caesarians v normal birth

[mmm]

I was interested to read in the Guardian today an article which said that more and more caesarians are being performed and that they are being requested and would like to know what it's like having one and why would someone choose one. (I have given birth twice 'normally' )Does it hurt less? Do you stretch less/recover faster etc. The article said that in Chile 40% of births are caesarians !It also said that in a governmental report the reason given that they are on the increase are that there are fewer consultants .

DHs favourite quote re c-section is that, I think it was Brazil, there is a high C-section rate so that the woman keeps her "honeymoon freshness"!

mmm, I had a caesar a few days before my due date, because my placenta hadn't been functioning properly in the last month of pregnancy and ds was not getting enough nourishment. I had a scan and apparently the foetus was showing signs of distress, so I was admitted for a caesarean the next day.

I can't say I was upset about it, as I'd been a bit fearful of the whole 'birth' thing (the pain, etc). The caesar was actually not very traumatic at all, I was out of hospital in four days and I only really felt some pain in the 24 hours after the birth. I had been put on a morphene drip during for the first day or so, but I asked to be taken off it because it just made me feel completely disoriented. After that I just took painkillers for a little while. I healed very quickly, although the scar has taken a couple of years to fade - you can barely see it now.

This is just my opinion of course, but I think I would opt for the caesar again if I had to!!! At least for me, I didn't find it much of a big deal at all.

I had an elective caesarian, but I didn't elect it! The doctor said because of my medical history (Brian aneuyrsm)It better not for me to 'push'. - So I followed their advice. I personally found the whole experience quite fantastic and surreal. One minute you're lying on a bed numb from the waist down and the next they are handing you a baby. I had to 'enjoy' the birth that way cos I wasn't getting a natural birth. Looking at some peoples experiences of birth, especially recently on that traumatic birth thread a couple of weeks ago, I had a very easy option. I had no trouble afterwards (even the next day) with regards to mobility, picking up Ds or Bf him. We have some photos of him taken by one of the assistants in the operating theatre comming out 'through the sunroof' as my husband says. We are only sticking with the one child, but if we did have another obviously that would be CS as well.

PS, my scar has COMPLETELY disappeared, as unfortunately it is hidden under a roll of fat, - nice!

I had an emergency caesarian having been desperate to avoid one. I was surprised by how simple it all was, how kind the staff were and how fast I recovered. I'd read that laughing, getting out of bed, picking up the baby would all be very painful. As it was the only problem I had was when they forgot my painkillers in the first couple of days. I stopped all the others early and now, 6 months on, have only a faint scar and no ill effects. I wish I'd known - I wouldn't have been so desperate to avoid what was for me and ds probably a life-saving operation.

Well I have had both and would given the choice (which I did not have with the caesarian)have a section again.

The natural birth was a "pain" and not to keen on wetting myself everytime I sneezed.

Plus the drugs are better with a section

I only have experience of a normal delivery but my sil has had both and said that her pain 'down there' and stitches after normal delivery was far worse than pain after c section. She felt recovery after a section was alot quicker.

After ventousse and forceps I guess I've lost my honeymoon freshness! Any tips on how to regain this? Dh would be rather pleased.

Regular pelvic floor exercises on a daily basis for life - even after a C/section. It is the weight of the pregnancy rather than the delivery alone that leads to less than tight muscles! I have had 4 vaginal deliveries and am in tip-top condition down there

I had an 'emergency' section after a very long labour when DD was finally discovered to be presenting in a most peculiar fashion!

I wouldn't recommend it. Exhausted after those sleepless nights of late pregnancy (I went to 42 weeks), I was even more so after more than 24 hours of contractions and about 16 hours stuck on a bed with intermittent sleep thanks to an epidural.

I'd also had the experience of being sent home from the hospital once when admitted for induction and then almost again the following day. Suddenly my 'urgent' induction at 42 wks ('your baby is more likely to die' kind of messgae) became less urgent due to staff shortages. Stress, stress.

The immediate postnatal period wasn't too bad until I left hospital. It was only then I became aware just how difficult it was to cope. My legs remained swollen for a couple of weeks, in spite of those stockings, some gentle exercise, etc. I didn't have a bowel movement for two weeks which made me feel bloated, tired etc. It was only a doctor who treated me for mastitis who actually took any notice when I said I hadn't been to the toilet.

Maybe electives or those who have had a less stressful time find it easier but I would do all I can to avoid one if I happened to find myself pregnant again (which I hope not to).

suew- I have had an emergency section and an elective section and it is alot worse to have an emergency one. I had an horrendous induction, then labour followed by my dd becoming stuck in the birth canal ventouse and forceps wouldnt shift her so I had an emergency section. I found it very hard to get over, both physically and mentally. I found my pregnant when she was 12 months old and that time I decided to have an elective section. Having ds was a breeze I was up and about the same day and discharged from hospital within 2 days.

