Elective Section was AMAZING

[FIZZYTEDDY]

Just to give any expecting mothers who are due or are thinking about an elective section some reassurance...I LOVED mine!!

I had an ECS due to birthing risks that run in my immediate family with long labours, narrow pelvis, which resulted in cerebral palsy in x2 family members so I opted for a section to minimise any similar risk.

I'm so aware that many mothers also have awful experiences but I just wanted to let others know the huge benefits I found!

Firstly I knew the date - this is pretty great as you can prepare in advance (physically and mentally) for baby coming!

The birth was super quick - baby was out within 45mins

I felt no pain during the op. Some tugging/uncomfortable moments but nothing to note

It was a really controlled, safe and hugely well staffed scenario with very experienced Doctors working on me and baby

I got skin to skin as soon as my son came out! Granted it's a funny angle as you're lying flat so the angle is awkward but it's not for too long as you're soon in recovery better positioned

I got feeding him within 30minutes or so!

I really wasn't too sore post op. Tolerable sharp abdominal pain but nothing that I would imagine vaginal births are like pain wise

There are very few negatives I have. I know the risks well and had the risks explained to me pre-op in addition to that I work as a theatre nurse.

Just wanted to give an honest and positive review of my ECS!

YES! I tell anyone who would listen that an ELCS is the most amazing thing ever! Considering that women have been dying throughout history due to childbirth and many more are permanently injured or disfigured, it's an absolute miracle that we live in a time where you can have a baby peacefully and painlessly within 30mins. Mine honestly felt more like a dental appointment...just lie back and wait for them to fiddle around a bit. Recovery was obviously tedious but was what I expected from an abdominal surgery.

Btw, I'm 3 yrs down the line and my scar used to be keloid in the early days. Around 1.5yrs I noticed a very small section fading to white. And remarkably within the past two months 70% of the entire scar has faded to white. The rest is just marginally red and no longer raised. As a pp mentioned, it will probably end up looking like a crease or be entirely gone someday. The numbness was also odd and lasted a good half year. I think it's due to the nerves being cut and they regrow at a rate of 1mm a month. All the feeling is back in the area now.

I had an ELCS with my second. Like you @FIZZYTEDDY I found it amazing.

My thought as I was being wheeled round to recovery (after them lifting baby out within 90 seconds of starting) was WHY DO PEOPLE DO THIS ANY OTHER WAY?! Exact same experience as yours, amazing! The strange thing is, when you’re pregnant and say you’re having a section, the people who have a negative view of it or tell you a horror story are generally only people who have never had one 🤔 Someone at my work said I’d regret it, others made a huge deal of the recovery (having never experienced it themselves). The recovery was so completely fine! Literally had no pain other than if I was lying in bed and tried to get up. Hated those first week to 2 weeks of having to do all the shuffling about to try and get up but it was by no means agony and walking was completely fine

I also LOVED my ELCS. Had a breech baby, so knew for a while he'd be coming out the sun roof. I didn't even find the recovery hard - I was a bit achy and uncomfortable, but never in agony or anything. Up and walking within 24 hours and quite happily pottering around the supermarket with DS a week later. My scar is a teeny tiny silvery white line and I don't have a shelf/overhang at all.

I feel like there's a weird societal expectation to be sad/ashamed/upset about having a C-section though? Or at least to not be quite as enthusiastic about it as I am.

I had a traumatic vaginal birth with lasting issues first time round so opted for an ELCS second time round to minimise the chance of further pelvic floor damage. All I wanted was to have a birth where I wasn’t injured or mentally traumatised - my bar was low. I was so surprised when my ELCS wasn’t just tolerable but actually enjoyable. The happy, calm atmosphere in theatre. The joy of meeting my baby when I wasn’t exhausted and out of my mind with pain.

And as for the recovery - various people had put the fear of God into me about c-section recovery but it was a walk in the park. In fact I was out for a literal walk in the park on day 4. I could barely shuffle to the loo on day 4 after my vaginal birth.

So agree with this.