistics, but it's certainly not that case that sections are always more difficult to recover from vaginal births.

I chose ELCS for all of my births.

One of my close girlfriends who gave birth before me, had what can only be described as a catastrophic birth resulting in permanent severe life changing brain injury for her child. It arose from medical negligence at a leading clinical hospital; there was a failure to monitor her unborn child’s heart rate, and by the time the medical staff realised the baby had gone into distress, the damage had been done.

Later the hospital accepted it was grossly negligent. But the impact has and was devastating for my friends relationship with her child’s father - they separated; her child, who will always need and require intensive caring support for every single basic and non-basic activity including eating, bathing; and my friend who has struggled everyday since with her physical, emotional and mental health.

Before I gave birth, my research informed that ELCS was the safest option for both baby and I. After seeing my close friend’s birthing experience go disastrously wrong, I wasn’t prepared to roll the dice and chance it with an attempted vaginal birth. Knowing what I knew of the risks if birth doesn’t go right, I couldn’t have lived with the consequences if the birth went wrong.

I have never regretted, or lost sleep over, my ‘lost opportunity’ in birthing my children. through my vagina. And I have kept my focus on what happens after the child arrives, and the safest way in my opinion, to arrive.

There are so many stories about inadequate staffing levels in the NHS, I didn’t want to risk being one of the statistics where something went wrong for either me or child.

As an aside my ELCS recovery was very quick also. Only 3 days of any discomfort.

I was terrified of giving birth Op-even more terrified of having a CS!

When pain relief was talked about the midwife mentioned an epidural "just in case"- I nearly threw up.

I couldn't have handled being awake that's for sure.

I'm one (of the few?) who had two easy births with no tears or stitches-same for my mum.

It does happen!

All the best to you Op.

I’ve had 3 elective sections and couldn’t care less what people think.

The ease of recovery was a big motivator for me opting for a section for DD in six weeks time. Obviously everyone's experiences are different, but I found recovery pretty easy. I was back driving after three weeks and probably could have earlier but DH was off so there was no need. And back taking the dog out after 10 days or so, albeit with some rest stops around the way and a bit of a slower pace!

Obviously I might not be as fortunate this time, but hoping the fact it's an elective and not an emergency this time will be in my favour!

For me, I felt the best when active. If I sat or lay down for long periods of time, I got really stiff and sore.

Another one who had a straightforward recovery from CS (though I did have a horrible headache from the epidural with DC2) - the hospital wanted to send me home the next day but I asked to stay over another night because I wasn't convinced DD was BF properly. Still went home within 48 hours though and didn't need anything beyond the prescribed painkillers

Exactly this. Do what you want to do, it's nobody else's business. Don't tell people your plans and ignore negative comments - women get enough shit whatever they do. Good luck.

Where did you get that from? Electives are also done on the NHS. If your consultant accepts your reasons for wanting one you will get it.

Because women are meant to suffer in childbirth and anyway, "giving birth is easy because it was easy for me". And even though many mums haven't used the NHS before they become pregnant, it's a "waste" of NHS resources as c-sections are more expensive than vaginal births (until they go wrong, obviously and then you need NHS treatment and will have to fight for that too).

Yes c-sections have their own risks, but elective operations have minimal risks.

I’ve had three electives and my God, the nasty comments I’ve had over the years, some from midwives and other HCP.

I keep my mouth shut now because I can’t be
arsed with other peoples opinions on how
I gave birth.

I’m absolutely disgusted at the people on this thread complaining about the costs of c-sections.

if men could avoid a significant risk of tearing their genitals and damaging them beyond repair by having safe, routine surgery, no one would even mention the cost.

It’s funny how different people are. I am completely the opposite, I’ve never had an operation so the thought of major surgery is terrifying to me. Even getting my blood taken is a bit much for me 😅

I was really lucky with my first and didn’t have so much as a graze. I think to think it was because I religiously practiced downbreathing but realistically it was probably luck. I’m hoping for the same with number two!

Electives are also done on the NHS. If your consultant accepts your reasons for wanting one you will get it

you shouldn't need a reason, it should be a straight-forward choice unless there's a very good medical reason not to do one.

I think some people do just like to comment on childbirth, it is weird! I had colleagues telling to me ask for an epidural and my friend’s DH challenged me quite forcefully on why I wasn’t requesting a c section. I didn’t ask their advice!

My friend who planned a homebirth had some pretty rude comments about that too.