Natural Birth or Elective C-Section?

[happygoluckyinOz]

I?m just wondering ? is there still a stigma attached to going for an elective c-section?

I?ve had a couple of friends who?ve given birth over the last few years, and I haven?t heard one ?good? birthing story. In fact they all sound horrific; tearing, forceps, being cut, 4 day labour, incontinence, blood clot in the brain (of the mother) due to such a long labour and one even fainting at home and having to be readmitted to hospital because she?d lost more blood than they?d realised (being separated from her 1 day old first baby for 5 days).

Now, if you had the choice, to be able to plan the date, go into hospital in a relaxed way, have a c-section and stay in a private en-suite room in which your partner can also stay with you overnight ? would you make that choice?

I?m just interested in the pro?s and con?s I guess of each option ? having not had to make the choice myself yet.

Im in the same process as you and I have requested a section again. I don't want to risk the scar tearing and although a vbac would be great it could go wrong. I know it could with a section but I have read up on the risks involved and made my decision on the facts. I can live without the experience of a vbac and like you I have few friends who have had good natural birth experiences.

Watched #oneborn last night - woman on there booked in for an elcs, all calm and happy - they scanned baby & decided she didn't need one after all as baby had turned - so sent her away. Later on she loses blood and has to have an emergency section.

hi..

i had a C section with my first child, it went very easily and was calm apart from a small issue with her breathing when i had her... it therefore i think can be described as a positive C-Section - HOWEVER i hated it, i felt really out of control and i didnt want a c section, i didnt want the epidural and then i had a day after where i couldnt do anything which was a little degrading to be honest... i then was stuck in my house for weeks as i wasnt allowed to drive and the hill from mine into town was too much for me to manage... my stomach where the scar was is lovely but was numb for months and months which was weird... and i felt that i had been robbed of the chance to give birth naturally... I am 31 weeks now and am praying for a natural birth... my sister and three of my friends have had naturals with very minimal medication or no medication and have found it to be quite uplifting. obviously i am not saying it doesnt hurt but i am going itno it in a possitive way and the only thing i am saying a deffinate no to is forceps as i have heard too many stories about forcep deliveries so if they want that then i will have another c section without blinking, i would rather they cut a hole in me than hurt the baby :)

dont know if this helps you see it from both sides at all and it is defo your choice but wanted to describe my birth as it was a positive c section but a complete negitive for me xxx good luck

Steff Hope it goes well for you but I wouldn't dwell on natural childbirth being necessarily uplifting. I know we are all different but I found the natural birth was the one where I found hugely out of control - mainly caused by uncontrollable, horrific pain. The recovery from the natural birth took a lot longer than the c-section as a result of a tear.

But I was the other way round to you - I had the natural birth before the c-section. It is quite interesting that other posters who had the c section after a natural preferred the c-s. Good luck, though.

Steff, you say your scar was numb for months, does this mean it isn't still? DD2 was born October 2010 and scar is still numb, plus about 3" above it.