Anyone found their C section better than their vaginal birth especially ladies with SPD?

[Billy11]

Hiya ladies
I am utterly and completely confused still!
I had a vaginal birth with first baby 2 years ago..
Was induced
28 hour labour
epidural
episiotomy
bbay was distressed as cord was around her neck
did meconium...didn't cry when she first came out..they had to suck some fluid out of nose and mouth ....but healthy otherwise
after giving birth my knees and all joints below the waist hurt really badly
i thought my pubic bone was gonna break in two for 6 months...

doc said it was normal just give it some time

With this pregnancy i have spd from week 14. Really bad...my osteopath is managing it but i have a rotated pelvis and it happened during my last labour!
I am very seriously considering an elective c section ...i really don't want to have permanent damage to my pelvis ...i know some women were unable to walk for long periods of time or even permanently
As spd is not researched all the well yet...i am struggling to get advice...

Reading about C sections...its not a great optin either is it...bad scars...infections...unable to walk or do anything for 6 weeks....i am willing to take all these risks...
but a baby with breathing problems...NO i do not want to put my baby at risk ...
I have to say with my first labour baby was in distress anyway I really can't make a decision...
I am leaning towards an elective c section as that holds less risk for damaging my pelvis and spinal disks any further...

opinions please?

I had an ELCS three days ago and it was fine. I heard my baby breathing as soon as he emerged and was crying soon after that, then really calm as soon as he was passed to me. His APGAR score was 9 at one minute and then 10 after that so he certainly didn't suffer for being a CS baby. He fed well in recovery and has been since then (despite a moderate tongue tie that was snipped at 36 hours old). My milk came in yesterday so no delays there.

I hope this puts your mind at risk about the effects of a CS on the baby. I think breathing risks after a CS were related to early ELCS. Most hospitals now do ELCS at 39 weeks, unless there is a medical reason to do it earlier, as that minimises the risk of breathing problems.

I didn't have spd so I can't comment on that but it's amazing how much better I feel each day. I am taking paracetamol and codeine and managing well on those.

Hi there, I had an ELCS 2 weeks ago for DD2 and am walking about just fine now!! I was looking after my newborn pretty much straight away and am now back to almost normal in caring for my eldest daughter (DH and family are around to help, too.) I was uncomfortable for the first few days after, but not in pain.

I had a VB for DD1 3 years ago. 24 hr latent stage, 7 hours active labour, 2 hours pushing. In the last hour of pushing, I felt a terrible, searing pain in my tailbone: rather than pushing with the pain of contractions, I was pushing against the pain in y coccyx. Ended up with episiotomy and ventouse delivery. I was battered afterwards, very bruised and sore, an left with damage to my tailbone that, 4 months after the birth and still being in a lot of pain with, took weeks of physiotherapy to improve.

Fast forward 2 1/2 years and my tailbone was 90% better - only painful if I'd been sitting for too long or lying on my back in bed. We conceived DD2 and my thoughts were turning to an ELCS for her mode of delivery. I'm certainly not 'too posh to push', more like too scared!

It was a nightmare trying to get the CS agreed as my OB deemed that as I'd successfully delivered vaginally before, as 2nd births are 'easier', then I should go for another VB. however, you have to question te apparent success of my VB - yes, I pushed a health baby out, but to the extent of damage to my spine.

To cut a long story short (if you want the long story, please see my thread on Mumsnet 'Coccydynia and Second Delivery: what to do?) the CS was agreed but the OB wouldn't agree to it on the terms of my back problem; it was a 'Maternal Request' CS.

I was, of course, very nervous on the day, but it was a FANTASTIC birth experience. No pain (and post-op pain has been managed excellently by Birmingham Womens Healthcare Trust), no exhaustion, a clear head. It was a beautiful, calm, peaceful and extremely moving birth. And, I would say unite healing psychologically for me.

There is an excellent book available on amazon that I think it vital to look at when trying to decide between VB and CS. Its by Leigh East and called Cesarean Birth: a positive approach to preparation an recovery A lot of facts and figures about CS had been presented to me by HCPs out of context so as to put me off the CS (I think) for their own reasons. This book puts those figures into context and enabled me to make a fully informed choice.

