Who has had normal birth and a c section

[elizaregina]

I wondered if anyone who has had a long and traumatising labour and a c section could tell me what they think about the compared experiences.

i had a traumatic first labour that still make me shudder 5 years on, i am about to have second baby - and i am thinking about pushing for a c section. a friend who had contractions for 10 hours before an ecs, told me the pain of the wound is nothing compared to the pain of labour but that it was the after effects. another told me her c secton was far more civillised experience.

Caesarean was BRILLIANT, normal labour was awful. If you asked for a score, I would say 10/10 for c/s and the largest possible minus figure for normal labour.

Recovery was much quicker with the c section as well.

Agree. ELCS was much much better. You feel way more in control (weirdly) and however painful, at least you can sit down afterwards! I couldn't for weeks after forceps birth & extended episiotomy.

I had a god-awful normal first labour, no pain relief with long-term health implications; a second labour with an epidural from the outset and a c section for the third. The best experience was the ELCS in terms of speed of recovery.

I so sympathise with this decision making. I won't be much help as my first normal birth was hard-going at time but seems fine in retrospect (thanks to the epidural) then I had a horrendous protracted second labour which traumatised me and eventually ended in EMCS. For months afterwards i obaessively wished i could rewrite history and have had an elective. Recovery was tough for me but I think that is much less common with an elective. It's a tough decision, very best of luck x

I had a horrific, medieval vaginal first birth, went 2 weeks overdue with ds2, ummed and aahed about choosing an ELCS and eventually opted for an induction. I ended up with an EMCS but with a general and it was fabulous. Much faster recovery time and far less scary. It was bliss being able to go for a wee without wincing - stitches in your stomach are definitely preferable to stitches in your fanny.

Maybe its partly the order you have them in too?

My first was a c section and in theory straight forward but I hated everything about it and found recovery difficult (not able to cough, sit, walk, steps, etc) for ages. I particularly hated not being able to turn over to feed or lift my baby and was so uncomfortable after. I was desperate to avoid a c section second time.

Second time labour - wanted all "natural" but ended up with an epidural after long labour - magic pain relief. However had a huge PPH and was in hospital several days on drips and things. Incredibly traumatic/scary. However even with the intensive care trip etc I still prefered the (low) forceps delivery to the c section.

If I had another I would still try for a vaginal birth!

With number 1 I had a long and very painful back to back labour that ended in an emergency cs and it took a long time to recover. Not helped by an infection in the wound.

Number 2 arrived in just over 2 hours from first contraction to delivery. Too fast for any pain relief. I had an episiotomy and some stitches that were a bit uncomfortable for a few days but I felt better within an hour of giving birth than I had for several weeks after having the cs. I was on an absolute high for ages afterwards.

Number 3 was 4.5 hours from waters starting to leak to delivery. Textbook birth. I needed only 2 stitches. MW even told me I should have more because I was so good at it! The recovery was actually not quite as easy as with number 2 but still miles better than the cs.

The problem is that a straightforward v birth is miles better than a cs, without a doubt, but you can't guarantee that's what you'll have. You have to weigh up the risks of there being problems. It's really hard. For both VBACs I wasn't really given an awful lot of choice. If I'd been offered an ELCS I may well have taken it but I wasn't. In the end that worked out well for me but for someone else it might not.

cutegorilla I think what you had though was an emergency c/s and I don't think that is anything like an elcs which is a lot calmer.

Do you think that was a factor?

It could have been, or it could have been the infection that I got afterwards it's hard to say really.

I found the pain down below trying to go to the loo horrendous after labour and that lasted two weeks, i was in tears every time and couldnt bear to wash myself down there, i nealry caused an infection, the midwife ordered me to wash, that was a tear not stiches, and not seeing what happened down there affected me also.

The pain of the birth with pethadine left me scarred physcologically for ages after, and I planned for ages very carefuly what pain relief to go for and of course like many other women, the hospital midwife put me off.

I am just terrified now my local hospitals have gone drastically down hill in terms of care, will i even get in to one to have my baby, i couldnt go thru labour again without an apidural, i couldnt cope with forceps etc.

The sound of an ELCS also teffifies me, i have never had any surgery not even on teeth, no broken bones nothing. but i am thinking there is a smaller range of things that can go wrong, you know what they are.

trying to sit up after last birth in bed at night to get baby to feed was painful on stomach, so i cant imagine how i would do it after a c section?

