Natural - v - Caesarean - a new thread

[JoolsToo]

sorry to be bossy but can we carry on here?

I'm for natural when possible

Agree with Jools. Surely a c-section should only be performed when a natural birth would be dangerous to mother/baby. I don't believe we should be given a choice as such unless there are medical reasons behind it.

I agree with wickedwaterwitch - it would be really good to have some more information about why rates of Caesarean section are rising.

I consider myself really lucky to have had three vaginal deliveries and no c-sections. I know that if I had only had Caesareans and never experienced a vaginal delivery, I would always have felt that I had missed out on something very important (feel the same way about breastfeeding). (This is not a criticism of anyone who chooses a c-section or chooses to bottle-feed - it's just how I personally feel).

I think that if a woman is so afraid of labour and delivery that it would actually put her off becoming pregnant, she should be able to elect for a Caesarean.

I don't think Csections should be an option. I think it should be natural unless needed.

I've had one natural (assisted) birth which I am more than thankful for. I want four kids, so that would have been possibly limited if I'd had to have an emergency c-section which at a few stages they thought I would.

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As others have said, I cant understand why a C-section should be considered if there are no problems with the birth. I had 5 natural births-but would have gladly had a section had one been necessary. But otherwise-no.

agree with that too Jools - had a friend who had emergency CS 1st time round after a long and difficult labour, swore blind she was going to have an elective CS 2nd time round as she'd been so traumatised by her labour and was so scared of it happening again. Had a date booked, went into labour before the day, and it all happened so quickly there wasn't time for her to have the CS as she was already nearly 10cm dilated when she got to the hopsital - wasn't even time for an epidural - a whopping 10lber too! Afterwards she was really happy that she'd delivered naturally and realised her fears had been unfounded

"I don't believe we should be given a choice as such unless there are medical reasons behind it."

But are women actually given such a choice? In three pregnancies so far no one has asked me if I wanted c/s or vb. I've had two vb and now will have an elective c/s. It wasn't "offered" but discussed as an option at my request.

I was offered a caesarean for DS2, because DS1 nearly died when he was born.

However I declined because I felt very strongly that having a natural drug-free labour would be better for DS2 than having a section.

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Anyonr who thinks having a C-Section is "posh" should come and have a look at my lower abdomen, not a pretty sight at all! Another point is that having a section limits the number of children you can have. All my babies were sections by necessity and I'd love to have been able to push just one out myself!

ahh but chipmonkey those that are too 'posh' to push usually have the luxury of paying for expensive private CS's where a free tummy tuck and perfect stitching it 'complentary' - I wish I'd had that - my MW after I'd given birth told me that I was yet another 'victim' of the lazy surgeon at our hospital who could be bothered to even tuck a 'tiny' bit of skin back in.......I look like mr. blobby

PS My DS1 has difficulty concentrating in school. A homeopath suggested it could be to do with the caesarean, not sure how true this is

As long as both mum and baby are healthy, whichever. I was a repeat c myself, as my older sister had been breech. But that was in the era of vertical incisions and VBACs were not an option.

don't even think its a topic worth discussing, you have a baby by whatever means is best for you (medically or emotionally) you get on with your lives as a family

what's to discuss apart from some purely hypothetically and irrelevant moral standpoint that whatever 'I did' is better than whatever 'you did'

Gwenick, that sounds like me! When I has DS1 the surgeon was one of the less experienced guys and there was someone even more junior in the theatre. He started stitching me up from the right, she started from the left. In the middle of it she said to him "If you want to go now I'll finish up here" so he left!!! and she did finish up. I got an infection and an uneven scar.

are you sure you're not me - can't remember about 'how' they stictched me up - but very uneven scar (when I lift up the tummy and look in the mirror) and got an infection too.

whatever 'I did' is better than whatever 'you did'

But mud some of us have done BOTH so therefore surely are in 'some' sort of position to comment????

this may have been already covered
but surely the way that presents the fewest risks for mother and child is "best".

IMO it is detremental to get hung up on the right or the best or the superior way to bring a child into the world in case your dreams aren't possible to fulfil.

I think we will all agree that only one thing is for sure, the baby is going to come out. And, don't you think, that labour is only one relativley short episode in the book of parenthood.

Absolutely agree with Suzywong. My personal preference is to be put to sleep and woken up when baby is 6 months and sleeping through the night!

Snort!

I had 2 vb's, both induced, the 2nd resulting in my having a huge cut (ds was 10lb 8 1/2 oz). 5yrs later I was faced with the prospect of delivering twins. I was given a choice, a c-section wasn't mentioned until I asked for one. I had read up on the subject of delivering twins and felt that this was the best option for me and my babies. As it happened the boys were both fine but I Lost alot of blood and needed a transfusion. Even after everything that happened I still think I made the right decision and if I could turn back time wouldn't change it.

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LOL at FairyMum. I used to think the same way too, wake me up when he's 21, back from Uni and you can have a decent conversation. Now I know better, of course.

I was lucky to have a great natural birth. I was talking to a friend who delivered in South Africa and she chose a C-section. She described it to me as the easy route. Now to me a section is anything but the 'easy route'. It just shows how peoples perceptions differ. I asked why she had been offered a choice and she said because being in South Africa she was paying for it. I do find this an interesting topic as for me it would be natural every time. I do however appreciate how fortunate I have been.

If people are opting for a non-medically essential c-section because they believe it is safer for the mother and the baby then perhaps my story is relevant

1st baby born by scheduled elective because of persistent transverse lie. If no section available, either he, or I, or maybe both of us would have died in labour. So medically essential and I have a lovely healthy five year old. Five days after he was born my wound ruptured spontaneously down to my bowels as my stitches were being removed. I thought I was going to die. So did dh, you have never seen a medical team mobilise so quickly. Another spell in theatre for re-stitching, more IV antibiotics, went home feeling CRAP and took six weeks to recover (I was fit and well generally and right through the pregnancy)

2nd child stillborn after induced labour. Harrowing but I was physically well after 48 hours and astounded at the difference in my recovery time.

3rd child born by elective section after failure to engage, polyhydramnios and high risk of cord prolapse. I had hoped for a VBAC. Dd suffered post-delivery shock and spent two days in SCBU despite being healthy, full-term and 9lb. Three days later, I contracted a clostridium difficile infection which left me unable to control my bowels even while asleep. NICE. Also had to have two units transfused due to post-op blood loss. The aftermath of the clostridium (vile diarrhoea) left me terrified to leave the house for a month and practically suicidal.

They're not all they're cracked up to be. I HATED my c-section experiences. DON'T have one unless you really need it is my advice. I was unlucky in some respects but there was nothing in my medical history to indicate any of this might happen to me. The post-delivery baby shock and the clostridium infection are commoner than one might imagine, apparently. Just not publicised much.

I know that many others have similar horrible experiences during natural delivery, and that fear of giving birth is a valid psychological reason for insisting on a c-section. But they are not risk-free.