42% of UK births are c-sections

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Is anyone else surprised at this statistic? I’m sure it was only something like 20% when my now-teen was born.

Although I had noticed how so many of my friends/family members/colleagues having babies recently all seem to have had cesareans.

It looks as though the shift will only continue so potentially c-section will exceed 50% of births and be the more common mode of birth in a few years.

I think it’s really interesting! Will there be drive to try and push numbers down and increase vaginal births again? Or will it eventually become standard for most women to just book in for an elective section as standard and ‘attempting natural’ will be seen as a more unusual choice like home birth is currently.

Nor is it wonderful or enjoyable.

Boke means to be sick or gagging

No I've had no trauma at all as both my births were planned sections. However I find the idea of vaginal birth really gross. Somebody said it couldn't be gross cause it was natural, my reply was that plenty of things are natural but still gross.

I dont need therapy cause I find the idea of birth gross and frankly what I've described is what the majority of my friends experienced. Are you saying that during birth you dont have to show your vagina to anyone? You dont potentially poo yourself, you dont potentially tear and stretch or need instrumental help.... I literally want none of those things happening to my body.

@Coffeeandbooks88 Ah, but she didn't say that. Her description is very extreme - gross, gagging about the thought of it, embarrassing, showing your fanny to "strangers"(?!!!), comparing it to defacating.
It's very much an over-reaction.
Again, I am sure most other women don't feel like this?

No no trauma. I just find it gross.

Imagine how some people have a total aversion to breastfeeding whilst others enjoy it, its very similar. Literally everything about losing control of my body and pushing a baby out of my vagina makes me feel sick. Tbh I imagine most woman feel even slightly sick and scared at the thought of it

I think that the lack of supportive one to one midwife care and the awful state of midwifery care in so many hospitals - added to rise in inductions which lead to C sections. Plus it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy - people hear the horror stories and opt for C sections. It’s a terrible waste of money and resources and unnecessary. Could so easily be avoided if we had better care and education.

Christ I didnt compare it to defecating, some idiot up thread said its natural so therefore not gross, I simply pointed out that that's complete nonsense cause lots of natural things are gross. Periods are gross, decomposition is gross, fungal growth is gross.... can you really not see the point I am making?

And how is anything i said untrue, im just being honest whilst you are sugar coating it. You often do have strangers looking at or examining your vagina, you often do poo in labour, your vaginal tissues can be bruised, swell, tear, cut with instruments..... none of that is extreme its fact.

It can be actually.

When you factor in the cost of repairing women after vaginal birth than C-sections are no more expensive. It's a complete myth that they are more expensive.

Their predictability also helps keep the cost down. I mean, I turned up at 8:00 in the theatre for about 9:30, baby born stitched up, recovery and settled on the ward by 11:00. For that short time, it's very resource heavy, but the hospital isn't supporting a labouring woman for a large number of hours, with the uncertainty of whether or not theatre will be needed, epidurals needed, whether a woman will need surgical repair afterward, whether it'll result in an emergency section, etc.

I've had one of each, and despite being immensely painful (no epidural), I actually did think (induced) vaginal birth was wonderful and enjoyable, and I recovered far more quickly, although both births went smoothly (the second was an elective for a breech baby). But I was 20, and 23 for my births, which may make a difference for recovery.

Maybe I'm the odd one out to have 'enjoyed' the vaginal birth though! And I was lucky it went smoothly. But it made me feel very strong, and quite proud of myself in a way.

@Bababear987 Sounds very much like a psychological issue - especially the part about being "scared to lose control."
And nothing remotely embarrassing or gross about delivering a baby vaginally.
It sounds like an issue of fear.
And no, periods are not "gross" either.

This 100%

I know I’ll get flamed for this but I do think it’s sad that more and more women are opting for c-section often because of fear of vaginal birth. I’m not saying that fear is unfounded - with the state of our NHS services the fear is very well founded because the induction obsession and lack of resources is creating an epidemic of birth trauma. But a properly supported and empowered natural birth can be so powerful, and I feel so sad that women are being made to feel afraid of their own biology and fearful of something that can be empowering.