I personally think both normal births and caesarians can be positive experiences. I think there is far too much emphasis put on what kind of birth you end up having- the most important thing is that your baby is born safely whether that be vaginally or caesarian.

Furball you made me laugh about the disapearing scar

Fio2 is right that either type of birth can be a tremendously positive experience for any woman...or a total nightmare.
I had an unavoidable elective four years ago almost to the day and my recovery from it was one of the worst experiences of my life, frankly. I also found the preparations for it, and the surgery itself, demeaning and distancing. I HATED the spinal and all the other things sticking into me. No music in the operating theatre, no chance to see for myself which sex our baby was, no chance to hold him until I was back up on the ward, thanks to the grumpy jobsworth who actually did the op. He made me feel like a piece of uncooperative meat on a slab, at one point implying I had concealed from him the fact that my placenta was low-lying...errr, three scans hadn't picked that one up...(The midwife and care assistant who were with dh and I, and the anaesthetist, were all great).
I had no previous experience of surgery before and it turned out I was a rubbish healer, despite being generally fit and well and having a good pregnancy until then. My wound ruptured when the stitches were removed and I spent a total of ten days in hospital, three of them really quite ill (which coincided with my milk coming in). The same surgeon made it clear that he suspected I had "done something" to make my wound unstick and the different anaesthetist for my second round of surgery would not have been out of place in Cardiac Arrest, he was an elderly psycho who "reassured" me that the spinal this time had worked by running what looked like a skewer through a pinch of my flesh on my ribcage. My dh had been bundled into the day room on the ward with ds1 during all the panic, and was under the impression I was dying, because no-one would actually tell him for about half an hour what was going on (he had turned up proudly with the car seat and a bunch of flowers to take us home).
I'm fine now and accept totally that because of ds1's position my c-section was a life-saving necessity, and that no-one could have predicted my complications.
But FOR ME the whole c-section experience was an unforgettable nightmare, and I am VERY keen to have a VBAC this time round if I can.

I had placenta praevia like Marina but it was diagnosed very early on and I was pleased that it meant I could have a section with no arguments. My dh was with me all the time, my consultant was Maggie Blott and I was paying (or rather my medical insurance was!) and everyone in the theatre was lovely. I insisted the young anaesthetist told me jokes to distract me from the spinal, which it did. I was numb from the chest down and felt absolutely nothing at all, but then saw my little boy held high above the screen! The birth was lovely, no pain, very quick and I held ds and kissed him before passing him to dh so I could get a better look at him - it's quite hard to hold a baby and look at him while flat on your back! Downsides? I had a slight delay getting my milk in because the op had to be done at 37 weeks as going into labour is so dangerous with PP, and I didn't particularly like the numb sensation but it only lasted about an hour. However, unlike Marina, I felt this was the most dignified way to give birth. There was no pain, I didn't have to beg for pain relief while an anaesthetist was in another part of the hospital and I felt in control of myself throughout. I didn't have to rely on anyone else to help me emotionally, give me support or 'get me through' ( which would horrify me, personally). Also, I had heard the screaming in the delivery suite when I was admitted with some bleeding prior to my section and that put the fear of god into me! I can't compare it to vaginal birth as I have never experienced it, but I feel very grateful that my c-section saved my and my son's lives and if I have another child will have another c-section, even if I have to pay for it.

If I have another section I shall ask for my baby to be delivered onto me tummy for me to hold before he/she is cleaned up etc. I could have had that last time but forgot to ask and they just followed procedure, which is my only regret.

I had an emergency caesar last year for my first daughter, after the hospital let me labour for 52 hours! Having finally got to the pushing stage, where the midwives kept encouraging me and telling me I was doing great, a specialist came in and said the baby hadn't moved down the birth canal at all (V frustrating when you've been pushing for all you're worth for over an hour!), and that there was no way she was going to fit through my pelvis.
Was therefore relieved when they took me for a caesar and got to see Emily's head just pop up out of my stomach like something out of Alien, but much cuter
Took a while to recover and laughing, coughing and sneezing all hurt, but was definitely worth it. Am now pregnant again (due 6th August, not planned, and would like to say thanks to the Doctors who told me firstly that I'd never have children and secondly that Em was a one-off miracle). Have been told we're having a BIG baby (already off the centile chart apparently), and am having another scan at 38 weeks, when I will probably be booked in for an elective caesar. Am hopeful that recovery will be quicker this time, as won't be knackered from going through a long labour. However, will miss the gas and air, as I loved that last time although I worried the midwife by going on about crack cocaine! (Long story, but had been watching an episode of Father Ted before going to the hospital).
One more thing - can the medical profession not come up with another term for 'elective.' There's nothing elective about it if you have to have one - surely there could be Emergency, Elective and Necessary? That way would avoid people thinking I'm being a big wuss about giving birth.
Will stop writing now - have gone on a bit, sorry!