If you'd like to talk more, I'd happily answer any more questions. I hope that you get the birth you want - good luck x

Hi,

Well I'm going on the assumption that it must be - but I haven't had m elective c section its booked for 6 weeks time so I will let you know! ... I requested one based on a very long first labour with dd now aged 8 - 70 hours, ventouse, episiotomy, failed epidural etc etc. I just couldn't bear the thought of another vaginal birth. My consultant would have wanted me to have a vaginal birth but I literally refused and argued really strongly and so here I am waiting for me c section. From what I've heard (lots of research) elective c's are very low risk as long as there are no complications with the baby, recovery is slightly better than a vaginal birth with interventions and less pain as a whole. I think the 6 week recovery thing is a bit of a myth - everyone I've spoken to says its a few days of pain / discomfort and back to normal ish by 2-3 weeks. Driving may take longer. Hope that helps. Good luck

Sorry, no experience of SPD, but I had a 'natural' delivery with my first. It was awful, painful, long, she was in the posterior position, forceps were used, and altogether a very negative experience. I felt awful after, mentally and physically, and took a long time to recover.

With my second baby, I had a planned CS. It was a great experience overall, very calm and positive. I felt ok after the CS, and recovered much more quickly than when I had a vaginal birth.

Thanks so much ladies.....you really have put my mind to rest!
Seeing my consultant today for the first time ...lets see what he sais

I do realise that the SPD wont go away straight away ...I just dont want to make things any worse as it is already rotated and pulling on my spinal disks and knee.
My breastmilk is close to none so only lasted 3 weeks last time with huge formula top ups as couldnt pump more than 30 mls a day ...then simply gave up on it so this time again my breasts never change during pregnancy ...never get bigger or fuller or hurt so im assuming the breastmilk situation will be the same...which may be a blessing for my

Big hug to all you ladies who put time in to writing the responses while having so much to do and babies to look after...really really appreciate it

I had a ELCS because of severe SPD. The consultant said he 'wasn't convinced' but he agreed to it.

QTPie - SPD lingers because of mechanical and muscular dysfunctions. Despite popular belief, there's no evidence to suggest it has anything to do with hormones.

I saw my consultant, he explained just SPD allone wouldnt rotate my pelvis and give me knee pains....he thinks i must have fractured my tailbone during last delivery due to the long labour and didnt feel it cuz of the epidural
after birth when i told docs bout the pain i was told its normal to feel bruised in that area for a while...
the bone probably grew back but at a wrong angle...so there is no way now with spd and this issue i will go for a vaginal birth
also doc said baby is breech at the moment and when women fracture their tail bone and it heals at the wrong angle without being diagnosed the pelvic area becomes stiffer and it becomes harder for baby to engage head...so enough reasons there for an elective c section ...still scared of something going wrong

Billy your OB sounds like he knows the score! My tailbone had a complete battering with my first vaginal birth, yet my OB was very reluctant to give me a CS. I mean, he agreed, but it wasn't an easy ride and he made me pretty shit about it.

I've read on a website (coccydynia.org, I think) about others experiences of childbirth following a coccyx injury sustained during a previous vaginal delivery. Most have chosen to have/been advised by their HCPs to have a subsequent CS as, due to the tailbone being the 'anchor' for the pelvic floor muscles, they'll inevitably stretch/overstretch again and the tailbone pain will return.

At least with an ELCS, if things go well (which they should, particularly when the mother/ baby is otherwise healthy), then you'll have a prescribed recovery time. Unlike with a battered tailbone ...

Best of luck to you x

i was lucky enough to see a specialist in spd after having ds1, i had it really badly with him (was hospitalised) and actually he said the best thing was an upright natural labour, with ds1 i had a labour like you, 3 days, epidural, flat on back, episiotomy etc etc and my spd was a nightmare for months afterwards, lots oh physio, ultrasound treatment, tried allsorts, what worked was gentle exercise to improve my core strength and swimming!

I have since had 4 more babies, the spd never got as bad as it did with no one, despite babies weighing 9lb 3, 9lb 5oz, 10lb 13oz! and each time i had a natural upright labour, one baby, the biggest was born in birth pool.

basically the specialst said my pelvis was out of alignment after no 1 and having a natural birth in a good position would help put it back into alignment and it did :)

Thanks lunarlyte...
the amazing thing is this is the first time the fractured tailbone has been diagnosed..and my daughter is 2.5 now...i assumed pains and aches in the area after birth were normal...
Yes you are right ...i feel my consultant really knows what is going on still very much leaving the decision to me ...mind you i am seeing him privately and giving birth privately as well

