Does anyone regret having an ELCS?

[MammaCici]

I have a meeting today and I think I will request a ELCS.

The reason being I have prolapse issues (rectocele) since DC1 and this baby is lying back to back so the odds of an assisted delivery being necessary are higher. Even if baby wasn't b2b I am very scared of the labour because I coped so badly last time. G&A made me hallucinate and I was in the horrors for hours.
But I really fear making my prolapse issues worse and unliveable. I've been told I'll need surgery but I would like to wait until menopause before going down that road. At the moment my rectocele is manageable. I dread the possibility of incontinence. With my first child my biggest fear was having a c-section. This time it feels like it may be my best option.

Baby is b2b and extremely low down with the placenta at the front. I am currently 34+5.

I'm wondering if anyone regrets their decision to have an elcs and why.

Hi there, if you don't mind me asking...how bad is your rectocele? I'm asking because I am in the same dilemma, I have a been told by my gp that I have a slight rectocele. I have my 2nd appointment with consultant soon and need to decide if I want another natural birth or an elc.

I had an ElCS too,for my son (1st baby) because I did not want to give birth, and i would do it again. I did have a fight on my hands and was made to cry on several occasions at appointments, so be prepared to dig your heels in. I do not regret my decision, as it was the right birth choice for me. The NICE guidelines state that maternal request is a valid reason for section, and you are entitled to a second opinion if your consultant is not supportive of your request. Good luck in whichever decision you make.

I have a quite damaged pelvic floor after a crap first birth - both a significant rectocele and damage where stitching didn't hold. My consultant (a urogynecologist - specialist in pelvic floor repairs) said it would be my choice next time. In her words "your baby might just drop out with the amount of damage you already have". However she has in no way suggested that she can repair any damage - clearly the amount of damage determines the likelihood of successful repair to a certain extent. Your MW really is feeding you poor information there. Also further damage might bring a repair forward to the next few years when you are trying to care for 2 children, rather than when they are older.

MW are specialists in pregnancy and birth. I would be very wary of taking advice from one on long term pelvic floor issues and subsequent repairs as they really have nothing to do with them and don't see them. I haven't seen a MW since DD was a few days old so my birth is just recorded as a success to the MWs who saw me, I certainly don't see it that way. Gynecology is quite disjointed in this respect and the economics of the cost of CS don't seem to take after effects into account either.

I had a 2nd vb with a rectocele caused by the 1st vb. It was my choice as the first birth had been fine so I was happy to do it again on my own terms (basically either no intervention at all, or a caesarean).
I had an 8lb 8oz (3.86kg) baby with no tears or stitches.
The prolapse was worse after the birth, to the extent it was hanging out on day three and I was crying! It rapidly got better and more manageable but I wasn't comfortable carrying my baby in a sling and all the PFEs in the world didn't make it go away. In fact, I did so many PFEs I inflamed a coccyx injury I got with the birth which took 6-9months to heal.
I had a repair op by a gynaecologist when my baby was 18 weeks. The prolapse is about 80% better but I still have to support my perineum when I poo to get the last bit out. (Sorry)
Also the wound is still very sore and 5 months on sex is still very uncomfortable.
If I had my time again I would probably choose a c-section. Because even if the recovery is longer with a section, if you make the prolapse worse with a vb, you are going to struggle to lift and carry your baby and toddler much anyway for a few weeks.
If you really are considering vb, how about try for a vb but with an option to switch to a section at any point and definitely after 12 hours?