Why did you have a C section?

[Awkwardusername]

Recovering from an emergency c section for “failure to progress” (my waters went, I got induced and made it to 7cm and couldn’t get any further) and curious about others.
Struggling to come to terms with it so hoping this might help!

So if you had a c section, was it emergency or elective?
If an emergency, what was the reason?
If elective, what made you choose a section?

Emergency- induced due to placenta stopping functioning. The induction took forever and made no progress then I had an epileptic seizure at which point they whipped him out.
I felt like an abject failure due to the NCT birth prep I’d had (also couldn’t BF) until my grandfather pointed out that in his day either one or both of us would be dead following that experience.
and now I tend to think it’s amazing what medicine can do.

I had two very easy vaginal births but with my third child I was much older . My blood pressure was climbing and the doctors wanted baby out . Induction didn’t work so it was a CS . I was more frightened of the operation than a vaginal birth but all was fine . Recovery was fine too and absolutely no difference in the way I feel about my children or how they have developed. Please don’t feel guilty or sad OP . You have your lovely baby x

Elective and I wanted one, I had no desire to give birth vaginally. I had a private consultant though in Ireland so I only had to say the word.

The section was a dream, I don’t regret my decision at all. I have been left with a keloid scar but I’ll have that sorted out when I finish nursing next year.

1st baby: gestational diabetes and baby was measuring big (he wasn't).
2nd: gestational diabetes, went into labour at 36 weeks and her heart rate was dropping. Emergency c-section.
No regrets for me, just glad all went well.

I had an EMCS due to failure to progress (I think, it was over 20 years ago so can't really remember). I had asked for an ELCS but been refused ... it would have saved the NHS a lot of money if they had respected my opinion ... I was delighted to have the EMCS, no side effects and straight forward recovery. Although I absolutely made sure I never had another baby .

What exactly are you struggling to come to terms about? Have you had a birth de-brief?

I developed HELLP syndrome, my liver was giving up and didn’t have time to be induced so had an emergency section. Didn’t really have much of a choice if we’d waited much longer would likely have not made it.

I had placenta praevia and had an emergency C section at 34 weeks.

Had an elective as I had placenta previa, she had to come earlier than expected as I had a check up scan and she was head down pushing into the placenta.

I'm having another elective section in five weeks as I decided I'm too anxious to try a VBAC incase something goes wrong (as much as I would love a VBAC)

sorry you didn't get the birth you wanted/imagined and you are struggling with it. You could contact your hopsital to see if they have a birth reflections team you can talk to (I did I really struggled with having a section and the recovery)

This is going back a few years now but I was offered a c section with my second baby as he was breech. I opted for vaginal birth and it went ok.
I don't personally think it matters how the baby arrives as long as they are born safely. I only opted for a vaginal birth as I didn't want a scar (vanity).
The feeling of detachment from the baby can come with any type of birth - I had it with my first baby and she was born vaginally but I was shattered and felt detached from her for the first day.

@Awkwardusername what you are feeling is perfectly normal and it is because we all have ideas about how our ideal birth will go. For me that was a water birth or at least labouring in water. I feel completely at one with myself in a swimming pool, so relaxed. Never had that experience.

My waters broke before I even had any contractions so it was a bit of a shocker. Went into hospital 3 hours later as no contractions and they wanted to check my waters had indeed broken. They had. 5 hours after my waters broke I started with contractions. 18 hours later back into the hospital with contractions every 4 minutes and I went in for pain relief.

I was examined at midnight on hospital entry and was 3 cm dilated so she said I could have a Pethidine injection. Literally minutes later I gushed bright red blood and it all went to hell from there really. Rushed to delivery suite, kept losing the trace from the straps so had fetal scalp monitor inserted (basically now I know they were thinking I had placental abrutption) At 4am I was told I would be delivering soon as 9cm. But 2 hours later I was still 9cm, contracting every 2 minutes, only on gas and air. She called in a doctor who immediately examined me whilst she filled him in on the last 6 hours. He started to say pitocin drip and forceps delivery to turn Ds as he was back to back and his head was in a funny position. I realised at this point my midwife must have been newly qualified because there was a senior midwife, my midwife and a doctor in the room. Suddenly mid sentence he stopped talking. Everyone was now looking at the monitor whilst I had a contraction. He then said, how long has the baby being doing that? Turns out Ds had been dipping his heart rate a lot with every contraction and was now in complete distress.

So emergency C section, whisked off straight away, they jogged alongside my bed that is how fast they moved me. Dh literally made it into the room about 5 seconds before they cut me open. That baby is now 20 years old. His birth is burned into my memory. I had a beautiful recovery and a healthy baby. Ds2 was born by ELCS and it made me realise how rushed my first one was.

