To be freaking out about emergency C-sections - help! Will a planned c section might be best?

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I swear, every time I turn around, another friend is telling me about their emergency C-section. It's like everyone I know who's a first-time mom ends up in the operating room!

I'm starting to wonder if I should just ask for a planned C-section from the get-go (I have a family member who is a midwife so appreciate no guarantees unless I go private ). The thought of things going sideways during labor and ending up with an emergency procedure is freaking me out. At least with a planned C-section, everyone's calm and prepared, right?

But then again, I know C-sections come with their own set of risks. Ugh, why is this so complicated?

At the very least if no c section I know I will need an epidural, I just don't want extreme pain and trauma if I can somewhat try to avoid it. Again, I appreciate no guarantees but I'm willing to try.

I'd love to hear from you all. Did any of you end up with an emergency C-section as a first-time mom? If you've had both planned and emergency C-sections, how different were they?

My first was an EMCS and - reasons for the emergency aside - I actually found the physical recovery easier than my second, planned, section.

I had an emcs with my first and an elcs with my second.

i found the emergency cs much, much easier. Fast, quick, efficient. The recovery was generally ok as well. Ok the circumstances leading up to it weren’t great (foetal distress) but the team kicked into action as soon as they realised it needed to be done. Epidural in, baby out, recovery. Staff everywhere, m/w and paeds waiting for the baby, surgeons and obs/gynae for me. Everyone was very calm but very purposeful and knew exactly what to do.

the elective cs I found psychologically and physically harder. Psychologically because it was a decision I had to make, and I fretted about if she was ready, if her lungs would benefit from a VB, interfering with the natural maturing etc. the section itself was so fucking slow. Painful as they were careful about siting the spinal, it took 30 minutes and a lot of attempts to get it right. The surgery as well was much slower and I felt horrific, sick, dizzy, and about to faint. They had to turn me practically upside down and fill me with fluid to stop my blood pressure dropping in response to the anaesthetic. It wasn’t “calm”, it was long, drawn out and gave me more time to feel shit. Recovery longer as well, tools me weeks to feel ok.

so I’d say go for the VB and if it ends in emcs it’s not the worst thing.

I had an "emergency c section" . It wasn't frantic or panicked, I'd just been in (induced) labour a long time and things had slowed right down so they asked if I wanted one - sort of a case of "the surgeon has a gap now, or we could keep going but might be hours before he has another gap".

@Allswellthatendswelll yes, I was offered stronger stuff too and took it. However it impacted ability to breastfeed (it made me too drowsy to be able to hold the baby all night cluster feeding) so couldn't take it again. Opiates also cause constipation which is really not what you want after a c section. Pain is pain and you can't avoid it. And much harder to deal with when you have a newborn and sleeping in 30 minute chunks. Personally, I was in quite a bit of pain for about 10 days afterwards.

I had an elective c section because of issues I knew of beforehand but if I were fit, healthy and no complications, I would absolutely try a vaginal birth first. The recovery after a c section shouldn't be underestimated.

OP you need to at least research it, it's really not the "easy way out".

I'm not sure this thread will make you feel better as people will have had negative experiences with every different way of giving birth. I would echo a pp who recommended hypnobirthing. It can help prepare you for every eventuality including c-section and helps to focus your mind and breathing (make sure to choose a course that actively includes preparing for c-section as well as vaginal).

OP you are right to be fearful, emergency c-sections can be scary at times. Although, sometimes it's better to ask people to not tell you their birth stories until after you've given birth. Everyone is different and every birth is different.

It would be a really good idea to discuss your worries with your midwife in depth. They will be able to go through the options for you, the pro's and con's of all birthing options. You should make a decision that you are comfortable with, and try not to go down a route you'd otherwise not choose because you're scared.

You got this!!!

We can't tell you the right way for you to give birth, you might not even get a choice. What I can say is that I have had a tricky assisted vaginal birth, an easy vaginal birth and a GA emergency section. The easy vaginal birth was the easiest, the section second and the tricky vaginal third in terms of recovery.
Personally I think your best bet is setting your bar really low in terms of recovery time following birth, its not a competition.
And yes it does hurt like a bastard, but honestly I would do any of them again rather than have another tooth abcess !

