Planned c section versus vaginal birth

[duckling3]

Hi, has anyone here had both a planned c section and a vaginal birth and happy to share you experiences. Which did you prefer and what was the experience/recovery for both like?

I'm due with my first later in the year and reading up on birth options. I am pretty terrified of birth - all methods - and everything I read online is designed to make you think vaginal birth by far the better option in a low risk pregnancy. Thought it might be interesting to get some real experiences and thoughts to see if that really is the case.

Please no horror stories!

Preferred my planned c section over vaginal, which ended up with forceps, by a country mile! Recovery for section was absolutely fine with no issues, the forceps delivery was a bit longer recovery, but both totally different types of discomfort so difficult to compare that aspect.

Watching with interest as had a water birth VB and am lining up an ELCS this time round.

Very interested too

Watching with interest too as I feel the same about a vaginal birth!

I had a planned section for medical reasons then a vbac. I'm also an anxious person and did a lot of thinking bcos I did have the choice for ec. Still chose vbac because of the recovery issues. CS is a major operation and it takes a while for the scar to be robust.

I had three vaginal births and one planned c-section.

First vaginal birth was emergency forceps due to shoulder dystocia so pretty nasty, I needed an extended episiotomy (they cut right into my butt cheek) and it took me a couple of weeks to feel human again.

Second vaginal birth I stayed at home until I was 9cm dilated, I found the contractions really bearable and only had a bit of gas and air when I got to hospital and started pushing. HOWEVER, my placenta retained and I had a huge haemorrhage so needed emergency surgery and two blood transfusions- shit.

Third delivery was fairly uneventful but I did start to lose too much blood again, they thankfully curbed it with an injection.

Had a traumatic missed miscarriage between DC3 and 4 where I haemorrhaged so I opted to have an elective CS with DC4 and it was fantastic! I found the experience so much calmer, I enjoyed being in control, loved knowing the exact date he would be born in advance too so I could prepare better. It was totally straightforward and I went home the following morning. Needed DH’s help for the first week a lot but after that I was fine again.

The thing for me was, no real complications except a second degree tear. Water birth, gas and air only. But. Sciatic nerve killing me through labour and I was totally put off sex for A VERY long time afterwards due to never really feeling normal down there again. I healed fine from the tear but never really bounced back into place even with pelvic floor exercises. Electric zapper thing helped a bit but am not the same. Another vbirth would finish me off tbh.

I'm due my first in 2 weeks and have opted for an ELCS after much consideration. I don't like the uncertainty of a VB and although both carry their own risks, I'm more comfortable with those of a planned section. I also like knowing (assuming he doesn't make an early appearance) when it's going to happen so I can mentally prepare myself.

I'm gutted that people can request a c section. I wasn't told that. I wish I'd had one.

I had a planned section with my first - breech baby! So I have the option of another section or VBAC with my second (due September).

My first section was a very positive experience - and the healing was better than I anticipated. I had her on the Tuesday morning, home Wednesday evening and my husband went back to work full time on the Friday! (Although I wish he hadn't but not because of the csection - more because I had a newborn and didn't know what I was doing!)

Thanks for the responses. Interesting to hear others experiences and that I am not the only one considering a ELCS.
I've got a few weeks until my next midwife appointment so lots of time to things things over. Think I will speak to her about sections either way, although I hear many midwives are not supportive of elective sections so feel almost embarrassed to bring it up.

If you haven't already I would highly suggest reading The positive birth book by Milli Hill. It talks about all your choices in birth and gives you a clear overview of all types of births. It really helped me feel more confident about my decisions. A lot of the fear around vaginal birth comes from women not being informed by NHS staff on their choices and different outcomes in birth (not their fault, this is purely down to being underfunded)

I've had 3 vaginal births and 2 c sections (one elective and one emergency). The elective was awful. I'm not really sure which was worse, the elective or the emergency c-section. Much preferred my vaginal births, apart from being knackered, pnd and the cracked nipples I was fully recovered in a couple of days with 2 of them and within a week with the other one. After my c-sections it took a year to recover from each and 6 years later my scar still hurts if I wear jeans or knickers where the elastic is on my scar.

