C-section or induction? Advice!

[A2014]

I'm at 35 weeks at the moment and due to some health issues (me not the baby thank goodness) they've said I need to be induced at 38 weeks. Fairly terrified of induction as I had one previously that took 6 days and ended up becoming an emergency and nearly having a c-section anyway.

Please share experiences of both! I'm going a bit crazy reading and trying to decide if I should just push for a c-section as last time the whole thing was not only prolonged and traumatic but having an emergency unplanned section is the scariest option of all!

Thank you!

I was induced with my first and an ELCS with my second. My induction was a broadly positive experience - ended up with with a crash team to do forceps + episiotomy because the baby was in distress, but other than that last 15 mins it was a good labour, pain manageable etc. I was pretty exhausted afterwards and had that 'hit by a truck' feeling for a few days.

ELCS for medical reasons second time. Very calm, almost sureally calm, all very fast and efficient. Very clinical (unsurprisingly!). First few days I felt absolutely fine if I lay still but agony if I tried to stand up or sit. After that recovery was steady - by 5 days pain was very manageable (stopped taking any pain relief). I took it easy with my toddler for the first few weeks (not lifting him). By 5-6 weeks I could carry him around normally - fortunately I had help for that time as I that would have been challenging otherwise. By 6 weeks other than the scar I look and feel back to 'normal'.

I would rather have had a good VB than an ELCS, and would have happily gone for another Inductiom had risks been different - I know I shouldn't feel this way but I don't feel like I gave birth 'properly' with the CS.

I was induced for two and a half days before DS got stuck and I ended up with an EMCS. I've been given the choice this time round. Right now I'm planning on letting things happen naturally with a ECS date at 42 weeks. If, however, things don't go to plan and I 'need' inducing again it will be straight to section. No inducing.