ELCS due to not wanting to have vaginal pain AFTER birth?

[Dexter77]

I’m currently deciding between an ELCS and a VB with epidural. I don’t believe in enduring pain that’s unnecessary and always assumed I’d have an ELCS as I think it’s a great and safe option, but now wonder whether the latter would be preferable. What’s holding me back from attempting VB is the prospect of weeks/months of pain in vaginal area after birth, as well as the fact that postnatal aftercare of birth injuries seems to be woefully inadequate in the UK with long waiting times and insufficient support.

I’d be fine with temporary pain during birth but find the prospect of having vaginal pain for so long totally unacceptable - not even to mention other potential complications such as prolapse and incontinence.
I suppose I’m asking whether it’ll be a given to have vaginal/perineal pain AFTER the birth with VB of normal sized babies (no reason to assume mine will be big).
Keen also to hear from women who had a pain free birth but pain afterwards and how they found it.

PS: And yes, I know there’ll be pain from having an ELCS after birth, but I just know I’ll cope better with having pain in abdomen than in genital area.

@CovidDoesNotExistDuh

You do you OP but it is a totally valid choice.

I had a CS because I did not want the risk of anal incontinence from birth. I have multiple risk factors for this, and IBD so it really would be a problem if any damage there. I'm glad I did it.

Yes anal incontinence is a concern for sure, although among the rarer complications. But if this happened to me I’d be suicidal. I don’t know how women manage living with that.

@Bitofachinwag

but statistically 90% or so of first time VBs end in injury Well, 100% of CS births end in injury.

Yes, BUT NOT VAGINAL INJURY WHICH IS WHAT I WANT TO AVOID 😂

So I'm lying? Why would I do that?

Im no evangelist. Im sure you're capable of making the right choice for you, but it is possible to have a positive vaginal birth and not have any injuries resulting from it.

I’m logging off, thanks to those of you who shared valuable info and their experience, many helpful things to consider, much appreciated!

I’ll let you know what I’ve decided in the end and how things went.

I had a vb with my first and an emergency section with my second. A few days after my first I was totally fine, and the swelling went down. I'm currently 6 months post a csectin (3 months post gallbladder removal(pregnancy caused issues)) and I still don't like to wear jeans or anything other than cotton on my belly because it still feels raw. Personally, I'd take the VB anyday.

@ThePoisonousMushroom

Ah ok… I’m not going to bother replying again now you’ve accused me of lying about my straightforward vagina births with quick recoveries. Good luck with whatever you decide OP.

I read it as I was lying as well. Why I would one no idea

@Dexter77 hmm maybe not, sorry hadn't read the full thread! I haven't had a c section so can't comment on that, but it does sound like that may be a better option in the circumstances. I think part of the risk (for me) with vaginal birth is that both times I've not been able to have pain relief for various reasons (not choice!) and i think it would be awful for you to plan certain measures to reduce or eliminate pain and then find that for whatever reason, those options aren't available. So in your shoes, maybe a c section is the best bet. Good luck!

@Dexter77

I’m logging off, thanks to those of you who shared valuable info and their experience, many helpful things to consider, much appreciated!

I’ll let you know what I’ve decided in the end and how things went.

I hope all goes well for you.

@Twizbe

So I'm lying? Why would I do that?

Im no evangelist. Im sure you're capable of making the right choice for you, but it is possible to have a positive vaginal birth and not have any injuries resulting from it.

I didn’t say you were specifically. I believe you that it’s possible to have no injuries and significant pain after VB, just query the number of people claiming this was their experience when statistics paint a very different picture.

I had two emergency c sections. The healing from both took significant time and the pain in those first few days was awful tbh. The second csection I felt. They had to put me under GA in the end but not before I experienced excruciating pain as the scalpel cut through me and they pried my abdomen apart. I'm not telling this to scare anyone as my first section was fine but I'm saying that birth (in any way it takes place) is unpredictable and painful. In my experience anyway.

I would never have chosen a vaginal birth. Since being a teenager, I always said I wanted birth stitches where I could see them (ie on my abdomen, not my vagina).

When I was pregnant, I hoped my consultant would be happy with signing off an elective cesarean. In the end, I had twins, and both were breach, so I had to have a c-section, which suited me.

It was fine! It took about 10 mins, plus stitching up time. Very minimal pain for a day or two (like if you went to the gym, and you muscles hurt a bit after). Was running around pushing the trolley with the babies within 48 hours, and no problem with stairs once I got home. From my c-section experience, I can't understand why anyone would choose a vaginal birth (unless planning on multiple kids, in which case multiple c-sections are dangerous).

I appreciate I was lucky, in that my c-section experience was seamless and recovery was very quick (I felt like I had nothing to recover from).

It read very much like you were saying we can't possibly be right because your statistics say it's not possible.

You could say I'm in the 90% as I had a third degree tear with my first BUT that's not the full picture.

I didn't feel the tear at all. I was surprised when the midwife told me I had torn. Crowning felt the same with my second when I didn't tear (and don't ask me how I didn't tear again, I thought it was a certainty that I would - the midwife was impressed with her sewing skills on that one)

Reading back over the thread, during my c-section, they took the babies for a few mins to check them, but within 5 mins they were on me.

I didn't have any shaking after it (didn't know that was a possibility - I deliberately didn't read any side affects). I did vomit a few times the day of the c-section - I think that's due to the anesthetic.

I also didn't feel anything (ie no tugging sensation) when they took the babies out. I heard one surgeon say "first waters broken" and he said "you might feel a tugging sensation". I concentrated, but didn't feel anything, and next thing a baby's face was looking over the partition!

