C-sections aren't all bad, surely?

[newbiemummy1]

Hi there,

I'm newly pregnant and just found this site and thought I'd jump in at the deep end and ask a question about childbirth!

I'm pregnant with my first and have been reading up on all sorts of births. From what I can tell a straightforward vaginal birth is optimal for mother and baby. I have read that c-sections carry an 80% lower risk for oxygen deprivation though - isn't that quite a high figure???

It's just I know a few people in RL who are snooty about c-sections but to me I can't understand how they can be so submissive when they obviously can be better than some natural births.

Just wondered what it was all about really? I'm sensing some people get a bit competitive about this kind of thing? The whole world of competitive mothering scares me a lot!!

Sorry I meant dismissive! Not submissive!

The thing about childbirth and parenting, is that whilst women blame themselves and each other, the government can ignore the issues.

The sad fact is, that a natural birth is far, far, far better for mother and baby, but the truth is that a true natural birth is very rare indeed and once you start interfering you close the gap of benefits between c/sections and VBs.

The terminology in childbirth and parenting also supports women blaming themselves.

Failure to progress, failure to thrive, failure to breastfeed, overdue, 'ending up' with forcepts/c/section, poor maternal effort, badly positioned etc etc.

All these imply that somehow the women's body isn't up to the job. It creates guilt and depression, projection and jealousy.

Thank you starovalkyrie.

So given that it's unlikely I'll end up with a true natural birth, maybe it's safer if I just go straight to a section?

Why is it "unlikely you'll end up with a true natural birth"?

Why would you choose major abdominal surgery in preference to a natural process that women are designed for?

I could go on, but strongly recommend you contact the NCT or similar so you approach the birth armed with ALL the facts. A section is definitely not the easy option.

well newbie You'll have to make up your own mind about that but bear in mind that a c/section on request is unlikely to be granted.

Personally, I'd make damn sure I had a VB that would most likely give me the best outcome possible but reading and researching and planning. A homebirth actually increases your chances of this massively.

There are pros to a c/section for sure, but the pros are usually only pro compared to a difficult labour 'caused' by lack of continuous care, relationshop with midwife, being allowed to labour in an optimal way etc. You CAN actually set yourself up to achieve this though.

newbie, on balance, a c/section is NOT the safer option.

Eh thenextmrsdepp? Why are you lecturing me about a section being the easy option? I'm talking about safety, not ease! Methinks perhaps you are displaying some of the knee-jerk judging I was talking about.

TheNext It is rare for women to have an undisturbed natural first birth, with no drugs and no fear, in a place where they are comfortable, without pressures of the clock, on their terms and without pain relief.

It is rare.

A Csection is not the safer option except in certain specific medical situations.

Star, thank you, so a vaginal birth is still likely to be safer, even if it goes wrong? It's brain damage from oxygen deprivation that bothers me most, due to a family member's condition.

A C/S IS sometimes the easier option. It depends a lot on the woman and the individual circumstances. The OP would be wise to research those.

Yes, the more relaxed, undisturbed, active and less drugs, the safer, but overall it is safer anyway.

Oxygen starvation is also less likely to happen. It can be caused by poor positioning caused by mother being on her back, or being made to push when the baby isn't yet in the right place, or by induction. But with all these things it is still incredibly rare, and although I don't have the stats to hand I'm certain it is less of a risk than the risks associated with a c/s for baby AND mother.

It may be rare for women to have an undisturbed natural first birth as StarofValkyrie describes, but it shouldn't be.

People get very hung up about first births, and imagine that they need to be in hospital, surrounded by machinery and doctors. Once a woman is feeling less in control, then it increases the risk of the mother not coping with the pain, which in turn leads to greater interventions. Unless there are specific complications, it should be perfectly possible for a woman to have her first baby naturally.

Hmmm. Well I would definitely want the drugs, so sounds like I'd already be in the higher risk category. You can't move around really with an epidural can you?

Well maybe I am in a position to offer my view on both sides of the coin?

I have had 3 babies so far and my 4th is due tomorrow.

I have had a natural hospital waterbirth, a home water birth, and an elective C-section.

I do believe there is a place for c-sections. My 3rd baby was breech. I tried everything to turn her. I then hoped and planned for a breech vaginal birth. However baby broke my waters but could not engage her bottom enough (too squidgy I think) to start labour - so I elected for a section after 4 days of pacing the floor/squatting etc. She had her chance and just could not get herself born. The section saved our lives undoubtedly as she just could not get out any other way.

