To all those who had an elective section.....

[clarabellarocks]

This is kind of following on for the post about orgasmic labour - VIOLETHILL made an interesting comment that her second baby, born by ELCS was much calmer and easier than her first born vaginally. Does anyone else agree/disagree?

With my first baby I went for natural (starting off in the pool) but failure to progress (total of 4 days from start of latent phase of labour) meant I ended up on the drip with an epidural, distressed baby and ventouse with episitomy. She was born with an injury to her arm which meant we had months of physio, a tormented first few weeks back and forth from the hospital and she was exhausted from the long labour (as was I) and in pain.

Nobody knows what caused the arm and whilst she recovered fully after about 6 months it's something I want to avoid. My next baby is due in a few weeks and growth scans show it to be big like my DD (her size could have been a factor leading to her injury as she was in an awkward position - I am far from big)

Originally I wanted to go natural again but am terrified of history repeating itself as there are no guarantees this labour will be quick and natural and may well end in an emergency section. Just trying to find arguements for and against a decision of ELCS so would be interested to hear from others about how children born by ELCS are.

Isn't it a bit late to decide on an elCS, given that your baby is due in a few weeks? ElCS is done on 38 weeks or so.

By the time you find a consultant willing to discuss this with you, argue for it, get referred to maternity psychologist etc, you will start getting contractions IMHO.

not too late at all, phone your hospital and get an appointment and if thats the decision you have made dont leave till they have booked you in, i had 2 elcs one was at 39 weeks so you still have time.

i have had 3 sections altogether, they were fine.ds was unwell and so was i but that was due to other complications (placenta accreta) not the actual caesarean.

sounds like the best choice for you.good luck

ELCS is done after 39 weeks or on 39 weeks. Generally it is safer for the baby and not quite as safe for you although both are quite minimal. I've had an emcs, an GA emcs, and two elcs. The two elcs were lovely, recovering is not so instant and significant pain. But as the biggest factor in having a emcs is fear of not having a safe/successful labour then I would opt for a elcs.

Please read my thread on that post about "orgasmic labour"
Trust your insticts! If you go overdue...make sure they give you a SCAN and test for group B strep even if they think it is not necessary.
All these things I wish I had done to prevent my second daughter dying during labour.
I wanted a natural labour until I went a week over and got a really bad feeling things weren't going to go my way...I begged for a c section but they didn't think it was necessary and didn't offer a scan to check my baby Tallula was ok or do any tests to check for infections that I didnt know until now there aren't always symptoms?? I was perfectly healthy during my labour.
Apparently group B strep is really dangerous but often the mother has no symptoms...scary stuff but women should know the risks!
All the best,,,sorry if I have scared you but you have to be aggressive with the midwives and consultants...they are bullies...

In a word CoteDAzure - No!

I'm under consultant care care and seeing the consultant every two weeks. I'm 35 weeks and from what I understand sections are done as late as poss to enable baby to be as mature as possible. Our local hospital does them at 39 weeks so no I'm not too late. My consultant delivered my first baby so knows my history and reasons for requesting an elective if that is what I want and so I will not have to argue for it as there is a concern there will be a repeat brachal plexus injury but it is all an unknown quantity. Many women in my position would not have to argue for an elective just if their baby was as big as mine - let alone if there was a disability caused because of the size. That's why I'm having growth scans - so my consultant and I can decide on the best course of action.

But to be honest I didn't want advice on whether I would be offered a section as that isn't the issue - just experiences of those who have a baby born by elective sections are calmer babies than those born by emergency sections or vaginally.

No, no evidence to suggest that babies are any different.

Thanks - cross posted in my reply to CoteDAzure so missed your replies also saying not too late. My reply may answer some questions.

