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

[notaurewhatusername]

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?

Speak with your doctor, and talk to them about all your concerns. If you really want a Caesarean, ask for one. Of course there are always potential complications , but there also complications with a natural birth.

For my second baby, I had an elected c section, after the chaotic and deeply traumatising experience of the birth of my first child. The elected c section was one of the most civilised and calm experiences I have ever had. No stress, no chaos. Recovery was fairly quick, and without problems. Unlike, my first birthing experience. Do what’s right for you. Don’t be coerced into something that you actually really don’t want to do, what ever that maybe.

You need to speak to a healthcare professional for the true stats and research about this, not random anecdotes on Mumsnet! It is certain that there are increased risks of pelvic floor issues later in life linked to vaginal births (and particularly so instrumental births) than in people who have caesarean births. However of course that doesn't mean that problems are guaranteed, and pregnancy itself can cause issues after all. There are risks attached to all modes of giving birth unfortunately!

That school of thought is based on completely duff data. Epidurals don't increase the risk of a C-section.

As a PP said - whatever you decide I cannot recommend hypnobirthing enough. It kept me so calm and just ready to go with whatever needed to happen.

As it happened I had vaginal births, one which did go a bit sideways but all ok in the end - one point they discussed a c section but baby quickly then made an appearance. And honestly I felt ok with whatever they deemed necessary - they were calm and reassuring the whole time.

I feel like it’s easy to read a lot of scary birth stories but I can honestly say it wasn’t nearly as painful as I was expecting - I don’t know whether that was the hypnobirthing or just that I had imagined it worse from what I’d seen on TV 🤣

Not every natural labour requires an emergency section by a long shot. I think that people are just more vocal about the horror stories than the good stories.

I've had 6 natural labours, nothing more than gas and air for pain relief, no emergency sections. Yes, it hurts, but nothing that you can't cope with and in most cases the pain builds up over a number of hours, giving you time to adjust.

My most painful labour was my last one, but that was because it was so quick to develop from nothing to double peaking (in 15min), and it was a very quick and intense labour, so by the time I felt like I wouldn't be able to cope with it, it was all over.

My first labour, I actually slept between contractions until the last hour. Even with my 2nd, that was back to back and lasted 12hrs, I coped with just gas and air.

Forceps delivery here. Permanent and constant pain in vagina and lower back, severe nerve damage, total loss of feeling in vagina, can never have sex again, cannot have another pregnancy, levator ani avulsion and other severe muscle damage, prolapse, incontinence, vagina and opening has been severely stretched will never return to anything close to normal (its so huge i can feel the opening constantly and its incredibly uncomfortable), constant chronic infections for the rest of life, very severe scarring, chronic anal fissure, chronic open wound on vagina where episiotomy didn’t heal, cannot lift or play physically with child, will never be able to exercise again, very extreme gut problems.

I was young and very healthy before my forceps delivery, I am now extremely disabled and will be for life. No treatment options exist for my issues, I think eventually you can have your vagina and anus sewn shut and have a stoma. However since my episiotomy didn’t heal and became chronic my treatment options are very limited.

My case is very extreme and I was unlucky, but the problems above are not uncommon with a forceps delivery. Most people won’t have all of them though. Two acquaintances had full blown breakdowns after their forceps deliveries, neither recovered. I haven’t suffered too much mental health wise but obviously it’s difficult having your health permanently change so much overnight while having a newborn to look after. I know loads of people are left with stomas after forceps (check out Masic foundation charity). Even if you initially recover you are almost guaranteed incontinence and prolapse once you hit peri-menopause. I do know someone who was left with a temporary stoma after a c section though.

i am not saying this to scare you, i am saying it as i wish someone had been honest about the risks and worst case scenario of a vaginal birth with me. If i had been informed of the risks i would have chosen a csection. However, a csection is not without risks, and the big point is that the mortality rate is significantly higher (although still very low) and the risk of having to have a hysterectomy during the surgery is higher.