However a section is MAJOR surgery. The consent forms are terrifying - as are the risks you put yourself and your baby under. You can not walk, dress yourself, lift your baby and recovery is HARD.

My natural births, lights were low, I was happy, it was private, I climbed into a blissful pool of warm water and climbed out with a baby an hour or so later. Recovery was practially instant.

I know which I would choose every time.

So yes c-sections have their place - but it is the last resort in my book. Birth is amazing. Its empowering and completely and utterly awe inspiring. Don't give that up lightly x

Thanks mungogerry.

I'm not in it for the experience though, I'm really not. Water birth, low lighting etc doesn't sound my cup of tea at all.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I suppose I should warn you that the perceived competitiveness does not end with the birth (feeding, weaning, dummies, etc etc etc are all involved!)

C sections in themselves are extremely safe, the problem is they are only really performed for reasons that make the birth higher risk. This means the statistics are stacked against them, if you see what I mean, as it's not so much complications from the section itself, but from the pregnancy.

You should bear in mind that the C section scar will affect future pregnancies/births, you are automatically classed as higher risk because of it.

Please speak to a consultant about your oxygen deprivation concerns. They may be able to put your mind at rest.

And enjoy your pregnancy!

An epidural will increase the risk of interventions such as forceps, ventouse or Csection.

That's not to say those things will happen, and it's your choice, but you need to go into it knowing the facts.

How do you know you'll need an epidural anyway?

I never considered myself to have a particularly high pain threshold and managed without. Labour is quite different from other sorts of pain because it is purposeful.

Of course hun, we all have our own preferences.

My point was not about our birth preferences as such, but regarding your concerns re balance of risks and "optimal" birth.

My baby was at much more risk during the section than during my natural births x

Sorry, to clarify, I didn't mean "easy" as in "lazy", I meant "the most beneficial". It is certainly more dangerous for the mother and carries some contra-indications for the baby too.

Getting some decent information (from the NCT, for example) not only serves to help you make the right decision, but also you will find that knowledge takes away some of the fear and thereby makes it more likely that you WILL have a natural birth.

Sorry if I sound a bit NCT-evangelical, but I am amazed at how many women approach childbirth with virtually no information about what is happening to them. I know if I had (say) cancer I'd be straight onto the internet wanting to find out every last detail of my condition and the various options/risks open to me, and I can't understand why so many women don't bother (I don't mean you, OP, obviously you're asking the right questions!).

I'm not trying to offend anyone; all I am saying is arm yourself with as much info as you can.

(btw I have 3dcs, 1 emergency cs, 2vb - both with minimal intervention).

No, I'm fairly sure I'll need an epidural - I have an existing condition with my bladder which is unbearably painful when it flares up and I've already been told that labour is practically guaranteed to set it off. I know I'm not going to be able to take hours and hours of that pain, let alone labour pain on top of it.

There's a brilliant one-line summary:
Caesarean sections reduce the risk of death and disability to the baby and pass it on to the mother and her subsequent babies.

By comparison with other forms of major surgery they're pretty safe, but the risks to you are not negligible.

I've done one of each (1 EMCS, 1 forceps - epidural in each case) and found recovery from c-section far harder, but apparently elective c-sections are much easier to recover from than EMCS.

I have had three sections and whilst I acknowledge it is abdominal surgery - I recovered quite quickly.

I was never in a position post c-section to not be able to dress myself, lift my baby, walk. In fact my consultants and surgeons in fact encourage you to while taking it easy attempt to get on your feet in order to prevent risks of dvt from laying around.

I had one emergency and 2 elective sections and I do not regret not having a vaginal birth in any way. There was no increased risk in subsequent pregnancies from the c-section. My first baby weighed 6lb 1/2 oz, my next one I was carrying a 9lb 7oz baby and there was no strain on the scar tissue or anything.

In fact in caring sensibly for my wound and myself I recovered better than some friends who still struggled with bruising and tearing etc.

I think you have to just make the best decision you can for yourself at the time.

Thanks thenextmrsdepp, I've looked into the NCT but I'm afraid they seem terribly biased towards drug-free birth and that's not a path I'm planning on going down.