I've had a labour ending with a emcs and then a further emcs. This time I'm majorly considering a vbac, possibly in the water.

If you'd have asked me 6 years ago I'd have said elcs this time however I'm now a midwife and I would honestly prefer a normal birth if possible.

Don't forget a elcs isn't without it's risks either.

I had an ELCS just over 2 weeks ago for my 2nd birth, after an horrendous 1st birth (induction/back to back/Keillands forceps/ undiagnosed severe blood loss/ break down of episiotomy/faecal incontinence/DD scarred/DD readmitted to hospital as couldn't feed).

I couldn't be happier with my decision. I wasn't this pain free until several months after I had DD1 and wasn't feeling as mentally good for almost a year after. The pain has been much more manageable, I haven't taken any pain relief since about 1 week post CS - I was still on my full dose of diclofenac 6 weeks after DD (and still feeling breakthrough pain). Frankly, I feel so good I don't feel like I've had a baby, it's a piece of piss walk in the park compared to the hell-birth and recovery of DD1. In terms of pain right now, I've felt worse after a day's snowboarding!

Partly I can put this down to being better prepared, I knew I would be hospital bound for 2 days and bed-ridden for the 1st 24 hours. I know I can't do anything too strenuous, mentally it has been easier because I was expecting the hardships of post-CS surgery, having swallowed the NCT course hook line and sinker I was like a lamb to the slaughter for my first birth. I'm also a low-risk candidate for CS/surgery (non-smoker, normal weight, no other contra-indications).

But actually, taking a step back, this recovery has just brought into sharper focus what a hellishly dreadful time I had first time round. I wouldn't risk another VB for a million pounds, I'm already considering DC3 on account of my fantastic experience and recovery so far.

The actual birth was so unremarkable I almost forgot to mention it! I was completely comfortable with the idea of "going under the knife". DD1 was delivered in theatre with a spinal so I knew what to expect in terms of setting the scene. I was so calm waiting for them to take me down that I had a lovely nap on the ward! Everything was calm, friendly and professional. I felt completely in control and in safe hands at all times. Both DH and I view it as a blissful experience compared to the birth of DD1. It has been lovely to be able to experience such a pleasant way for my child to be born and has also been enormously healing after the mental damage that DD1s birth did to me.

Wow, that's a long post! . In summary, ELCS was by far the better experience for me but that has been at least in part because I was so comfortable with the decision, the risks and the recovery.

I had a similar first experience to herethere (feel your pain herethere, sounds as though you went through some tough times). I ended up back in hospital for surgery/repair at 4 months and it took me another two months after that to be pain free and able to walk, wash, sit and lie comfortably.
I had an elcs 3 weeks ago and after feeling a bit achey for two or three days I can honestly say I've had to consciously stop myself from returning to normal activity. I know I'm not supposed to lift heavy stuff or do anything strenuous for another couple of weeks but I feel totally fine.
No comparison for me, a completely positive experience this time. I should also say that I'm terrified of hospitals and strangely felt totally in control this time. Few nerves but not scared.

I had a traumatic forceps delivery first time and an elcs second time. Elcs was so much better in every way - calm, controlled, not at all stressful. I was lucky to recover very quickly from my elcs - did need pain killers for a while. Funnily enough midwives didn't withhold pain meds for me when I was recovering from my elcs. Unlike wormy forceps delivery and stitches when I was screaming for pain relief and was basically told to piss off.

I've had both and c section was great :)

Anchorwoman glad you've had such a positive 2nd time too - I'm also forcing myself to stick to the rules on doing strenuous stuff as, like I said, I don't feel like I've had a baby. The lochia's disappeared too (unlike the rivers of blood for 2 months last time!)

AberdeenAgnes I also noticed this attitude re: pain and recovery. I was treated fabulously post-cs, ample pain relief and help doing anything I needed in hospital (midwife even said, "we can even take her for a while in the night if you're struggling and need a break" This was the NHS in S.London, NOT the Portland!). The lady in the bed next to me however, (1st time mum, instrumental delivery) was clearly in lots of pain and traumatised. She was too afraid to drink water because of the pain of going to the toilet. She didn't want to get out of bed. A midwife shouted at her for not getting up, told her she'd get DVT and collapse like Fabrice Mwamba and that she couldn't feed her baby properly if she didn't drink - no help, assistance, checking of wound, pain relief, nothing. Exactly my 1st experience. Deliver from the vagina and no matter how traumatic (physically and mentally) it's all just normal. Get up and get on with it.

