Elective c section? Your experience? Would you do it again?

[Snowtimex7]

Hi I’m only 21 weeks and so far having issues with my cervix and placement of my placenta so the possibility of a c section has already been brought up. I have until 36 weeks for my placenta to move and my cervix not to shorten before the risk of bleeding out in natural childbirth lowers.

this is my second pregnancy, my first was induced and I had an epidural from the beginning so I didn’t really experience it. I wanted a water birth but I had to lie to down due to bay heart rate so opted for epidural after 30 hours awake.

I really wanted a water birth and try labour this time round but it already looks like it might not be an option for me so just wanted to hear some stories as I’m really scared for a c section.

I have a 4 year old who I need to walk round the corner to school. My husband can help at the beginning but his work is important. I really don’t want an awful scar, I want to lose weight after baby and scared about the ledge that can happen. Recovery- I gave birth in Covid and my husband wasn’t allowed to stay. I had PPD and PPA last time and the midwives were none existent and I spent my first night with her crying as I couldn’t get up to rock her. Will I stay in for days unable to get up?

im just pretty anxious and haven’t had any friends who have had a c section. Any advice really

I have had an emergency and an elective.

My emergency I hated! Took me double amount of my elective to recover. It was covid times for me too. No visitors, no husband except one hour a day. 10 days of hell.

My elective. I think as I was mentally prepared for it. I recovered easier, 4 weeks on tomorrow I'm up and out everyday, hills are a bit hard for me. Doing light cleaning, some hoovering with the little hoover we have. I still can't pick up my toddler comfortably but shes learnt to climb and be careful at age 3. (I had to pick her up once for emergency today and it wasn't too bad) I'm still bathing my toddler, she just climbs in and out of Bath.

Not going to lie the first 3 days are painful. I was able to pick both my almost 10lb and 7lb baby up for each c section, but that's me 🤔🤷🏼‍♀️ I think it varies from person to person how you cope and such. After 4 days I was doing as I need paracetamol. Took codeine for first 24 hours. Found paracetamol worked better for me.

I slept upright in a bed, but some people can sleep laying down. Look up tips to make it easier to get out of bed.

I was out in 10 days for emergency but we were both unwell.

My elective 21 hours I was on my way home, but i told them this is how I was going to do it due to the awful experience of my first stay.

Yes I had a wound infection but I managed it and antibiotics cleared it up. My advice is get a cleaner!! I think I caused some wound infection.

Think that's way more info then you asked for sorry!

I also had an emergency csection and an elective csection. I never had a natural birth so had nothing to compare either to in that respect. I also never developed the attachment some people do to the ideas of water births etc.

An elective is preferable to an emergency. It's still major surgery but for obvious reasons less traumatic. Do you have anyone else around you who can help after you give birth? Can your DH book a couple of weeks Annual Leave onto the end of his paternity leave? I had ex home with me for a month after I had the elective and lots of help from family. With proper rest I was back on my feet (considering it is a major operation!) within a few weeks. You can still care for your baby etc. You just need to leave everything else. Take lots of pain relief and rest as much as physically possible.

@Twistylemon thank you for all the information! It’s really helpful thank you! I think the after stay is what’s scaring me the most if I am honest. After my last experience. A cleaner sounds like a good idea!

glad you are healing and getting back to everyday life!

@ChampagneNightmares i am considering it regardless if my placenta moves. My last labour wasn’t smooth either and recovery of emergency sounds so much worse.

DH can’t really take paternity as we can’t afford the pay decrease and his company offers so incentive. So he will be using up annual anyway. All my family are 4 hours away

at least if I was to book a c section I could see if family could book time to come and help as I have an actual date unlike I could give birth anytime around this day.

thank you for your insight

I've had both an emergency and a planned section. I have to say a planned one was so easy. I was able to prepare mentally and practically and arrange childcare for other dc which put me at ease.

I felt no pain (unlike the emergency section where I'd had 48 hours of contractions, two failed inductions and loads of other unpleasant interventions). The planned one was slower, calmer and just an overall better experience.

Obviously recovery was tough but imo it's probably the easiest way to have a baby.

I found my elective c section a smoother recovery than the natural birth I had with my first! The first few days were more painful but each day got noticeably easier, I could cope by myself after a week whereas the extensive 2nd degree tears I had the first time took 2-3 weeks to feel better (although I did have an infection which didn't help). The staff were more attentive with pain relief after the section too, whereas after my first I was pretty much left alone unless I asked for some.

Watching with interest as having the same dilemma. I have had 2 natural births previously, one horrific, one ok, but due to various pregnancy complications I have been offered an elective section this time. Like you I am quite scared by the idea of surgery, but also scared of not electing for the section and a natural birth going badly wrong. Good luck with your decision!

