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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

'Easy' option???

41 replies

Lullaby3 · 22/03/2018 20:10

Pulling my hair out over whether to have elective csection or try vbac.....
Basically im 35 weeks with baby#2 still dont know what to do...
I have a just turned 2 year old and will probably have to do 1 flight (about10 steps) every time i wana go outside.
Whats other peoples experience? What would you say is easier if there is such a thing lol...
P.S. my 2 year old was emergency csection 2016 and is my only child.

OP posts:

trilbydoll · 22/03/2018 20:14

Elcs means you can plan childcare and you know you'll need help for 2 weeks.

Vbac is unpredictable - could be a breeze and you're running around the park 2 days later, equally could be the exact opposite!

I went for the certainty of an elcs and the first 4w were quite hard work with a toddler but that came as no surprise so I was able to stay fairly chilled out about it.

GreenMeerkat · 22/03/2018 20:45

I went for VBAC after going back and forth for a while.

Didn't go well and ended with an EMCS again. Not saying this will happen to you of course but if I could go back I'd opt for an ELCS.

WanderlustHenpeck · 22/03/2018 20:52

I could managed stairs 3 days after my planned section. Days 3-5 I took it slowly and didn't go up and down more than I needed to. But I didn't find them difficult, just knew I had to take it slow. A week after I was much better and FWIW I found the recovery straightforward and far easier than my first birth, which was an assisted delivery.

Don't let the stairs put you off :) I was able to fully care for my 3 year old after two weeks when aDh went back to work. The only things I couldn't do after that 2 weeks was lift my DS1, drive or carry the car seat with baby in it. I didn't lift DS1 for ages but he's 3.5 and weighs a tonne! And I was driving after 4 weeks. Doctor signed me off no problem.

emily199027 · 23/03/2018 08:23

So glad I found this post!
I'm in the same situation (33 weeks though) and have an appointment at 35 weeks to discuss my options! I had a very traumatic first birth, so now I'm absolutely terrified of doing it again. But both options scare me. I just don't like the uncertainty of a natural birth, what if it happens again, what happens if it ends in an EMCS
My husband has 4 weeks off work, so he'll be around to help me after an ELCS but I've had doctors try to scare me off an ELCS but then I have my midwife who is really supportive of me and thinks I need an ELCS.

I have a few friends who have had an ELCS and they have recovered pretty quickly...although I know everyone is different!

LadyPug · 23/03/2018 16:58

I’m going for a VBAC here. I really wanted a natural birth and was devastated when it ended in section. I know my body can do this and want to give it a second try otherwise (and this is personal to me I appreciate) I will always wonder if I could have had the birth I wanted. I really want a non medicalised natural birth

StylishDuck · 23/03/2018 17:02

I had a vaginal birth (forceps) with my first and an EMCS with my second. I would say it took me longer to recover from the first than the second. You shouldn't be lifting anything heavier than baby for the first few weeks. I know it's not always practical but you have to expect a certain recovery time whichever way you choose.

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 23/03/2018 17:06

I'm going elective because I can not face going through what I went through with ds again and they can't give me "good enough" odds that I won't encounter the same issue. We have compromised however with if I labour earlier, we will assess and if this baby is better positioned/actually on the cervix I'll probably give it a shot.

I was climbing stairs within 24 hours of my emcs with no issues though.

appleblossomtree · 23/03/2018 17:07

How far did you get in in labour last time? Did you cervix dilate?

Ppbleedingwoes · 23/03/2018 17:11

I was in the same position as you, I went for an ELCS and am happy I did. I was on a third floor flat with no lift after my first EMCS so was doing them Straight away, just took it slowly. The first few weeks were hard but we knew when they were coming so DP booked 8 days holiday as well as his 2 weeks paternity. I don’t regret my section and it completely ‘cured’ all of the sadness I still had over my first labour. Just do what feels right for you, there’s no easy option!

herethereandeverywhere · 23/03/2018 17:11

I had a dreadful VB recovery (induced, back to back, forceps) and could barely walk for a month. My recovery was much quicker and easier with an ELCS (I was also much less exhausted as I hadn't laboured).

There was no indication that my body could 'do it' based on my previous experience so I didn't chance it second time round!

peacheachpearplum · 23/03/2018 17:19

I had an emergency c section, unfortunately it was New Year's day and the aftercare was poor. I didn't see a physio and I had trouble standing straight for weeks because my stitches burst and I was bending forward to protect my stomach and then had problems. Obviously not everyone is going to have that sort of problem. I also had a 10lb baby and struggled with picking them up, I was so nervous about the wound opening again. I had VBAC with next baby and had a 5 hour labour and my husband was amazed how quickly I recovered (like about half an hour and I was up and about, enjoying tea and toast and joking with people.)

My EMCS was horrible, I had a GA, no time for an epidural, so I missed the first couple of hours.

I honestly think no one can predict how you will go either way. I did what I thought was right even though my doctor was keen on my having a CS and it worked out well. Hope all goes well.

HolyShet · 23/03/2018 17:20

I think a lot depends on what the reasons were for your first section?

