Why Choose Caesarean For Your First Baby?

[ballerini]

I am new to pregnancy and wondered for what the reasons would someone choose to have their first child by Caesarean section?
My friend mentioned it is more risky than a vaginal birth but I thought it was less risky because the cord would be less likely to get wrapped around the neck and it won't get stuck and stressed.

That is true, however most tears heal up pretty well if 1st or 2nd degree. Personally I'd rather that than a cs. But then I am a vain thing and didn't want either a catheter or a scar.

I'm pregnant with My first at 38 and I've already written a huge long list of reasons why including:
Fear of v birth
Fear of damage related to v birth (90% of women experience tears, at my trust almost 70% of first time mums over 35 require assistance in terms of induction, instruments, episiotomy, emer c section)
Ability to mentally prepare myself for what's happening, and much less chance of things going wrong
Long term mental health
Long term physical health (no danger of vaginal damage)

I could go on. And those who say c sections cost more, the NICE guidance actually states when on costs (for repairing damage following v birth) are taken into account the difference is £84. I get quite upset when people say you shouldn't be allowed a maternal request section on the NHS. In my area we have midwife led units that are expensive to run but may only see a handful of births each month, and I'm sure home births aren't as cost effective as a hospital birth-but at the end of the day it's choice and safety that matter. I wouldn't want anyone's choice taken away based on cost.

You have to have a catheter with instrumental births too.
My episiotomy scar that extended to a tear during my forceps delivery still gives me a pain and discomfort six years on. I also feel permanently disfigured as it feels very prominent and swollen still.

sunshine storm me too- had to have 2 catheters, one intermittent and then one in-situ. Also have an awful episiotomy scar I can feel every time I sit down!

Hi, the things to consider are your recovery with a new baby and future pregnancies and births since there would be a scar on the womb and that changes things.

I also think that most people choose a c section out of fear of birth and that sometimes it's worth having a chat about that before making that choice.

Hope that's helpful. X

I had to have a C-section with my first DC but, to be honest, I really wanted one anyway so I was delighted.

I think I'm right in saying that C-sections are riskier for the mum than vaginal births, but far safer for babies.

I've never regretted my decision.

When I was in the maternity unit, I did a thorough (but obviously informal) survey of the staff there and found out how they'd chosen to have their babies. UNANIMOUSLY they'd chosen to have Caesareans.

I honestly don't know why anyone would want to endure a "natural" birth. It's going to be agony, it's going to be frightening and stressful - how could it possibly not be?

What's going on, I honestly would rather have had 12 hours of pain ( only really bad for 2 or 3) with modern analgesics and a couple of stressful hours (actually I wasn't stressed) , after which I imeadiately felt well and was able to get up, run a bath, get dressed and go home. Than presumably being starved before hand then having major abdominal surgery after which you are essentially paralysed from the waist down, catheterised and therefore totally immobile for a good 12-24 hours. Of course I would have had a c-section if needed, but that feels much less in control to me.

@stillwishihadabs I think most people would choose the option you describe.

The issue, as a pp put it, is that it’s not a choice between a c section and a straightforward birth, as when a vagina birth fails the result us usually a number of intrumental interventions / cuts and then an emergency c section. In that scenario most people would prefer a planned c section as those of us who had the instrumental / failed natural process often have fairly horrendous scars / ongoing health issues that are not acknowledged by the medical profession. For that reason a lot of medical professionals have a c section because they don’t want to end up like the rest of us. It’s sad but that is the truth.

I was in agony for weeks after my forceps delivery, I was in tears with the pain, could barely walk up the stairs ect. I felt so dependent on others for help with caring for my baby in the early days. It was horrendous so I hate the suggestion that vaginal birth= up and about straight away, back to normal. Sometimes it does, a lot of the time it doesn't.

Still - if the scenario you outline (presumably with no other injury) was in any way guaranteeable then other women might find they feel more in control during childbirth.

My first experience was nothing like that - an induction lasting over 100 hours from first pessary to EMCS. It was tense, exhausting, unpredictable and still makes me feel angry and lacking control when I look back at it now. A lovely calm EMCS followed with skin to skin in theatre, breastfeeding established in recovery, catheter out and me walking again 5 hours after birth. I look back at that delivery with happiness and relief.

I vividly remember a 5am conversation with the head of midwives around 100 hours into my induction. Even at that point I was being asked didn't I want to keep trying for a VB in case I felt like I'd 'missed out'? What the hell she thought I'd been doing for the last 5 days I'll never know. But that attitude and question are at the heart of so much that is wrong with childbirth in the UK and which drive questions like the OPs - the assumptions that (1) a VB experience is unquestionably the medically best and personally most desirable option in almost every case and (2) a woman can't be trusted to understand the decision she's making if she doesn't agree with (1).

Our experiences are different - age, health, risk factors, expectations, ethos and outlook of maternity department/staff all play a part in that.

There is nothing wrong with either of our choices - that we feel the need to justify ourselves to strangers weeks, months or years later says that there's a lack of understanding and acceptance for women around childbirth and that it matters a lot.

Not sure what staff you asked at your maternity unit, but where I work that defo would not be the case.