The "disappointment" fades. Not many women get the birth they plan, lots of things can and do change the situation. Enjoy your gorgeous newborn.

DC1 was breach. They offered a trial of labour, but consultant and midwife also said they hadn't done a vaginal breach delivery since their training, and they were both in their 60s.
So I had a planned section. It was all very calm and relaxed.

Baby was in distress for first so I had an emergency. Second was an elective and absolutely lovely.

@Ragwort I’d spent my entire pregnancy telling myself, “this is the birth plan but I’m open to that not happening and we will do what we need to on the day”, but my c section didn’t seem “emergency” enough, ridiculous as that sounds!
I tried for as long as I could and had a cascade of interventions but can’t help feeling like if I’d just waited longer or tried harder, I’d have have her vaginally (probably untrue as I was in hospital for days and they were very worried about infection risk as my waters had gone so early).

@Folkishgal my hospital definitely do a reflections service but not for six weeks! I know part of how I’m feeling will be hormone related (baby is only 10 days old) but I’ll definitely be looking into it when I can.

Elective due to breech. In fact 6 out of 8 people in my nct group had c sections. If you look up the stats I think it's more first children are born via 'intervention' than 'naturally' (I think forceps are counted in the intervention group).

My dd is five now and looking back I can't believe the headspace I gave natural bitten and bloody breastfeeding and all that!

I was a bit sad I didn't get a natural birth. But honestly now I couldn't be less bothered. Well done growing a healthy baby op. I hope you find peace with it in time x

OP I've had 2 C-sections.
One was an emergency after an induction & 24hrs of labour - baby's head was too big for my pelvis.

Second baby was bigger and they advised at the last couple of weeks that Csec would be wise as I'd be likely to end up in same situation.

Both babies breastfed no probs.
I'm late 40's now and don't pee my pants when i run like my friends do who had natural births.
Kids are super healthy. First one is now a teenager.

In the kindest possible way... If you and your baby are safe and well, then my advice is to be grateful.
It doesn't matter that you had a csec.
Just enjoy your new baby X

Almost two full days in labour and the baby was stuck in the birth canal so it was an emergency.

Had a very long Labour with my first. Had a seizure at 10cm and was barely conscious for the birth as a result.

Tiredness can trigger seizures so I didn't want to risk another long Labour and a seizure.

I have had emergency Cs, vbac and planned Cs.

First was failure to progress following induction due to pre-eclampsia and dd got into distress therefore emergency section.

Second was Vbac, had her 3 hours after I arrived at hospital. Quick and painful with no pain relief.

Third baby was breech so had a planned section. Had no choice either and would have preferred another vbac but hey my three dd's are here safe and sound and I couldn't be more grateful for that.

I had an elective c-section. I had a few complications during the pregnancy but it was predominantly because I had severe PGP and had been in a wheelchair for the last couple of months. I couldn't stand and had limited range of movement with my legs so I was terrified that if I gave birth vaginally they would need to move my legs/hips wider than they could really cope with and I'd be left with substantial permanent damage. The consultant barely questioned it when I requested it so I think they thought it was probably a good idea too.

First was emergency c section as the labour wasn't progressing, baby was stuck, his heart rate was dropping and I lost a lot of blood while they tried other methods ( forceps and ventouse). They said later my pelvis is too small to give birth to a baby more than 4 pounds.
My next 3 c sections were all planned, although 2 were breech so would have needed them anyway for that, and one had to be performed as a semi emergency as I went into labour.

Planned (not going to use the word elective as I didn't have a choice) as baby was breech. Much safer for both of us to have a section.

I had EMCS because I only got to 3cm 48 hours after being induced at 42 weeks and my baby’s heartbeat was dipping with each contraction. Actually lost trace of it once I got to theatre. This was also combined with disgusting hospital care during the pandemic (delivery suite admitted afterwards that they forgot to call me back in to be monitored).

I’m pregnant again and will be having a planned c section. No way would I attempt a VBAC.

I had an elective for several reasons. Some of my friends had recently experienced birth trauma and I was terrified of things like faecal incontinence. My partner at the time wasn't the most supportive when I was in pain I didn't see him being a great person to help during labour. I had gestational diabetes and my baby was predicted to be very big. I felt safer knowing the baby was less likely to have birth injuries. I was single at the time of birth and living alone and didn't want to sit around not knowing when labour would start I preferred to know a date so I could arrange support. Basically there were no pros to me to have a vaginal birth except for exposure to the birth canal microbe but I have been 'making up' for that by expressing breast milk a lot (breast feeding didn't work for us for many reasons)

Same here, although have not had no2 yet. And I have never had a particular desire to experience a natural birth, it is silly but while my head knows it is natural the thought of it does scare me.

Those of you who had emergencies then electives, when was it arranged? Am 33 + 2, so hoping soon.