natural birth or c-section??

[BabanOnTheWay]

Im just wondering what peoples opinions are around having a c-section or natural birth if you were given the choice. I have been given the choice and really struggling to make a decision.......i would really appreciate any advice. Thanks

I had natural 1st time and ended in an episiotomy and forceps so requested a c-section for 2nd. 1st traumatised next but 2nd was amazing and recovery so much quicker. I worried I'd made the wrong decision for about 2 hours afterwards but haven't looked back since

Is this your first pregnancy. If so then natural has a better recovery rate than a planned c-section provided you’re low risk and don’t have major complications. However a planned c-section has a better long term recovery rate than a complex natural birth (especially an assisted one) because you don’t get the associated pelvic floor problems.

I presume there’s a reason you’ve been given the choice, and they don’t give out sections easily so Id take the section.
I was aweek from first contraction to baby in arms via c section. I left hospital weighing less than I did before I was pregnant I lost a lot of blood and it took a year to recover.

I'd genuinely weigh up the risks as they both have them and decide which one you are more comfortable with.

I went natural both times and sadly suffered a 3rd degree tear twice. Recovery however has been fine although still have a lot of pelvic floor exercising to do to get that sorted and I hope I regain full control.

I always looked at worse case scenario as a c section is no easy option. It's major surgery.
And although recovery for both natural and cs can vary for each person, I had to have a spinal for my tear repair and the fact that I had to sign to say I understood that any spinal anaesthetic risks paralysis (however small the risk is) always meant that I felt I chose the right option.
Yes I could end up with bowel issues etc, but for me, I'd rather risk long term fallout from a vaginal birth than long term fallout from a cs (regardless of how low the risks are)
That is just my personal preference so you need to find a way to work out what yours is.

Depends on why you've been given the choice. I had an emcs for my first and chose an elective for my 2nd because of the circumstances of number 1 (he rotated into the perfect position apparently in labour but never got any lower than mid apparently sub optimal pelvis despite pushing/failed forceps) combined with the fact that I had very easy c-section recovery. The other factor for me was my age, a friend kindly shared stats on the risks of severe tears for women over 40 and I personally found the risk too high.

As it happened, I went into labour early and dd had managed to get so tangled up in her very long cord, they said she'd never have come out vaginally even if her slightly smaller than her brother's head had fit.

I should add the actual recovery from the c section wound was very quick , it was the lack of food and sleep for the week before and week after ( there wasn’t much care in postnatal). My recovery would have been very easy had I not laboured for so long first.
The blood loss was during the last few hours of labour, I didn’t lose much in theatre.

Thank you everyone for your help and advice. Yes i have an existing condition called diverticulitis which has a SLIGHT chance of perforating again when pushing in labour. Doctors arn't sure what will happen. They also worry that there is a SLIGHT risk of niking the bowel during section though so pro's and cons for both i guess. Also i have just been diagnosed with Bells Palsey (whole left side of face paralised). I would love a natural birth,especially as this is my first baby but am now thinking maybe the planned c-section would be less stress on my banjaxed body 🤣 ?

I would personally take the advise of the Doctors etc and what they think would be the best choice for you.
Personally I would Prefer natural because a c-section scares the crap out of me lol but of course If I had problems and a c-section was the best choice I'd go for that I'd say xx

Have the doctors mentioned what the plan would be if you went for the natural option? Would they let you go to FT or would you be induced at 38/39 weeks? Would your condition require you to be closely monitored throughout the birth? Would you be able to go to a midwife led unit or use a pool? These are all important factors.

I had an emcs two weeks ago. My waters went naturally at 40+3, there was meconium in there so rather than let me progress at home I had to be induced. That meant monitoring of me and the baby and so no pool, and it was so intense I tapped out the pain relief options pretty quickly. In the end I had an emcs as DD's position was such that there was zero progression in the last four hours of labour and my (low throughout pregnancy) blood pressure sky rocketed.

My recovery from the c section has been very straightforward. The worst part was the catheter for the 24 hours after, and I was back home within 48 hours of delivery. I was exhausted but that came more from the lack of sleep and the labour rather than the op.

Personally if the "natural" option involved induction and close monitoring (and I would suspect that it would given the risk of rupture) and a higher risk of intervention I would go for the c section.

I would take the c section in your position, the dr must have good reasons for recommending it.
I’ve had three, the first an emergency. Obviously everyone is different but I found the emcs frightening and the recovery was tough. The two electives were calm and well managed. The small risk aside, there’s a calm, medicalised predictability to a c section. No one ever ends up saying ‘I had a hand up my arse, mooed for 6 days and had a 32 inch tear’

Elective C section, 100%. I had vaginal birth with forceps, and my DD has permanent nerve damage to her face, eye and shoulder from them plus scarring. And I have a prolapse. No birth is without risk but calm, planned, elective surgery is the least risk of emergency, and emergencies seem to be when trauma and mistakes happen.

Thank you all again, i really do appreciate the advice and it has deffo helped me make my decision. I am telling them at my appointment tomorrow that i would like the section. I will be 38w +3d tomorrow so im assuming it will be booked for early next week. Thank you all again x