I found labour painful, but manageable. I'd rather the 24 hours of contractions than to be cut in half and my baby dragged out before it's ready

@Stillwishihadabs A c-section doesn't leave you immobilised for 12-24 hours! It wears off after about 4 hours. You're walking around the same day.

I bloody loved it. 😃

@Dreamingofkfc "Cut in half"?? Have you seen a caesarean scar? It's not a total body lift, ffs. It's the same width as your bikini line.

And my first DC was 10 days overdue by the time I had my first caesarean. I had complications that meant the baby never dropped down into position, so I never went into labour. So nobody was dragged out before they were ready. If I hadn't had a caesarean, we both would have died.

I'd rather the 24 hours of contractions than to be cut in half and my baby dragged out before it's ready

Wow. Dramatic.

I’ve had a VB and a c section.

From my experience a c section was great. Good recovery, babies (twins) were delivered safe and well, no ‘dragging’ as far as I can tell.

My VB was horrific. It was a freak thing but both baby and me were left injured and needing further hospital treatment.

Some VBs are great, some are average, a few are are horrific. Same thing orb c sections.

Either way, whatever you choose don’t let emotive or dramatic posts upset you.

whats I was home 24 hours after my second CS - it was awesome

Dreaming I was 'cut in half' and my baby 'dragged out before it was ready'. That was after 100+ hours of failed induction where DC1 was apparently also not ready. Unfortunately I was developing PE so his readiness was not the top priority at the time.

24 hours of contractions and a ready baby are not the circumstances many women find themselves in or a choice which is available to them. Although the notion that a CS is being cut in half does make me feel like a magicians assistant

Cut in half eh. That explains where my legs have been for the past nine months

Ultimately, I have zero percent chance of having my clit being sewn back together with a section (as has happened to people I know), and eliminating that as a risk, in and off itself is good enough for me

As I see it, it comes down to what you feel comfortable with. I would never tell someone they should have a cs or that it's better. It may not be. No one knows until after really, and then not even then because you can't go back and try the other way.

I'd rather be cut in half under a spinal than rip myself in half with nothing! But that's just me.

I do think this thread is really biased... saying “i had both a vaginal birth and a c section and the c section was much more relaxed” — well obviously, as if you had an horrific vaginal birth then it is usual to have a c-section for next baby. But an horrific vaginal birth is NOT the norm. Most people who have a vaginal birth for the first child go on to have another vaginal birth. Why? Because the first one was not traumatic! The fact of you having had both a vaginal and c section is because you had a bad experience with the vaginal birth. So of course you’re going to say a c section is better.

I’ve had a CS with my first as I had pre eclampsia, and I’m not choosing it this time round for my second.

It was a very calm, not emergency like one however - I felt dreadful after. No idea what painkillers I was given but I can’t remember a lot about my first night with my baby, that makes me really really upset. My baby wasn’t with me while I was in recovery, I’m lucky I managed to establish BF but it was down to my sheer stubbornness and my husband lifting and positioning baby for me nearly every time.

It was incredibly painful - I know no one who was up walking 4 hours after their section . I couldn’t walk up the stairs in my house to go to bed, let alone go for a small 5 minute walk with baby for about 2 weeks after. it’s 100% not the easy way out - I wouldn’t chose it if I didn’t have to.

I had VB with dc1 and emcs with dc2. Despite third degree tear with dc1, I really wanted a VB second time around and am pretty sad it didn’t happen. I found the section really hard-going. Recovery doesn’t seem to be too bad, but I still get teary whenever I think about that operation. Lots of tugging, stitches that took forever to do, a weirdly hostile anaesthetist... Realise this is all specific to me, but I really wouldn’t have a section by choice

I think it's just so personal, I have seen 100's of c-sections tbh most emergencies and 100's of VBs. IME most women (not all ) are up and about a few hours after VB , most women post section are still catheterised and in a wheelchair. Also as I said upthread (term) section babies have more problems than those with VB.
In a previous life I did 1st day newborn checks on the postnatal ward so have seen loads and loads of women on day 1 and 2 post childbirth. amazing I ever had any really

Sorry, my post was in response to someone not experiencing labour questioning how could it ever be a good experience. Yes, I have seen a C-section scar - I've been present at many c-sections - for me it's a brutal way to chose to have a baby...however for some it is necessary and am thankful we can easily access them through the NHS. What I think needs addressing, which is clear from this post, is fear and trauma around birth as I agree that a calm ELCS would be better than a traumatic VB

I think ultimately it's a personal choice.
Women are unique individuals and all have their own different set of risk factors as well as personal preferences.

I had a very traumatic VB with a horrific recovery but still went for a VB second time round after careful consideration. But I can understand why a lot of women would have opted for an ELCS in my position. I can also understand why some women feel an ELCS without clinical indication for their first baby is the right choice for them, even though it's not something I would do myself. Women are capable, intelligent, autonomous adults who can look at the facts and the risks/benefits and decide what they want for their body/baby/birth. I just feel with discussions regarding maternal request sections you get the suggestion that those who make this informed choice don't understand what they're doing, are making the wrong decision ect just because the person commenting wouldn't do it personally.
I do agree that maternal request sections on the NHS are good in the sense that they encourage trusts to look at birth trauma and the way women are treated during VBs as a lot of medical professionals are very dismissive of birth trauma, when it's a very real thing and has extremely serious consequences to women and their families.