Thanks Dimi, I did read your thread and to be honest didn't agree after my experience with DD1. I think it's great to want a natural birth but sometimes there are other factors to consider which is what is the case for me. This brachal plexus injury can be caused by shoulder dystocia which in my case wasn't - that is what makes the decision hard and once you have had a baby with this birth injury you are 14 times more likely to have a reoccurance. But then it might not happen again although I'm not sure it's a risk I want to take. For me birth is just a process I go through to get a healthy baby.

I know all the pros and cons of sections vs vaginal but was just really interested in knowing individual experiences of how babies were from those who had experience of either both or just a section.

I don't think anyone can say whether the birth method itself leads to a calmer baby. It is probably a combination of factors but I would think that the most important is mum's mental state and ability/willingness to cared for the newborn.

If you have a good VB or CS that leaves you intact and relatively pain-free, feeling good about yourself and your newborn baby, you will probably take care of her better, be more focused and calm yourself, which will help your baby be calm and content.

If you have a bad VB or CS that leaves you in shreds, in excruciating pain day and night, unable to move, not caring about anything (including baby) except the pain, crying from pain all the time, chances are your baby will not be very peaceful.

My first was a bad VB and baby was a nightmare in the first 6 months. 5 years later, she is still demanding and anxious.

My second was a good elCS, and baby was content and happy. 18 months later, he is still happy and content.

i dont think it makes them any more or less calm, mt first emcs and dd was an absolute joy,ds-elcs was an absolute nightmare a non sleeper and big screamer! dd2 was elcs and again an absolute joy, calm, hardly cries.so i dont think type of birth really makes a diff unfortunately!

My ds was delivered by elcs, very calm delivery, but he was in the words of the midwives on the post-natal ward 'a very angry baby'. His first 7 months were a long scream-fest, but it seems nothing was wrong with him. Now he's a very lively, sweet, almost 3 year old - with a feisty temper.

OMG DIMI I AM SO SORRY!! I thought you were the person who started the thread. I've just read your post on that thread and I am so very sorry what happened to you. I really didn't mean to sound so unsympathetic as I didn't realise it wasn't you who had started it. That must have been so horrible for you and now I understand exactly what you are saying.

My DD was born by ELCS - just because I was scared of pain - Great birth. Managed pain on 2 paracetomol afterwards and was pushing her up hills in a pram within the week. She is a very calm and happy baby who sleeps 12 hours a night and has done since 5-6months. I am evangelical about ELCS.

I had an ELCS 3 weeks ago and an EMCS 2 years ago.
The ELCS was a pretty pleasant experience and recovery was so very much easier, if not a little longer.

Pain was better this time around - better managed I think. I took all painkillers offered, only for about a week.
Last week I was still pretty tired.
This week I have been getting back to normal, chasing my 2 year old, and even managed a wee night out to the theatre last night for my birthday.

Do what you think is best. I went through a wee 'oh, maybe I should try for VBAC', but am so so SO glad I went down the elective route.
It felt safe and well-managed, and at no point was I concerned for the health of me or my baby.

I had a nightmare forceps birth with DS1, shoulder dystocia, awful. Took almost a week for him to breastfeed properly as he was so battered and bruised and had no energy to feed. Had to pump milk, feed it to him then top up with formula to get some fluids through him, then at 6 days out he just woke up and exclusively breastfed.
DS2 was born by ELCS, a dream by comparison. Feeding was easy, baby not bruised, my recovery great too. Lovely, peaceful, enjoyable birth. Doesn't mean I wouldn't wish for a trouble free natural delivery but the chances of that are pretty slim for me.
Good luck with whstever you decide.

Much preferred vaginal birth personally.

V birth much calmer. Had EMCS 1st.

DS1 from c-sec was not a large baby. But he got stuck. They are both lush and full of beans.

Good luck and congrats!

I had an elective section. I always feel it must be a hell of a shock for the baby to be so suddenly pulled out that way. Cor, did DD scream!
Wasn't there a campaign to make c-sections more gentle on the baby - slowing them right down, dimmer lighting etc.

