I just think that there is so much push (pardon the pun!) to have babies "naturally" that it leaves women feeling like they've failed in there role as a woman somehow when they choose to have an elective caesarean. I think that it leaves first time mums with unrealistic expectations of labour and delivery. What they should say in antenatal classes and this goes for NHS as well as NCT is that this will be the most excrutiatingly painful experience of your life. However bad you think it will be, it is so much worse. And, they should be a bit more honest about the recovery from such delightful things as tears, broken tail bones, broken pelvis, etc. I think that stuff, although rare, is part of an INFORMED DECISION. True, it is rare. But it does happen and women should be told about it when they are told about the bad things about caesareans.
When's the last time you heard someone praise a woman who had a caesarean? But, when a woman suffers excrutiating long painful labor, people say things like "good for you." or "Wow, respect." I think I have respect for the woman who can endure this (when it is her own choice and not because of medical staff talking her into it), but I also have to admit that there a small part of me that want's to say "masochistic lunatic".
Charley, I swear this is not my day to freak you out (now that I've moved on from the dog and new baby topic), but there is a childcare thread with posting from a user (majorstress) she is going through really painful problems now that result from childbirth and a tilted pelvis. I thought of you when she said this. If I were you, I'd check out her thread and possibly ask some questions.
HAve I said too much yet?