Under what circumstances can I have an elective cesarean?

[Pinkflipflop]

Just wondered about this? It's very hard to find info about!

If you had an elective cesarean, did you find it hard to convince your doctor?

I'm not pregnant (yet) though if I ever managed to get pregnant, I really feel that a cesarean birth would be for me.

I'm in N Ireland - so interested if there are any experiences from here too!

pinkflipflop My sil had 2 planned sections, had both in Royal Victoria Hospital, both privately. She didn't have any huge problelms picking up babies etc, she thought the care was really good but obviously expensive Hope this helps

lucasnorth - good question but I don't know the answer either! I can't seem to find the full text of that article (doesn't seem to be available yet) so don't know the details of the methodology and their justification for doing it that way. Maybe a lot of cases were excluded where there were confounding factors, e.g. a medical reason for the CS that would have made it more risky than usual? Or they might have restricted to first-time mothers only? Just guessing though!

I have access to the Nature article, PM me if you want me to email you a copy.

Ooh, exciting. I didn't know we could send private messages (last I looked it was CAT(?!) and you had to pay)

Have messaged you; thanks very much

BAGOFHOLLY - I have had 2 ELCS at 38 weeks in 2 different NHS districts so I dont think it is correct the NHS dont generally do CS before 39 weeks, I had no problems during pregnancies so was not delivered early for health reasons.
With regard to breathing problems in babies delvered by CS, it is common babies are more mucasy, this is because they have not been squeezed through the birth canal, during the transition when babies are born vaginally alot of the mucas they have swollowed is squeezed out, where as with CS babies dont come through the birth canal therefore retain alot of the mucas, but this generally disperses through time, CS babies are often known as "wet babies" for this reson

"CS is major surgery" is a misleading phrase, because major surgery is a technical term that refers to any surgery involving the torso and organs (as opposed to a surgery on the arm, for example).

CS is much closer to tonsillectomy than a heart transplant, in the words of a gynecologist.

It is a fairly standard operation. Most teams performing it have carried out zillions of CSs together. There is very little to worry about.

As for risk of respiratory problems, these are minute if CS is performed after 38 weeks. There are many risks to the baby in vaginal births, as well. It is up to you to weigh the pros and cons and decide which risks you are comfortable taking.

Re "recovery time" - I was bed-ridden for three weeks after DD's vaginal birth, crying in pain all day and night.

After DS's CS, I was completely fine on Day 3.