Wow 5madthing...that is amazing...I am not so brave...just gonna go with the c section as the spd and tailbone are both sore...
my pelvis is also out of alignement but the osteopath is doing a great job
also the natural birth for me wasnt very natural ...
induced 28 hour labour...baby had done a meconeum...she ddidnt cry when she was born they pumped out water of her nose and mouth ...which is normally the case with c sections ...so always having been agaisnt a c section ...i hope its gonna be my good friend for this and hopefully one more baby

my first was like that as well billy and i was actually induced with the ohter 4 as well as i always go more than 2 wks overdue (must have a comfy uterous and they dont want to come out! ) but 2nd labour was 7hrs, 3 was 3hrs, 4ths was ONE hour and then no 5 was 3hrs again but she was back to back, midwife said she would have shot out had she not been!

tbf my tailbone though achey has never been a huge problem, but the joint at the front of my pelivs/pubic bone OMG the pain, couldnt touch it or i would jump ten feet in the air, it was excruciating i well know the feeling that you think it is going to snap!

mine are 12yrs, 9, 7, 4 and 16mths and generally 'touch wood' my pelvis is ok, it still hurts if i lie on my side for too long and it flares up during my period, which i assume is hormonal? but on the whole its nothing i cant manage with some nurofen and a hot water battle and it certainly doesnt affect my day to life, i ride a bike, walk everywhere and run around after 5 children :)

the decision is yours, nad if you feel you will recover better from a planned c section go for it, we have the choice now so make sure you get your way!

personally i am terrified of a section (personal reasons after a friends bad experience) but would always have had one if for some reason it was needed for the baby)

but you have to do what is right for you, so a planned c section if a perfectly valid choice, congratulations on your pregnancy, hope all goes smoothly for you :)

5madtings
Thanks...actually I am petrified of a C section as well ...but having met a few ladies who couldn't walk properly years after birth ....made me think I would rather take the risks for a C section ...
Wow you went to have 5 kids ...that's another thing i originally wanted 4 but now will be happy with three...dont fancy more than 2 c sections
I am 36 and think i dont wanna put my body through a 4th pregnancy...this pregnancy has been really hard..im always tired..the first one was so easy ...
thanks for sharing your story ...i will let you know how it goes

i am only 33, started young and had first at uni, not exactly planned but not unplanned ifkwim! and have been lucky enough to have easy pregnancies and births other than no 1, i did find no 5 much harder tho, just from a tierdness pov and i do just think enough, it was my bodies way of saying 'ok done now'.

good luck with it and yes do come back and let us know how it all goes. :)

Hi I had spd with both my pregnancies very badly in a wheelchair after my first horrendous birth, ventouse, forceps, episiotomy, third degree tear and blood transfusion I was still in agony from Spd which is hormone related because it can linger if you breastfeed, for 18 months with dd2 I had elective c section because of 1st birth and damage caused and I was fine, in fact out walking round shops at 3 days post. I didn't have pain and my Spd hasn't been a problem since so I would advise a caesar and If I have anymore children will be having one, good luck OP

I found giving birth traumatic (baby a month early) and it took many years to finally decide to have another baby. I also had back surgery a few years later.

Second baby was breech so ended up having C Section. I was terrified beforehand but it turned out to be a beautiful experience with no problems during or after.
Originally I had planned on having a water birth and using hypnotherapy. Although I couldn't go down this route I was allowed my hypnobirthing music in the background, skin to skin contact and it was magical and a very positive experience. The first few days were abit painful but recovery wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I had an elective with DS1 as he was breech. Ds2 I had horrendous SPD from 26 weeks and tried for a VBAC. IMHO it was an enormous mistake. I ended up with an emergency section anyway! If I were to have anymore I would book a section without a second thought.

I am still bf him at 17mo but still having appalling problems with pelvic and groin pain.

Both my sections were brilliant and the emergency actually the best part of ds2's birth! It was so calm and the pain had gone away! I was on the school run at 3 days (dp drove but I walked down from the carpark and it was on a hill so not easy IYSWIM) and driving at four weeks.

Do it do it do it!!! I don't care if I get flamed I sadly had a horrific first birth and felt awful for a very long time after, my second birth was an elective c section, admittedly no walk in the park it's major surgery but I recovered so much faster than from the first birth, had far less pain and was much better placed to be a loving hands on mum to my baby and toddler. Best decision I ever made but good luck with whatever you decide I hope you have the birth experience you want and deserve

Thanks ladies.
Decided.
Elective C section
Consultant recommended it also, as he thinks I fractured my coccyx during last labour which went undiagnosed and is now causing the spd and other joint problems
Also SPD is getting worse and certain wrong movements really make me suffer for days ...
I dont' think I will ever give birth vaginally again if I have a choice

Now deciding date....1 August or 31 July...

Excellent good luck with everything