Agree with others regarding reading the Milli Hill book, though the lack of knowledge is entrenched in medicalisation of birth not because of the NHS (it's in other countries too!). I have only had an ELCS (first baby) which was a consideration for me initially and then DS decided he wanted to come out the sunroof by puncturing the sac at just over 34 weeks and being Frank breech. I'm tokophobic so the whole pregnancy thing had been quite a thing to get through in itself but I had become comfortable with a physiological birth in a birth centre with a doula to support us OR ELCS. Other book to read on physiological birth is Ina May Gaskin and I'd also recommend Why Caesarean Matters.

I think recovery from caesarean is completely personal tbh and non planned sections can be a lot different than planned ones. My own recovery was absolutely fine, I was more floored by low iron (I lost slightly more than they like during the op) which made me tired but I was walking a short distance to a coffee shop at about a week on. I will add though that I'm pretty sporty and fit and I do believe that has had a massive impact on my quick recovery. I was able to gently cycle at 4 weeks (for 10 minutes!) and was running at around 10 weeks. Now nearly 7 months on and Apart from the scar (which is fading) I don't feel any different.

Good luck @duckling3

I've just ordered the positive borth book. thanks for the recommendation.

I'm reading the Positive Birth Book, and age seems to say that no-one in their right mind would ask for a Caesarian without a very good reason as it is major surgery. The example she gives is sexual assault in the past.
Is it extremely unusual to request one because it would feel the less stressful and more manageable option?

*she seems to say

@quizwhitty I've also read the positive birth book and although it's great to help with
Lots of techniques for labour, I feel it is very weighted to promoting a natural birth, even without the use of epidural etc.

I don't feel like it's her right to say no one in their right mind would choose a csection when she hasn't suffered through a lot of the things people choose a csection for- I myself have developed Tokophobia of a natural birth; I was always very anxious something would go wrong during the birth to the baby, get stuck etc.. but my friend unfortunately naturally delivered a baby boy who was stillborn 4 weeks ago and this has rocked me to the core. Every night I have a nightmare that this will happen and I can't talk about natural delivery without almost having a panic attack. I'm seeing the consultant at 36 weeks (I'm consultant led anyway) and am hoping to ask for an ELCS for these reasons. A successful vagina birth relies on the absense of adrenaline and the presence of oxytocin and I can't see how I won't go into complete panic and fear.

I've had one vaginal birth and one elective c section. I preferred the ELCS in every way. I wish I'd had one with my first as my VB was godawful. Recovery was also much easier for me with a c section. Don't underestimate the severity of some birth injuries - I won't go into details as you don't want horror stories but recovery from the CS was a walk in the park compared to what I went through after DS1.

With ds I ended up having an epidural with ventuse & episiotomy (after spending hours in the water pushing). But I have to say, it was absolutely fine as was the recovery. I feel very positive about the birth I had, even though it didn't quite go to plan. I've had friends who have had nasty infections or long recoveries after their sections. There is no easy way to give birth. Both choices come with their own risks and you'll hear horror stories from both sides.

I think the problem is no one can tell you how your VB will go. A straightforward VB with no intervention is a breeze to recover from. I was barely even sore. My first delivery was slow but textbook. I didn't need any help or any stitches.

But equally it can go pear shaped. I was very clear in my birth plan that I did not consent to forceps under any circumstances. If we started to get into difficulty, I wanted a section.

You have choices OP.

Oh and I forgot, there are health benefits to both of you to a VB that we are only just starting to understand that you miss out on with a section.

I have only had a vaginal delivery so I can't compare but there seem to be so many horror stories on here. I was lucky and my vaginal birth was great and I was up and about an hour later. This is obviously not everyone's experience but in this case I would imagine preferable to a C section

I had emca after 40hra of Labour for a misdiagnosed breech presentation and elcs 12 days ago. If I could I would have gone for vbac a million times over my elcs I hated how clinical it was and HATED my stay on postnatal ward. Dd was breech hence why I had to have elcs.

Good to know @BumbleNova you can refuse forceps. I'm terrified of that!