I had an ELCS with DS. He didn't scream much, just very briefly, then started looking around and fell back to sleep. He's a very calm baby and always has been really. The ELCS was a fantastic experience, very calm and enjoyable. Recovery was loads better as well.

I had a bad VB with DD (my first) but she was also a pretty calm baby but I had a terrible recovery.

Good luck making the decision :) I couldn't make my mind up with DS at all and eventually the decision got made for me at 38 weeks (my condition changed so that it was an easy decision!). My consultant told me there was no rush to decide at all.

Dimming lights during CS has to be one of the worst ideas, ever

Between baby slowly adjusting to outside light and my surgeon actually seeing what he is doing inside me, I know which I would prefer.

My first child was born by EMCS. No particular problems and I recovered well.
I went for a VBAC with my second son, in my opinion with hindsight a mistake. I had a horrendous forceps and shoulder dystocia delivery. I firmly believe he is only here today because of the brilliant midwives who were there. He was a very difficult baby and is still very hard work.
I saw a consultant when I was pregnant with my third child. He strongly suggested a ELCS but left the decision to me. He looked at my notes from the previous birth and said that it was a 'bad one' and did not want to risk another shoulder dystocia birth. I went with the ELCS as I did not want to put my child at risk. My daughter was born 4 months ago by ELCS which was a fantastic experience. I was discharged from hospital 48 hours after she was born. Had pain killers for a week which was more than enough. I was back on my feet in no time, recovered very quickly and had no problems with the scar.
Highly recommended for those of us who cannot give birth naturally without complications.
BTW my section was booked about five days before the operation and she was born at 39+1.

both mine are ELCS (maternal choice) babies - both lovely calm experiences. #1 is a full on lively but not a moaner and slept through from 8 weeks. #2 is a happy smiley & laid back slept through from 12 weeks.

not had time to read all the posts but DD1 was a traumatic labour ending in forceps delivery and a very distressed baby. She was a really difficult baby, constant crying, colic etc and eventually saw a cranial osteopath who helped sort her sore head out. DD2 was an ELCS 6 weeks ago and is the perfect calm baby, she is so good that at first I thought there was something wrong with her! I am now quite convinced that most of DD1's issues were down to her horrendous birth.

Well my DD was a v.traumatic forceps delivery, she was battered and bruised, her face is still scarred (and always will be) she's now 13 months.

BUT she has been an absolute dream of a child. Always slept at night, very easy-going and mild-mannered, a genuinely happy little girl - TBH she has been the saving grace from my horrific experience.

It goes to show that a difficult birth does not always equal a difficult child. By all means choose an ELCS, if I ever allow myself to get pg again I'll seriously consider it - but I don't think it will necessarily affect the temperament of your LO! I know a few cs mums who would say their LO was quite angry to have been snatched from their comfy womb!

I had an ELCS and the procedure itself was very calm, controlled and wonderful. It's very safe if performed at the right time (39 weeks) and you won't have all the uncertainty that goes along with a natural birth. I really wanted to avoid a difficult birth or EMCS - ELCS was the right choice for me.

Have no other children to compare him with, but DS is a fantastic baby, nearly 10 months on. Wouldn't describe him as calm or easy though!! I don't think personality is that affected by birth experience.

My third (now 17 weeks) was born by ELCS and he is proving my most needy in that he doesn't like being put down and it's hard work getting him to nap in the day. However, he also smiles and 'talks' the most to us and, like the others, sleeps the night though.

But I think that's a product of his own little character and our slightly more chilled parenting rather than being born by ELCS. My first is more highly strung, had a difficult vb birth with him but he is also a product of our pfb anxieties.

My ELCS btw was fantastic, and I've had a natural vb and an epidural vb to compare it to.

Were you thinking about this study:

www.themedguru.com/20101103/newsfeature/babies-born-elective-cesarean-calmer-study-86141454.html

I've only seen this soundbite so can't comment on it, but my ds was born by elective and came out very angry and was a very demanding baby!