I had an emergency c-section after a very long and painful back to back labour with DS. It was honestly fine, down to theatre, top up epidural and DS was out in a matter of minutes. Stitched up and back on the ward after about an hour.

The next morning I was up and about relatively pain free. Think I had paracetamol at regular intervals and should have had regular heparin injections but those were a bit hit and miss. Had a long hospital stay because DS was a bit poorly but we were out walking the day after getting home and I was driving within 3 weeks. Didn’t ever have another baby but if I had, a second c-section wouldn’t have bothered me.

I've had three c sections, all planned. And one vaginal birth
I'd choose c section in a heartbeat. Nothing bad to say at all

Opiates made me vomit. Not what you need after a section when you feel like your insides might fall out. And you’re so thirsty but can’t keep anything down.

paracetamol and Brufen made bugger all difference. Not that I could keep them down either after the opiates. So I pretty much had no pain relief for the first 48 hours.

At the very least if no c section I know I will need an epidural, I just don't want extreme pain and trauma if I can somewhat try to avoid it. Again, I appreciate no guarantees but I'm willing to try.

I've had two vaginal deliveries, both times I wanted an epidural and both times only had gas and air as there was no time for an epidural. If you want to try for a vaginal delivery, then you do have to be prepared to go for it without the epidural as circumstances just might not allow for one. I agree with pp that doing research into hypnobirthing, best delivery positions (UFO - upright, leaning forward, open hips - eg. not on your back on a bed!!) can all help.

I had a cat1 emergency section for my first.
Everyone was very calm, lovely and proficient.
Recovery wasn't too bad.

I had two planned sections. They went like a dream. Recovery was very quick and I didn't feel like I'd had major surgery. I had to remind myself to not overdo it.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

I had a similar thought process to you OP. All my friends who had an emergency c section had failed inductions. The odds weren't in my favour and it freaked me out so I opted for a planned section. I'd discussed it with the consultant midwife and agreed that if I went into labour naturally, I'd try give birth vaginally. I ended up having my son vaginally 5 days before my section date. I had a semi induction (I wasn't dilating) and he was a ventouse/episiotomy delivery but actually I healed pretty quickly. I'm glad I didn't have a section!

I've not long had my second and I was scared I was going to end up tearing badly or another episiotomy... she shot out quickly and I got away with just a graze 😂

Sounds similar to my first 2 births. First one was 47 hours labour and 2 hours before they end they tried " telling" me I HAD to have a CS. Probably thought as I was young they could bully me. I flatly refused. Managed fine with the gas and air

2 nd birth baby shot out 12 mins after first pain still in the sac. No time for pain relief to even to fill in my notes. ( Id been booked for an induction, when they checked before inserting pessary they say I was fully dilated

Yeah I’d just go for the planned c-section. Just look at the maternity scandals up and down the country. Don’t put your life in the hands of short staffed midwives.

If men had to give birth the c-section rate would probably be 100%.

Im a bit biased after a traumatic birth. Second time c-section was so easily in comparison and yes the recovery is tough, for a couple of weeks. Then you’re back in your feet in most cases

I had a cat 1 emergency section with my first. Honestly it was a bit panicked to begin with as baby's heart had stopped beating and everyone was moving really fast. With that being said, everyone was so professional and reassuring to me and although I felt scared it was so quick and relatively painless, just uncomfortable. My recovery was great, I breastfed with no problems, and thank goodness baby is here and healthy which wouldn't have been the case without the section. It was my worst case scenario when I was pregnant but honestly I now believe it doesn't matter how they get here as long as they are healthy.

Two wonderful pain free sections here. Recovery was such a doddle that I actually googled 'when do c sections start to hurt' so I could prepare myself. The pain never arrived, apart from mild after pains that you can get regardless.

I felt so good that I had to be persuaded not to pop to Tesco's on the way home from the hospital.