Then they placed him between my legs, and took the second twin out, before even cutting the cord of the first twin (she was born 1 minute later).

It was a lovely, peaceful, pain free, controlled experience. (Elective, not emergency).

but statistically 90% or so of first time VBs end in injury

Surely there's levels though? I had a few stitches which I would assume come under injury.

Can I ask - how long did it take until you were allowed to hold your baby?

Within 2 minutes maybe? She was born, cord cut, wrapped in a blanket and slightly cleaned up (still had vernix, but not loads of blood), which is what I'd asked for, then straight into my skin. My husband and I took turns holding until i went to recovery 30 mins later where I breastfed. They waited until that was done, and we were ready (around an hour after birth) to weigh her.

I had no shivering, no nausea and no vomitting.

The pain I experienced after giving birth (fairly average experience) was lower back pain which sometimes became excruciating. This lasted around 2-3 weeks. Vaginal pain disappeared very quickly.
The pain from giving birth took me to another level both physically and mentally, and I will never feel anything like it ever again. I grew as a person from the experience. I'm not religious at all but I imagine if I was, then it was like I touched god at one point as the pain was all consuming.

I find it weird how the focus here is all about your vag and not the baby.

Babies are designed to come out of your vagina and then breastfeed. That is the optimal way to have a baby. There are situations in which cs is medically indicated or breastfeeding doesn't work out, but I think women often don't understand the health impact of choices they make.

Vaginal birth means a baby's digestive system is colonised by the mother's bacteria, it gives them a lifelong health benefit and is further supported by breastfeeding which has components that support the growth of good bacteria. Bacteria in the gut are associated with all kinds of health outcomes in early years and throughout life. Allergies, Crohn's, asthma, obesity, etc - risk increases with CS birth.

It's not a convenient truth because women want to think all choices are equally valid, but the health implications of CS aren't spoken about enough. It's all about the mother, not enough about the baby imho.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110651/

@Dexter77 I'm the embarrassing one am I? I'm cringing reading your replies on this thread. As it's been pointed out many, many times you are nicely replying to those that have the bad VB and good CS and those that are the other way round you're either ignoring or arguing with. And how am I bullying? Because I said I couldn't care less how you give birth? It's the truth like I wouldn't expect you to care how I give birth either! My first thread actually recommended you have a CS, I'm not railroading you into a VB at all

@EnidFrighten if you think childbirth practices in this country are 'all about the mother, not enough about the baby' I would really like to know which county/hospital trust you have birth in because that has not been my experience AT ALL from first positive pregnancy test and even now my oldest is 12. My health and well-being has been completely occluded by the kids' as far as medical matters are concerned.

[quote EnidFrighten]I find it weird how the focus here is all about your vag and not the baby.

Babies are designed to come out of your vagina and then breastfeed. That is the optimal way to have a baby. There are situations in which cs is medically indicated or breastfeeding doesn't work out, but I think women often don't understand the health impact of choices they make.

Vaginal birth means a baby's digestive system is colonised by the mother's bacteria, it gives them a lifelong health benefit and is further supported by breastfeeding which has components that support the growth of good bacteria. Bacteria in the gut are associated with all kinds of health outcomes in early years and throughout life. Allergies, Crohn's, asthma, obesity, etc - risk increases with CS birth.

It's not a convenient truth because women want to think all choices are equally valid, but the health implications of CS aren't spoken about enough. It's all about the mother, not enough about the baby imho.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110651/[/quote]
Hahaha. What a ridiculous response. What makes you think my “focus” is on my vagina? That I want to avoid having major vaginal injuries?
FYI one major selling point for an ELCS over VB is that it’s the safest option FOR THE BABY.

I understand the health implications of my choices very well, thanks for your concern.
In a modern hospital vaginal swabs are taken from the mother during a c section and rubbed over the baby’s face when born, studies show this has similar effect on micro biome.
You know what WOULD be truly terrible for my child? If I was incontinent and in pain for months after the birth.

Honestly so tired of these misogynist, judgmental knee jerk reactions to considering an elective section, if anything, people like you and your comments motivate me to opt for a section more, not less.

@user1471604848

I also didn't feel anything (ie no tugging sensation) when they took the babies out. I heard one surgeon say "first waters broken" and he said "you might feel a tugging sensation". I concentrated, but didn't feel anything, and next thing a baby's face was looking over the partition!

Then they placed him between my legs, and took the second twin out, before even cutting the cord of the first twin (she was born 1 minute later).

It was a lovely, peaceful, pain free, controlled experience. (Elective, not emergency).

Thanks for sharing, sounds great and reassuring!

@Dexter77 ODFOD. If there is such a thing as selective reading you definitely have it. Good luck for your CS, thank god for the NHS, midwives and other pregnant women you're going private, that's all I can say.
Kind Regards, Bully

@stormyweather274

The pain I experienced after giving birth (fairly average experience) was lower back pain which sometimes became excruciating. This lasted around 2-3 weeks. Vaginal pain disappeared very quickly. The pain from giving birth took me to another level both physically and mentally, and I will never feel anything like it ever again. I grew as a person from the experience. I'm not religious at all but I imagine if I was, then it was like I touched god at one point as the pain was all consuming.

Ha, interesting. Sounds like you got something out of childbirth apart from your kid. I’m fairly certain that I personally would respond to such intense pain with trauma and rage. I just can’t see any benefits in it.

I would definitely have an epidural, which however increases risk of vaginal injury slightly. I think the estimated size of my baby and when it’ll be born - could be as early as 37 weeks - will be factors in deciding whether I want to attempt a VB.