It is a bit frustrating that everyone thinks elective means you just fancied one - not that I have anything against just fancying one, but a lot of people do.

my pelvis was found to be too small too thats why I had to have my second NECESSARY caesarian. I think they should rename it too, but then again I agree with aloha is it really that bad if you choose to have one.

And the term 'emergency' could just as annoying when my cs wasn't! DD's heartbeat fine - no emergency at all.

Still, it's water under the bridge now.

Is it anyone else's business as to the reason for a C/S? Elective just means that it was not an emergency as far as documenting the C/S is concerned. There are sections which may or may not be necessary - depends what your viewpoint is. Not having achieved a vaginal birth first time round does not mean a repeat C/S is actually necessary - even with a bigger baby. It depends on the mother's viewpoint and the obstetricians viewpoint. Therefore, rather than change the classification around C/S, it would be better for women not to have to feel they should justify reasons for their C/S. It is their business, no-one elses. Hope you could follow that

I had one emergency and one elective c-section and was fine after both. It is easier to have the section without having gone into labour first, as you are less tired and emotional. I was in hosptal for 4 days each time, and both times was up and about within 24 hours after the section. I think that I was in better shape than those mothers who had a difficult vaginal delivery.

I had to have a caesarean despite not wanting one. Dd had a heart defect picked up at 20 wks and the cardiologist said I was fine to have a natural birth - well yeh I thought!!

Like Holly I had to have a caesarean as my placenta was not functioning and my daughter had not been nourished for at least two weeks - also had very little fluid left in my womb. It took less than two hours from the time I was having the ultrasound to my daughter being born. I did not get to hold her for hours - she was taken straight to SCBU.

I can say it was the most surreal experience in my whole life - very calm almost jovial atmosphere in the theatre - while people are cutting my stomach open.... 4 minutes from the first cut to my daughter being born. The description of someone doing the washing up in your stomach is so apt. The surgeon was brilliant as were the rest of the staff. I think that helped a lot - they were quite at ease as a team and made you feel confident in them and their abilities.

I was stunned I think as it just did not occur to me that this would happen particularly as I had worried after the cardiac problem wwas found that I would have to have one.

Having said that - as much as I wanted a natural birth - not got 'child bearing hips' like these for nothing!! I knew it had to be the best for my daughter. I recovered quite easily - in fact kept nagging the doctor to let me out of hospital. Had very little pain relief. Not sure if that is down to the fact that it all happened to soon and I had other stuff to worry about. Was up adn walking the next day.... I think the fact that I had little pain relief made me realise when I was tender etc and not to overdo it - if that makes sense.

Next time - who knows might have a vaginal birth might be another casarean. I will cross that bridge when it comes to it.

I also do not feel less of a woman/mother for not having had a vaginal birth as a friend of mine did -maybe I am just too practical - needed to be done so be it.

Do any of you think that caesarians will become the norm for giving birth in days to come? (Or maybe the cost will be prohibitive). I know it's a very personal thing, but there seem to be pros in that you can choose when you give birth, it's over quickly, it doesn't seem to take more time to heal, andas Soupdaragon said 'you retain your honeymoon freshness'.

I had a C/s with DS. He was a breech baby and I was booked in for 38 weeks, but I went into labour at 35+6 and had to have a emergancy CS. Both DDs were normal deliverly and I preferred the normal deliveries. I was home 8 hours after having DD1 and the next day with DD2. With the section I was hobbling about the next day, couldn't bump my pram down the stairs ( we were living in a three floor flat at the time) so couldn't go out and now have a scar!! My SIL demanded a CS with her second child, as her DS was a big baby 9lb something, and she "didn't want to go though that again" as it was her DD was only 7lb something and she didn't really need the section. I think it was because she was able to work right up till the night before the CS and went back to work at 8 weeks and a CS is easier to fit in your life than an unexpected labour

I have to say, the scar really doesn't bother me a bit - mainly because of where it is, an area not normally on display!! I was more fed up with the absolutely minute (cm long) scar from keyhole surgery through my bellybutton because it showed in bikinis. Not that I can envisage wearing a bikini ever again, mind.

Also many drs believe a 39 week c-section is the safest method of arrival for babies. Not for mothers, but I actually was much more confident of my safety than my ds's. I found it reassuring to have a c-section.