Anecdotally at least half my friends have had an elective section. None have any regrets at all. I do think recovery was harder for some than others, but all would make the same choice again.

I had a natural birth and a c section. Both had plus and minus but the c section I was up and about a lot quicker and didn't have any labour pains. My natural birth I had stitches couldn't go to the toilet without being in agony for weeks. I'm not having a third but if I did I would have the c section.

I have had 2 elective sections due to medical issues and I would do it again in a heartbeat if I were to ever get pregnant again. I felt prepared, it was a calm experience both times, the recovery can feel long and painful but I liked knowing when the baby was going to be here.

I was set on a water birth at a midwife led unit but complications towards the end of my pregnancy meant I opted for an ELCS. It was such a such a positive and relaxed experience, I loved it!

Recovery was straight forward too, painful but they keep you topped up on medication. There were other mums on my ward who had emergency sections and they were wheelchair bound for days, presumably exhausted after labouring then being whisked in for emergency surgery. I was on my feet the same day and had no issues lifting baby.

I was really worried about the idea of having a huge rip roaring scar but I was shocked to see how tiny and neat the scar actually was. 2 years on, you couldn’t even see it unless you were looking for it.

I've had 2 ELCS (2 breech babies...), both have been good experiences!

The scar is really low down (covered by public hair).
Recovery obviously varies but for me I was home the next day both times and have had good recoveries. First time around I was quite slow with the stairs but could do them, just needed to generally take it slow. Second time around I felt better and more mobile the day after my C-section than I did when heavily pregnant. My nearly 4 year old was used to Mummy needing to go slow. If your DH is around in the early days that will help a lot.

Also DH was able to stay on the ward with me the night I was in hospital - he "slept" on the chair!

I’m not having any more kids because I don’t want them so I wouldn’t ’do it again’ but my elective c section was amazing

i knew I wasn’t going to do it again, had no romantic feelings about a ‘natural birth’ and didn’t want to risk (however small the risk is) any tearing, incontinence issues or issues with sexual function. I also wouldn’t have consented to an episiotomy or forceps which would have put me in a tricky situation.

thankfully I had no pushback.

great recovery, great experience. Heavy chunky baby with no breathing issues born at 38 weeks. Still breastfeeding past 2 with no issues in those early days. Scar has completely gone. Flat tummy, no ‘pouch’ which everyone scared me I would get.

It was the tits

Yes! It scared me after last hospital stay and im an nhs worker, covid times actually made me scared to ever stay in hospital. i did everything i could to go home next day. But straight from off set I decided on c section by choice! Minimises the risk of illness which could result in hospital stay. I just couldn't put myself and my family through it again. I was packed by 10am the next day saying can I go yet 😆 🤣

I felt like like I was in control throughout, whereas an emergency it isn't for my thought process as I have lost control in my way of thinking.

I have decided i didn't want anymore kids, so I was sterilised too. But if I was to have more kids I would definitely chose elective.

Prepare yourself for the spinal. It hurts! And I nearly broke my husbands hand by he squeezing of it! But that's how I saw it and felt it. For me the worse bit before the baby arrival.

Yes to cleaner. My husband had 3 weeks off too. So by time 4th week comes, your mind has prepared yourself to cope alone. Your body sort of follows through to being ready if that makes sense. If your little one goes nursery I would see if you book an extra session or 2 in that week. I say it because my 3 year old is relentless in wanting to go out and its been Easter holidays too 😳🥹😵‍💫

Oh and meal prep!!

I had an elective and a VBAC. VBAC recovery much much better, I felt back to normal the same day.

It is important to remember that second vaginal births are often much quicker.

Ultimately it's your decision, but why not chat with your midwife and see what they advise?

I had a long and traumatic first birth. Recovery - physically - was rough. Mentally, it's ongoing.

Second was an elective section due to first birth trauma. Although I cried like a baby for literally days beforehand, in hindsight it was actually really very nice. Recovery was easy with regular painkillers and could see to both my newborn and toddler with relative ease ("relative" due to sleep deprivation being the issue 😅).

Hi can I jump on this thread with a question?

I had an EMCS in 2021 and am now planning an ELCS for my next in August. I'm feeling positive about it, but I now live in a house with stairs. All the bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs (just one toilet on ground floor). It's just one flight but someone steep. Will I be able to manage this when I come home, and after a few days? I can mostly stay up stairs I think for the first few days, as we're planning to have extra help around.

@WolfMother326 I got home 48 hours after ELCS had no problem going up and down the stairs, just take it slow 😀

I would not recommend elective section. I’ve had 2 the second was horrendous. What they don’t tell you is that a section puts you at increased risk of pph.