Be wary of people saying hypnobirthing is the answer. I did all of that and my life was still ruined by my birth injuries.

My first birth was just lovely. 18 hours total with the last 6 in the midwife unit. I used TENS at home and then popped into the birth pool where I had DD1. No significant pain; just a feeling of immense pressure. I really enjoyed it. I felt so powerful in a truly female sense.

DD2's labour was shorter (12 hours) but I arrived at the midwife unit too late for the pool! It was still filling up when she was born on a birth mat. I used gas and air as I found it more painful than being in the water.

I've certainly had period pain in my teens that was far more painful and lasted far longer.

My first was vaginal delivery and my second was emergency c section.

I would never pick a planned c section. It is such an invasive major abdominal surgery with so many doctors in the room, I felt so vulnerable, way more than a natural birth. There’s also the time it takes to recover, not being able to drive for 6 weeks etc or hold your baby for long periods because of the wound.

There are so many benefits of babies going through the vaginal canal for their health and gut bacteria, of course if it’s an emergency there’s nothing you can do.

But I would have faith that your body was made to do this, it is amazing what it can do to get that little human out, maybe look into hynobirthing etc and ways to calm your mind to reduce the stress.

I've done both vaginally and elective C. The C section was by far and away the worst of the two despite being planned. I had a terrible wound infection and got readmitted and it was a nightmare. All operations carry risk.

My story is a little different but I’ve had 3 c sections. 2 Cat 1 emergency. My first one was after a failed induction, however I should never have been induced in the first place- my Dr refused to listen to any other professionals including a cardiologist. My recovery was actually completely fine.

My second C-section I was up and walking almost instantly after the epidural wore off.

My third, the recovery was much more difficult but I had been given a lot of medication to help baby and had to walk to neonatal every day.

I've only had an emergency c section, baby wasn't moving and they couldn't find a heartbeat so it was a case of sign the form and get on with it. Although everyone was rushing around nobody seemed panicked. I couldn't do anything about it so just had to trust it would be ok, and it was. Doctors and nurses deal with emergencies everyday so I felt in safe hands. The recovery was hard though.

I also think there is a lot of great reasons for being informed about risk OP, but if you are already nervous I would be cautious about reading too many horror stories.

If you have an epidural you increase your chances of a EMCS.

Look up cascade of interventions.

I agree with you the best birth experiences tend to be natural minimum intervention births or ELCS. I know I wanted to avoid episiotomy/forceps etc.

What happens with a lot of first time mums is, they tend to be 35+/overweight, so when they go past 41 weeks (as most do) the hospital pushes for induction. This is painful so women need an epidural then the cascade of interventions starts.

I said I wouldn't consent to an induction pre 40+14 but I was low risk & younger/healthy bmi etc.

I honestly think too many women are too keen to talk about their 'horrendous ' births honestly sometimes it is like top trumps. Try not to listen to them.

It is probably very easy for me to say as I gave birth with no pain relief both times. Yes of course it was painful but honestly you have to define pain and what your perception is. What you have to remember is that your hormones and emotions are also going to be all over the place and this is a big thing. Yes it's painful but you don't think like that at the time it never feels that bad more of an unpleasant and isn't constant.

I'm all for everyone having a choice but I'm also against major surgery when it isn't really necessary. But you have to make the choice for you. I'd take the pain for the speedy recovery myself

This is not true.

The reason people in the UK think it is true is because women are usually only given epidurals if they are being induced or otherwise already having a long and difficult labour.

Correlation does not equal causation.

In France around 90% of women have epidurals (and women who haven't gone into labour by 41 weeks are typically induced) and the C-section rate is lower than it is in the UK.

Aaarrrgghh. How many times before the “can’t drive for six weeks” myth is busted around C Sections. You can drive as soon as you feel able. You can breastfeed immediately and you can absolutely lift your baby unless they somehow weigh 10kg.