And before I get all the hate, yes I know sometimes there are medical reasons for interventions, inductions, choosing sections etc.

I had an induced labour. Ended up with an episiotomy and an shoulder dystocia emergency. Mind you I don't think I was embarrassed at any point but having hands up your vagina and stitches was agony.

I don't think the process even with a non induced labour is meant to be enjoyable.

Well we can agree to disagree.

I personally dont want to shit the bed or tear my vagina but you do you.

There is nothing dignified about giving birth to me, I've mentioned multiple times about why I find it gross and I think its fair, i dont know why youre arguing with my opinion.
There's literally thousands and thousands of women who choose sections (some of them have had vaginal births before and some not) so im obviously not alone. And I wouldn't say it comes from a place of fear, id say it comes from a factual place.

The ‘cost’ argument is a nonsense and completely disingenuous. I guarantee those making it would be just as judgemental of c-sections in a country with no taxpayer funded health service. It’s ideology (misogyny).

@Bababear987 Well it would be interesting to hear what other C-section advocates have to say?
But I very much doubt they would describe vaginal birth (or periods for that matter) as "gross."
As @Bricayaksaid really - spot on.

It can also be empowering to make your own choices. It isn't going to feel empowering, powerful or positive if a woman is forced into something she isn't comfortable with.

I can totally understand why its empowering and initially planned a water birth but then after doing more research into the statistics at our local hospital and birth injuries and the support women get following birth i felt it was much safer to have a section.
It wasn't the pain of labour that worried me and I work in a surgical job so I've seen everything and am not easily grossed out but I just dont believe our bodies have evolved well to cope with birth and have seen too many women having long term issues following birth.

I totally agree though that the state of our maternity services are a major reason I choose a section.

I agree 100% with what you’ve written. I too find the thought of vaginal birth disgusting - I have no interest in tearing my vagina or shitting myself. I would not have thought that this was an unusual view in any way.

That sounds very unpleasant! I'm sorry you had those complications. I think I was very lucky that despite being induced, I didn't have any complications whatsoever. But I did definitely find it a positive and enjoyable experience, even in the moment and despite the pain. As I said though, I may well be an outlier in having that opinion!

I think it's unpleasant, undignified and dangerous. A risk that I didn't want to take. My fears if vaginal birth turned into full blown tokophobia. My choice wasn't about how I gave birth, it was have sections or remain childless.

Despite being a nervous mess, I enjoyed my pain free births, and those non exhausted, painless moments of meeting my children were the best moments of my life. I've had worse periods than recovery from them.

@Crushed23 I imagine our views on this change as we mature.
Is "shitting yourself" in labour (which is fact the body's clever way of preparing for delivery) really that mortifying?! For whom exactly?
And for those.of you who talk about "showing your vagina to strangers" - do you go for your cervical screening appointments (or is that also "too embarrassing?")

I found giving birth vaginally unpleasant, undignified, embarrassing and yes, at times, gross.

I didn't find any of it enjoyable or empowering.

I just want to clarify im an advocate for choice.... for me a section was the best move but I can understand how its another woman's nightmare.
And maybe im just not of the same mentality, but birth is hardwork, sweaty, high risk (literally the most dangerous time in a woman's life), you are pooing, bleeding etc gross. I would struggle to find that empowering or even feel particularly hygienic in that instant.

I do find my period gross as well, which is why I use hygiene products, I find my poo gross so I clean myself, I shower, I use soap, I like to be clean etc whats so weird about that? How are bodily fluids not gross?

Happily, when I gave birth, I did neither of those things! I don't think they're necessarily as common as you think. The former depends greatly on the position you give birth in, and the latter is more common, but definitely isn't assured!

Although I don't have an issue with women choosing what method they prefer to birth by - it's their body, and their choice. If a woman does choose to have an elective c section, I do hope she would be properly informed and not just 'scared off' vaginal birth by horror stories, though. For every horror story, there are many more easy, smooth births that just don't get talked about precisely because they're 'no big deal'. People tend to talk more about the negative.

I dearly hope those of you who have daughters are not raising them to see periods as "gross" - how damaging!