Mums who have had both vaginal delivery & a c section?

[unsurebear]

So during my last (2nd) pregnancy I suffered from a UTI which resulted in my waters breaking at 36 weeks, getting infection upon infection, and also requiring a blood transfusion following a PPH.

We are now trying for a 3rd baby.

I spoke a midwife at the Birth After Thoughts team about the whole experience and she advised me I would be able to ask the consultant about a c section due to the complications with my last pregnancy.

Both births were vaginal and I find the idea of a c section quite scary and I know the recovery tends to be longer.

I know I must sound so shallow but I don't really want a scar on my belly, I have really bad stretch marks from my last 2 pregnancies.

I just wanted thoughts from mum's who have experienced both vaginal and c sections.

TIA

One of each - vb with 1st, 2nd was an emergency c section.
I was actually offered an elective c section with 2nd ( due to 3rd degree tear with 1st) but opted to try a vb again, which didn't work out.
I don't have a preference really, if id had a 3rd child I'd have given due consideration to either another vb or an elective c section.
Both have their positives and negatives.
If your only concern is the scar, you can barely see mine and I don't have an overhang ( my c section was 18 years ago).

I’ve had both, planned section first. Baby was due to be enormous - was actually very average. VBAC with no2. Both had their benefits; would honestly say if they both go smoothly there’s not much between them.

I have had a grim vaginal birth (shoulder dystocia, foreceps, PPH) and an ELCS due to the hideousness of the first birth.

The ELCS was an absolute dream as a procedure, but the recovery was quite long. As you can’t guarantee an easy vaginal birth, I’d go ELCS

Same, if I’d had the c-section first I probably wouldn’t have done vbac.

Hideous vaginal birth with DC1. So awful that I actually considered abortion of DC2 because I didn't want to risk it again. Got a c section for maternal request (which actually became EMCS as DC2 was breach and I went in to labour at 36weeks).

The c section was a breeze. The recovery quicker and easier, the pain was very manageable and predictable. The scar is tiny and in my pubic hair.

It totally depends on your individual experiences. I had "normal" delivery for my first and it was horrendous. Broken coccyx and huge PPH and transfusion needed. Left me traumatised and with PND which I didn't even recognise at the time.
Second we went privately as I was so traumatised after the first and an elective section was recommended for me. After the experience of my first where I passed out in the shower due to blood loss and couldn't lift my baby easily at all with coccyx pain, the section was very bearable. The wait for it was stressful knowing the day etc.
Third one an "emergency" section instead of a planned one. Thought there may have been a partial placental abruption so they decided to go for it and risk the wait. It was my most straightforward and recovery was fine.
Scars I don't really notice at all. Well under bikini line. It is tricky rolling in and out of bed for a few weeks but compared to my complex vag delivery it was so much better and safer for me. If recommended I wouldn't worry too much.

I had a planned C section with my first. It was a calm but surreal experience. No problems healing and scar is minimal. I also felt no pain but I do have a fairly high pain threshold as I gave birth via VBAC with my second with no pain relief (Only because they said I wasn't in labour properly yet and kept ignoring me when I asked for gas and air!). I was actually 10cm! VBAC was quick and also no complications.

I've had 2 vaginal births followed by a planned section.

Scar is unbelievably neat! I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw it. Hardly visible now. My stretch marks are much worse than my scar.

Recovery was fine. Husband had 2 weeks off work. Weeks 3 and 4 were a bit tough as I also had a 1 year old and a 3 year old but got earlier after that. Keep doing your pelvic floor exercises, that is what helped me feel back to normal.

So pleased I did it, both my vaginal births were not great. Lost a lot of blood so maybe that's why recovery felt comparable with the section. I understand emergency sections can be really difficult but I found my planned section really easy and lovely!

I’ve had both.

Vaginal first; awful labour, bad tear, long recovery. Elective c-section (at my request) second time. Calm, much easier recovery.

Lucky me 😭 have also had 2 home births and both time the week after birth was worse than any of the labours.

Had both. Not comparable really. The c section was 20 million times easier than natural birth. Both the process and the recovery. It took me far longer to recover from the natural birth due to tearing and infections in the wound. I could barely sit down so driving was a problem. Recovery after the c section was plain sailing. The scar doesn’t bother me at all. You can barely see it. It’s silvery and it’s below the top of your bikini line so even the skimpiest bikinis still cover it.

Can't compare emergency sections to planned sections

Had my first birth normally and although no major issues (still lots of bleeding, nearly needed forceps etc) I found it all brutal. Recovery was not easy, difficult going to loo etc for a good while after , exhaustion from labour etc. Not great at all. I opted for a C-section (just chose it, not medically necessary, on NHS) and it was wonderful. Relaxing process, much easier recovery, scar is almost invisible. Having a section was a breeze by comparison

I've had two vaginal births and two c sections. The vaginal births were a better experience I recovered quickly. My elective section was fine long recovery but the cat 3 one was terrible-I would never let them go near my spine again they made an absolute mess of my second c section

My scar hurts when I walk sometimes I don't know if that is the norm- I'm 10 months pp and it looks a lot better than it did but I still get the pain

Had both. Elective C section was a dream. Much faster and easier recovery than vaginal for me.