(Obvs talking about complication free C Sections here, but thankfully most ELCS are straightforward)

Had an elective c section at 36 due to DS being transverse, so no choice. I was quite happy about it.
Several of my colleagues who were pregnant at the same time landed up having Emergency sections, they all found it a bit traumatic as they were already totally exhausted.
My recovery was very quick and if I'd landed up having another I'd have chosen a section again but it's all down to personal choice.

I had four C sections.2 emergency 2 planned. Only one of the emergencies was necessary and that was the first one. The second because staff didn't heed what I was saying (long before labour). First baby had chord around her neck three times and had low foetal heart rate. Second, I had gestational diabetes and a big baby (10lb 9) that was known advance and a pelvimetry of 7.5 diameter but they still insisted on a trial labour...2nd emergency section. The last two were planned and went smoothly except for the epidural not fully being established before they made the incision on the fourth. Eye watering and toe curling. My best advice to a new mum would be you and your birth partner are team, when you need advocacy they'll need to be that. Stoicism is not you're friend in labour. Make your feelings very clear and get your wishes in your birth plan. Avoiding an emergency is the best plan. I have two friends/ family members who've had tough experiences and recoveries with forceps and suction cups, episiotomies because things were allowed to go on too long. Have a plan in all instances and don't be subject to procedures you're not happy with. I wish you the very best of luck with it.

No that wasn’t my experience it was just what can happen - it was hard but I managed well. There are still more risks with major surgery than vaginal birth. Also. You do have to stay in for monitoring after surgery where you can go home earlier after vaginal.

Chooisng to have major surgery in my opinion I’m never the right choice. We can all give many examples of people who had good experiences or bad experiences for both. Still major surgery. Still more risk - factual not my opinion.

@notaurewhatusername I am a nurse and can assure you that if my DD’s ask me what I would recommend, I would say to choose a c-section to try and avoid birthing injuries. Some women still have pelvic floor problems just from carrying the baby when pregnant, but generally speaking, your body doesn’t always snap back like a rubber band.

This rings so true to me. I’ve never had a natural birth but all I heard in the lead up to my first birth was horror stories and that you best avoid a C-section cos they’re a million times worse. Where as, my induction was great until it wasn’t, but before it all went wrong it was as relaxed as possible! My second C-section was absolutely amazing, we got the same relaxed atmosphere, pictures, videos and music. Same with my third, although it was again an emergency they done absolutely everything possible to make it as relaxed as possible.

The "major surgery" thing I'd a bit misleading. Tearing in multiple directions in an area you normally sit on and is hard to keep clean us just as significant, if less controlled, surgery as a CS. Pelvic floor reconstruction later in life is also just as major surgery. You're not guaranteed significant surgery from a VB, but it's a much worse place on your body to have it.

The 6 weeks off driving thing just isn't true. I was back driving so much quicker after than my CS than VB. It took 6 weeks to get movement back into my temporarily paralysed foot after my VB and sitting was a problem for weeks.

The 6 weeks off driving thing just isn't true.

Well, that depends. I still found it very uncomfortable even being a passenger in a car for 10 minutes, 4 weeks after my c-section.

Choosing to have major surgery in my opinion I’m never the right choice. We can all give many examples of people who had good experiences or bad experiences for both. Still major surgery. Still more risk - factual not my opinion.

No. That is not factual.

Having major surgery is not more risky than not having major surgery. In fact, it is performed precisely because it provides fewer risks than the alternative. It is just that the risks are different.*

Every woman has a different medical history and risk tolerance. If they have all the information, they should not be judged for making the choice for themselves.

In my opinion, every woman should be allowed to make decisions about their own health and bodies without others uninformed judgement.

• side effects of anaesthesia versus prolonged high blood pressure and stroke, for example
• certainty of surgical incision versus possibility of spontaneous tearing, for example

And yet I was in a car 5 days after and driving two weeks after.

Every woman has different circumstances to deal with. We should be allowed to do what is best for ourselves without judgement.