DC1 was an EMCS for malpositioning (chin first presentation 18 hour labour, no picnic). DC2 I had a not very elective CS as was very overdue and didn't want to risk induction with CS scar. DC3 was VBA2C, born 40 mins after arriving at hospital - the proverbial shelling peas scenario, zero intervention, was amazing - wasn't that bothered about giving birth vaginally just hated experience and recovery of the elective tbh.

LadyPug · 23/03/2018 18:09

Hey Holy sorry to hijack the thread but just wondering how elcs was for you as I’m in same boat eg if I go over too far!

Ratbagratty · 23/03/2018 18:26

I had an elcs (breech baby) and I have a just turned 2 yr old who was an emcs. I didnt want another c section but had no choice. The hardest this which you may be experience before is not being able to pick toddler up and they don't really understand. Also the not being able to drive for 6 weeks.

Floralnomad · 23/03/2018 18:31

I had a vaginal birth with my first and an ELCS with the second , the section was by far the better option , I actually spent less time in hospital and it was a much quicker recovery , I was driving and literally doing everything within 2 weeks . Unless they’ve changed the rules there is no reason why you have to wait 6 weeks to drive , I had my section 18 yrs ago .

HolyShet · 23/03/2018 19:08

Hi Lady tbh I hated it. I wanted to try a vbac but went 7 days over and the hospital started getting nervy. I was very anxious before it - and was vv unlucky on the day itself, having been nil by mouth since midnight I was mid-list for surgery but other emergencies etc meant I didn't go down to theatre till 6pm the next day - nearly went home twice before that happened. I think that affected my short-term recovery. By 1 week in I was fine though. But I didn't want to repeat it hence the VBA2C.

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 23/03/2018 19:14

Both the friends I have who went for VBAC with a 2 year gap ended up with an EMCS due to the scar breaking down. The one who had a 4 year gap had a successful VBAC. Obviously everyone is individual, but if you aren’t sure, with such a relatively short gap personally I would go for a ELCS as they are always going to be better than an EMCS. Hope whatever you decide goes well

LadyPug · 23/03/2018 19:18

Wow slightly that’s quite bad luck! Only 1 in 200 rupture so the chance of having two friends in that same boat must be slim!
Thanks Holy oh yes that is really bad luck. I would be super nervous beforehand also, think I would go out of my mind with fear!

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 23/03/2018 20:07

Yes I thought it wasn’t meant to be common. I wonder if there’s any link to age or something else or even whether it’s under-reported, as I imagine it’s often a cluster of reasons that triggers an EMCS

LadyPug · 23/03/2018 20:22

No it’s not under reported, if anything it’s exaggerated as that 0.5% includes scar dehisence and not just scar rupture so the fact that 95% of ppl don’t rupture is actually an understatement - more than that don’t so it really is rare. It’s influenced by many factors, how many previous c sections have been had, bmi, age, whether or not induced etc. I wouldn’t want to be your friend, that’s for sure! Haha! Just kidding! ;-)

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 23/03/2018 21:11

fortunately I have any other friends in that position at the moment. Random statistical clusters are common though!
But successful VBAC rate is still only 70% or so isn’t it? The same sort of rate as for successful first VB delivery?

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 23/03/2018 21:11

*don't have

LadyPug · 23/03/2018 22:59

Yeah it’s around 70% but that’s not because of rupture and think it takes into account electives too and doesn’t include age/bmi/number of previous sections history. Not to mention many get induced which has a slimmer chance. I think 70% is pretty good!

Original poster

Lullaby3 · 24/03/2018 11:09

Hey ladies, thanks for all the replies.
Short story of my lil girls birth, was in slow labor for 3/4 weeks and got to 4cm in that time, was due to be induced at 42 weeks but went into full labor naturally at hosp that morning, after around 6 hours i was 7/8cm dilated, refused hormone drip and epidural, got sick on gas and air and ended up having a small bleed which im still.not sure whether or nit was a hemorrhage and babies heart rate kept getting lost. Had only 1 midwife in room who was on the laptop on Facebook in the corner.
Ended up having general anesthetic and emergency csection in 2016.
My surgeon at the time and all my current midwives think im a great candidate for VBAC but i think they generally push that way now.
Really dont want assisted delivery as ive heard some horrors2016.my nephew got his jaw broken by forceps.
My main concern with elective csection is that my just turned 2 year old is such a mummies girl and i wont have any help except from boyfriend who is such a grump i cant see him doing much. Im wondering how long it will take before i can get on with lifting toddler and all that stuff? Lol.
I dobt drive so thats not a problem and i knoe i will probably be able to do stairs slowly after around a week or 2 if.recovery is similar to first time around.
Ahhhhh. I have 1 week left to decide what i want to do 😱😱

OP posts:

Original poster

Lullaby3 · 24/03/2018 11:15

Oh i also lost 98% of fluids in womb 2 weeks before birth. Im not sure but that probably was a factor aswel. Im size 6 and toned pre pregnancy which apparently would help natural birth. I dont know if its my body or many faults by midwives and hospital first time around that sent things to emergency csection lol.
Just scared this time around.

OP posts:

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