Obviously every recovery is different and bodies heal at different rates, and you can't predict which camp you'll fall into. I'm surprised at mine as I have a pathetic pain threshold and was both fat, fit and fairly old 😂

For me though they were perfect births. Give me a c section over the common cold frankly (especially if I get a squishy baby out of it!)

Just want to say there is a difference between a planned and an emergency c-section. But there are also different types of emergencies.

Recovery is affected by what happens prior to the birth. If you have always wanted a natural birth, laboured for 48+ hours, been told that you have lost too much blood and the baby’s heart rate is dropping, and you need a C-section, then you will have a much tougher time, both mentally and physically, with your recovery.

On the other hand, if you were planning to have an elective c-section and are mentally ready for it, but then it gets brought forward by a couple of weeks which would technically it an emergency, you will find your recovery from an emergency c-section comparatively much easier.

Other things influence your recovery such as support at home (too much or too little), looking after other children (can either exhaust you or alternatively distract you from a painful recovery (in a good way)), how mentally prepared you are for childbirth and parenting. The list goes on. The point is that everyone recovers differently.

Personally, my planned c-section became an emergency section. The atmosphere in the operating room was lovely and calm. Everything went well. I think I had a very easy recovery.

Something else to consider - an elective c-section comes both with judgement and the best outcomes for both mother and baby.

My natural birth I had paracetamol and a TENs machine, and an episiotomy with local anaesthetic. Gas and air for a bit in hospital but not for actual delivery. At no point did I feel like I was dying or in extreme pain. I do remember declarations that 'I can't do it' (in the final moments before I did in fact do it) but that was more because I felt I couldn't physically push any harder than not being able to handle the pain. I remember it as more of an intense pressure feeling than sharp pain. I distinctly remember joking with DH and the Midwives between contractions, entirely pain free.

Aside from stitches being a bit sore (but not as sore as i thought they'd be) physical recovery was very quick.

I can't compare to a c-section, just wanted to share a more positive natural birth experience.

@DifficultBloodyWoman what do you mean judgement and best outcomes?

If you mean others thinking I took a short cut...8"I couldn't give two hoots! That honestly doesn't bother me I think it's ridiculous anyone has time to pay so much attention to someone else body and choices!!

A birth with intervention (peasant or sweep) will often result in an assisted birth or CSection.

This is because the hormones required for birth are not naturally present. It is always better to have a look around a theatre in a birthing suite if you get the chance. If you arrive there accidentally you will be less daunted by the machinery.

I had a planned section and it was great. I stopped taking pain killers within 2 days afterwards because I just didn’t need any and felt about 90% back to normal
within a week. No problems at all with scar healing up and very little bleeding either.

I know it’s not the case for everyone, but it really was a very positive experience for me physically.

I've had both - but the even the planned one wasn't my choice - it was because one of my twins wasn't doing so well so needed to be out that day, rather than that minute.

It was calm and the staff were jolly and I recovered quickly from it.

I then had a VBAC which was atrocious. I ended up being hurriedly taken to the operating theatre where the doctors had a heated dispute about whether forceps or section was appropriate. The spinal block didn't work on one side, but didn't want to tell them because I just couldn't risk a general anaesthetic because I didn't trust what might happen if they knocked me out. So I ended up having a c section while pretending not to be in total agony.

That maternity unit ended up with a Donna Ockenden investigation. It was a complete shambles

I have had 2 x elcs but went into labour before both one of them I was in labour for hours and was in active labour as I got into theatre 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🥴 so have experienced both ends of it ?!?

I had a positive experience of the birth and had excellent health outcomes but appreciate not everyone does

I think you need a clear birth plan.
so something like…
you plan to go for vaginal birth but if you go overdue or need intervention / start develop complications in labour you want to go straight to c section…no drip / ventouse etc

edit I would choose vaginal birth over ELCS as standard I had ELCS because my personal history meant statistically I was very unlikely to achieve vaginal birth without intervention and I didn’t want to go through that.