I had abdominal surgery nine months before having DC1 by emergency cesarean, then VBAC with DC2 15 months later. I was in my mid thirties and didn't find recovery bad, about 6 weeks after DC1 arrived I had two tonnes of gravel delivered and they dumped it on the pavement so I literally just shovelled it and breastfed for a full day and was fine.

When I had the abdominal surgery 9 months before I had DC1, I felt awful and recovery was slow but I lost a lot of blood. I also was not supposed to get pregnant then.

I had elective section for my 1st due to breech. Section was absolutely fine, all very civilised, very clinical. However, recovery was a bitch. I had zero complications, scar healed up lovely, don't think you can even see it anymore - it isn't belly it is very low down. I found it so painful though and was so hard trying to look after baby at first. I couldn't even sit up without help. Obviously also can't drive for a while.
I pushed for Vbac with my 2nd. Ended up forceps delivery and 4th degree tear which sounds hideous BUT recovery was SO much easier. Was up and about fine afterwards (thank goodness due to being given a ton of laxatives!). Not sure how I would have coped with looking after both children if I'd had another CS. Bonding with baby was so much easier, first time I felt I didn't as I was in so much pain myself I was pretty miserable for a while.

Had both. C section for second longer recovery, but it was a quite straight forward process. Vaginal birth for first was long and quite rough (hence the CS next time). For some time I did get flashbacks of the birth which I found difficult. I would not be afraid of a CS, but we are all different. Personally I would listen to the medical advice and decide on the best approach. CS nothing to be scared off from my experience though.

Had 3 vaginal then emergency c section. The section was a lot harder. After vaginal I was up and walking about. With the C-section I found the post surgery pain relief crap and the nurses missing my pain medicine time. I had to beg for pain relief.
Also found recovery hard. Also I felt like at least with others that have only had csections they didn’t stretch out their vagina. And with only vaginsl you don’t have a big scar. Well I now have both.

Absolutely the opposite for me! The section was a dream! It was literally a magical experience, so calm, husband by my side, music, skin contact and breastfed immediately. Was out of the hospital within 24hrs.

I walked around the local park on day 4 (after a quick trip to the post office!) and we stopped for a drink in a pub garden after. I took paracetamol regularly as they told me to do for a week, so I didn’t experience any pain (they gave me stronger stuff if I needed as can’t take ibuprofen, but didn’t need it).

I’d happily do it again!! Scar is below my bikini line, but you can barely see it now a few years on, much less worse than the stretch marks!!

Ive had both and would chose vaginally every time. Emcs for first. Vbac second.

I’ve had both. C section was much better than I expected and recovery not bad at all. My scar is small and hidden on the
pubic hair line. I had a fairly short but what felt like violent vaginal delivery and was very sore, had an epesiotomy and that was painful so I preferred the C section.

I have had one vaginal birth and 2 planned sections…give me the sections for recovery anytime!

I've had an EMCS and VBAC. EMCS with my first because baby got stuck and was distressed. Unfortunately, labour was quite advanced so the surgeon had a massive job to get my son out. It was quite scary and I remember her standing on a stool over me and pulling like she was dragging a tonne of bricks. When pain relief wore off, I felt battered inside and out. It was really quite brutal. I think I felt a bit shell shocked and it took a long time for me to feel "normal" again. My scar never healed either - I had infection after infection, antibiotics after antibiotics for six months and my scar is now horrible, not to mention the CS shelf.

When I was pregnant with my second, I had a debrief about the first birth and actually opted for a planned CS despite my first having been quite traumatic. I wanted to retain control and avoid any emergencies after my first birth experience. I knew what it involved and had also heard elective CS recovery is far easier (better the devil you know and all that). Consultant was absolutely fine with it. Another reason for wanting an elective is that, due to my EMCS complications, I didn't then want to have any injuries from a vaginal birth and effectively have two injuries rather than one. As it happens, went into labour early and they wouldn't do the CS because it was too risky so ended up with a VBAC. I had a forceps delivery, second degree year/stitches and PPH so didn't feel great afterwards but it was night and day compared to the feeling after EMCS and the stitch discomfort quickly passed. I was very quickly up and about and pain free compared to the EMCS.

With the benefit of hindsight and having experienced both, I'd opt for vaginal birth over EMCS. However, as you know, both methods carry risk and I think you just need to weigh up what you're most comfortable with so that you're relaxed when the time comes. If you opt for an elective CS, I'm sure the consultant will be absolutely fine with that. Having had two difficult and unexpected early labours, I imagine that a planned CS could be absolutely lovely. Whatever you decide, wishing you all the best.

Ah interesting, mine was elective so maybe it was a different experience

I guess the thread shows we all have such different expectations and experiences so best to choose your own path as people's bodies, babies and medical situations are all so different