(Sorry to OP for slight tangent/post hi-jack!)

DD1 - natural delivery - horrific experience with Ventouse. Pain in episiotomy 6 years on. Baby nearly died, I had massive PPH. Thought she would be an only. PND.

DD2 ELCS - wonderful experience - healed a lot of wounds from first birth experience. Another PPH - managed quickly and calmly. Uncomfortable yes, but home sooner, and recovery much quicker. Mental health fine.

DC3 due october - plan another ELCS.

I would have loved to have a natural birth again, but the fear of the complications of the first time was too much to cope with.

My first birth was very traumatic, 3 years on I had an elcs,the best experience of my life, lovely and calm, would do it again tomorrow.

Yes it hurts afterwards, but the pain was was nowhere near as bad as after my first birth. Just take the morphine they offer you

Oh, and I only took painkillers for 10 days after the cs, I found the trick was not to sit still for too long.

I had a planned c-section for both of our babies' births, and chose this from the outset of pregnancy. I agree with the midwife who posted who said that it's very important to recognise that there are risks with this birth choice, and would add that these risks increase with multiple surgeries, which is why doctors recommend that only women planning a small family should consider choosing a caesarean.
That said, as most of the women posting here today have mentioned, there are risks associated with a planned natural vaginal too. Therefore what's important is that women are given information about the risks of both birth plans and allowed to choose which set of risks they are most tolerant of, and which benefits they are more interested in.
The health outcomes for each birth plan (plan being an important word here) are now so close that the ideological drive in many settings to make all women attempt a trial of labour, and reserve the c-section for urgent need only, is untenable.
I was lucky that my choice was respected and supported by my obstetrician, but there are too many women whose choice is still being denied, and that's even despite the November NICE guideline update!
I've just written a book on this subject with a Canadian doctor, and we hope that our evidence-based arguments will help improve this situation, and offer women something to read that explains the day of surgery, and its risks and benefits, in a very different context than they're perhaps finding in other birth books.
I hope this information helps, and best of luck whichever birth plan you decide is best for you.
Kind regards, Pauline Hull

I've had a long and erratic back-to-back labour and vaginal birth (40+ hours), a long and erratic back to back labour and vaginal birth (21 hours), a short and fast vaginal birth (4.5 hours), and a crash CS without ever going into proper labour. The quickest recoveries were the second and third ones, the easiest overall was the CS. The recovery was slower than my second and third's, but on a par with the first if not faster. I felt like I'd been run over by a tank after DS's birth, for about 2 months. I think I felt OK again and pretty much back to normal about a month after the CS.

I've been following this thread avidly since the post began - thanks OP for starting it.

Basically, I had my DD1 in 2009 and developed coccydynia (severe tailbone pain) during her delivery. It's about 90% better now but I'm terrified of redamaging that area again and/or making the problem worse. To cut a long story short, I'm now 37+4 with an agreed ELCS date (2 weeks time!). But I've been feeling wobbly about it lately; second-guessing myself about whether I should try for another VB as although the OB has agreed to the CS, he is of the mind that mode of delivery won't make a difference to my spine. To pick up on the points of some other ladies writing posts on here, the cons of CS have been heavily outlined to me: the only positive being that we would know baby's birth day. I've had to actively seek out other advantages an a more balanced perspective (found in Leigh East's book), as well a seeking the advice of friends, family and other mums here on Mumsnet.

Anyway, I too don't want to hijack this tread with my personal story. If anyone is interested, or who might be able to add additional thoughts, please go to my thread, here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1401146-Coccydynia-and-second-delivery-what-to-do

Thanks again OP, and to everyone who has contributed their experiences x

Lunarlyte "the cons of CS have been heavily outlined to me"

Out of interest, who was it who was stressing the cons?

Just intrigued because virtually every poster has said their vaginal birth was far far worse than the elcs.

I had CS with dd1 and vbac with dd2 (24 hrs labour from waters breaking to delivery) The vbac was a vastly superior experience.

I went home the same day
I could drive
I could cough, lift dd2 and bf without pain.
I was fully recovered from the birth in a week rather than months.
Talk to your midwife/consultant. You could perhaps get an agreement to move straight to CS if you appear to have anything more than a straightforward delivery.