VB childbirth

[Youcannotbeserious]

Can anyone give me some reassuring / happy / success stories about VB childbirth?

All the people I've spoken to seem to advoate CS as the way to go....

I don't have a birthing partner so would be alone and TBH that really scares me.......

Anyone gone through it alone and it's all turned out OK?

Message withdrawn

it is not just the birth that affects the pelvic floor, but the pregnancy too..

4th degree tearing is rare

a lot of women have VBS without any of the things you mention

often, simply being in hospital, brings with it a cascade of interventions taht make birth a more medicalised experience.

read and learn, and make an informed decision about vb and cs

neither is without risk to mother and baby.

but for me, having had both, it would be a VB every time

Message withdrawn

At the risk of agreeing with Starlight yet again (), I'd agree that anyone advocating a C/S because of the stitching issue after VB is bonkers. Stitching was an absolute doddle. Yes it was uncomfortable afterwards, but paracetamol helped with that. Going to the loo was stingy, but you can go in the bath...

Stitches in the fanjo or major abdominal surgery. Hmm - let me think...

Youcannotbeserious,

there are lots of positive VB sotires, and CS stories and lots of negative ones too.

All you can do is inform yourself and believe in yourself.

Look into some support, books to read, classes to attend etc

xxxxx

Very positive VB, wouldn't have torn had I not been pushing for longer than protocol normally allows and therefore midwife didn't wait to rotate baby and her shoulders tore me (not her head). DD born at 03.40, we were home by 4pm and even after VB and stitches I walked 5 miles when dd was less than 9 days old to take her into work and show off - I doubt I'd have done that after a C/S. I think you need more help in the early weeks after a C/S which may be trickier as you are on your own. Out of interest, is it actually possible to ask for an elective C/S with a first baby and no complications during pregnancy?

i had an intact perineum, and a small graze, that required a couple of stitches, and what i have read since indicates that i probably could have managed without ...

agree with herts that reading and learning and making an informed choice is the way forward

and definitely look into a doula for support

i've had a vb and will go for it again when i give birth in aug. i was up and about very quickly. i would not want a cs.

Trollydolly71, do you seriouusly think that they will let you have a section after a normal delivery if there are no major medical issues? Maybe if you have a spare £2000, but unlikely they will do one for you on the NHS. Complications with a cs are far more likely to be serious than after a vb. I would be surprised if you do have a section and still feel that it is the best option afterwards. Very few people who have had both would say that vb is overrated unless they have a very bad time. Also you say you would rather have stitches on your bikini line, but what if they come apart and become infected? The cs wound is far larger than a perineal tear and they often become infected, leak and gape which can be immensely distressing.

Message withdrawn

Fair enough, I hope that it ends up being a good decision for you.

Trolly I am going to stick my neck out and say if you didn't want to play with fate you shouldn't have got pregnant.
You have demonstrated that you can give birth, your pelvis isn't too small, you didn't tear badly first time, I just think you have a strange view of all this.
How pregnant are you? have you got time to have counselling - I think that is a better use of your money than paying for a private C-section. I pray the NHS won't waste tax payers money giving you a section when you don't need one.

Trolleydolly - I am amazed that you would prefer major abdominal surgey especially when you have a child to take care of. It is highly likely that you will not need any stitches at all this time. Pelvic floors are designed for birth and pelvic floor exercises will restore tone if done properly and repeatedly.

It is perfectly possible to give birth without resulting in incontinence!

There is a risk to other organs with CS such as accidental damage to your bladder. There is also a risk or injury to the baby with the scalpel.

There is a danger of minimising risks of CS to make it sound safer than VB which it most certainly is not.

It is when you have to balance risks in certain situations that makes CS a safer option for some women.

Also, trollydolly, although there are some horror stories, most women heal well and do not have trauma bad enough to reduce sensations. A damaged pelic floor and incontinence is thankfully very rare. Especially if you have not had probs before. I do appreciate though that for some women a planned cs is the best option psychologically. Although complications are more likely after an emergency cs you are still 4 times more likely to die after having a planned cs than after an uncomplicated normal birth (which is what you would probably have, having had one before).

Hi youcannotbeserious, i just wanted to say i think that if you can do it it's better for the baby to be born vaginally. I had my dd at home and virtually bankrupted myself having independent midwives... Best money I've ever spent! Although it was seriously painful I had no pain relief and no tearing (midwives fantastic at getting me to wait for each contraction before pushing). I also had a water birth which was all the pain relief I needed!

I really don't understand why anyone would choose major abdominal surgery over a natuarl birth at all (when there is no good reason)
As someone else pointed out, your pelvic floor and vagina are made for giving birth.

Also I have had 2 natural births, stitches with the first, and all down below is fine thanks
Have also had surgery on my abdomen and the pain after that was horrendous!
Giving birth was easy!!!

Have had 3 babies and never a stitch- a tear isn't guaranteed by any means (ask me in 2 weeks thogh- no 4 being imminent LOL).

For the first time, I was potentially facing being alone during labour albeit for very different (I would guess) reasons- Dh being the only person closer than 60 miles away who could care for our other boys, aas 2 have SN. And actually, despite being somewhat experienced this did scare me. So I have booked a Doula and frankly, she's worth every penny already- helped me realise a lot of the psychological factors behind certain things, and also gave me a tip that has greatly releived my SPD (lavender oil in a warm bath- fab).

Birth would be scary alone, but having to recover from major surgery alone- no thanks. Not being able to drive or pick up my other kids- there would have to be a good reason for that. Whereas even with ds1 (eclampsia) I was well so quickly post birth it was amazing.

Thanks everyone....

I suppose it's just fear of the unknown really.... And being alone, I think makes the lack of control seem even more scary, so a CS 'seems' like the better option, because I 'feel' more in control, but of course, baby might well have other ideas!!!

I think I'm erring towards a natural birth....

Thanks again! It's much appreciated!